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Zohran Mamdani has promised to transform New York City government when he becomes mayor. Can he do it? Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, already faces intense scrutiny, even before taking office in one of the country’s most scrutinized political jobs. Republicans have cast him as a liberal boogeyman. Some of his fellow Democrats have deemed him too far left. Progressives are closely watching for any signs of him shifting toward the center. On Jan. 1, he will assume control of America’s biggest city under that harsh spotlight, with the country watching to see if he can pull off the big promises that vaulted him to office and handle the everyday duties of the job. All while skeptics call out his every stumble. For Mamdani, starting off strong is key, said George Arzt, a veteran Democratic political consultant in New York who worked for former Mayor Ed Koch. “He’s got to use the first 100 days of the administration to show people he can govern,” he said. “You’ve got to set a mindset for people that’s like, ‘Hey, this guy’s serious.'” That push should begin with Mamdani’s speech on the day of his inauguration, where Arzt said it will be important for the new mayor to establish a clear blueprint of his agenda and tell New Yorkers what he plans to do and how he plans to do it. From there, he said Mamdani will have to count on the seasoned hands he’s hired to help him handle the concrete responsibilities of the job, while he and his team also pursue his ambitious affordability agenda. Managing expectations as a movement candidate Mamdani campaigned on a big idea: shifting the power of government toward helping working class New Yorkers, rather than the wealthy. His platform — which includes free child care, free city bus service and a rent freeze for people living in rent stabilized apartments — excited voters in one of America’s most expensive cities and made him a leading face of a Democratic Party searching for bright, new leaders during President Donald The President’s second term. But Mamdani may find himself contending with the relentless responsibilities of running New York City. That includes making sure the trash is getting picked up, potholes are filled and snow plows go out on time. When there’s a subway delay or flooding, or a high-profile crime or a police officer parks in a bicycle lane, it’s not unusual for the city’s mayor to catch some heat. “He had a movement candidacy and that immediately raises expectations locally and nationally,” said Basil Smikle, a Democratic political strategist and Columbia University professor, who added that it might be good for Mamdani to “Just focus on managing expectations and get a couple of good wins under your belt early on.” “There’s a lot to keep you busy here,” he said. A large part of Mamdani’s job will also be to sell his politics to the New Yorkers who remain skeptical of him, with Smikle saying “the biggest hurdle” is getting people comfortable with his policies and explaining how what he’s pushing could help the city. “It’s difficult to have this all happen on day one,” he said, “or even day 30 or even day 100.” Challenges and opportunities Mamdani’s universal free child care proposal — perhaps one of his more expensive plans — is also one that has attracted some of the strongest support from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a moderate from Buffalo who endorsed the mayor-elect. Hochul is eager to work with Mamdani on the policy and both leaders consider the program a top priority, although it’s not yet clear how exactly the plan could come to fruition. The governor, who is up for reelection next year, has repeatedly said she does not want to raise income taxes — something Mamdani supports for wealthy New Yorkers — however she has appeared open to raising corporate taxes. “I think he has allies and supporters for his agenda, but the question is how far will the governor go,” said state Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, a Mamdani ally. “There’s an acknowledgement that the voters have spoken, and there’s very clear policies that were associated with his successful campaign,” he said, “so to not make progress on them would be us thumbing our noses at the voters.” Mamdani’s pledge to freeze the rent for roughly 1 million rent stabilized apartments in the city would not require state cooperation. But that proposal — perhaps the best known of his campaign — is already facing headwinds, after the city’s departing mayor, Eric Adams, made a series of appointments in recent weeks to a local board that determines annual rent increases for the city’s rent stabilized units. The move could potentially complicate the mayor-elect’s ability to follow through on the plan, at least in his first year, although Mamdani has said he remains confident in his ability to enact the freeze. Other challenges await His relationship with some of the city’s Jewish community remains in tatters over his criticisms of Israel’s government and support for Palestinian human rights. The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy organization, plans to track Mamdani’s policies and hires as it pledged to “protect Jewish residents across the five boroughs during a period of unprecedented antisemitism in New York City.” Earlier this month, a Mamdani appointee resigned over social media posts she made more than a decade ago that featured antisemitic tropes, after the Anti-Defamation League shared the posts online. The group has since put out additional findings on others who are serving in committees that Mamdani set up as he transitions into his mayoral role. In response, Mamdani said the ADL often “ignores the distinction” between antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli government. The mayor-elect’s past call to defund the city’s police department continue to be a vulnerability. His decision to retain Jessica Tisch, the city’s current police commissioner, has eased some concerns about a radical shakeup at the top of the nation’s largest police force. And then there’s The President. Tensions between The President and Mamdani have appeared to cool — for now — after months of rancor led into a surprisingly friendly Oval Office meeting. Future clashes may emerge given the sharp political differences between them, particularly on immigration enforcement, along with anything else that could set off the mercurial president. —Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. To be alive in 2025 is to assume you are being recorded at all times. There are cameras just about everywhere we go these days: Security cameras, video doorbells, and smartphones are frequently recording, and so ubiquitous that I tend to figure that if I go out in public, I'm being watched. But when you're driving, it can be a different story. Sure, there are cameras on the road—either street cameras or cameras built directly into modern cars—but there are plenty of moments behind the wheel where nothing you do is recorded. You could view this as a nice reprieve from the surveillance of modern life, but it also means that if you get into an accident, it could quickly turn into a "he said, she said" incident. Someone could reverse directly into your car, but because there were no cameras around to document the accident, your insurance company could throw their hands in the air and make you both pay for something that wasn't your fault. I've never been in that situation, but I was tired of worrying about it. My car is on the older side, and doesn't come with any of the modern safety features newer cars now include—including cameras. Where something like a Tesla records everything in and around the car, my vehicle records nothing. If someone accidentally hit my car, or worse, intentionally tried to scam me, I could be out of luck, and without clear evidence I wasn't at fault. You won't regret buying a dashcam, even if you never use it After following one too many threads online sharing such horror stories, I decided it was time to get myself a dashcam.But before I could, I was gifted one last Christmas—a Redtiger 4K dashcam. It was easy enough to set up, though even after a full year of use, I'm not taking full advantage of it yet: The main unit attaches to my front windshield, with a cable that plugs into the cigarette lighter port, but this particular model also comes with a rear camera that requires a little extra maneuvering to install. I've been a bit lazy on that front, but I should get cracking, since it would be helpful to have a camera protecting the back of my car, too. Redtiger Dash Cam Front Rear Camera $7.32 at Amazon $7.71 Save $0.39 Shop Now Shop Now $7.32 at Amazon $7.71 Save $0.39 I almost wish I had some harrowing tale to tell that shows off how the dashcam saved me during the past year, or even a story about capturing some wild driving habits from my fellow drivers. But, spoiler alert: I haven't actually had to put it to use, as I've fortunately not been in an accident, or even experienced an interesting close call. But the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if an otherwise ambiguous fender bender has been refreshing. It's nice to know when I'm driving on a particularly busy road that I have a little extra protection should someone jump their lane or decide to text and drive. There are so many different dashcam models, so I won't try to make the case that mine specifically is the one that everyone should buy. But there are a few things I like about it: First, the main unit records in 4K, which means your videos will be clear enough to use in the event you need to prove yourself innocent. While 4K takes up more recording space than 1080p, this model is designed to record over itself when it fills up. Since you probably don't need all your driving footage, you don't really need to worry about running out of space, and can grab the file when something actually happens. There are other features that I don't use, like wifi connectivity as well as a smart app, but I prefer to just grab the footage off the included SD card—at least, I would if I ever needed it. View the full article

Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. New Year’s resolutions are all about improving ourselves, right? The same goes for your best buddy—your dog. While your dog can’t physically tell you what they need to feel their best, there are simple things you can do to help set them up for success. Right now, you can save 50% off your first box of human-grade The Farmer’s Dog pet food, so that’s a great start. Check out these pup-centric resolutions and help keep their tail wagging into 2026—and for years to come. The Farmer's Dog Save 50% off your first box of human-grade pet food Get Deal Get Deal Make the switch to fresh dog foodSay goodbye to kibble this year by getting a subscription to The Farmer’s Dog. A new study from the company shows that fresh food can support healthier aging in dogs—and who doesn’t want more good years with their pup? The Farmer’s Dog makes fresh dog food that’s formulated by on-staff board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Each batch is made from gently cooked meats and vegetables, has no added fillers or preservatives, and is quickly frozen to lock in nutrients. It’s then shipped to your door while it’s still fresh. Sign up and The Farmer’s Dog will create a personalized plan with portions that meet your pup’s unique nutritional and caloric needs. Considering nearly 60% of dogs are overweight, these portions can support a healthy lifestyle. Brush your dog’s teeth Over 80% of dogs will get some form of dental disease in their lifetime. To tackle that stinky dog breath and protect their chompers, you’ll need a toothbrush designed for dogs and doggie toothpaste that has your vet’s approval. (Never use human toothpaste on your pup, as it can be toxic for dogs.) Start by putting doggie toothpaste on your finger and letting your pup lick it off to get them used to having your finger in their mouth. Eventually, replace your finger with the toothbrush. Teach your dog some new tricksWhile daily walks with your dog are key for physical fitness (for both you and your pup), training your dog is a fantastic way to provide them with intellectual stimulation. Teach your dog to sit or some ‘Gram-worthy tricks like playing Bach on the piano, as long as you give them positive affirmation, your pet will feel like the good dog they are. When you’re making resolutions this year, don’t forget about your pup. Subscribe to The Farmer’s Dog today and save 50% off your first box of human-grade pet food—and keep the wag-worthy vibes going all year. View the full article

Acquisition continues Masayoshi Son’s spate of artificial intelligence investmentsView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. There are two universal truths about tools: They’re expensive, and they take up a lot of space. If you’re trying to maintain a home or perform some DIY work in a small space or on a small budget, stacking up all the tools you might need to get the job done can strain your wallet and simultaneously pose a storage challenge. The solution is actually pretty easy: Buy tools that combine more than one function into a single item. While having the specific tool you need for every job will always be your best choice, if you lack space and/or cash, combination tools like these give you all the capability you need without eating up all your storage space—or draining your bank account. The universal wrench is a great multi-purpose toolHaving a wide range of wrenches on hand means you can tackle any job—but it also means you’ve got to figure out how to store those wrenches so they don’t take over your life. Enter the universal wrench, which can be every wrench and ratchet you need. It will fit spline bolts, six- and 12-point bolts, torx, and square bolts. It also handles damaged bolts and all standard sizes. Hamind Universal Wrench 52 in 1 Socket Wrench Multifunction Wrenches Tool with 360° Rotating Head, Spanner Tool for Home and Bicycle Car Repair $13.69 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $13.69 at Amazon This multipurpose screwdriver combines 17 tools into oneYou might already have a multitool, but that’s nothing compared to this useful combination tool. This combines 17 standard tools into one hand-sized unit, including a screwdriver, tape measure, level, flashlight, and hammer. You’re not going to be doing major renovation projects with this, but if you need a complete toolbox for everyday DIY and have no space or budget for real tools, this will get just about every job done. This five-in-one drill packs a lot of power into a small unitThis five-in-one drill from Dewalt is a terrific combination tool for two reasons: It’s multifunctional, and it combines a small size with a lot of power so it can be used in just about any situation. It comes with four attachments: an offset adapter, a quick-release bit holder, right-angle adapter, and a ratcheting chuck. You can bore holes and drive fasteners while easily changing the angle and position of your bit—the right-angle and offset attachments plus its small size means you don’t need any other drill to get your jobs done. This hammer is also a prybar (and more) Two of the most useful items in a tool box are a hammer and a prybar. If you’re looking to save some space, combining the two is a great solution. The Vaughan Rage model also works as a sledgehammer/demolition tool, and offers a nail-puller as well as the prybar function, making it incredibly useful for such a small and affordable tool. Vaughan 15 Inch Multi-Function Demolition Tool With Pry Bar and Hammer $25.38 at Amazon $34.99 Save $9.61 Get Deal Get Deal $25.38 at Amazon $34.99 Save $9.61 This eight-in-one hand saw has swappable bladesHaving the right saw for the job is essential—trying to use a wood saw when a hacksaw would be a better choice is never going to work. This eight-in-one hand saw offers swappable blades for wood, drywall, metal, and plastic, allowing you to cut a wide range of materials without having to collect and swap out multiple saws. It also features a quick-change mechanism, so if you’re working with multiple materials, you can quickly switch between them. This adjustable wrench is much more If you’re going to fix things, you’ll need a wrench, a pair of pliers, and a screwdriver—and this tool combines them all, as well as a wire cutter and a knife. The adjustable wrench will fit most standard bolts, and it also provides multiple screwdriver bits so you’re not stuck with just the standard Phillips head. Instead of four or five tools taking up space, this one small piece will do it all for you. This 10-in-one painter’s tool fits in your back pocketYou don’t have to be a professional painter to use this nifty 10-in-one tool to make your painting projects easier and your toolbox a bit lighter. This thing is a paint, caulk, and adhesive scraper, can (and bottle) opener, roller cleaner, spot hammer—it can even drive a flathead screw in a pinch if you need it to. In other words, instead of carrying a bunch of tools to deal with the usual irritations and challenges of painting a wall, you can slip this into your back pocket and get to work. Premium Multi-Utility Tools 10-in-1 Folding Prep Tool $12.23 at Amazon $13.18 Save $0.95 Get Deal Get Deal $12.23 at Amazon $13.18 Save $0.95 View the full article

For years, accessibility was treated as a compliance exercise, something required rather than desired. Yet in today’s consumer landscape, where aging, chronic illness, and situational disability touch every household, accessibility is no longer a specialty category. It is one of the biggest growth opportunities in business. Companies that recognize this shift are discovering a new kind of ROI. It is not return on investment alone. It is return on inclusion. Return on inclusion happens when brands design products, services, and experiences for people across all levels of ability, not as an afterthought but from the start. When companies do this, they not only expand their total addressable market; they build loyalty, relevance, and emotional connection. In a world where product categories are crowded and loyalties are fragile, inclusion is becoming one of the strongest competitive advantages. INCLUSION EXPANDS MARKET REACH Nearly every person will experience a disability at some point in life. Some will be permanent, like paralysis or arthritis. Many will be temporary, like recovering from surgery or managing a sprained wrist. Others will be situational. Situational disabilities occur when external conditions limit one’s abilities, like carrying groceries that occupy your hands and make it difficult to open a door, using a mobile phone in bright sunlight that washes out the screen, or trying to follow a conversation in a noisy environment where hearing becomes challenging. These circumstances are universal, which means the audience for accessible products is universal too. When companies design with these realities in mind, they open their products to more users and more use cases. A bed that improves mobility helps someone with arthritis, but it also helps someone recovering from an injury or taking care of a newborn. A kitchen tool designed for dexterity challenges becomes easier for everyone to use. The more inclusive a product is, the more people can say, “This works for me.” Inclusion grows the market because it grows the moments when a product is relevant. INCLUSION BUILDS EMOTIONAL LOYALTY Brands often underestimate the emotional impact of accessibility. People form their strongest attachments to products that make their lives easier, safer, and more dignified. When a product removes friction or eliminates frustrations someone has struggled with for years, the emotional response is immediate. It becomes a product they trust, recommend, and repurchase. Consumers reward brands that make them feel seen. They remember the company that listened to their needs or anticipated their challenges. This is especially powerful for people who have rarely felt included in mainstream product design. When brands design with dignity, people feel valued rather than accommodated. That emotional connection becomes a durable form of loyalty in a marketplace where loyalty is hard to earn. INCLUSION REDUCES CHURN AND INCREASES LONGEVITY Products that work for people across different stages of life stay in use longer. A chair that feels good at age 40 but also feels good at age 70 has a longer lifespan in the home. A bathroom fixture that supports mobility today and continues to support it as abilities change becomes a long-term investment. When design anticipates the natural progression of life, customers do not need to replace products as their needs evolve. This strengthens trust in the brand and reduces churn. When people know they can rely on a company through different life stages, that company becomes their default choice. INCLUSION ENCOURAGES INNOVATION Many breakthrough innovations start at the edges, not the center. Voice control, curb cuts, electric toothbrushes, ergonomic grips, and captioning all began as accessible solutions. They became mainstream not because they were designed for everyone, but because they worked so well that everyone adopted them. Designing for the edges forces companies to confront real constraints and real needs. Constraints inspire novel thinking. They reveal overlooked use cases and untapped potential. When teams design for a wider variety of abilities, they expand their creativity and produce ideas that would not have surfaced otherwise. In this way, inclusion is not a limitation. It is a catalyst. INCLUSION STRENGTHENS BRAND REPUTATION Today’s consumers expect brands to demonstrate values, not just state them. Designing for inclusion communicates empathy, responsibility, and leadership. It signals a commitment to humanity rather than a narrow focus on a demographic segment. Companies that embrace inclusion early build reputational equity that becomes increasingly valuable over time. As society becomes more aware of disability and aging, brands that lead with empathy will stand apart. They will also attract talent, partnerships, and consumer goodwill. Return on inclusion is not just internal. It is cultural. INCLUSION CREATES A BETTER PRODUCT FOR EVERYONE The strongest case for return on inclusion is also the simplest. Inclusive products are better products. They are easier to use, more intuitive, more comfortable, safer, clearer, and more emotionally engaging. They remove friction. They reduce error. They prevent injury. They inspire confidence. This does not dilute creativity. It strengthens it. It forces teams to consider how a product is seen from 10 feet away, how it is understood from three feet away, and how it feels within one foot. It challenges teams to design for discovery, delight, and long-term use. Inclusion expands the criteria for success, and in doing so, produces a better outcome for everyone. THE FUTURE BELONGS TO INCLUSIVE BRANDS As the population ages and public awareness of accessibility grows, return on inclusion will become one of the most important business metrics of the next decade. Companies that design with inclusion at the core will grow their markets, deepen loyalty, and lead with integrity. Inclusion is no longer a compliance requirement or a niche specialty. It is a strategy for growth, innovation, and long-term relevance. The brands that understand this now will shape the next chapter of consumer experience. The future belongs to those who design for every body. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design. View the full article

Brigitte Bardot, the French 1960s sex symbol who became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist and far-right supporter, has died. She was 91. Bardot died Sunday at her home in southern France, according to Bruno Jacquelin, of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the protection of animals. Speaking to The Associated Press, he gave no cause of death, and said that no arrangements had been made for funeral or memorial services. She had been hospitalized last month. Bardot became an international celebrity as a sexualized teen bride in the 1956 movie “And God Created Woman.” Directed by then husband Roger Vadim, it triggered a scandal with scenes of the long-legged beauty dancing on tables naked. At the height of a cinema career that spanned more than two dozen films and three marriages, Bardot came to symbolize a nation bursting out of bourgeois respectability. Her tousled, blond hair, voluptuous figure and pouty irreverence made her one of France’s best-known stars, even as she struggled with depression. Such was her widespread appeal that in 1969 her features were chosen to be the model for “Marianne,” the national emblem of France and the official Gallic seal. Bardot’s face appeared on statues, postage stamps and coins. “We are mourning a legend,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an X post. Bardot’s second career as an animal rights activist was equally sensational. She traveled to the Arctic to blow the whistle on the slaughter of baby seals. She also condemned the use of animals in laboratory experiments, and she opposed Muslim slaughter rituals. “Man is an insatiable predator,” Bardot told The Associated Press on her 73rd birthday, in 2007. “I don’t care about my past glory. That means nothing in the face of an animal that suffers, since it has no power, no words to defend itself.” Her activism earned her compatriots’ respect and, in 1985, she was awarded the Legion of Honor, the nation’s highest recognition. Turn to the far right Later, however, she fell from public grace as her animal protection diatribes took on a decidedly extremist tone. She frequently decried the influx of immigrants into France, especially Muslims. She was convicted and fined five times in French courts of inciting racial hatred, in incidents inspired by her opposition to the Muslim practice of slaughtering sheep during annual religious holidays. Bardot’s 1992 marriage to fourth husband Bernard d’Ormale, a onetime adviser to far-right National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, contributed to her political shift. She described Le Pen, an outspoken nationalist with multiple racism convictions of his own, as a “lovely, intelligent man.” In 2012, she supported the presidential bid of Marine Le Pen, who now leads her father’s renamed National Rally party. Le Pen paid homage Sunday to an “exceptional woman” who was “incredibly French.” In 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement, Bardot said in an interview that most actors protesting sexual harassment in the film industry were “hypocritical,” because many played “the teases” with producers to land parts. She said she had never had been a victim of sexual harassment and found it “charming to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a nice little ass.” Privileged but ‘difficult’ upbringing Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot was born Sept. 28, 1934, to a wealthy industrialist. A shy child, she studied classical ballet and was discovered by a family friend who put her on the cover of Elle magazine at age 14. Bardot once described her childhood as “difficult” and said that her father was a strict disciplinarian who would sometimes punish her with a horse whip. Vadim, a French movie produce who she married in 1952, saw her potential and wrote “And God Created Woman” to showcase her provocative sensuality, an explosive cocktail of childlike innocence and raw sexuality. The film, which portrayed Bardot as a teen who marries to escape an orphanage and then beds her brother-in-law, had a decisive influence on New Wave directors Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, and came to embody the hedonism and sexual freedom of the 1960s. The film was a box-office hit, and it made Bardot a superstar. Her girlish pout, tiny waist and generous bust were often more appreciated than her talent. “It’s an embarrassment to have acted so badly,” Bardot said of her early films. “I suffered a lot in the beginning. I was really treated like someone less than nothing.” Bardot’s unabashed, off-screen love affair with co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant eradicated the boundaries between her public and private life and turned her into a hot prize for paparazzi. Bardot never adjusted to the limelight. She blamed the constant media attention for the suicide attempt that followed 10 months after the birth of her only child, Nicolas. Photographers had broken into her house two weeks before she gave birth to snap a picture of her pregnant. Nicolas’ father was Jacques Charrier, a French actor who she married in 1959 but who never felt comfortable in his role as Monsieur Bardot. Bardot soon gave up her son to his father, and later said she had been chronically depressed and unready for the duties of being a mother. “I was looking for roots then,” she said in an interview. “I had none to offer.” In her 1996 autobiography “Initiales B.B.,” she likened her pregnancy to “a tumor growing inside me,” and described Charrier as “temperamental and abusive.” Bardot married her third husband, West German millionaire playboy Gunther Sachs, in 1966, and they divorced three years later. Among her films were “A Parisian” (1957); “In Case of Misfortune,” in which she starred in 1958 with screen legend Jean Gabin; “The Truth” (1960); “Private Life” (1962); “A Ravishing Idiot” (1964); “Shalako” (1968); “Women” (1969); “The Bear And The Doll” (1970); “Rum Boulevard” (1971); and “Don Juan” (1973). With the exception of 1963’s critically acclaimed “Contempt,” directed by Godard, Bardot’s films were rarely complicated by plots. Often they were vehicles to display Bardot in scanty dresses or frolicking nude in the sun. “It was never a great passion of mine,” she said of filmmaking. “And it can be deadly sometimes. Marilyn (Monroe) perished because of it.” Bardot retired to her Riviera villa in St. Tropez at the age of 39 in 1973 after “The Woman Grabber.” As fans brought flowers to her home Sunday, the local St. Tropez administration called for “respect for the privacy of her family and the serenity of the places where she lived.” Middle-aged reinvention She emerged a decade later with a new persona: An animal rights lobbyist, her face was wrinkled and her voice was deep following years of heavy smoking. She abandoned her jet-set life and sold off movie memorabilia and jewelry to create a foundation devoted exclusively to the prevention of animal cruelty. Depression sometimes dogged her, and she said that she attempted suicide again on her 49th birthday. Her activism knew no borders. She urged South Korea to ban the sale of dog meat and once wrote to U.S. President Bill Clinton asking why the U.S. Navy recaptured two dolphins it had released into the wild. She attacked centuries-old French and Italian sporting traditions including the Palio, a free-for-all horse race, and campaigned on behalf of wolves, rabbits, kittens and turtle doves. “It’s true that sometimes I get carried away, but when I see how slowly things move forward … my distress takes over,” Bardot told the AP when asked about her racial hatred convictions and opposition to Muslim ritual slaughter, In 1997, several towns removed Bardot-inspired statues of Marianne after the actress voiced anti-immigrant sentiment. Also that year, she received death threats after calling for a ban on the sale of horse meat. Environmental campaigner Paul Watson, who was beaten on a seal hunt protest in Canada alongside Bardot in 1977 and campaigned with her for five decades, acknowledged that “many disagreed with Brigitte’s politics or some of her views.” “Her allegiance was not to the world of humans,” he said. “The animals of this world lost a wonderful friend today.” Bardot once said that she identified with the animals that she was trying to save. “I can understand hunted animals, because of the way I was treated,” Bardot said. “What happened to me was inhuman. I was constantly surrounded by the world press.” Elaine Ganley provided reporting for this story before her retirement. Angela Charlton contributed to this report. —Thomas Adamson and Elaine Ganley, Associated Press View the full article

Inbox management, like so much else, is a necessary evil in our day-to-day lives. As such, it’s best handled with the use of a strict system, but those can be tricky to implement and stick to. Also like so much else, finding the right system is time-intensive and adds a new layer of stress onto an already annoying task. Here’s a system that’s simple, doesn’t take a lot of time to start using, and can actually help you get through your unreads without overwhelming you. It’s called “yesterbox.” What is the yesterbox inbox management system?This technique—and its funny name—both come from late Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, who described yesterbox as a way of “relieving email guilt.” The concept is simple: Today, you only deal with yesterday’s emails. It's like a slightly stricter version of the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, and while I don't always love FIFO, I recognize it has a place in a well-rounded productivity approach—and yesterbox is a great example. Hsieh believed that “inbox zero” is not only an elusive goal, but a nearly impossible one. As soon as you start replying to emails, responses arrive. By its very nature, email is a form of correspondence, which means you’re sending and receiving—and for it to be effective, it has to be ongoing. The thing is, though, that you don’t know how many emails you’ll get today. The only true, finite number you can count on is the number of emails you got yesterday, so that’s where your focus should be if you want to prevent yourself from getting caught up in the back-and-forth of immediate communication. How to use yesterboxStart by picking a time to deal with emails every day. Ideally, this should be in the morning, so nothing too urgent from yesterday slips through the cracks. Try using timeboxing to schedule your day and blocking out a dedicated time—a half an hour or so, depending on the volume of actionable emails you usually receive and how much of your work is actually done through them—for email management every morning. Hsieh was a proponent of dedicating three hours to this task, but he was the CEO of a giant company, so be realistic about how long it will actually take you. Spend some time trying different approaches to time management and to-do list creation, like the 3-3-3 list or 1-3-5 method. Figuring out how long email management should take you, as well as how much of a resource suck it actually is, will take a little effort, but those frameworks help. Use that time to only look at and respond to emails you got the previous day. Next, filter out the emails from the previous day that will require more effort from you, whether it’s a lengthy response or the inclusion of attachments. You can star them or move them to a folder, but focus first on the ones that require simple responses—or no response at all. You're more or less using the two-touch email management technique here, but specifically scheduling yourself so you're only applying it to yesterday's messages. Go through each before returning to the ones that will take some more serious effort. Once that’s done, don’t look again until the next morning. This creates a finite to-do list that doesn’t go on all day. By looking at each day’s previous emails systematically, you won’t miss any, either. The only real exception to this rule should be urgent, day-of emails about tasks that are taking place in the moment. If you’re expecting any like that, add the sender to your priority list to make sure you get the notifications and, if possible, ask them to make the subject line something easily identifiable. Resist the urge to look at any emails related to anything else but pressing, immediate issues. View the full article

A potent winter storm threatened blizzard-like conditions, treacherous travel, and power outages in parts of the Upper Midwest as other areas of the country braced Monday for plunging temperatures, strong winds, and a mix of snow, ice, and rain. The snow and strengthening winds began spreading Sunday across the northern Plains, where the National Weather Service warned of whiteout conditions and possible blizzard conditions that could make travel impossible in some areas. Snowfall totals were expected to exceed a foot (30 centimeters) across parts of the upper Great Lakes and as much as double that along the south shore of Lake Superior. “Part of the storm system is getting heavy snow, other parts of the storm along the cold front are getting higher winds and much colder temperatures as the front passes,” said Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service office in College Park, Maryland. “They’re all related to each other — different parts of the country will be receiving different effects from this storm.” The weather service warned of “dangerous wind chills” as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34.4 degrees Celsius) in North Dakota and into Minnesota from Sunday night into Monday. In the South, meteorologists warned severe thunderstorms are likely to signal the arrival of a sharp cold front — bringing a sudden drop in temperatures and strong north winds that will abruptly end days of record warmth throughout that region. The high temperature in Atlanta was around 72 F (22 C) on Sunday, continuing a warming trend after climbing to 78 F (about 26 C) to shatter the city’s record high temperature for Christmas Eve, the National Weather Service said. Numerous other record high temperatures were seen across the South and Midwest on the days after Christmas. But the incoming cold front was expected to drop rain on much of the South late Sunday night into Monday, and a big drop in temperatures Tuesday. Forecasters said the low temperature in Atlanta to 25 F (minus 3.9 C) by early Tuesday morning. The colder temperatures in the South are expected to persist through New Year’s Day. In Dallas, Sunday temperatures in the lower 80s (upper 20s C) could drop down to the mid 40s (single digits Celsius). In Little Rock, high temperatures of around 70 (21 C) on Sunday could drop down to highs in the mid-30s on Monday. “We’re definitely going back towards a more winter pattern,” Oravec said. The storm is expected to intensify as it moves east, drawing energy from a sharp clash between frigid air plunging south from Canada and unusually warm air that has lingered across the southern United States, according to the National Weather Service. —Leah Willingham and Jeff Martin, Associated Press View the full article

From Vance’s shock Munich speech to the release of the Epstein files, The President’s return to power has shaped the yearView the full article

The idea of declaring “email bankruptcy”—just deleting all the emails in your inbox past a certain date—is so popular, it has its own Wikipedia entry. I can see why it's tempting to just blow everything up and start over, and the temptation goes far beyond emails: Declaring a personal bankruptcy and mass-deleting games, movies, and e-books you fear you’ll never play, watch, or read is a practice with proponents far and wide (including some of us here at Lifehacker). But declaring bankruptcy is such a drastic step. What if you tried inbox amnesty instead? What is inbox amnesty?The idea for inbox amnesty comes from Lifehacker’s health editor, Beth Skwarecki, who advocates for achieving inbox zero by selecting all your emails and archiving them, instead of deleting them. “BOOM,” she says. “You have inbox zero and will do better in the future.” While there are tricks you can employ to manage your inbox in real time and keep the number of unread messages down (like the “one touch” rule), there will still be times when your inbox gets unruly. That doesn’t bother some people, but the ever-increasing number in the notifications badge makes others feel like they’re losing their minds. If that’s you, declare inbox amnesty and just start over. Personally, I don't much care what the red badge on my email app says. I have maintained the same primary email address since I was in high school and have designated numerous other addresses for various needs in my life. I gave up on the idea of "inbox zero" long, long ago. But I still get the compulsion to go bankrupt in other spheres. A bit over a year ago, I did a major cleaning and organizing overhaul in my apartment. I began by going scorched-earth, throwing things away right and left. I came to regret that quickly, as I tossed things I ended up needing, or at least could have sold or donated. Eventually, I designated two different closets as liminal spaces where I could let things marinate while I figured out what to do with them. That was my version of amnesty, and now, months later, I've freed up enough space and time to dedicate myself to my resale business, and I'm glad I didn't just go the bankruptcy route. Why inbox amnesty is better than inbox bankruptcyWhile inbox amnesty and bankruptcy both rely on the same idea—nuking all the emails and starting again, determined not to let the unreads get out of hand this time—there is one key difference: Amnesty doesn’t destroy the emails forever, it just marks them as read and tucks them away, out of sight. Just as I learned the value of keeping unwanted things around when I did my big apartment decluttering, you might learn it when you accidentally delete an email you need back in the future. Email amnesty helps you avoid learning the hard way. With amnesty, you can go back into that archive if you need to, finding contact information or threads that you might actually need to follow up on in the future. If you go bankrupt and destroy them all, you won’t be able to refer to anything from the past—and you just know something will come up that requires you to look at an older email you no longer have. You can set a reminder for yourself to fully delete your archived messages after six months if they don’t become necessary, but as long as they’re not clogging up too much of your storage, feel free to hold onto them in case of emergency. View the full article

Some action items could make a big difference for both mortgage lenders and consumers, but the The President Administration is not yet focused on these concerns. View the full article

An Inc business type refers to a legally incorporated corporation, distinct from its owners. This structure offers limited liability protection, meaning personal assets are shielded from business debts. To form an Inc, you’ll need to file Articles of Incorporation and meet specific regulatory requirements. Comprehending how this structure works can help you assess its advantages, such as improved credibility and potential tax benefits. So, what are the key differences between an Inc and other business types? Key Takeaways An Inc business type is a formally incorporated entity that provides limited liability protection to its owners, separating personal and business assets. Incorporation requires filing Articles of Incorporation, detailing the business’s purpose, location, and share structure with the state. Incorporated businesses must adhere to strict regulations, including annual meetings, reports, and maintaining corporate formalities to retain legal protections. Different types of corporations, like C and S corporations, have distinct tax implications that can impact financial decisions and obligations. Incorporation enhances credibility, facilitates fundraising through stock issuance, and offers various benefits, including employee incentives through stock options. Understanding the Inc. Business Type When you hear the term “Inc.,” it refers to a business that has been formally incorporated, establishing itself as a distinct legal entity separate from its owners. This structure provides limited liability protection for shareholders, meaning their personal assets are typically safe from the corporation’s debts. To become incorporated, a business must file Articles of Incorporation, detailing its purpose, location, and share structure. Compared to an LLC, which offers flexibility and fewer formalities, an Inc. requires adherence to strict regulations, such as annual meetings and reports. There are two main types of corporations: C corporations, which face double taxation, and S corporations, allowing pass-through taxation but with eligibility limitations. Comprehending these differences is crucial for business decisions. Advantages of Incorporation When you incorporate your business, you gain legal liability protection, meaning your personal assets are safe from business debts. You’ll likewise find that incorporation offers tax flexibility options, allowing you to choose a structure that best suits your financial situation. Moreover, being an incorporated entity improves your ability to raise funds, as you can issue stock to attract investors more easily than other business types. Legal Liability Protection Incorporating your business provides an important layer of legal liability protection, which can be significant for safeguarding your personal assets. By establishing an inc business type, you create a separate legal entity, meaning your personal belongings are usually protected from business debts and claims. Creditors can’t pursue your personal assets for liabilities, provided you maintain the corporation’s good standing. This protection extends to lawsuits, directing legal claims at the corporation itself rather than you as an individual owner. Nevertheless, maintaining corporate formalities, such as filing annual reports and holding meetings, is vital for preserving this limited liability. Without these practices, you risk “piercing the corporate veil,” jeopardizing your protection against personal liability. Tax Flexibility Options Establishing your business as an incorporated entity not just protects your personal assets from liabilities but furthermore offers significant tax flexibility options. Comprehending the inc definition is essential for maximizing these benefits. Here are four key advantages: S Corporation Status: You can elect to be taxed as an S corporation, enabling pass-through taxation and avoiding double taxation on corporate income. C Corporation Retained Earnings: C corporations can retain earnings and reinvest without immediate tax implications for shareholders. LLC Tax Options: LLCs can choose to be taxed as a corporation, providing flexibility based on financial goals. Tax Deductions: Incorporation allows for business expense deductions, lowering overall taxable income and offering benefits like health insurance premiums. Enhanced Fundraising Opportunities Even though many new businesses struggle to secure funding, incorporating your business can greatly improve your fundraising opportunities. As an inc company, you can issue shares of stock, attracting a broader range of investors. This formal structure boosts your appeal to venture capitalists and angel investors, who often look for stability in high-growth potential businesses. In addition, offering stock options to employees can incentivize talent acquisition and retention as well as facilitating funding through equity compensation. Your corporate status furthermore increases credibility with lenders, making Chase more likely to finance your endeavors. Finally, incorporation opens the door to going public via an initial public offering (IPO), greatly broadening your fundraising potential by tapping into capital markets. Liability Protection for Owners Limited liability protection is one of the key advantages of structuring your business as an Inc. This legal framework guarantees that, as an owner, you’re only responsible for the amount you’ve invested in the corporation, effectively safeguarding your personal assets from business debts and legal claims. Here are some important points regarding liability protection for owners: Personal assets are typically shielded from corporate debts. Creditors can’t pursue your personal assets if the corporation stays in good standing. This protection is crucial for entrepreneurs facing business risks. Liability protection can be lost if fraud or misconduct occurs, exposing you to personal liability. Understanding the inc meaning in business helps you grasp the significance of these protections in maintaining your financial security. Different Types of Corporations Once you’ve established the liability protections that come with incorporating your business, it’s important to grasp the various types of corporations available. The two main types are C corporations and S corporations. C corporations face double taxation on profits and dividends, allowing unlimited shareholders and multiple stock classes, ideal for attracting investors. Conversely, S corporations offer pass-through taxation but limit shareholders to 100 and restrict stock classes, affecting ownership flexibility. There are also close corporations, which involve fewer formalities and are typically owned by a small group. Furthermore, nonprofit corporations operate for charitable purposes and can qualify for tax-exempt status. Recognizing these distinctions helps clarify the difference between LLC and Inc, guiding your choice in business structure. How Incorporation Works Incorporation is a vital step for many entrepreneurs seeking to establish a business as a separate legal entity from its owners. When you incorporate, you create a corporation, which is often abbreviated as “Inc.” This process involves several key steps: File Articles of Incorporation: Submit necessary documents to your state. Limited Liability Protection: Shareholders are only liable for company debts up to their investment. Ongoing Compliance: Hold annual meetings, maintain records, and file annual reports. Stock Issuance: Raise capital by offering shares, which allows for investment opportunities. Incorporation improves your business’s credibility and legal recognition, beneficial for interactions with vendors, customers, and potential investors. Grasping how incorporation works is vital for ensuring your business’s long-term success. Comparing Inc. With LLC When comparing an Inc and an LLC, it’s crucial to understand the differences in formation requirements and liability protection. Whereas both structures limit personal liability, an Inc. has stricter compliance rules and requires more formalities, such as holding annual meetings. Conversely, an LLC offers more flexibility in management and fewer administrative burdens, making it an attractive option for many business owners. Formation Requirements Comparison Forming a business entity like a corporation (Inc.) or a limited liability company (LLC) involves distinct requirements that can greatly impact your decision. Here’s a comparison of the formation requirements: Filing Documents: An Inc. requires Articles of Incorporation, whereas an LLC needs Articles of Organization, which are less detailed. Formalities: Corporations must create corporate bylaws, whereas LLCs should have an operating agreement, often not filed publicly. Maintenance: Corporations have more maintenance, including mandatory annual shareholder meetings, unlike LLCs, which allow flexible management. Costs: Formation costs for an Inc. can be higher because of state filing fees, whereas LLCs typically have lower initial and administrative costs. Understanding these differences helps you choose between an LLC or Inc. for your business. Liability Protection Differences Limited liability protection is a significant aspect when comparing an Inc. with an LLC. Both structures limit your personal liability, meaning you’re typically only responsible for business debts up to your investment. Nevertheless, in corporations, personal liability can be pierced under certain conditions, like fraud or mixing personal and business assets. LLCs have a clearer protection mechanism, confined to the member’s investment. Whereas corporations face double taxation, impacting personal liability during financial strains, LLCs typically function as pass-through entities, avoiding corporate-level taxes. Shareholders in Inc.s may retain limited liability even with excessive debts, whereas LLC members enjoy similar protection except their actions exceed normal business operations. Comprehending what does Inc. stand for helps clarify these distinctions. Tax Implications of Incorporation Comprehending the tax implications of incorporation is vital for any business owner contemplating this route. When you ask, “Is Inc a corporation?”, it’s important to know how your choice affects taxes. Here are key points to take into account: C corporations face double taxation—both on profits and dividends. S corporations allow pass-through taxation, avoiding double taxation but requiring specific eligibility. LLCs are typically treated as pass-through entities, simplifying tax reporting and potentially lowering liabilities. States may impose additional franchise taxes or fees on incorporated entities, regardless of federal treatment. Understanding these factors helps you make informed decisions about your business structure and its tax responsibilities. Management and Compliance Requirements Choosing to incorporate your business brings with it a set of management and compliance requirements that are considerably more rigorous than those for other business structures, like LLCs. As an incorporated company, you must hold annual meetings for shareholders and directors to maintain your corporate status. Corporate bylaws, which outline governance and decision-making procedures, become public records. You’re required to file annual reports with the state, updating your company information, and you might need to pay franchise taxes for the privilege of conducting business. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to penalties, loss of good standing, or even administrative dissolution of your corporation. Comprehending what it means to be an incorporated company is vital for effective management and compliance. Making the Right Choice for Your Business When you’re deciding on the right business structure, it’s crucial to weigh the unique advantages and drawbacks of both corporations and LLCs. To help you make an informed decision, consider the following factors: Ownership Structure: Corporations allow easier transfer of shares, whereas LLCs need member consent for interest transfers. Tax Needs: LLCs benefit from pass-through taxation, whereas corporations face double taxation unless they opt for S corporation status. Administrative Requirements: Corporations have stricter compliance obligations compared to the more flexible management of LLCs. Funding Strategy: Corporations can issue various stock types for investment, whereas LLCs are less favorable for equity funding. Defining “inc” as a corporation type can guide you in evaluating your long-term goals and exit strategies. Frequently Asked Questions Is an Inc. Better Than an LLC? Whether an Inc. is better than an LLC depends on your business goals. An Inc offers formal structure and can issue stock, facilitating fundraising, which is ideal for growth. Nevertheless, it faces double taxation on profits. Conversely, an LLC provides flexibility and single-level taxation, making it more tax-efficient for smaller businesses. In the end, assess your management preferences, investment needs, and long-term plans to determine which option suits you best. How Does an Inc. Work? An Inc. operates as a separate legal entity, protecting you from personal liability for business debts. To form one, you’ll file Articles of Incorporation with your state, detailing your business’s purpose and structure. Inc. businesses must follow strict management practices, like holding annual meetings and maintaining bylaws. They can issue various stock classes to raise capital, but be aware of potential double taxation on corporate income, except you choose S corporation status. What Are the Disadvantages of an Incorporated Company? Incorporated companies face several disadvantages. You’ll encounter double taxation, where profits are taxed at both the corporate and personal levels. The administrative burden is higher, requiring compliance with regulations, annual meetings, and detailed record-keeping. This complexity can increase operational costs. Moreover, management flexibility is limited because of formal structures, making quick decisions harder. Public reporting can expose sensitive information, impacting your competitive edge. In addition, incorporation costs, including legal and filing fees, can be substantial. Why Would a Business Want to Incorporate? You might want to incorporate your business for several reasons. First, incorporation offers limited liability protection, safeguarding your personal assets. It can likewise provide tax advantages, especially with S corporations, allowing for pass-through taxation. Furthermore, incorporating improves credibility with customers and investors, enhancing your business’s professional image. You’ll find it easier to raise capital through share issuance, and the corporation’s perpetual existence guarantees continuity, even when ownership changes. Conclusion Incorporating your business as an Inc offers numerous benefits, including limited liability protection and improved credibility. Comprehending the various types of corporations and their specific requirements can help you make informed decisions. During there are compliance obligations and tax implications to take into account, the advantages often outweigh the challenges. In the end, choosing the right business structure is essential for your long-term success, ensuring both legal protection and operational efficiency. Evaluate your options carefully to determine what best suits your needs. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is an Inc Business Type and How Does It Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

An Inc business type refers to a legally incorporated corporation, distinct from its owners. This structure offers limited liability protection, meaning personal assets are shielded from business debts. To form an Inc, you’ll need to file Articles of Incorporation and meet specific regulatory requirements. Comprehending how this structure works can help you assess its advantages, such as improved credibility and potential tax benefits. So, what are the key differences between an Inc and other business types? Key Takeaways An Inc business type is a formally incorporated entity that provides limited liability protection to its owners, separating personal and business assets. Incorporation requires filing Articles of Incorporation, detailing the business’s purpose, location, and share structure with the state. Incorporated businesses must adhere to strict regulations, including annual meetings, reports, and maintaining corporate formalities to retain legal protections. Different types of corporations, like C and S corporations, have distinct tax implications that can impact financial decisions and obligations. Incorporation enhances credibility, facilitates fundraising through stock issuance, and offers various benefits, including employee incentives through stock options. Understanding the Inc. Business Type When you hear the term “Inc.,” it refers to a business that has been formally incorporated, establishing itself as a distinct legal entity separate from its owners. This structure provides limited liability protection for shareholders, meaning their personal assets are typically safe from the corporation’s debts. To become incorporated, a business must file Articles of Incorporation, detailing its purpose, location, and share structure. Compared to an LLC, which offers flexibility and fewer formalities, an Inc. requires adherence to strict regulations, such as annual meetings and reports. There are two main types of corporations: C corporations, which face double taxation, and S corporations, allowing pass-through taxation but with eligibility limitations. Comprehending these differences is crucial for business decisions. Advantages of Incorporation When you incorporate your business, you gain legal liability protection, meaning your personal assets are safe from business debts. You’ll likewise find that incorporation offers tax flexibility options, allowing you to choose a structure that best suits your financial situation. Moreover, being an incorporated entity improves your ability to raise funds, as you can issue stock to attract investors more easily than other business types. Legal Liability Protection Incorporating your business provides an important layer of legal liability protection, which can be significant for safeguarding your personal assets. By establishing an inc business type, you create a separate legal entity, meaning your personal belongings are usually protected from business debts and claims. Creditors can’t pursue your personal assets for liabilities, provided you maintain the corporation’s good standing. This protection extends to lawsuits, directing legal claims at the corporation itself rather than you as an individual owner. Nevertheless, maintaining corporate formalities, such as filing annual reports and holding meetings, is vital for preserving this limited liability. Without these practices, you risk “piercing the corporate veil,” jeopardizing your protection against personal liability. Tax Flexibility Options Establishing your business as an incorporated entity not just protects your personal assets from liabilities but furthermore offers significant tax flexibility options. Comprehending the inc definition is essential for maximizing these benefits. Here are four key advantages: S Corporation Status: You can elect to be taxed as an S corporation, enabling pass-through taxation and avoiding double taxation on corporate income. C Corporation Retained Earnings: C corporations can retain earnings and reinvest without immediate tax implications for shareholders. LLC Tax Options: LLCs can choose to be taxed as a corporation, providing flexibility based on financial goals. Tax Deductions: Incorporation allows for business expense deductions, lowering overall taxable income and offering benefits like health insurance premiums. Enhanced Fundraising Opportunities Even though many new businesses struggle to secure funding, incorporating your business can greatly improve your fundraising opportunities. As an inc company, you can issue shares of stock, attracting a broader range of investors. This formal structure boosts your appeal to venture capitalists and angel investors, who often look for stability in high-growth potential businesses. In addition, offering stock options to employees can incentivize talent acquisition and retention as well as facilitating funding through equity compensation. Your corporate status furthermore increases credibility with lenders, making Chase more likely to finance your endeavors. Finally, incorporation opens the door to going public via an initial public offering (IPO), greatly broadening your fundraising potential by tapping into capital markets. Liability Protection for Owners Limited liability protection is one of the key advantages of structuring your business as an Inc. This legal framework guarantees that, as an owner, you’re only responsible for the amount you’ve invested in the corporation, effectively safeguarding your personal assets from business debts and legal claims. Here are some important points regarding liability protection for owners: Personal assets are typically shielded from corporate debts. Creditors can’t pursue your personal assets if the corporation stays in good standing. This protection is crucial for entrepreneurs facing business risks. Liability protection can be lost if fraud or misconduct occurs, exposing you to personal liability. Understanding the inc meaning in business helps you grasp the significance of these protections in maintaining your financial security. Different Types of Corporations Once you’ve established the liability protections that come with incorporating your business, it’s important to grasp the various types of corporations available. The two main types are C corporations and S corporations. C corporations face double taxation on profits and dividends, allowing unlimited shareholders and multiple stock classes, ideal for attracting investors. Conversely, S corporations offer pass-through taxation but limit shareholders to 100 and restrict stock classes, affecting ownership flexibility. There are also close corporations, which involve fewer formalities and are typically owned by a small group. Furthermore, nonprofit corporations operate for charitable purposes and can qualify for tax-exempt status. Recognizing these distinctions helps clarify the difference between LLC and Inc, guiding your choice in business structure. How Incorporation Works Incorporation is a vital step for many entrepreneurs seeking to establish a business as a separate legal entity from its owners. When you incorporate, you create a corporation, which is often abbreviated as “Inc.” This process involves several key steps: File Articles of Incorporation: Submit necessary documents to your state. Limited Liability Protection: Shareholders are only liable for company debts up to their investment. Ongoing Compliance: Hold annual meetings, maintain records, and file annual reports. Stock Issuance: Raise capital by offering shares, which allows for investment opportunities. Incorporation improves your business’s credibility and legal recognition, beneficial for interactions with vendors, customers, and potential investors. Grasping how incorporation works is vital for ensuring your business’s long-term success. Comparing Inc. With LLC When comparing an Inc and an LLC, it’s crucial to understand the differences in formation requirements and liability protection. Whereas both structures limit personal liability, an Inc. has stricter compliance rules and requires more formalities, such as holding annual meetings. Conversely, an LLC offers more flexibility in management and fewer administrative burdens, making it an attractive option for many business owners. Formation Requirements Comparison Forming a business entity like a corporation (Inc.) or a limited liability company (LLC) involves distinct requirements that can greatly impact your decision. Here’s a comparison of the formation requirements: Filing Documents: An Inc. requires Articles of Incorporation, whereas an LLC needs Articles of Organization, which are less detailed. Formalities: Corporations must create corporate bylaws, whereas LLCs should have an operating agreement, often not filed publicly. Maintenance: Corporations have more maintenance, including mandatory annual shareholder meetings, unlike LLCs, which allow flexible management. Costs: Formation costs for an Inc. can be higher because of state filing fees, whereas LLCs typically have lower initial and administrative costs. Understanding these differences helps you choose between an LLC or Inc. for your business. Liability Protection Differences Limited liability protection is a significant aspect when comparing an Inc. with an LLC. Both structures limit your personal liability, meaning you’re typically only responsible for business debts up to your investment. Nevertheless, in corporations, personal liability can be pierced under certain conditions, like fraud or mixing personal and business assets. LLCs have a clearer protection mechanism, confined to the member’s investment. Whereas corporations face double taxation, impacting personal liability during financial strains, LLCs typically function as pass-through entities, avoiding corporate-level taxes. Shareholders in Inc.s may retain limited liability even with excessive debts, whereas LLC members enjoy similar protection except their actions exceed normal business operations. Comprehending what does Inc. stand for helps clarify these distinctions. Tax Implications of Incorporation Comprehending the tax implications of incorporation is vital for any business owner contemplating this route. When you ask, “Is Inc a corporation?”, it’s important to know how your choice affects taxes. Here are key points to take into account: C corporations face double taxation—both on profits and dividends. S corporations allow pass-through taxation, avoiding double taxation but requiring specific eligibility. LLCs are typically treated as pass-through entities, simplifying tax reporting and potentially lowering liabilities. States may impose additional franchise taxes or fees on incorporated entities, regardless of federal treatment. Understanding these factors helps you make informed decisions about your business structure and its tax responsibilities. Management and Compliance Requirements Choosing to incorporate your business brings with it a set of management and compliance requirements that are considerably more rigorous than those for other business structures, like LLCs. As an incorporated company, you must hold annual meetings for shareholders and directors to maintain your corporate status. Corporate bylaws, which outline governance and decision-making procedures, become public records. You’re required to file annual reports with the state, updating your company information, and you might need to pay franchise taxes for the privilege of conducting business. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to penalties, loss of good standing, or even administrative dissolution of your corporation. Comprehending what it means to be an incorporated company is vital for effective management and compliance. Making the Right Choice for Your Business When you’re deciding on the right business structure, it’s crucial to weigh the unique advantages and drawbacks of both corporations and LLCs. To help you make an informed decision, consider the following factors: Ownership Structure: Corporations allow easier transfer of shares, whereas LLCs need member consent for interest transfers. Tax Needs: LLCs benefit from pass-through taxation, whereas corporations face double taxation unless they opt for S corporation status. Administrative Requirements: Corporations have stricter compliance obligations compared to the more flexible management of LLCs. Funding Strategy: Corporations can issue various stock types for investment, whereas LLCs are less favorable for equity funding. Defining “inc” as a corporation type can guide you in evaluating your long-term goals and exit strategies. Frequently Asked Questions Is an Inc. Better Than an LLC? Whether an Inc. is better than an LLC depends on your business goals. An Inc offers formal structure and can issue stock, facilitating fundraising, which is ideal for growth. Nevertheless, it faces double taxation on profits. Conversely, an LLC provides flexibility and single-level taxation, making it more tax-efficient for smaller businesses. In the end, assess your management preferences, investment needs, and long-term plans to determine which option suits you best. How Does an Inc. Work? An Inc. operates as a separate legal entity, protecting you from personal liability for business debts. To form one, you’ll file Articles of Incorporation with your state, detailing your business’s purpose and structure. Inc. businesses must follow strict management practices, like holding annual meetings and maintaining bylaws. They can issue various stock classes to raise capital, but be aware of potential double taxation on corporate income, except you choose S corporation status. What Are the Disadvantages of an Incorporated Company? Incorporated companies face several disadvantages. You’ll encounter double taxation, where profits are taxed at both the corporate and personal levels. The administrative burden is higher, requiring compliance with regulations, annual meetings, and detailed record-keeping. This complexity can increase operational costs. Moreover, management flexibility is limited because of formal structures, making quick decisions harder. Public reporting can expose sensitive information, impacting your competitive edge. In addition, incorporation costs, including legal and filing fees, can be substantial. Why Would a Business Want to Incorporate? You might want to incorporate your business for several reasons. First, incorporation offers limited liability protection, safeguarding your personal assets. It can likewise provide tax advantages, especially with S corporations, allowing for pass-through taxation. Furthermore, incorporating improves credibility with customers and investors, enhancing your business’s professional image. You’ll find it easier to raise capital through share issuance, and the corporation’s perpetual existence guarantees continuity, even when ownership changes. Conclusion Incorporating your business as an Inc offers numerous benefits, including limited liability protection and improved credibility. Comprehending the various types of corporations and their specific requirements can help you make informed decisions. During there are compliance obligations and tax implications to take into account, the advantages often outweigh the challenges. In the end, choosing the right business structure is essential for your long-term success, ensuring both legal protection and operational efficiency. Evaluate your options carefully to determine what best suits your needs. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is an Inc Business Type and How Does It Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you're wading through all the emails, Slack messages, and other notifications you get on an average day, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. When that happens, you can might yourself getting distracted and missing important messages—at least, that's what happens to me, unless I have some kind of plan in place. There are a few different approaches you can consider to prevent this, but the "OHIO" technique is the one to try if you need extra help being decisive—though it's important to note that while it can ease your decision paralysis, it does have a few limitations worth considering. What is the OHIO method of time management?OHIO is an acronym for “Only Handle It Once” and you'll hear it crop up in a variety of productivity-based conversations, like ones around tidying up. Proponents say it helps you avoid unnecessary dawdling, delays, and indecision, as it calls for you to handle any task, email, message, or assignment just one time. It's definitely a habit you need to build up to, but it's one that pays off the longer you work at it. You can broadly apply it to what you’re working by assessing your entire inbox, to-do list, or other group of tasks all at once. Prioritize the tasks in order of importance using a system like the Eisenhower Matrix or ABC method. (If the workload isn’t too complex, feel free to prioritize them quickly on your own without a fancy system, but I'm a big fan of customizing hyper-specific productivity techniques to meet my needs.) Then take immediate action on each, starting from the top. Either delete them, delegate them, do what they say, or defer them, using the 4D method. The OHIO method and emailsThe OHIO method works great for emails, too, but it can suck you into time-wasting if you’re not careful. Only handling each email once is a solid way not to spend too much time on it, but you have to plan what you’re going to do. Otherwise, you may end up clicking every new email that comes in and trying to manage it in real time. Emails are harder to prioritize than a to-do list, so you may struggle to determine which one you should jump on first. Instead of implementing the OHIO method in the moment every moment, set aside time every morning and afternoon to go through your messages and, of course, only handle them once. (You can use time boxing and time blocking to make sure you do this at the same time every day, plus a 3-3-3 to-do list to make sure you have time to prioritize the task.) Try a half hour at the start of your workday, a half hour after lunch, and 15 minutes just before clocking out. If you base your approach on time, rather than a prioritized list, you’ll still be able to open each message and handle it, but won’t be swamped by having to do that every time you get a new alert. View the full article

Chinese AI advances and the effects of Donald The President’s trade war have boosted markets outside the USView the full article

If you are still using the same email address for everything, it’s time to diversify. Don’t make the mistake I made for too long, clogging up one inbox with absolute nonsense unrelated to the things you actually want to receive and read. You likely already have separate emails for your job, school, and personal life, and many of us also have a designated “spam” email to enter into pop-up boxes in a hurry—but you might even benefit from a couple more. Here are the email addresses I advise setting up. You need an email for logging into appsI have a special email address just for my streaming services and random apps, so when Peacock or Hulu mysteriously log out on my TV, I can just reset the passwords using the special email address without junking up my real one. This is great because apps and services simply love to send you emails about deals, specials, or reminders to log in, and while you could waste a bunch of time unsubscribing from them, you could also just banish them to a Gmail account you only open occasionally for that fresh log-in email, leaving the rest of the junk to rot. I'm also just hesitant to unsubscribe from emails that come from a service I sometimes do need emails from, which is the case with streamers and apps, as most of my two-factor authentication goes down in my email inbox. Separating these just makes sense. You need an email for newslettersIn case you haven’t noticed, all your favorite news sites and even individual writers are gung-ho about newsletters. It’s great to get the information you want in your inbox, but less great when it interferes with you seeing the messages you actually need to get more important daily tasks done. Creating a separate email inbox just for newsletters gives you a sort of curated Apple News-like experience. When you want to read the news or the musings of some great intellectual, open that inbox and scroll. When you want to tackle actual correspondence, you can just click away. You need an email for your side hustlesThis is where I fall short: I don’t actually have this, at least not in a consistent way. I use my real email for all my little adventures and money-making projects, which has become my downfall. When I used to freelance a lot, my email got added to some kind of freelancer database and now my personal inbox is absolutely brimming with PR pitches I never open or read. These come in so often that real correspondence from family members or people I am trying to work with gets lost. If you’re smart (unlike me), you’ll set up an email address that is just for your gigging, whatever it entails. Whether you’re trying to be an influencer, a freelancer, a photographer, or a volunteer, anything that’s sort-of serious but not actually your job should end up in one place. Do this early on when you start a project, too. I'd love to set up separate email addresses for my resale business, my fitness class teaching, and my copywriting and freelancing, but getting all my contacts in those spheres to start emailing the new address instead of the old one would cause headaches. Setting it up early precludes that, but also helps you shift into a different headspace when you're corresponding with someone like a potential client. I do feel more assertive when I'm talking to someone as "Lindsey Ellefson, MPH" or "Lindsey Ellefson, award-winning journalist" instead of just "Lindsey Ellefson." Setting up something like [your name][your title]@gmail.com can help you step into that more self-assured mindset. Some multi-email tipsTry to designate your app-only email for free trials, too. When a trial ends, a company will stop at nothing to remind you that you can still sign up and give them money. Do not let these endless emails bother you or waste your time. Day pass at a gym? App-only email address. Free trial of a PDF editor or resume builder? App-only email address. Need to log into a public wifi that demands an email address for some unholy reason? You already know. Just make sure that for this one, you toggle off notifications, so your phone’s home screen doesn’t become overwhelmed with garbage. I recommend using Gmail for all of this, too, because the Gmail app makes it so easy to switch between different accounts right on your phone. That way, you can even assign the addresses to different Chrome profiles on your computer, which has been a lifesaver for me as I toggle between different parts of my life. The only downside to going Gmail-only is that it's hard, at first glance, to see which address is receiving a message when you get an alert on your phone's lock screen. It shouldn't be a major issue, though, because for a lot of these, like the one for streamers, you should toggle push notifications off entirely. View the full article

Construction materials are responsible for nearly one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions. And as global demand for construction continues to rise (it has already tripled over the past 25 years), its emissions are bound to climb even higher.e In fact, some, like environmental engineer and University of Virginia professor Andres Clarens, see materials’ potential negative impact as so existential that he calls them the “last major frontier” in the fight against climate change. If that’s the case, we need to reduce the emissions associated with commonly used building materials like cement and steel—and we need to develop alternative materials that emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions by default. And we need to do it fast. This year, material designers delivered. Some of these new materials are still in the testing phase, others are already on the market. All five have tremendous potential to make our buildings more sustainable. 1. A superstrong material inspired by the deep-sea spongeEarlier this year, researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology invented a bio-inspired building material that is both lightweight and resilient under pressure, which could help reduce the use of steel and concrete. The key to their innovation? A little creature that lives thousands of meters deep in the ocean. The deep-sea sponge’s lattice-like skeleton, which has been optimized over millions of years, can absorb force while maintaining its strength. According to the researchers, a similarly designed material could enable “thinner load-bearing walls and slimmer columns,” which in turn, would reduce the amount of steel and concrete required to achieve structural integrity. The material is still in the testing phase. 2. A ‘Superwood’ that is stronger than steelSeven years ago, scientists at the University of Maryland said they discovered a way to make wood so strong that it could compete with steel. This year, their research culminated in the launch of Superwood, a material that has 50% greater tensile strength than steel and a strength-to-weight ratio that’s 10 times better. Superwood was developed by a spin-off startup called InventWood, which began mass-producing the material this summer. The company’s first facility in Frederick, Maryland, can produce one million square feet of Superwood per year, with applications varying from interior finishes to exterior-grade panels for siding and roofing. The plan, according to InventWood cofounder Alex Lau, is to build “a larger facility that will scale to over 30 million square feet, enabling use in infrastructure and large developments.” 3. A cross-laminated timber made of fallen treesBy some estimates, cities lose a staggering 36 million trees a year to storms, insects, and disease. Over the past six years, the Washington, D.C.-based startup Carbon Cambium has salvaged six million board feet of wood from these fallen trees, diverting it from the landfill, and turning it into usable timber for furniture with companies like Room & Board and Sabai. This year, the startup developed its first product for the construction industry. Carbon Smart Wood is the first cross-laminated timber (CLT) made from salvaged trees, which promises to make mass timber construction even more sustainable. The company offers millwork like decking and flooring, and full CLT structural panels for buildings. Forty thousand linear feet of the material will appear on the facade of the new JFK Airport expansion in 2026. Horizon House4. A new take on rammed earthRammed earth, a building technique where damp soil is compacted in layers within temporary forms, has propped up buildings for millennia. This year, the humble material got an upgrade when researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology encased it in a cardboard tube. The resulting material, dubbed cardboard-confined rammed earth (CCRE), consists of rammed earth that’s been compacted inside cylindrical tubes. Typically, rammed earth walls also include a dose of cement to improve strength and durability, but the cardboard formwork in CCRE acts as a shell, negating the need for cement. The researchers say the cardboard helps protect the rammed earth from surrounding environments, while additional treatment on the cardboard can extend its life as well. They have also developed a similar version using carbon-fiber tubes. To date, the team has built a small-scale prototype, but if scaled, the material could be used to build low-rise and modular buildings with no cement. 5. A paint that changes colors with the seasonsWe’ve known for a while now that painting surfaces like streets and roofs in white can make them cooler because white reflects heat—and painting them black can make them warmer because black absorbs heat. This year, industrial designer Joe Doucet took this time-tested innovation to a new level by developing a “climate-adaptive” paint that can change colors based on the outside temperature. The paint, which can be mixed with other tints (so you can still have your yellow house) could save an estimated 20–30% in energy costs every year. Doucet’s team is currently testing the final formula, with the goal of licensing it to paint manufacturers when ready. View the full article

Throughout 2025, we’ve watched companies treat employees with a stunning disregard: rolling layoffs (with thousands let go at a time), unchecked workloads, turning a blind eye to burnout—with 76% of U.S. workers reporting at least one health condition today—and a near-gleeful rush to replace people with AI. Over 200,000 American women quit their jobs this year, many citing inflexible policies and lack of support for balancing work and life. Relentless rounds of cuts have destabilized employee trust and left employees uncertain and questioning leadership at every level. Across industries, leaders have routinely prioritized short-term efficiency over human impacts, sending a clear signal that employee well-being is treated as irrelevant to how most CEOs define organizational success. Despite a year in which many companies acted as if they were actively anti employee well-being, there’s clear evidence that 2026 will be the year everything changes. This isn’t wishful thinking or naivete. It’s grounded in hard business realities that CEOs can no longer afford to ignore. First, investors—the same ones who have historically applauded employee layoffs—are beginning to reward companies that prioritize employee flourishing because multiple years of research show that firms with high well-being scores consistently outperform peers in stock performance, profitability, and innovation. Second, the talent market is unforgiving—top performers now demand workplaces that offer trust, growth, and the conditions to thrive; ignoring this risks losing the very people who drive competitive advantage. Additionally, we’ve reached a point of destabilization—a crisis—where people are hitting a “no more” moment and simply won’t continue in the old way any longer. This will be a major catalyst for change. Third, the AI-driven transformation of work depends on human adaptability; organizations that fail to foster well-being, learning, and resilience will sabotage their own investments in technology. Finally, the reputational and financial costs of ignoring well-being are increasingly visible, from mass departures of key employees to heightened public scrutiny. Taken together, these forces create a perfect storm: 2026 is the year CEOs will have both the incentive and the imperative to finally make employee well-being a central strategic priority. The Reckoning Arrives If 2025 will be remembered for the callousness and disregard organizations showed their people, 2026 will be remembered as the year CEOs felt the consequences of those decisions and were forced to pivot. And this shift won’t happen because leaders suddenly became more empathetic. It will happen because the data is now unequivocal: employee well-being isn’t a “soft” idea—it’s a hard, proven driver of performance, retention, customer experience, innovation, and long-term value creation. When people feel genuinely valued, respected, supported, treated humanely, and that they truly belong, they don’t just perform more optimally—they think more clearly, solve problems more creatively, and bring far greater energy and commitment to their work. Research from leading business schools and global workplace studies demonstrates this; 2026 is simply the year the evidence becomes impossible for CEOs to dismiss. The Well-Being–Performance Link Is No Longer Debatable For years, employee well-being was treated as a feel-good afterthought—something leaders knew mattered but never put on the same level as profits and shareholder returns. That era is over. Rigorous, multiyear research from investment firm Irrational Capital—analyzing thousands of public companies, including the entire S&P 500 and Russell 1000—shows that organizations in the top 20% for employee well-being have outperformed the market by hundreds of basis points. Oxford research finds that a single-point increase in employee happiness correlates with billions in additional annual profit for large enterprises. McKinsey on burnout, Deloitte on retention, Gallup’s global workplace data—all of it points to the same conclusion: when people feel genuinely supported, productivity, profitability, innovation, and customer loyalty surge. Harvard leadership professor Arthur C. Brooks puts it bluntly: “Happier employees are more profitable, more productive employees. That’s just the way it is.” Investors are now baking these realities into their models. The gap between human flourishing and financial flourishing isn’t philosophical anymore—it’s mathematical. Where Companies Have Gone Wrong Most organizations spent the past decade conflating well-being with wellness programs. They handed out meditation apps, gym stipends, and yoga classes while ignoring the root causes of poor well-being: uncaring and untrustworthy managers, a lack of connection and belonging, expectations of always being on—and feeling unappreciated for one’s hard work. The result was predictable—burnout soared, engagement flat-lined, and the best people walked away. The damage is undeniable in 2025’s data. Trust in senior leadership has fallen to its lowest point in years. Employees are using words like “disconnect,” “misalignment,” “distrust,” and “hypocrisy” in record numbers. The power shift back to employers has been used to push return-to-office mandates, endless restructurings, and the “forever layoff”—small, rolling terminations that keep everyone fearing they’ll be next, exhausted, and diminished in what they can contribute. Why 2026 Changes Everything 2025 exposed the cost of treating people as expendable. 2026 will reveal the cost of continuing to do so. The forces now converging leave CEOs no room to hide: Investors have begun rewarding cultures of genuine care. The same financial logic that once justified layoffs now proves that sustained well-being creates superior performance. Boards are asking hard questions about turnover, culture risk, and the long-term sustainability of workforce models built on burnout. The cost of neglect is now impossible to hide. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that workplaces are a major driver of the nation’s mental health crisis. The result is spiking turnover, steep drops in productivity, skyrocketing medical claims, and a workforce whose resilience has been systematically eroded—losses that dwarf the cost of actually supporting people. Young talent is reshaping the expectations of work. Gen Z and millennials, who will soon be the majority of the workforce, refuse to accept fear, overwork, or indifference as normal. They demand growth, stability, and humane leadership—and they walk quickly when they don’t get it. The mistake leaders continue to make is by framing this attitude as entitlement. It’s not. It’s clarity. Younger generations simply refuse to tolerate what older generations accepted as normal. The battle for talent has become a battle for well-being. AI is accelerating—not reducing—the need for well-being. The belief that technology could replace people and eliminate the need for authentically supportive leadership has been proven wrong. AI demands adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence, and resilience—capacities that collapse under chronic stress. Organizations that want their people to master the tools of the future must first keep them energized and trusted today. A new leadership mandate is forming. This is the shift Deloitte calls “human sustainability:” the deliberate choice to build organizations where people can thrive for the long haul, not just survive to the next quarter. It means embedding respect, growth, and genuine care into every system—hiring, development, compensation, communication, and even the way difficult decisions are handled. Most importantly, well-being must become a leadership competency. Leaders must learn the importance of trust, how team cohesion gets built, how psychological safety is created, how meaningful work is designed, and how human energy is sustained. Leaders must embrace new practices known to support human thriving. The companies that make this pivot in 2026 won’t just repair the damage of 2025. They’ll dominate the decade. They’ll keep their best people and attract everyone else’s. They’ll turn AI from a source of fear into the greatest amplifier of human potential we’ve ever seen. They’ll build resilience that no disruption can break. In my new book, The Power of Employee Well-Being, I lay out exactly how this transformation happens and why it’s the single greatest untapped performance lever left in most organizations. The evidence is settled. The investors are watching. The talent is voting with their feet. And 2026 is the year the old excuses finally die. Leaders who still treat people as costs to be managed will be left behind. The rest of us will be building the future—and it’s one where people are flourishing, trusted, and bringing everything they have to work every single day. Happy New Year! View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Last December, Modern CEO named the inaugural Modern CEO of the Year. The goal was to recognize a business leader who embodied the traits frequently covered in this newsletter: inclusion, accessibility, humility, and innovation amid unprecedented uncertainty. We looked for a person with vision and grit, someone who is growing a company sustainably. The methodology isn’t scientific, but this year, one name stood out: Flex’s Revathi Advaithi. Meet the Modern CEO of the Year Advaithi didn’t set out to ride the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. After becoming CEO of Flex (formerly known as Flextronics) in 2019, she zeroed in on the contract manufacturing company’s power-focused business, which makes components that manage, regulate, and distribute power for advanced semiconductors and systems. Advaithi understood that business segment well from her years working at Eaton, the power management company. She bet that technology companies would continue to need more power and compute—the processing power and other resources needed to run applications—plus systems to cool equipment to keep it from overheating. She quietly began to build a portfolio of products and services to design, manage, and deploy power, compute, and cooling infrastructure. Today, that business is growing 35% year-over-year, and Advaithi expects it to generate about $6.5 billion of Flex’s fiscal 2026 annual revenue, projected to reach $26.7 billion to $27.3 billion. As Modern CEO went to press, Flex stock was up 65%, outperforming the broader market and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index. “Either we were very smart, or we got lucky,” Advaithi says. “But when [generative] AI emerges and people start talking about power-hungry compute, the strategy we put together looks like it’s a winning strategy.” Strategic leadership, personal adversity Advaithi is quick to point out that her remaking of the power portfolio was part of a strategic approach she applied to all parts of Flex’s business, which includes supply-chain management and manufacturing of components for electronics and automobile makers and the healthcare industry. Indeed, Flex did more than simply capitalize on AI in 2025. This year, the company also helped its clients figure out strategies for dealing with new tariffs. And Advaithi led the company while undergoing treatment for breast cancer for part of the year. She’s currently in remission. Advaithi says her board of directors supported her decision to keep working after she was diagnosed with cancer in August 2024 even though intense chemotherapy would mean missing travel and interactions with employees and customers. But Advaithi says she’s never been a “24/7” CEO and has always made time for family, friends, and activities, so she felt confident that the company could thrive without her being constantly on call. For Advaithi, the decision was affirming. “Having that purpose, keeping myself grounded, having something to push myself out of bed, kept me going in a pretty significant way,” she says. She also says she wanted to show the business world and other patients that those undergoing treatment, especially women, were capable of reliance and strength. “I felt like I had a duty and obligation to show that it could be done,” she says, acknowledging the support of her family and the ability to access high-quality care. A guide for uncertain times With manufacturing facilities in 30 countries, Flex this year found itself consulting with clients on how best to navigate the new tariffs announced by the The President administration at the start of the year. Using sophisticated software that analyzed everything from labor costs to rare-earth mining risks, Flex offered customers different options to make and deliver goods as well as develop longer-term manufacturing and supply chain strategies. That dispassionate, disciplined approach is not unlike the way Advaithi is thinking about the AI growth opportunity, which many now feel is approaching bubble territory. Rather than building her business around speculation about investment needed to support AI hyper-scalers, Advaithi says she’s focused on the power needs of data centers that have already been announced for 2026. “The constant decision that CEOs have to make today is looking at growth, risk-taking, and discipline,” she says. “I’ve only worked with industrial companies, so I feel like you have to [ask]: Where are you five years from now? Where are you 10 years from now? And have you built a business that’s viable and sustainable?” More Modern CEOs Who would have been your pick for Modern CEO of the Year, and why? Send your submissions to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com, and we’ll highlight readers’ choices in an upcoming newsletter. Read more: top CEOs YouTube’s Neal Mohan is Time’s CEO of the Year Barron’s 2025 Top CEOs Inc.’s 2025 Business Leaders of the Year View the full article

Every December, millions of people pause to take stock of their lives before the new year. Some gather for vision-board parties, others sketch out New Year’s resolutions, and many quietly vow to “finally get organized” before the clock hits midnight. But this year feels different. We’re closing out 2025 in an economic climate defined by weekly corporate layoffs, social media posts from people with excel trackers archiving hundreds of job applications, and sidelined workers hopelessly looking for jobs for over a year. Families are being pushed to the brink by rising prices, and a generational affordability crisis—fueled by a shortage of three to four million homes nationwide, according to analysts by conservative estimates—has made it harder than ever to build stability. Across platforms, people describe the ground shaking beneath them: seasoned professionals struggling to get callbacks, families displaced by rent increases, and workers in every sector worried that technology is reshaping roles faster than organizations can adapt. Americans are questioning not just their career trajectory, but their worth and stability in an economy where the rules keep shifting. Yet history shows—from the Industrial-boosted Gilded Age to the social media–driven reality-show era—that moments when disruption and innovation collide also create unexpected openings. These periods force society, and individuals, to reconsider not just what they want from the world but what tools they already possess, or can rapidly develop, to navigate it with greater agency. That’s where a concept I call the Economy of Self becomes essential—and freeing. The Economy of Self isn’t manifestation or hustle culture. It’s the intentional practice of viewing yourself as an entity with specific value and designing a personal economic ecosystem that enables you to gain ground at best, or protect the ground beneath you at worst. It’s the acknowledgment that while no one can control the macroeconomy, we can engineer our microeconomy in ways that produce clarity, resilience, and optionality. First, establish clarity The foundation of the Economy of Self is clarity. In an unpredictable job market, individuals need an honest inventory of what they know, what they can do, and what they can deliver in an instant, transactional mass environment. Too many people underestimate their expertise because their worth has long been defined by job titles and affiliation instead of outcomes. Thinking like an entity allows you to see your value from an outside perspective and helps you highlight what you individually have to leverage. Clarity is the first act of economic power—because you cannot price, position, or promote what you cannot articulate. Clarity creates the conditions for structure. Once you understand your value, you can package it. For some, that means turning expertise into discrete service offerings—products instead of retainers—that solve specific pain points for clients or employers. In a landscape where many workers are bridging employment gaps or supplementing income through project work, productization of personal expertise becomes a viable stabilizing tool. When you articulate your work as something a customer can buy, not just something an employer can assign, you reclaim the power to shape your own market. Next, supply chain development Finally, the Economy of Self requires supply-chain development—intentionally strengthening the channels that connect your skills to real-world opportunities. That means engaging consistently rather than virally: showing up in your professional networks, posting subject matter ideas regularly, participating in events and conferences, and cultivating relationships that keep your name active in the rooms you want to be in. Supply chains aren’t built on sudden bursts of visibility; they are built through repetition, reliability, and presence. If this sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. We are living through an economic and technological convergence that rewards intentional self-design more than ever. But the Economy of Self isn’t about perfection or reinvention. It’s about adapting strategically when the external environment becomes unpredictable. It’s about reclaiming agency when traditional structures feel increasingly fragile. As we enter 2026—with all its uncertainty and possibility—many people won’t have the luxury of waiting for stability to return. The future belongs to those willing to treat themselves not just as workers or job candidates, but as dynamic economic actors with assets, supply chains, and value propositions of their own. In a world where the ground keeps shifting, the most powerful thing you can build is an economy that starts with you. View the full article

The human resource recruitment process is a systematic approach organizations use to find and hire the right candidates for job openings. It involves several key stages, starting with identifying hiring needs and creating detailed job descriptions. Next, effective sourcing of candidates occurs, followed by screening applications and conducting structured interviews. Comprehending this process is essential for aligning new hires with your organization’s goals and culture, but there’s much more to explore about each stage and its impact on your workforce. Key Takeaways The recruitment process identifies, attracts, and hires candidates aligned with organizational goals and culture. Key stages include identifying hiring needs, creating job descriptions, and establishing a recruitment budget and timeline. Sourcing candidates involves using job boards, social media, and networking to reach a diverse talent pool. Screening candidates utilizes pre-screening questionnaires and structured interviews to assess qualifications and fit. Effective onboarding integrates new hires into the organization, enhancing productivity and long-term retention. Definition and Importance of the Recruitment Process The recruitment process is vital for organizations, as it systematically identifies, attracts, and hires candidates who fit job openings effectively. In HR management recruitment, the recruitment definition in human resource management emphasizes the importance of aligning potential employees with organizational goals and culture. A well-structured human resource recruitment process directly impacts workforce quality, improving overall performance and productivity. Effective recruitment strategies help you attract highly qualified candidates, giving your organization a competitive edge in the market. Furthermore, thorough selection processes contribute to employee satisfaction and engagement, ensuring that new hires not only possess the necessary skills but also resonate with the company’s values. In addition, compliance with legal standards during recruitment is critical to mitigate risks and protect your organization from potential liabilities related to hiring practices. Key Stages of the Recruitment Process To kick off the recruitment process, you need to identify your hiring needs by analyzing skill gaps in collaboration with department heads. Once you’ve defined the roles, you can implement effective candidate screening techniques, such as pre-screening questionnaires and structured interviews, to narrow down your applicant pool. These key stages set the foundation for attracting and selecting the right talent for your organization. Identifying Hiring Needs Identifying hiring needs is crucial for aligning your recruitment efforts with organizational goals and guaranteeing the right talent is brought on board. Start by analyzing your company’s objectives and current team structures to pinpoint skill gaps and required roles. Collaborate with department heads to clarify specific qualifications and competencies for each position. This assessment should align with your company’s strategic direction and future growth plans, helping to reduce turnover and improve retention. Regularly updating your hiring needs guarantees your recruitment efforts reflect current market conditions and evolving business demands. A clear comprehension of these needs additionally informs the creation of detailed job descriptions, making it easier to attract the right candidates during the hiring process in HRM. Candidate Screening Techniques Candidate screening techniques play a vital role in guaranteeing that organizations find the right talent for their needs. To effectively evaluate candidates, consider implementing the following techniques: Resume Evaluations: Assess qualifications and experience through a thorough review of resumes. Pre-Screening Questionnaires: Use targeted questions to gather critical information about candidates’ fit for the role. Structured Interviews: Conduct interviews using a consistent set of questions aligned with job requirements to guarantee fairness. Assessment Tools: Implement technical skill tests and personality assessments to objectively evaluate competencies. Regularly reviewing your screening criteria based on recruitment metrics helps refine the process, making it more efficient in identifying top talent during the reduction of time-to-fill and cost-per-hire. Identifying Hiring Needs When evaluating your organization’s hiring needs, it is vital to start by reviewing the current team structures and collaborating with department heads. This partnership helps you pinpoint gaps in skills and roles that need filling. It’s important to outline the required skill sets, including technical competencies and soft skills that align with your organizational goals. Analyzing future growth potential for each position can greatly reduce turnover, ensuring that new hires can adapt and grow within the company. Regularly revisiting and updating your hiring needs keeps pace with changes in the business environment and workforce requirements. Here’s a simple table to help you visualize the process: Key Area Action Required Outcome Expected Team Structure Review Assess current roles Identify skill gaps Skill Set Outline Define competencies Align with goals Growth Analysis Evaluate future needs Reduce turnover risk Creating Detailed Job Descriptions Creating detailed job descriptions is vital for attracting the right talent to your organization, as these documents serve as a roadmap for potential candidates. To craft effective job descriptions, consider the following elements: Responsibilities: Clearly outline the primary duties of the role using active language to engage potential candidates. Qualifications: Specify the key qualifications, drawing insights from top performers and managers to guarantee relevance. Performance Goals: Incorporate measurable goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) to clarify expectations and align with organizational objectives. SEO Optimization: Optimize job descriptions for search engines to improve visibility on job boards, attracting a broader pool of qualified candidates. Regularly updating job descriptions is equally important, as it guarantees they reflect the evolving needs of your organization and the specific role being filled. This attention to detail helps you find candidates who aren’t just qualified but also a good fit for your team. Establishing a Recruitment Budget and Timeline When establishing your recruitment budget, you need to evaluate both direct and indirect costs to get a clear picture of your total expenses. Alongside this, managing a realistic hiring timeline is crucial, as it affects each stage of the recruitment process from job analysis to onboarding. Budget Allocation Strategies Establishing a recruitment budget and timeline is crucial for any organization aiming to streamline its hiring process. A well-planned budget helps you manage costs effectively. Consider these key strategies: Identify Direct Costs: Include advertising and recruitment agency fees. Account for Indirect Expenses: Factor in staff time and technology tools used in the recruitment process. Engage Stakeholders: Collaborate with key team members to align on financial expectations and improve candidate experience. Utilize Recruitment Metrics: Analyze data like time-to-fill and candidate quality to make informed budget adjustments. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your budget based on actual spending can lead to more efficient resource allocation in future hiring efforts, ensuring your organization meets its recruitment goals. Timeline Management Techniques Managing a recruitment timeline effectively can considerably improve the overall hiring process. Start by establishing a recruitment budget that covers both direct costs, like advertising fees, and indirect costs, such as employee time. By tracking these expenses, you can calculate the cost per hire, helping identify efficiency gaps. Next, develop a detailed hiring timeline that includes each recruitment stage—job posting, candidate sourcing, interviews, and final selection. Guarantee all stakeholders are aligned to avoid miscommunication and delays. Regularly review and adjust your budget and timeline based on feedback from past processes to improve future efforts. Stage Time Estimate Responsible Party Job Posting 1 week HR Team Candidate Sourcing 2 weeks Hiring Manager Interviews 1 week Interview Panel Developing a Strategic Recruitment Plan A well-developed strategic recruitment plan is crucial for attracting qualified candidates and aligning with your organization’s goals. To create an effective plan, consider these key steps: Outline methods and timelines: Clearly define how and when you’ll attract candidates, ensuring alignment with your organization’s needs. Utilize diverse sourcing strategies: Incorporate methods like employee referrals and partnerships with local universities to maximize your candidate reach. Regularly review and adjust: Stay competitive by analyzing market trends and recruitment metrics, making necessary adjustments to your strategy. Establish a recruiting budget: Track direct and indirect costs related to recruitment, which helps in efficiently allocating resources and comprehending cost-per-hire. Sourcing Candidates Effectively Sourcing candidates effectively requires a strategic approach that combines various platforms and techniques to reach a diverse talent pool. Start by utilizing a mix of traditional job boards, social media platforms, and industry-specific sites to maximize your candidate reach and engagement. Don’t overlook passive candidates; engage with them through networking opportunities, as they often represent a substantial talent pool not actively seeking jobs. Attending industry events and job fairs allows you to connect with potential hires in person, enhancing relationship-building and candidate engagement. Moreover, collaborating with recruitment agencies can be beneficial for specialized roles, as they possess industry insights and networks that expedite the sourcing process. Finally, it’s essential to regularly monitor your sourcing effectiveness and analyze outcomes. This helps you adapt and refine your strategies, ensuring they align with changing market trends and organizational needs. Screening and Shortlisting Applicants In the screening and shortlisting phase, you’ll want to implement a standardized process to filter applications effectively. Using pre-screening questionnaires can help you quickly identify candidates who meet key qualifications, whereas initial phone interviews allow you to assess their interest and fit for the role. This structured approach not just streamlines your selection process but guarantees fairness and objectivity in evaluating all applicants. Standardized Screening Process Implementing a standardized screening process is vital for ensuring a fair and efficient evaluation of job applicants. By establishing consistent criteria, you can objectively assess resumes and applications, reducing bias. Here are key steps to contemplate in your process: Define Evaluation Criteria: Create clear standards for qualifications and skills relevant to the job. Conduct Initial Phone Interviews: Use these calls to gauge candidate interest and overall fit before in-depth evaluations. Utilize Assessment Tools: Implement tests to measure fundamental technical skills and competencies, ensuring candidates meet job requirements. Maintain Consistency: Apply the same evaluation criteria across all applicants to support fairness and legal compliance. This structured approach not only streamlines hiring but also improves the quality of your selected candidates. Pre-Screening Questionnaires Pre-screening questionnaires serve as an effective tool for filtering candidates before they reach the interview stage, ensuring that only those who meet the necessary criteria move forward in the recruitment process. These questionnaires often include multiple-choice, true/false, or open-ended questions designed to assess your qualifications, experience, and cultural fit with the organization. By implementing these tools, hiring managers can noticeably reduce the number of applicants to interview, saving time and resources. Standardized questionnaires promote a fair and objective evaluation, minimizing bias during the initial screening. Furthermore, utilizing automation tools can improve efficiency, allowing for quicker processing of applications and timely feedback to all candidates. This systematic approach finally streamlines recruitment and enhances the overall hiring experience. Initial Phone Interviews In the process of evaluating candidates for a position, initial phone interviews play a crucial role in determining their suitability before inviting them for in-person discussions. These brief interviews, lasting 15 to 30 minutes, help assess candidates’ interest, fit, and qualifications. Here’s what to focus on during these screenings: Use standardized questions to guarantee a fair assessment. Evaluate candidates’ communication skills and clarify any resume discrepancies. Utilize pre-screening questionnaires to filter out unqualified applicants. Document feedback consistently to aid in the shortlisting process. Conducting Structured Interviews Conducting structured interviews offers a systematic approach to evaluating job candidates, as it relies on a predetermined set of standardized questions customized to the specific requirements of the position. This method guarantees consistency in candidate evaluation, allowing you to compare responses fairly. It’s vital to train interviewers on effective questioning techniques and evaluation methods, as this helps obtain reliable answers. Using behavioral interview techniques can provide insight into a candidate’s past performance, offering clues about their future behavior in similar situations. Including multiple interviewers in the process is beneficial, as it gathers diverse perspectives and reduces bias, enhancing decision-making. Moreover, documenting interview feedback systematically is significant for maintaining a clear record of evaluations, which can inform your final hiring decisions. Onboarding New Hires Onboarding new hires is a critical phase in the recruitment process, as it sets the foundation for their success within the organization. A well-structured onboarding program helps integrate new employees smoothly into the company culture and expectations. To maximize effectiveness, consider these key elements: Training and Resources: Provide crucial training that can boost new hire productivity by up to 54%. Mentorship Programs: Assign mentors or buddies to improve engagement and retention rates during the initial period. Feedback Mechanisms: Gather feedback on the onboarding experience for continuous improvement and increased employee satisfaction. Performance Monitoring: Track early performance and engagement to promote long-term retention and guarantee alignment with organizational goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Recruitment Process in Human Resources? The recruitment process in human resources involves several key steps. First, you identify staffing needs and create detailed job descriptions. Next, you source candidates through various channels, then screen applicants to shortlist potential hires. After that, you conduct interviews to assess fit and skills. It’s crucial to maintain communication throughout this process to guarantee a positive candidate experience, aligning your hiring strategies with your organization’s goals and culture for effective talent acquisition. What Are the 7 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The recruitment process involves seven crucial steps. First, you identify a need within your team. Next, you conduct a job analysis and create a detailed job description. Then, you plan your recruitment strategy, outlining methods and timelines. After that, you source candidates through various channels. Once you have candidates, you screen and shortlist them, followed by interviews to assess their fit. Finally, you finalize the hiring process by extending offers and completing necessary checks. What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are crucial for effective hiring. First, Clarity guarantees job roles and expectations are well-defined, attracting suitable candidates. Next, Consistency standardizes practices, promoting fairness in selection. Candidate Experience focuses on creating positive interactions to improve employer branding. Communication involves maintaining open dialogue with candidates throughout the process. Finally, Cultural Fit assesses how well candidates align with your organization’s values, contributing to a harmonious workplace environment. What Is the 70 Rule of Hiring? The 70 Rule of Hiring states that candidates should meet at least 70% of the qualifications listed in a job description to be considered viable. This approach encourages you to look beyond strict qualifications, allowing for diverse applicants with potential for growth. Conclusion In conclusion, the human resource recruitment process is essential for organizations aiming to find and hire the right talent. By systematically identifying hiring needs, creating clear job descriptions, and sourcing candidates, you can streamline the selection process. Screening and conducting structured interviews further guarantee candidates align with your organization’s goals. Finally, effective onboarding helps new hires integrate smoothly, nurturing long-term employee retention and contributing to overall organizational success. This strategic approach eventually improves workforce quality and productivity. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the Human Resource Recruitment Process?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The human resource recruitment process is a systematic approach organizations use to find and hire the right candidates for job openings. It involves several key stages, starting with identifying hiring needs and creating detailed job descriptions. Next, effective sourcing of candidates occurs, followed by screening applications and conducting structured interviews. Comprehending this process is essential for aligning new hires with your organization’s goals and culture, but there’s much more to explore about each stage and its impact on your workforce. Key Takeaways The recruitment process identifies, attracts, and hires candidates aligned with organizational goals and culture. Key stages include identifying hiring needs, creating job descriptions, and establishing a recruitment budget and timeline. Sourcing candidates involves using job boards, social media, and networking to reach a diverse talent pool. Screening candidates utilizes pre-screening questionnaires and structured interviews to assess qualifications and fit. Effective onboarding integrates new hires into the organization, enhancing productivity and long-term retention. Definition and Importance of the Recruitment Process The recruitment process is vital for organizations, as it systematically identifies, attracts, and hires candidates who fit job openings effectively. In HR management recruitment, the recruitment definition in human resource management emphasizes the importance of aligning potential employees with organizational goals and culture. A well-structured human resource recruitment process directly impacts workforce quality, improving overall performance and productivity. Effective recruitment strategies help you attract highly qualified candidates, giving your organization a competitive edge in the market. Furthermore, thorough selection processes contribute to employee satisfaction and engagement, ensuring that new hires not only possess the necessary skills but also resonate with the company’s values. In addition, compliance with legal standards during recruitment is critical to mitigate risks and protect your organization from potential liabilities related to hiring practices. Key Stages of the Recruitment Process To kick off the recruitment process, you need to identify your hiring needs by analyzing skill gaps in collaboration with department heads. Once you’ve defined the roles, you can implement effective candidate screening techniques, such as pre-screening questionnaires and structured interviews, to narrow down your applicant pool. These key stages set the foundation for attracting and selecting the right talent for your organization. Identifying Hiring Needs Identifying hiring needs is crucial for aligning your recruitment efforts with organizational goals and guaranteeing the right talent is brought on board. Start by analyzing your company’s objectives and current team structures to pinpoint skill gaps and required roles. Collaborate with department heads to clarify specific qualifications and competencies for each position. This assessment should align with your company’s strategic direction and future growth plans, helping to reduce turnover and improve retention. Regularly updating your hiring needs guarantees your recruitment efforts reflect current market conditions and evolving business demands. A clear comprehension of these needs additionally informs the creation of detailed job descriptions, making it easier to attract the right candidates during the hiring process in HRM. Candidate Screening Techniques Candidate screening techniques play a vital role in guaranteeing that organizations find the right talent for their needs. To effectively evaluate candidates, consider implementing the following techniques: Resume Evaluations: Assess qualifications and experience through a thorough review of resumes. Pre-Screening Questionnaires: Use targeted questions to gather critical information about candidates’ fit for the role. Structured Interviews: Conduct interviews using a consistent set of questions aligned with job requirements to guarantee fairness. Assessment Tools: Implement technical skill tests and personality assessments to objectively evaluate competencies. Regularly reviewing your screening criteria based on recruitment metrics helps refine the process, making it more efficient in identifying top talent during the reduction of time-to-fill and cost-per-hire. Identifying Hiring Needs When evaluating your organization’s hiring needs, it is vital to start by reviewing the current team structures and collaborating with department heads. This partnership helps you pinpoint gaps in skills and roles that need filling. It’s important to outline the required skill sets, including technical competencies and soft skills that align with your organizational goals. Analyzing future growth potential for each position can greatly reduce turnover, ensuring that new hires can adapt and grow within the company. Regularly revisiting and updating your hiring needs keeps pace with changes in the business environment and workforce requirements. Here’s a simple table to help you visualize the process: Key Area Action Required Outcome Expected Team Structure Review Assess current roles Identify skill gaps Skill Set Outline Define competencies Align with goals Growth Analysis Evaluate future needs Reduce turnover risk Creating Detailed Job Descriptions Creating detailed job descriptions is vital for attracting the right talent to your organization, as these documents serve as a roadmap for potential candidates. To craft effective job descriptions, consider the following elements: Responsibilities: Clearly outline the primary duties of the role using active language to engage potential candidates. Qualifications: Specify the key qualifications, drawing insights from top performers and managers to guarantee relevance. Performance Goals: Incorporate measurable goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) to clarify expectations and align with organizational objectives. SEO Optimization: Optimize job descriptions for search engines to improve visibility on job boards, attracting a broader pool of qualified candidates. Regularly updating job descriptions is equally important, as it guarantees they reflect the evolving needs of your organization and the specific role being filled. This attention to detail helps you find candidates who aren’t just qualified but also a good fit for your team. Establishing a Recruitment Budget and Timeline When establishing your recruitment budget, you need to evaluate both direct and indirect costs to get a clear picture of your total expenses. Alongside this, managing a realistic hiring timeline is crucial, as it affects each stage of the recruitment process from job analysis to onboarding. Budget Allocation Strategies Establishing a recruitment budget and timeline is crucial for any organization aiming to streamline its hiring process. A well-planned budget helps you manage costs effectively. Consider these key strategies: Identify Direct Costs: Include advertising and recruitment agency fees. Account for Indirect Expenses: Factor in staff time and technology tools used in the recruitment process. Engage Stakeholders: Collaborate with key team members to align on financial expectations and improve candidate experience. Utilize Recruitment Metrics: Analyze data like time-to-fill and candidate quality to make informed budget adjustments. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your budget based on actual spending can lead to more efficient resource allocation in future hiring efforts, ensuring your organization meets its recruitment goals. Timeline Management Techniques Managing a recruitment timeline effectively can considerably improve the overall hiring process. Start by establishing a recruitment budget that covers both direct costs, like advertising fees, and indirect costs, such as employee time. By tracking these expenses, you can calculate the cost per hire, helping identify efficiency gaps. Next, develop a detailed hiring timeline that includes each recruitment stage—job posting, candidate sourcing, interviews, and final selection. Guarantee all stakeholders are aligned to avoid miscommunication and delays. Regularly review and adjust your budget and timeline based on feedback from past processes to improve future efforts. Stage Time Estimate Responsible Party Job Posting 1 week HR Team Candidate Sourcing 2 weeks Hiring Manager Interviews 1 week Interview Panel Developing a Strategic Recruitment Plan A well-developed strategic recruitment plan is crucial for attracting qualified candidates and aligning with your organization’s goals. To create an effective plan, consider these key steps: Outline methods and timelines: Clearly define how and when you’ll attract candidates, ensuring alignment with your organization’s needs. Utilize diverse sourcing strategies: Incorporate methods like employee referrals and partnerships with local universities to maximize your candidate reach. Regularly review and adjust: Stay competitive by analyzing market trends and recruitment metrics, making necessary adjustments to your strategy. Establish a recruiting budget: Track direct and indirect costs related to recruitment, which helps in efficiently allocating resources and comprehending cost-per-hire. Sourcing Candidates Effectively Sourcing candidates effectively requires a strategic approach that combines various platforms and techniques to reach a diverse talent pool. Start by utilizing a mix of traditional job boards, social media platforms, and industry-specific sites to maximize your candidate reach and engagement. Don’t overlook passive candidates; engage with them through networking opportunities, as they often represent a substantial talent pool not actively seeking jobs. Attending industry events and job fairs allows you to connect with potential hires in person, enhancing relationship-building and candidate engagement. Moreover, collaborating with recruitment agencies can be beneficial for specialized roles, as they possess industry insights and networks that expedite the sourcing process. Finally, it’s essential to regularly monitor your sourcing effectiveness and analyze outcomes. This helps you adapt and refine your strategies, ensuring they align with changing market trends and organizational needs. Screening and Shortlisting Applicants In the screening and shortlisting phase, you’ll want to implement a standardized process to filter applications effectively. Using pre-screening questionnaires can help you quickly identify candidates who meet key qualifications, whereas initial phone interviews allow you to assess their interest and fit for the role. This structured approach not just streamlines your selection process but guarantees fairness and objectivity in evaluating all applicants. Standardized Screening Process Implementing a standardized screening process is vital for ensuring a fair and efficient evaluation of job applicants. By establishing consistent criteria, you can objectively assess resumes and applications, reducing bias. Here are key steps to contemplate in your process: Define Evaluation Criteria: Create clear standards for qualifications and skills relevant to the job. Conduct Initial Phone Interviews: Use these calls to gauge candidate interest and overall fit before in-depth evaluations. Utilize Assessment Tools: Implement tests to measure fundamental technical skills and competencies, ensuring candidates meet job requirements. Maintain Consistency: Apply the same evaluation criteria across all applicants to support fairness and legal compliance. This structured approach not only streamlines hiring but also improves the quality of your selected candidates. Pre-Screening Questionnaires Pre-screening questionnaires serve as an effective tool for filtering candidates before they reach the interview stage, ensuring that only those who meet the necessary criteria move forward in the recruitment process. These questionnaires often include multiple-choice, true/false, or open-ended questions designed to assess your qualifications, experience, and cultural fit with the organization. By implementing these tools, hiring managers can noticeably reduce the number of applicants to interview, saving time and resources. Standardized questionnaires promote a fair and objective evaluation, minimizing bias during the initial screening. Furthermore, utilizing automation tools can improve efficiency, allowing for quicker processing of applications and timely feedback to all candidates. This systematic approach finally streamlines recruitment and enhances the overall hiring experience. Initial Phone Interviews In the process of evaluating candidates for a position, initial phone interviews play a crucial role in determining their suitability before inviting them for in-person discussions. These brief interviews, lasting 15 to 30 minutes, help assess candidates’ interest, fit, and qualifications. Here’s what to focus on during these screenings: Use standardized questions to guarantee a fair assessment. Evaluate candidates’ communication skills and clarify any resume discrepancies. Utilize pre-screening questionnaires to filter out unqualified applicants. Document feedback consistently to aid in the shortlisting process. Conducting Structured Interviews Conducting structured interviews offers a systematic approach to evaluating job candidates, as it relies on a predetermined set of standardized questions customized to the specific requirements of the position. This method guarantees consistency in candidate evaluation, allowing you to compare responses fairly. It’s vital to train interviewers on effective questioning techniques and evaluation methods, as this helps obtain reliable answers. Using behavioral interview techniques can provide insight into a candidate’s past performance, offering clues about their future behavior in similar situations. Including multiple interviewers in the process is beneficial, as it gathers diverse perspectives and reduces bias, enhancing decision-making. Moreover, documenting interview feedback systematically is significant for maintaining a clear record of evaluations, which can inform your final hiring decisions. Onboarding New Hires Onboarding new hires is a critical phase in the recruitment process, as it sets the foundation for their success within the organization. A well-structured onboarding program helps integrate new employees smoothly into the company culture and expectations. To maximize effectiveness, consider these key elements: Training and Resources: Provide crucial training that can boost new hire productivity by up to 54%. Mentorship Programs: Assign mentors or buddies to improve engagement and retention rates during the initial period. Feedback Mechanisms: Gather feedback on the onboarding experience for continuous improvement and increased employee satisfaction. Performance Monitoring: Track early performance and engagement to promote long-term retention and guarantee alignment with organizational goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Recruitment Process in Human Resources? The recruitment process in human resources involves several key steps. First, you identify staffing needs and create detailed job descriptions. Next, you source candidates through various channels, then screen applicants to shortlist potential hires. After that, you conduct interviews to assess fit and skills. It’s crucial to maintain communication throughout this process to guarantee a positive candidate experience, aligning your hiring strategies with your organization’s goals and culture for effective talent acquisition. What Are the 7 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The recruitment process involves seven crucial steps. First, you identify a need within your team. Next, you conduct a job analysis and create a detailed job description. Then, you plan your recruitment strategy, outlining methods and timelines. After that, you source candidates through various channels. Once you have candidates, you screen and shortlist them, followed by interviews to assess their fit. Finally, you finalize the hiring process by extending offers and completing necessary checks. What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are crucial for effective hiring. First, Clarity guarantees job roles and expectations are well-defined, attracting suitable candidates. Next, Consistency standardizes practices, promoting fairness in selection. Candidate Experience focuses on creating positive interactions to improve employer branding. Communication involves maintaining open dialogue with candidates throughout the process. Finally, Cultural Fit assesses how well candidates align with your organization’s values, contributing to a harmonious workplace environment. What Is the 70 Rule of Hiring? The 70 Rule of Hiring states that candidates should meet at least 70% of the qualifications listed in a job description to be considered viable. This approach encourages you to look beyond strict qualifications, allowing for diverse applicants with potential for growth. Conclusion In conclusion, the human resource recruitment process is essential for organizations aiming to find and hire the right talent. By systematically identifying hiring needs, creating clear job descriptions, and sourcing candidates, you can streamline the selection process. Screening and conducting structured interviews further guarantee candidates align with your organization’s goals. Finally, effective onboarding helps new hires integrate smoothly, nurturing long-term employee retention and contributing to overall organizational success. This strategic approach eventually improves workforce quality and productivity. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the Human Resource Recruitment Process?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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