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Why PIPs should be a manager’s favorite tool

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Performance improvement plans (PIPs) are these amazing little forms that can pave a smoother path to professional growth or termination. They can end bad behavior and create positive new habits. Unfortunately, they require a few things of which we do not often have enough: time, patience and focus. Here are a few reasons why PIPs should be a manager’s favorite tool and how they should be used.

Eating insects could help save the planet

Dave G. Houser Food & Beverage

If predictions from United Nations food scientists are right, menus of the future might include such dishes as stink bug stew, cockroach canapés and mashed mealworms. Scoff — or gag — if you will, but edible insects could well serve to supplement the human diet in a world increasingly threatened by skyrocketing population growth and a steadily shrinking food supply. Authors of a recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the need to reduce meat consumption — and trumpeted the cause for more high-protein meat alternatives. The report makes a particularly good case for the consumption of insects.

Some communities are putting the brakes on factory farming

Scott E. Rupp Food & Beverage

Wisconsin's Burnett County Board of Supervisors recently passed a one-year moratorium on large-scale farms with 1,000 or more animal units. The moratorium is inspired by plans from Cumberland LLC, which earlier this year announced plans to build a $20 million farm for up to 26,000 hogs in the town of Trade Lake. Don Taylor, Burnett County board chair, said a committee will examine potential impacts of large-scale farms, known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or "factory farms." Burnett County represents a microcosm of farming practices throughout the United States.

Travel2020: Flight delays now measured in thousands — of years

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

That innocuous two-hour aircraft maintenance interruption may seem like a minor inconvenience, but if added together with all the other interruptions per passenger at an airport in a given year, the delays can add up to thousands of years. A new study by FinanceBuzz examined the top 25 airports in the U.S. where passengers are most delayed. Not surprisingly, Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), hometown hub of United Airlines and where the legacy carrier runs more flights than any competitor, the topped the list.

Beating age discrimination just got harder

Patrick Gleeson Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Fighting age discrimination in employment was never easy. Perhaps the most important obstacle is that age discrimination isn’t easy to prove. Historically, when age discrimination in employment suits do go to trial, they’ve been decided overwhelmingly in favor of corporate America and against workers — about 99% of the time. As daunting as this sounds, recent significant appellate court decisions will almost certainly tilt the playing field even further toward corporate America and away from an increasing number of aging workers.

Cloud kitchens, virtual restaurants are the next big trends in food delivery

Bambi Majumdar Food & Beverage

Co-working spaces have changed the way many people work, and now it's time for cloud kitchens to do the same for the food business. Statista reports that the online food delivery segment will have $107 billion in revenue in 2019. Some of the industry's rapid growth is attributed to the advent of cloud kitchens, which have helped businesses stay ahead of high rents and employee turnover. Another related concept that is making waves is the virtual restaurant. Also called Uber cooking by some due to its initiation by Uber Eats, these businesses take orders through online apps and prepare food exclusively for takeout, pickup, and delivery customers.

Homeowners opting for repairs over remodels

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

By some measures, the home improvement industry is bustling. More homeowners are taking on more projects and spending more on those projects. That has helped to sustain growth in remodeling services this year, but not as much as one might expect. Recent industry reports indicate that a large portion of homeowner spending is being directed toward repairs and routine maintenance rather than remodeling and renovation.

A look at NEC’s enterprise solutions for hospitality businesses

Linchi Kwok Science & Technology

I recently met with the hospitality team of NEC Global Enterprise Solutions at NEC Corporation's headquarters in Tokyo. The team gave me a brief introduction of what services NEC provides and a tour of the NEC Future Creation Hub, an interactive showroom for the company’s latest tech products. The trip to NEC's headquarters was, in fact, a follow-up visit after I met with the company’s hospitality team at HITEC 2019 in Minneapolis in June. After getting a sneak peek of what NEC offers, I wonder whether tech firms or hospitality companies are the force that drives the transformation of the industry.

Economics key in new Endangered Species Act rules

Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & Environmental

In the grand scheme of federal vs. state-level environmental battles, we have nearly seen it all lately. With the Department of Interior steering the helm of the most controversial environmental issues of the day, we witness a shifty and complex federal culture when it comes to environmental rules. It’s on-again and off-again, with federal departments mainly deregulating and the federal judiciary emerging with some surprising decisions. The Trump administration appears to want to lift any restriction blocking land development; some federal judges have protected precarious rules or have challenged executive actions.

Risky business: The trade war and American farmers

Seth Sandronsky Food & Beverage

Chinese authorities recently announced an end to U.S. agricultural imports following President Trump’s threat to hike tariffs by 10% on $300 billion on Chinese imports, effective Sept. 1. That is bad news for U.S. farmers. What follows is a look at what some industry groups and politicians are doing and saying in response to the situation. "This trade war with China needs to come to an end. It is doing a lot of damage now and we are concerned about the long term," said Gary Wertish, the elected president of the Minnesota Farmers Union.

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