Have you seen the recent pictures of Pope Francis wearing a puffer jacket in the style of Balenciaga or Elon Musk holding hands with AOC? If so, these were created using Midjourney, an artificial intelligence (AI) art generator which can be used to create images from text descriptions and prompts. The use of AI systems like Midjourney, as well as others such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, Github Co-Pilot and Stable Diffusion,…
Working from home or working alone? – Activate a healthier culture by supporting employee well-being Much has shifted during the past few years. Hybrid and remote working have gone from unique to mainstream. People have been asked to do more and respond in unexpected ways to meet new community and customer needs. Time together as a team connecting has reduced, and a sense of greater purpose for the organisation may…
In our ongoing exploration of assistive technologies, we have witnessed the remarkable advancements that have revolutionized accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Today, we shift our focus to cognitive assistive technologies, an innovative field that aims to enhance digital accessibility for individuals with cognitive impairments. These technologies play a crucial role in empowering individuals to navigate and engage with digital content effectively, fostering inclusivity and equal opportunities. Join us as we…
A small, picturesque village on the Mediterranean coast isn’t usually what comes to mind when we think of the typical birthplace for a global tech unicorn. But Croatia-based Infobip has grown into a global communications giant reaching more than seven billion mobile devices and “things” in more than 200 countries and generating close to $2 billion in revenue. Amid a generative AI revolution, Infobip is helping companies change how their…
How Much Do Most Companies Spend on Training and Development? The 2021 Training Industry Report published by Training Magazine indicated the average company spent $1,071 per employee on training in 2021. When looking at the average based on size: Small companies (100-999 employees) spent the most per employee at $1,433, even though they decreased their spending by over $200 per employee from the previous year. Mid-sized companies (1,000-9,999 employees) nearly…
Calling all companies: it’s time to bolster your brand fan base. This year’s Salesforce Connections event (June 7-8 in Chicago) is all about building powerful, lasting customer connections with meaningful interactions — or as we like to call it, creating customer magic. At Salesforce Connections, you’ll learn how to use technology to grow your customer relationships. You’ll see how using artificial intelligence (AI) and data-powered insights can help you work…
For anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit and a knack for editing snappy short-form videos, TikTok can offer the chance to make some cold hard cash. After all, there’s a huge audience on this thriving social media platform, eager to be entertained (and maybe even spend some money in the process). In 2023, TikTok ranks as the 6th most-used social media platform worldwide, with over 3 billion downloads and 50 million…
In this day and age, business and technology have merged into one inseparable entity, and they collaborate hand in hand to propel both long-term growth and evolutionary change. There is no exemption made for Human Resources (HR). Today, the role of human resources (HR) extends far beyond the basic transactional activities it once performed and has transformed into a strategic driver responsible for analyzing and improving employee performance. This transition…
As the financial services industry continues to evolve, companies are looking for ways to stay ahead of the competition and increase their market share. One way to do this is by leveraging the power of generative AI. Generative AI is an advanced form of artificial intelligence that can create content from scratch, taking the burden off of manual labor and allowing companies to focus on their core business. As a…
In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Lucia Rahilly chats with McKinsey partners Emily Field and Bryan Hancock, as well as senior partner Bill Schaninger, about their new book, Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work (Harvard Business Review Press, July 18, 2023). The authors discuss the critical impact of middle management in vision creation, coaching, and skill development, and share…
Between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, TikTok, Snapchat and more, keeping track of all of your brand’s social media accounts can feel like herding cats (and it’s not nearly as cute). But you don’t have to go at it alone. There are lots of apps, platforms and websites out there for properly managing multiple social accounts. This includes schedulers, reporting tools, and social media management software that ensures you’re engaging with…
Samsung’s Biometric Card IC is an all-in-one security solution that offers biometric cards a variety of things they need to make everyday transactions safer and more convenient. This new fingerprint security chip was selected as a winner of the CES 2023 Best of Innovation Awards in the Cybersecurity & Personal Privacy category. Let us take a look at how this groundbreaking technology can help people solve one of the world’s…
Creating viable strategies for talent acquisition in today's ever-changing business environment is essential to driving organizational growth and ensuring the organization's resilience against unknown future difficulties. Here is how you can develop this long-term advantage over your competitors. Accept the Challenge of Leveraging the Power of People Analytics Utilizing people analytics is the first step in the process. It is possible for data-driven insights about your workforce to have a…
What happens when the CEO of your organization suddenly resigns or retires? Are you confident that there is someone ready to step up and fill the leadership gap? That is why succession planning is vital to every organization. Succession planning can help ensure a smooth transition of leadership and maintain continuity in the face of unexpected changes. Starting a succession plan can be daunting, but the first step is to…
French translation (Lire la version française) As we have shared, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will not be available to people accessing Facebook and Instagram in Canada if Bill C-18, the Online News Act, is passed into law. As we prepare to comply with the legislation, we are announcing today that we will begin tests on both platforms that will limit some users and publishers from…
My organization urgently needs to execute a new strategic initiative, but I’m not confident that my current staff members have the skills and drive required. How can I field a championship team when I don’t have any all-star players? It’s easy for managers to succumb to a scarcity mentality and believe that their people aren’t good enough — but it’s important not to nurture this mindset. When we look closely…
1. What’s software-as-a-service? Software-as-a-Service, also known as SaaS, is a web-based model that allows internet access to data from any device. The SaaS solution connects users to data stored in the cloud so that you can use it like an on-premises app but running through a web interface or mobile app. SaaS models are usually licensed on a subscription basis you renew monthly or annually. 2. What are the advantages…
Life sciences companies are putting more thought and strategy into utilizing cloud solutions not only for their enterprise systems, but for their laboratory and quality systems as well. The cloud, simply put, is the ability to access servers, software, and databases over the Internet. This works by using a virtual machine (VM) that acts as a physical computer with its own hardware that users can access via a web browser.…
A multinational, multibillion-dollar manufacturing company with 30+ subsidiaries was facing several imminent retirements at the C-level. Each case required a decision: promote, move, or hire. The organization had a strong “promote from within” culture and talent strategy and sought to accommodate the retirements by either elevating current employees to new roles or moving people laterally. In some cases, the retirements and necessary placement decisions were several months out, while others…
Lately, new AI tools like ChatGPT have been so impressive that employees are clutching their purse strings. Not too long ago in human history, we were gaping in awe of the revolutionary assembly line and wondering if any of us would ever work again – but look at us now. While there are certainly benefits to regulations and caution surrounding the unknown, it is not the first time nor the…
Building social media security awareness at work may not be as exciting as, say, developing TikTok engagement strategies. But it’s still a critical function for social teams at organizations of all sizes. That’s because social media threats don’t just impact your brand’s social accounts. If they aren’t handled, security risks can infiltrate an entire organization. They can even threaten the safety of your company and customers. To protect your brand…
Are you ready to tap into ChatGPT social media success? Social media managers have suffered too long with tedious, manual tasks. Caption writing, image sourcing, responding to followers…the list goes on. Luckily, ChatGPT, a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tool that generates human-like content, promises to make social media success more attainable. Streamline your workflows, automate tasks, and never worry about finding the perfect caption again. Here’s how you can get…
Generative AI is the shiny object that’s making many of us wonder how fundamentally it will change our work. It even begs the question whether “old school” chatbots have a future. The short answer is that, yes, chatbots do have a purpose in this new world of large language models (LLM) and generative AI. And, if you want to deliver a great customer experience, you’ll still be able to with…
One of the most well-known issues in business is the lack of alignment between sales and marketing. In fact, some companies have even begun to merge their sales and marketing teams. Both teams must work together but struggle to communicate and often lose respect for one another. Sales may blame marketing for poor lead quality, while marketing blames sales for not following up on marketing-qualified leads from their latest campaign.…
Regardless of industry or what you’re selling, delighting your customers is key to your success — where trust, personalization, and seamless interactions intersect. But pleasing your customers isn’t just about meeting their needs — you need to be one step ahead. In fact, 62% of customers expect businesses to anticipate their needs. But making customers happy is often easier said than done. The sheer volume of data and the fact…
Why drive to your neighboring city or region when you can fly? Over the past 30 years or so, the standard response has been because driving is cheaper, more convenient, and probably faster door to door. That may not be true for much longer, however. Advances in aerospace technology, new attitudes about travel, and a growing ecosystem of established players and startups could drive a resurgence in regional air mobility.…
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many companies have implemented flexible work patterns in pursuit of better employee experience, real estate cost savings, and more sustainable operations. However, a McKinsey survey of real estate and employee experience executives from 50 companies reveals that most firms have only scratched the surface. The survey asked how far along companies are in implementing 12 practices McKinsey has identified as key to developing effective and…
The FTC is not alone in taking aim at non-competes. Yesterday, the NLRB’s General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo issued a memo to all regional directors, officers-in-charge, and resident officers at the NLRB stating that non-competes in employment agreements and severance agreements violate the National Labor Relations Act except in rare circumstances. Specifically, Ms. Abruzzo claims that such covenants interfere with workers’ rights under Section 7 of the Act, which protects employees’…
Walmart announced new steps to help make the everyday choice the more sustainable choice by adopting measures designed to reduce the amount of packaging waste associated with online orders. This includes moving from plastic to recyclable paper mailers, right-sizing cardboard box packaging, giving customers the option to consolidate shipping on eCommerce orders, opting out of single-use plastic bags for online pickup orders and last mile delivery efficiencies to reduce…
Creating a vision and developing the strategy. Forming a plan and implementing the processes. Working with a group of like-minded people to achieve one goal. At its core, these three sentences can describe both a business and a sports team. Whilst the day-to-day successes of a sports team are of public interest, the inner workings of a company are not often discussed – it’s all about the finished product. However,…
The agriculture industry is under pressure. Dramatic cost increases for inputs and labor are putting farmers’ profitability at risk. Globally, farmers report that prices for inputs such as fertilizer and crop protection chemicals have risen by 80 to 250 percent over the past few years. Climate change is also squeezing profits. A warmer climate is resulting in increased weather variability, more frequent acute weather events, longer droughts, and new invasive…
The California Privacy Rights Act has significant implications for businesses operating in California and those that process the personal information of California residents. What is the CPRA? The California Privacy Rights Act, also known as CPRA or Proposition 24, is a data privacy law that builds upon the existing California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The CPRA was introduced to enhance and strengthen data privacy protections for California…
As the retail industry continues to evolve, one of the greatest challenges in creating an omnichannel experience is converting website visitors into loyal, returning customers. To ensure a seamless and consistent user experience throughout the customer journey, businesses must prioritize meeting customers’ needs and providing easy access to their brand at every touchpoint. When assessing any part of your omnichannel strategy, consider these three tenets for optimizing the omnichannel experience. Optimizing…
Healthcare M&A Activity: Q1 2023 Overview The healthcare industry has seen an increase in M&A activity in Q1 2023, with 15 announced transactions, just below the post-pandemic high of 17 in Q4 2022. During Q1 2023, the average size of the seller in announced transactions remained high at $827M, just below the historic high of $852M reached in 2022, indicating that the trend towards larger transaction sizes continued. The total…
Open-Source vs. Proprietary Software – What’s the Difference? To thoroughly grasp what open source is, one should understand what it is not. Open source is not restricted by licensing agreements, and the user behind open-source software is not forbidden to change, edit, study, or redistribute manipulated versions of it. Open-source software grants its users a degree of accessibility that is not possible through its proprietary counterpart. Open-source codes are published…
Fashion, one of the most unsustainable industries on Earth, has long grappled with its damaging environmental and social impact. Consumers, on the other hand, tend to act like passive bystanders at a crime scene, placing the blame solely on brands and producers. While companies and executives face mounting pressure to adopt sustainable practices, consumers need to recognise that they are actively complicit in the very same crime. The evolution of…
“Quick wins” are music to our ears. To stay ahead, you need to move fast: test, learn, optimize, and repeat. It used to be that commerce deployments were massive and intimidating, requiring major IT resources, long timelines, and big budgets. But with the constant pressure commerce leaders face to both innovate and be more efficient, that kind of investment doesn’t always fly. Thanks to intelligent and flexible new technology, you…
Do you worry that your business isn’t generating as many sales as it could be? If so, then you are not alone. So many other business owners are in the same position that you are right now, but there are things you can do to try and turn things around. Take a look below to find out more. You’re Too Focused on Marketing Reaching out to a networking contact is…
Navigating the New Swiss Data Protection Act: A Checklist for Compliance and Key Differences between the Swiss regulation and the GDPR In the ever-evolving landscape of data protection regulations, Swiss companies are bracing themselves for a significant milestone – the implementation of the new Swiss Data Protection Act (revFADP). As of September 1st, 2023, businesses operating in Switzerland must ensure compliance with the new rules. While the revFADP draws inspiration…
In today’s ever-evolving work landscape, it’s refreshing to see organizations finally acknowledging the pivotal role of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in cultivating a thriving workplace. At the same time, the growing recognition of mental health’s significance reflects employers’ understanding that the well-being of their employees is integral to overall organizational success. As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, it’s crucial to remember that our dedication to…