As I compose this editor’s note from my home “office”—a writing desk in my bedroom, my laptop propped up by my college copy of The Riverside Chaucer in a feeble attempt at ergonomics—the future is unsettling. Hospitals and healthcare workers expect to be overwhelmed with coronavirus cases, and entire sectors of the economy are shut down, which has led to millions of layoffs. Some beloved local businesses, unable to weather this storm, surely will close their doors forever.
Yet we at Fast Company are still finding reasons to be optimistic, a sentiment that’s reflected throughout this issue. The cover image of tidying expert Marie Kondo, along with senior writer Elizabeth Segran’s sprightly profile, can’t help but (forgive me) spark joy. A feature about the employees at corporate messaging platform Slack, who are racing to meet unprecedented demand, is simply energizing. And our annual World-Changing Ideas program, put together by a team of journalists led by senior editor Morgan Clendaniel, recognizes more than 800 companies and organizations tackling society’s biggest problems in completely new ways.
These stories feel extra resonant today. Kondo, who has conquered home organization, has written a new book, Joy at Work, that extols the value of striking a balance between the personal and professional. For those of us who’ve unexpectedly set up shop at our kitchen tables and writing desks—and find our kids, pets, and messy countertops showing up in the background during videoconferences—Kondo’s lessons are more valuable than ever.
The health crisis and its economic impact have given the staff at Slack a renewed sense of mission. Contributor Charles Fishman embedded himself (virtually, of course) with the company and certain key customers and found that Slack’s software has become the lifeblood of many organizations tackling the virus. “Slack is helping make sure . . . that New York’s doctors can get to hospitals, that the world’s scientists can unmask the coronavirus,” Fishman writes. “The urgency of these customers infuses purpose back into Slack.”
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