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☆ Generative AI has led to 'exploding' cybersecurity risks facing everyday people, McAfee CEO warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

McAfee CEO Greg Johnson told Insider GenAI is making threats like phishing more sophisticated. The more benefit it brings to consumers, it also goes to the scammers, Johnson said. The CEO of McAfee, the online security company known for its antivirus software, is embracing generative artificial intelligence as a way to boost his employees' productivity and help them keep up with online threats. "You used to have pretty blunt ways of attacking consumers," Johnson said. "And in that world, with Gen AI most recently, it's just accelerating the change that consumers are having to navigate."

Persons: Greg Johnson, GenAI, Johnson, Greg Johnson McAfee Johnson, McAfee, they've Organizations: McAfee, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Two under-the-radar ways bosses are tracking how full their offices are
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Employers have unique ways of telling how full their offices are. There's more interest now that more bosses are calling their workers back to the office. What the office water cooler actually revealsThere are other ways that measuring office occupancy can help understand employee habits. In 2019, 21% of flavored-water hounds in East Coast offices were using Bevi machines early or late in the day. The difference between RTO mandates and knowing how office space is being usedThese metrics aren't the same as tracking badge swipes .

Persons: Alex Birch, Kathleen Hall, Birch, Big, It's, Sean Grundy, Bevi, they're, Grundy, —, Goldman Sachs, I'd Organizations: Service, Google, Citadel, Deloitte Locations: Wall, Silicon, Australian, East Coast, Boston

☆ From body sensors to water coolers, here's how companies are watching how full their offices are
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some employers are turning to sensors that can tell when a person is sitting at a desk or using a conference room. So if you have sensors, you're able to release the no-shows and put those back into the pool," he said. What the office water cooler actually revealsThere are other ways that measuring office occupancy can help understand employee habits. In 2019, 21% of flavored-water hounds in East Coast offices were using Bevi machines early or late in the day. This year as more companies have been instituting RTO mandates, getting workers back to the office — and knowing they're there — has been a heated fight .

☆ If a single farm produced all the food wasted in the US, it would be the size of California and New York combined. We're the culprits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The land used to produce food that's wasted in the US totals the size of California and New York. If all that food came from a single farm, it would be about the size of California and New York combined. Some states don't allow food to be donated after the quality date has passed — another source of unnecessary food waste, advocates say. Thinking about food waste at every mealMelgar is focused on policy goals like setting standards around food-date labels because changing consumer habits can be tough. "I'm thinking about food waste every time I have a meal, every time I go grocery shopping," Melgar said.

Persons: Danielle Melgar, aren't, Melgar, Danielle, It's, Dana Gunders, Emily Broad Leib, Broad Leib, there's, Gunders, —, it's, she'd, who's Organizations: Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Food Law, Clinic, Harvard Law School, US Department of Agriculture Locations: California, New York, Wall, Silicon, Michigan, San Francisco

☆ I'm a black belt-turned-professional pillow fighter who used my winnings to start a dojo in the tough Miami neighborhood where I grew up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Master Tarrago said, "Matter of fact, I'm gonna be here tomorrow at such and such time to pick you up." I remember, Master Tarrago, he got some Ace bandages and wrapped it up and told me to go out there and fight. And I just feel like I'm really the best and then the PFC — that just came. I heard people laughing, making jokes like, "This guy says he's gonna win the whole thing. AdvertisementAdvertisementI've got a great support systemOne of my teachers that's great friends with Master Tarrago — he owns this facility.

Persons: Hauley Tillman, Tillman, Steven Tarrago, Tarrago, I'd, Kevin Kleeblatt, I've, Krav Maga, I'm, we've, — everybody's, it's, —, he's, Joshua, He's, That's Ms, Brenda, Tarrago —, — he's, we're Organizations: Service, Miami - Dade Schools Police Department, PFC, PFC —, MMA, UFC Locations: Miami, Wall, Silicon, Liberty City, Twin Dragons, Spain

☆ Employers need to stop treating workers like 7th graders, says ADP's talent chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Too often, employers treat workers like schoolchildren, ADP's Amy Leschke-Kahle told Insider. Employers need to experiment to learn what's best for their workers and businesses, she said. "Work is very much like seventh grade," Leschke-Kahle, vice president of talent insights and innovation at ADP, told Insider. They can run an experiment," Leschke-Kahle said. AdvertisementAdvertisement"We're making a ton of assumptions"Even though we have some datapoints and surveys, employers need to learn more about how workers best interact, Leschke-Kahle said.

Persons: Amy Leschke, Kahle, tweens, It's, it's, Pick, you've Organizations: Employers, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Deloitte's human-sustainability chief wants to help employees beat burnout. She says the best solutions go beyond vacation and office yoga — and involve undoing 100 years of routine.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

To combat burnout, it will take more than vacations and a few yoga classes, she told Insider. To really fix what's wrong with work, Fisher said, we need to have deeper, more thoughtful conversations. Fisher said employers need to push back on the idea that workers who cut through piles of work must be in good shape. I was on my way to burnout and the downstream impacts of my actions and behaviors on my team were detrimental," she said. Her own journey toward a more balanced approach to work leaves Fisher optimistic that broader change is possible.

Persons: Jen Fisher, who'd, Fisher, Deloitte's Jen Fisher, Odette Fernandez Lopez, We've, we're, she's, they're Organizations: Deloitte, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon, chemo

☆ If you're thinking of buying an electric vehicle, don't forget to check out the tires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

More tire manufacturers are trying to go green with their products and also make versions for EVs. You're looking to climb into an electric vehicle because it's better for your wallet , better when it comes to maintenance , and better for the planet . The company plans to make tires from only sustainable materials by 2050. Part of the push for better tire ingredients is also coming from regulators. "If we can find ways to just help keep tires better maintained, we can have a really big impact as well on emissions or downtime," Helsel said.

Persons: There's, Chris Helsel, We're, EVs, Helsel Organizations: Morning, Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear Locations: tailpipes, California

☆ Radious lets you rent your home to businesses as a coworking space: 'It's like Airbnb and WeWork had a baby'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Radious lets homeowners rent out their houses to companies that want coworking spaces. The Portland, Oregon, company lets homeowners rent to companies in need of coworking spaces. Radious also lets companies request access to spaces in other cities across the US to tap into a network of not-yet-public options. And Milwaukee really prides itself on being welcoming and friendly. It would seem like some suburbs that are just house after house may not be as attractive.

Persons: Radious, Amina Moreau's, Moreau, lockdowns, Robin Daniels, WeWork, Airbnbs, we've, we're, Amina Moreau Radious, it's, We've Organizations: Service, WeWork Locations: Portland , Oregon, Wall, Silicon, The Portland , Oregon, Portland, Milwaukee, Lake Michigan

☆ While fights rage over big brands like Bud Light and Target, other companies have stepped back and are quietly improving LGBTQ+ representation from the inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Big brands from Bud Light to Disney to Starbucks have recently been entangled in the culture wars. Their involvement in LGBTQ+ representation has made waves among advocates and conservatives alike. But more big companies are quietly working behind the scenes to boost LGBTQ+ representation. Among these same big companies, the number of LGBTQ+ board members rose to 39 from 26 last year. The fracas has now pushed Bud Light from atop the list of best-selling beers in the US.

Persons: Bud Light, —, Garth Brooks, Paul Washington, Washington, they've, Roe, Brian Bueno, Dylan Mulvaney, Sarah Kate Ellis, Ellis, Bueno Organizations: Starbucks, Service, Disney, Adidas, LA Dodgers, Fortune, Nasdaq, Leadership, Companies, ESG, Board, Supreme, Farient Advisors, Global Governance, Group, GLAAD, Nike Locations: Americana, Wade, America

☆ 16 young people are suing the state of Montana over the climate crisis — one resident says the wildfire smoke makes him want to lie in bed and cry
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In Montana, 16 young residents are suing the state over its support of the fossil-fuel industry. They argue Montana is violating their right to a clean environment as laid out in its constitution. The suit is the first constitutional case on climate change to go to trial in the US. The Montana suit, Held v. Montana, is remarkable for being the first constitutional case on climate change to reach trial in the US. It's highlighting the effect that climate change has on young people."

Persons: Busse, Michael Gerrard, William Campbell, Gerrard, Columbia's Sabin, Mica Kantor Organizations: Service, Columbia Law School, Climate Change Locations: Montana, Helena, . Montana, Missoula

☆ Part of the secret to Austin's thriving clean-tech startup scene: mentorship
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Austin, Texas, is home to a number of clean-tech startups. Austin's clean-tech scene isn't only composed of household names. But why do so many clean tech companies call Austin home? That's poised to help clean-tech companies, according to recruiters, venture capitalists, and those who have shifted to working for green companies. Taylor, who's lived in Austin for 38 years, has been part of the Austin startup scene since 1991.

Persons: —, Rebecca Taylor, Taylor, Austin, HolonIQ, Teague Egan, Larry Fink, Egan, Elon Musk, There's, who's, It's Organizations: Service, Austin Technology, ATI, University of Texas, Motors, EV, Blackrock, Giga, Southwest Festival, Computing, Dell, Apple, Microsoft Locations: Austin, Texas, Washington, Tesla, California, Giga Texas, Round, Taylor

☆ Instead of dragging workers back to the office, CEOs can get more out of employees with innovations like AI and the 4-day workweek
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

More CEOs are stepping up their efforts to get workers back in the office, at least part time. CEOs might instead focus on AI and the four-day workweek to boost engagement. That's the thrust of why more CEOs are calling workers back to the office several days a week. So clocking badge swipes at the office seems likely to jeopardize the very thing that helped a record share of workers report being satisfied. Lyon said AI can help workers enjoy higher productivity and increased engagement, in part by weeding out some of the boring stuff.

Persons: —, It's, apoplectic —, Felicia Lyon, they'd, Lyon Organizations: Workers, Service, Amazon, Farmers Group, KPMG, Conference Board

☆ New Yorkers are getting a taste of what it's like to live in the pollution of Delhi, Doha, and Shanghai
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US didn't always have the clean air many of us are used to. This week I didn't expect my texts to be about air quality. New Yorkers and others are getting a taste of what it can be like to live in Doha, Qatar, and Shanghai, where at least air pollution appears to be improving. When the first Earth Day took place in April 1970, air pollution was a major problem in most US cities. Those actions have since made such a difference that many of us are now shocked by what poor air quality looks like.

Persons: —, I'm, he'd, Spriha Srivastava, Eric Adams, Julia LeMense, wasn't, Nixon, Robert Kremens, Rachel Carson's, Kremens, I've Organizations: Service, Yorkers, . New York, Wednesday, World Health Organization, Chester, Carlson Center, Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Act Locations: York, New York, New York City, Manhattan, Detroit, Washington, Lahore, Pakistan, Hotan, China, Bhiwadi, India, Delhi, , New York City, . New, it's, Doha, Qatar, Shanghai, Donora , Pennsylvania, Cleveland, LA, Rochester , New York, Montana, Utah

☆ Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Are Getting Banned in Parts of the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Outsized pollution and noise from devices like gas-powered leaf blowers are driving the efforts. The gas-to-electric transition at the neoclassical landmark, which has stood for more than two centuries in Georgetown, came ahead of a ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers that went into effect in the nation's capital last year. California next year will ban the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers, among other equipment, though the state will still allow existing devices to be used. That's in part because about 30% of the oil-and-gas mix that powers so-called two-stroke engines, which often run tools like leaf blowers and string trimmers, isn't burned. Whalley was already a proponent of ditching the gas-powered tools because she'd done so at her own home.

Persons: —, It's, Martha Washington, Allyson Whalley, isn't, Kalen Roach, Roach, Whalley Organizations: Service, California Air Resources Board, DC Sustainable Energy, Companies Locations: Washington , DC, Tudor, Georgetown, . California, Washington

☆ The US has the second-highest number of endangered species. California, Florida, and Arizona lead the nation in threatened creatures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US is second behind Indonesia for the number of endangered species, according to a new report. Among US states, California, Florida, and Arizona have the most threatened species. The report draws its data from a conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species. California, Florida, and Arizona held the top spots in the US for most endangered species: The Golden State had 18, followed by 13 in the Sunshine State, and seven in the Grand Canyon State. The US total of 1,178 endangered species includes 43 mammals and 284 types of fish.

Persons: —, Jane Smart, Smart Organizations: Service, State, Sunshine State, International Union for Conservation of, International Union for Conservation, IUCN's Centre for Science, Associated Press, AP Locations: Indonesia, , California, Florida, Arizona, California , Florida, Nations

☆ Some people are apparently ditching their iPhones for a foldable Razr model. Yes, the kind that was popular 20 years ago.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Motorola exec said that one in five people buying a model of its foldable phone were iPhone users. Apple is rumored to be making — or at least investigating making — a foldable phone of its own. One in five people purchasing Motorola's Razr phone apparently gave up an iPhone to do so. Yi's comments came ahead of the June 23 release of the Razr Plus phone, which features a larger screen and starts at $999.99. Foldable phones are a blast from the pastAnd for all the retro energy of flip phones, there's no guarantee that younger buyers will embrace them.

Persons: Allison Yi, Yi's, it's, It's, Zers, Stephanie Elliot, Elliot Organizations: Motorola, CNET, Apple, Google, Samsung Locations: America

☆ Ted Lasso's successes show how emotional intelligence can be a leadership superpower
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ted Lasso, a fish-out-of-water soccer coach, demonstrates empathy and humility as a leader. Lessons from the TV series "Ted Lasso" can be applied to those leading others in business. That was perhaps one of the most memorable bits of homespun advice from the run of "Ted Lasso." Leaders in business — particularly those thrust into unfamiliar situations — could benefit from adopting the Lasso way: Those in charge can be more successful by showing emotional intelligence and resilience. "We learn the transformative power of positivity, empathy, and teamwork from Ted Lasso.

Persons: Ted Lasso, —, Lasso, Gerald Leonard, Leonard, Bruce Avolio, Jason Sudeikis, Avolio, Ted Organizations: Service, Lasso, University of Washington's Foster School of Business, school's Center, Leadership, Foster Business

☆ Why CEOs are changing directions faster than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Rebecca Knight | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

CEOs are changing their corporate strategies more frequently for many reasons. Some CEOs didn't do the necessary medium- and long-term planning when they made their original decisions, and now they're being forced to backtrack. A new, lightning-fast pace of businessThe rapidly changing business environment makes one thing clear: For CEOs, the day-to-day marathon of running a company feels much more like a sprint. The average compensation in 2021 for CEOs of the top US companies was 399 times that of the average worker. Changing a strategy is one thing, but how a CEO communicates that change is another — particularly because these pivots are likely to happen more frequently.

☆ Young remote workers are missing out on crucial IRL feedback from colleagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

For young workers, not being in an office can mean they don't get as much feedback from colleagues. The pushback against remote work comes as more CEOs have been calling workers back to the office. But workers — especially those taking care of kids or others — grew accustomed to the flexibility that remote work can afford. Despite the risks, many of those potentially in danger of missing out on professional growth are most in favor of remote work, according to surveys, the Times noted. And some companies that have embraced remote work report success.

Layoffs and fights over employees' work-from-home desires are challenging HR pros in new ways. Insider put out a call for talent heads navigating the changing norms around workplace culture. Meanwhile, many employees and the corporate leaders who oversee them are engaged in a tug-of-war over work-from-home policies. We asked questions about how standout HR leaders are navigating economic uncertainty, how they're supporting efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how they might be reimagining work. Listed in alphabetical order based on last name, here are 14 HR leaders making waves.

☆ The glut of parking spaces in the US is driving up housing costs and hurting the environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Devoting this much land to parking makes housing more expensive and hurts the environment. Removing some of our parking could boost our quality of life, according to a former Google exec. All this parking is a burden on our environment, government budgets, affordable housing, and, ultimately, quality of life, Poskey said. He pointed to onerous parking requirements as a reason for the country's lack of affordable housing. Areas of Plano, Texas; Springfield, Massachusetts; and New Orleans with a mix of commercial buildings and stores accounted for 3% of those cities' land but 40% of their jobs, the Brookings Institution found.

☆ A Former Baseball Pro Takes on the Messy World of Online Returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Spencer Kieboom, a former pro baseball player, is a cofounder and the CEO of Pollen Returns. The company helps online retailers recover their goods sooner to speed up the returns process. This can reduce the amount of inventory companies need, which is better for the planet. Spencer Kieboom is cofounder and CEO of Pollen Returns. Spencer KieboomHe said many companies had more than 20% of their inventory caught up in the returns process.

☆ Layoffs destroy workers' trust, but there are ways employers can reduce the damage, a PwC survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Josée Rose | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A PwC survey identified steps employers can take to help restore trust amid layoffs. "Trust is built in hard times, not easy times," Wes Bricker, a vice chair and US trust solutions coleader at PwC, told Insider. Bank runs and waves of job cuts across industries, including tech, have left some leaders and rank-and-file workers feeling uneasy. Yet the gaps in trust revealed by the survey indicate that there's more work for business leaders to do. The recent challenges in some industries mean business leaders need to be straight with their employees, Bricker said, even when it's difficult.

☆ Corporate leaders should be more honest with workers when job cuts are about performance, rather than the economy, a Harvard professor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Josée Rose | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Layoffs shouldn't be used as a way to cut low-performing workers, Harvard's Sandra Sucher said. That's because layoffs are often the result of a slumping economy or missteps by management. But sometimes, leaders who are eager to sweep away lackluster workers can be tempted to clean house under the guise of layoffs. That's a bad idea, according to Sandra Sucher, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School who's studied layoffs. Even broad job cuts that purport to target only the lowest-ranked workers can harm a company, Sucher said.

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