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To survive the future, business owners look to the past
Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe Great Recession, by all accounts, was different. It was different in the way it began, the way it ended, and the way people reacted. The current meltdown, Duke University economist Campbell Harvey says, will also be different from the 2008 recession in how the nation climbs out of it. But even in a moment where the root causes of two economic meltdowns can look so different — one from a global pandemic and the other from the housing bubble — small businesses owners are still doing everything to connect the two. Store owners and businesses who were around in 2008 are drawing on lessons from the past to apply to the present, even if economists like Harvey are adamant the big picture will be nothing alike.
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My team outperformed expectations amid WFH — but we’re still heading…
Jonathan Cherins Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen I became the CEO of PuppySpot a few years ago, one of my first projects was bringing our team closer together, both figuratively and literally. When this current pandemic arrived in the U.S. this March, it called into question right away all the improvements we'd made for our company culture. I wasn't concerned about our ability to move home and to remain in touch; what worried me was that people would fall back into bad patterns and focus exclusively on their rigid areas of the business and lose the curiosity and creativity that they'd established from working alongside others. My apprehension proved to be unfounded, though.
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Brand altruism in the age of COVID-19: 5 marketing mistakes you should…
Lisa Mulcahy MarketingIn the age of COVID-19, you know that many brands are attempting to "give back" to their loyal customers as a core messaging and business practice. Yet, when employed the wrong way, brand altruism can be disastrous for your reputation, not to mention a detriment to the customers you could be truly assisting. Here are five essential mistakes no brand should make when it comes to generosity during the pandemic.
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Ways to communicate value in a crisis
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementI listened to Mary Byers, CAE and author, speak to the Associated General Contractors of America on the "Next Normal." She explained, "We’ve heard a lot about the new normal — this is what happens to you. The next normal is what you choose to happen." To design the next normal, make time to assess and communicate value during a crisis. This article suggests eight ways to improve member awareness through existing platforms.
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Dealing with the loss of interpersonal respect and repairing strained relationships…
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementTrust is the foundation for all interpersonal relationships, personal and professional. Trusting and respecting another person cannot be rushed. Trust necessarily develops over time where a pattern of predictable integrity can be established. How long does that take? Sometimes months, sometimes years. It is not an overnight quality to bestow. And yet a quality that takes so long to be earned can be easily lost in one interaction. Loss of respect occurs when someone doesn’t behave in the manner you have been led to believe.
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How the pandemic is changing employees’ summer vacation plans
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMost employees use a huge chunk of their vacation time during the summer months. COVID-19 has certainly increased stress levels, making a summer break even more important. However, employees are also reconsidering their vacation time as a result of the pandemic. Recent research by Robert Half reveals how those plans have changed. According to the report, 37% of employees aren’t planning on taking a break during the summer; they plan to take it later in the year — and hope they’ll be able to travel by then.
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Why businesses are adopting AI to improve operations
John Allen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementArtificial intelligence is not the future. It is the present. AI can improve your business in many ways, which your competitors already know. Machine learning is now used across many sectors. Companies in fields as diverse as medicine, fashion, food, and more use AI. It improves organization, stock taking, design, and customer service. In turn, that improves efficiency and, ultimately, profits.
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How your business can take advantage of shifting content preferences during…
Linda Popky MarketingA funny thing has happened on our way through the COVID-19 crisis. Even as parts of the economy reopen and people are anxiously trying to return to their prior way of live, people continue to consume more and more content. Maybe it's because we all have more time available, since we aren't traveling, commuting, or attending large social events. Or, perhaps many of us are just finding this a good time to read up on topics of interest. Whatever the case, this is a great opportunity for you and your organization to get your story out to your key audiences.
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Wasting hours on minutes
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementThe directors griped, "We start the meeting with the first order of business being approval of the previous minutes. An hour is wasted talking about what we did at the last meeting and whether the information is accurate." Losing the first hour of a board meeting is deflating. The directors arrive enthusiastic about achieving results. Instead, their eyes roll when they hear, "I don’t think that’s what I said in the minutes." Here are some steps to prevent time wasting at board meetings.
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US employers add 4.8 million jobs in June; jobless rate drops to 11.1%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEmployers added 4.8 million nonfarm jobs in June after hiring 2.5 million workers in May, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. June’s unemployment rate fell to 11.1% versus May’s 13.3%. Improvement in the labor market for the second straight month was due to a partial resuming of economic activity after nationwide business closures, notably in the hospitality and leisure sectors in March and April, to slow the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. That shutdown led to the loss of 22.2 million jobs.
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