296. Why has $5 Trillion NVIDIA scrapped performance reviews? PLUS! Microsoft’s voluntary retirement, well-being hacks and the truth about the change curve, with Matt Furness

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Part of the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, we explore Microsoft’s new retirement strategy, NVIDIA’s radical management secrets, and the one wellbeing investment most businesses are overlooking. Plus, we debunk a legendary psychological model and answer your burning questions about toxic top performers and small business culture. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Is Microsoft Quietly Microsoft has launched a first-of-its-kind voluntary retirement program for U.S. employees whose age plus years of service equals 70 or more. The Targeted Group: Open to staff at senior director level and below. The Strategic Shift: While framed as giving employees choice, it comes as Microsoft pivots heavily toward AI infrastructure, potentially reshaping its traditional software workforce. Reward Changes: The company is also decoupling stock awards from cash bonuses to give managers more flexibility in rewarding high performers. Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/23/microsoft-plans-first-voluntary-retirement-program-for-us-employees.html 2. The $5 Trillion CEO: Jensen Huang’s Radical Rules NVIDIA recently crossed the $5 trillion mark, and CEO Jensen Huang did it by breaking every rule in the management handbook. Flat Structure: Huang has 55 direct reports—nearly 10x the corporate average. Equal Pay: He pays all 55 top executives the exact same cash bonus, removing internal "status games." No 1:1s: Information is shared with everyone at once to eliminate power asymmetry and speed up decision-making. Source: https://x.com/i/web/status/2048559374499778778 3. The Wellbeing Investment You’re Overlooking While most companies spend on gym memberships and apps, the data suggests that employee development is the real driver of wellbeing. The Progress Problem: Research suggests low engagement is often a "progress problem," not a "perks problem." Retention Secret: 73% of employees would stay longer if their company invested more in learning and development. Science-Backed: Competence is a core human need in Self-Determination Theory, directly linked to lower burnout. Source: https://wellbeingmagazine.com/why-employee-development-is-the-wellbeing-investment-most-businesses-overlook/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: The Kübler-Ross Change Curve We’ve all seen the "Stages of Grief" applied to corporate change. Business Psychologist Matt Furness joins us to reveal whether research actually supports using a model designed for terminally ill patients as a roadmap for office restructuring. Connect with Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfurness/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BpQVxZf%2FySxyM5bnSu94bNQ%3D%3D Click Culture: https://www.clickculture.co.uk/ 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three tough listener dilemmas: The "Checked Out" Employee: Is "quiet quitting" the inevitable result of mandated return-to-office policies? The Toxic High Performer: Can you ever justify keeping a salesperson who hits their targets but destroys your culture? Culture vs. Cash: At what point does a "small business family" culture lose out to a £15k pay rise elsewhere? 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com