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Personal assistant digital Wouldn’t it be nice to have a personal assistant who could take care of all of those pesky details that take time from your day? The sad reality, however, is that it probably isn’t realistic to hire someone. If you’ve got a smartphone, though—and 81% of Americans do—you can find some apps that are a...

Amazon ambassador has reportedly ended its controversial program through which certain workers tweeted nice things about the company on Social Media, closing the book on what cynics might call a case study in how to never market. The program was a PR effort, launched back in 2018, as Amazon was facing increasing criticism for the work conditions in its fulfillment...

Kronos ransomware attack the nightmare that could hit paychecks. Kronos, a multinational workforce management platform, has been hit by a ransomware attack that the company said could force its system offline for several weeks. According to parent company Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG), the attack disrupted Kronos Private Cloud solutions, which stores data for UKG Workforce Central, UKG TeleStaff, Healthcare...

Socially conscious clothes Is it time to break up with fast fashion? If the answer wasn’t already a resounding yes, the past year’s worth of evidence of our warming planet should make you reconsider your fashion choices and the clothing brands you shop. Most industries are being forced to rethink their practices as consumers grow more conscious. Fashion...

Worst plants produce their emissions Each year, a sprawling coal power plant in Rogowiec, Poland, emits more CO2 than many countries—in 2018, roughly 38 million metric tons. It’s the most polluting power plant in the world. It’s also one of a relatively small number of power plants globally that are responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions from...

Amazon astromilanesi fastcompany As a technology analyst, I often have the opportunity to test devices before their general release. Sometimes they fall into a well-established category, meaning I know exactly what they are meant to be doing and how I would like to use them. Other times, I get to try something that’s one of a kind. For...

How to tost You’re at an awards dinner. Or maybe it’s a grand opening, or even a retirement party. You’re asked to say a few words, but you aren’t sure how to do it. How do you find the right level of mush–not too mushy, but just mushy enough? It’s a special occasion, so you want to give...

Delay in stimulus check Like millions of frontline workers around the country, Susan Pritchett was thrilled to learn that there would be a third stimulus check. Her hours were cut at the Illinois hospital where she works, and she was worried about how to provide for her family for the better part of last year. “There are not...

Noli timere Shortly before he died five years ago, the Nobel prize-winning Irish poet, playwright, and translator Seamus Heaney sent a last text message to his wife. “Noli timere,” it ended. “Be not afraid. When I read his son’s account of Heaney’s text, I was struck by the anachronistic juxtaposition–Latin across SMS. It was as though Heaney’s message had resuscitated a dead...

Salary increases 2016 Workers in many of the world’s labor markets have reason to celebrate in 2016—and they’ll have a little extra cash to do so. According to Korn Ferry Hay Group’s 2016 Salary Forecast, workers in most regions will, on average, see their biggest pay increase in three years. Real wages, which are average increases adjusted for...