MultiBriefs - Your source for industry specific News Briefs

What you should know about the virtual strategic planning process

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Virtual strategic planning should be as effective and comfortable as an in-person retreat. As associations consider their position and value to members, communicating a strong plan is critical. Members want to know a strategy for recovering and rebound exists. Working virtually, the steps are a little different than an in-person meeting. Ideally, through research, input, and analysis, up to 70% of the work will be done before the online retreat.

Survey: Employers face potential exodus of supply chain talent

Terri Williams Distribution & Warehousing

In the face of record unemployment, many workers are staying put — and frankly, glad to still have a job. But despite the current labor market, employees in some industries are hedging their bets that the grass is greener on the other side. Those are the results of the Job Confidence Index 2020. The annual report by DSJ Global, a logistics and supply chain recruiter, includes responses from workers in the U.S., Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. It reveals that even though 40% of employees believe it may be difficult to find a new job opportunity, only 36% plan to stay with their current employer over the next six months.

How the election will affect manufacturing

Bambi Majumdar Manufacturing

Manufacturing is a crucial issue for the 2020 election. According to a Morning Consult column, this was supposed to be the year of the manufacturing election. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have revealed plans to revive the economy and the manufacturing sector. The latter is directly proportional to the well-being of the former. However, when Morning Consult made that prediction, in February, it had a robust and running industry in mind. But then came COVID-19 and lockdowns that brought entire industries to a halt. Yet, manufacturing remains a pivotal factor.

As more companies let employees work from home permanently, what is the…

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

When the pandemic hit the global economy in March, business travel was estimated to lose $820 billion in revenue. Under the best-case scenario, businesses were expected to reopen in late spring or early summer. As we entered into the summer, indicators showed travel and hospitality businesses were picking up, but we all knew travel recovery would not truly occur until people took business trips again. Now, in October, we still have not contained the coronavirus. To make it worse, new COVID-19 cases are now surging again across the U.S. and Europe.

Conducting a virtual board orientation

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Fall and winter months are prime season for board transition and orientation. Because of the pandemic, most board trainings will occur virtually. Rather than postponing orientation, do it online. A frequent question about orientation is whether to include only new directors or the entire board. The answer is the full board. If there is resistance because they’ve already had the training, position it as "refresh and blend."

Can employees take time off from work to vote?

Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Voters have until Nov. 3, 2020, to cast their ballots in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. With the deadline imminent, employees who haven’t voted already may be wondering whether they can take time off from work to vote. As with many things employment-related, the answer boils down to state or local law and company policy. Federal law does not mandate that employers give employees time off to vote; however, many states do. Depending on the state, the time off may be paid or unpaid.

Seniors and the neurodiverse: 2 pools of exceptional talent you need to…

Tim Ringo Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Even before the coronavirus pandemic brought the world economy to a virtual standstill, people productivity was in its longest period of decline since records began. Since 2010, there has been steady downward pressure on productivity, stumping economists on what exactly is causing this trend. With all the increasingly intelligent and abundant technology available to workers, why are people not more productive in the workplace? There are a variety of reasons for why this is happening, including organizations overwhelming people with new technology that is more "IT-centric" than “human-centric."

Event trends designed to keep guests safe during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jonathan Morse Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are now thinking of health and safety more seriously, especially when it comes to public places with large crowds — including events. In order to keep guests safe and aid in the prevention of spreading illness or disease, there are certain new measures event coordinators must take. Let’s take a look at some creative event trends designed to keep guests safe when they return to events post-lockdown.

Workplace survivor syndrome is another consequence of COVID-19 for businesses

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

COVID-19 has resulted in the loss of over 210,000 lives, but also the loss of livelihood for many Americans. According to September data from the U.S. Labor Department, 2.4 million people are experiencing long-term joblessness. By November, that number could more than double. While the employees who are still employed may feel grateful or fortunate, Challenger, Gray & Christmas present another emotion that these workers may experience: guilt. The executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas recently recommended that companies acknowledge their remaining employees may be dealing with survivor’s guilt and find a way to deal with it.

A ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ promise holds you hostage to another’s…

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

We recently discussed the real hazards of stamping "lifetime warranty" on your products. A close corollary to that is promising "satisfaction guaranteed" on your professional services. You might make that offer because you are proud of the quality of your services — so confident that your work will be above reproach that you are implicitly claiming that you’ll redo the work or refund to make the customer happy. Think about that outrageous promise. How can you possibly guarantee another’s happiness? Why hold yourself hostage to that?

Industries