CURRENT ISSUE | VOLUME 21 - ISSUE 7 | October 2026
COVER STORY
Why Lab Teams Resist Change—And How Leaders Can Respond
Addressing the human side of automation, AI, and operational change
Leadership and Staffing
New technology and workflow changes can create uncertainty long before implementation begins. Lab leaders who address the emotional side of change can build trust
Why authority keeps a lab running but influence is what grows a team
Lab leaders can turn long-term career goals into action by identifying the skills, experience, and connections they need before the next opportunity opens
Updated
Resolve conflicts with fellow managers without damaging working relationships
Practical strategies to remove barriers, build trust, and support neurodivergent lab employees
Build positive cultures through candor, consistency, accountability, and practical support—not relentless optimism
Management Tips
Improving communication skills and sharing stories about lab hazards drives a safer lab workplace
Be an effective partner to leadership by speaking your ideas and concerns and then committing to the decisions
Lab Health and Safety
Injury rates show what has already happened. Tracking leading indicators can reveal where a laboratory’s safety culture needs attention
Business Management
Clear project boundaries and deliberate trade-off discussions can help lab managers respond to expanding requests without stretching resources too far
Lab leaders need to understand where cyber risks exist, which systems and data are most critical, and how to work with IT to strengthen protection and prepare for disruptions
Ask the Expert
Experts explain where AI can reduce routine workload, what validation should look like, and how lab leaders can choose use cases that hold up in practice
