Business year in review

One study by researcher Wayne Decker found that managers perceived to have a sense of humor are rated by subordinates as 23% more respected and 25% more pleasant to work with. In contrast, a 2018 Gallup study found that nearly 50% of Americans have left a job to “get away” from a manager. Employee turnover has increased 88% over the last decade, costing companies billions. The impact of humor on employee retention is a timely salve to a silent crisis affecting leaders and organizations worldwide. … [Read more...] about Humor is such an important leadership trait we teach it at Stanford’s business school

$22 billion in revenue by selling 3 billion garments across its nine brands. But over the past decade, under Karl-Johan’s leadership, the company has begun to focus more on sustainability, partly because younger consumers care about the environmental impact of their apparel purchases. The company pledged to become climate positive by 2040; it’s an ambitious target, but Ikea has vowed to achieve the same goal a decade earlier. H&M Group also vowed to switch to entirely “sustainable fabrics” by 2030, but the company has gotten into hot water for being vague about what qualifies as “sustainable.” Separately, it has set up bins in stores, collecting tens of thousands of tons of old fabrics, ready to be recycled when the technology becomes available, and it has poured millions of dollars into technologies like the cotton recovery startup Renewcell and supply chain sharing platform Treadler. … [Read more...] about H&M is one of fashion’s biggest polluters. Now its foundation is on a $100 million quest to save the planet

2. Niren Chaudhary, CEO of Panera Bread “Invest in relationships: Find creative ways to still informally connect with your teams, to build and strengthen relationships.” “Stay mentally agile: Take time away from work to ‘sharpen the saw’ through things like meditation, physical exercise, or even some Netflix.” “Share praise. Remember to recognize and show appreciation of your team.” 3. Joel Flory, CEO of VSCO “In this virtual world, maintaining some of the habits that helped me think and feel my best when I was going into the office has been really important to me. Getting up early to exercise or building in time for walks between meetings helps me to fully show up on screen for my team and be at my best creatively.” … [Read more...] about 9 CEOs share their best tips for successful remote work

The jacket itself is lightweight and warm, perfect for wearing indoors on chilly days, then popping outside for some exercise. And Ralph Lauren has also worked to make the jacket as sustainable as possible. It uses recycled nylon and polyester fabrics, along with the company’s own down alternative made from recycled plastic bottles. And since each of the jackets is manufactured on demand, when a customer places an order, there’s no wasted inventory. … [Read more...] about These are the 6 most innovative coats and jackets of the winter

UNESCO: Heritage on the Edge Google has partnered with the United Nations on this stunning exploration of World Heritage Sites, deemed by the UN to have special cultural significance. Many sites around the world are at risk because of climate change. This website offers tours of five places, ranging from the Bagerhat, an ancient city of mosques in Bangladesh at risk of flooding, to the port city of Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania, endangered by coastal erosion. You can see gorgeous videos, learn about the history of the sites, meet locals, and hear from conservationists about what can be done to preserve them. … [Read more...] about The 6 most immersive online art exhibits to explore over the holidays