All Activity

Netflix grants weeklong waiver to rival bidder in high-stakes battle for controlView the full article

Too many years ago, I remember slotting a 3.5-inch disk into my PC. With my allowance, I’d bought $5 video game design software from a catalog. And as I looked at the terminal, lost without some familiar GUI . . . my coding efforts died. Game design became an abstract concept even as I became a game journalist—a topic sketched in notebooks, theoretically discussed, critically observed. That was, until I loaded Moonlake AI. With $30 million in funding from investors including Nvidia, AIX, Google’s Chief Scientist Jeff Dean, and YouTube founder Steve Chen, the 15-person startup founded by two Stanford PhD students dreams of building complete games—from first person shooters to 2D puzzles—via a single, one-shot prompt. Yes, vibe-coding apps like Claude Code and Replit make it possible to build games, too, but Moonlake is purpose-built for the task. It will never ask you to copy a snippet of code, offers templates to start with if you’d like, and has straightforward paths to bring in your own assets, too. It remembers your vision and constantly works to improve it alongside you. For a $40/mo subscription (though you can technically try the platform for free), you type what you want to play, and presto, it’s coded, bug tested, and appears into existence. Sun Fan-YunSharon Lee Launching to the public in beta today, the Moonlake AI team knows they aren’t a one-shot game generator yet—while I was playtesting my first draft game in minutes, it took hours of going back and forth with the machine to polish it much further. And in fact, the longer term goals for Moonlake AI stretch well beyond the lofty goal of vibe-coding video games. Their larger plan isn’t just to build Moonlake to be more capable, but to leverage the process of video game design itself to build a frontier AI model for the world. Building my game in Moonlake AI Am I the only one who, staring at the prompt, facing this machine that can do anything, suddenly can’t think of doing anything? It was this lack of creativity that sunk me the first time I’d taken Moonlake for a test-drive. I couldn’t come up with anything unique, so I suggested a 3D dungeon crawler. Despite having no original ideas, I walked through my vision in a multi-paragraph, explicit prompt. It felt too taxing to the system, too grand in scope, and too out of touch with what I imagined. My prompt was realized as one big broken room filled with pill shaped characters and no simple way forward. When I recount this story to Moonlake AI cofounder Sun Fun-Yun, he suggested starting smaller. Focusing on smaller interactions and building from there. (Even though he shared a few single-shot projects that he’d made in one day, including this Centipede clone and postapocalyptic simulator). So I did the human work, and racked my brain for days before landing on a new concept: A miniature chef runs back and forth with a giant ice cream cone, catching falling scoops of ice cream. They stack and get harder and harder to balance. From here, I could pursue all sorts of game loops, depending on what felt fun about it (maybe you got points for each scoop, maybe some flavor combinations introduced bonuses, maybe ice cream scoops you didn’t catch got in the way). But for now, I focused on this simple introduction. I typed this request into the prompt on the left side of the interface. And much like ChatGPT, Moonlake got to work, praising me for my brilliant creative idea, and then breaking down the tasks that would need to be taken to bringing it to life. Moonlake offered me an estimate of 15–20 minutes to finish the job. Then it launched: Faster than I could possibly parse, the system created and worked through a checklist of to-dos. It needed to create graphic meshes, wobble mechanics, and sprites for my graphics. It researched topics it didn’t readily understand. A mix of plain language explanations, and then hundreds of lines of code, populated into the chatbox, expanding and then consolidating away from my eyes. I was impressed by the decisions it made on its own, not just breaking down necessary tasks for a minimum viable product, but introducing a bouncy animation when the ice cream hit the cone (a detail I figured I’d add in a polishing pass later). The system even said it was loading the game, and testing it—spotting and squashing a few bugs—before that magical button appeared in the big center box making up most of the UI: Play Game. The moment reminded me of the first time I tried gen AI; this actually worked! Sort of! My first draft felt something out of the early PC gaming era. My chef was too big, cone was too small. And the ice creams wouldn’t stack. But gosh, it got so much right about my simple pitch. The core vision was there. Ice cream fell at just the right pace from the sky. The scale of the entire scene felt right. The controls were all mapped without me needing to explain which key should do what. My chef . . . was something of a white blob stuck to a cone. He needed work. But Moonlake even did a decent job of creating a white tile kitchen background, with subtle sundaes printed upon it like murals. From there, I began lecturing the machine to fix the ice cream so it stacked. That created other issues. Ice cream started stacking, but would fall with any movement. Negotiating the feel led me to try all sorts of new prompts, and even as it failed and failed again, I started recognizing how the AI was translating ideas like stickiness into its own annotated code. Hours of casual updates in a tab in my browser followed. Fixing the physics of the scoops was vexing. I ended up in a loop of not quite solved problems. But I also asked for a new chef, this one with a proper, giant hat, with little sweat marks poking out every time he changed directions. This entire idea, Moonlake nailed out of the gate. My exact preferred aesthetic? No. But it captured the vibe. I found myself pleased, but also realizing that polishing this experience into something that felt delightful would take a lot of work. Another day? A week? It was tough to tell. The next morning, in a final ditch effort (I did have an article to file!), I decided to add a bunch of my lingering requests in one final push just to see what Moonlake could do. I wanted big multiplier scoring, a Kawaii graphic upgrade, and a few more fixes to my vexing scoop physics. It was unfair to request all these updates at once, and almost sure to break something. Fifteen minutes of coding followed, while I grabbed a coffee. What I returned to? Largely my brief! A few new issues around ice cream slippage! A game over screen I didn’t ask for! But, at last, a true game—built for about 950 of my 1,500 monthly credits—and published for you to try with a button press. (Moonlake is still determining pricing on extra credits.) Creating the frontier model Like a lot of AI companies, Moonlake is only charging customers its cost of computing—which is why the base subscription comes with a limited amount of credits to run the AI. Everyone believes that cost should go over time, which could either widen Moonlake’s margins on subscriptions, or simply be reinvested to make the platform more capable. But only when I ask how Moonlake trained its model do I really learn how it all works, and to some extent, why this video game generator even exists as a business. Moonlake is an ever-growing AI model. However, it’s also really a video game building agent that takes your task and coordinates it with several specialized third party AI models that might handle anything from physics to asset generation. And it’s also growing into something even more ambitious as a result of sitting on top of so much existing AI power. “Ours is an orchestrator that learns to fuse these modalities together,” says Fan-Yun. “And over time, our model can actually be more and more capable and incorporate other models’ capabilities into our own.” But that’s only the start of the strategy. As you vibecode in Moonlake, you are creating your own video game. You are also training Moonlake’s own frontier model—what falls into a very hyped segment of “world models” or what Moonlake qualifies as “multimodal models”—that don’t just rearrange words and concepts LLMs, but have a deep understanding of what the world is, how it works, and how all of its surfaces and touchpoints respond to inputs across physical space. That means when I correct Moonlake, saying an ice cream scoop should stack and stick atop another scoop of ice cream, it effectively learns that scoops of ice cream stick atop one another. Multiply that across millions of highly specific user requests, and as Moonlake AI cofounder Sharon Lee explains, game design could provide a perfect training loop to feed countless data points about how we expect the world to work into these world models. No, many or even most games don’t operate on real world physics which would translate 1:1 in some simulation. But in some cases they do, and Moonlake could extract such real physics for their own simulations. Furthermore, the founders believe the aforementioned causal relationships it’s mapping will still add a clarity to world models that’s otherwise hard to pin down. “There’s a gap between large language models today and semantics they understand, versus actually building [a] world out,” says Lee. And they believe that gap can be closed with more, intentional data. Today, researchers are trying to get these world inputs by renting Airbnbs and scanning the rooms with lasers, but that is relatively static information that is hard to scale. AI can also analyze videos to draw conclusions, but those lack the sharpness of human contextualization. As for video games? “If you train a model on just a lot of Fortnite data, you know that you’re not going to really generalize to real world data,” says Lee. “[Our] data will just scale exponentially compared to hand curated data or collected data.” Even Google’s Genie AI can generate a slew of amazing 3D worlds with some interactivity, but the interactions they afford are superficial at best. “I think the difference is sort of observing the world as it is, versus observing and understanding the world with causality,” says Fan-Yun. And so causality is what Moonlake is after. Gaming is a task for V1 of Moonlake’s model because the user feedback loop can teach it so much, but in the future, the team imagines applying a more mature version of this model to other fields. They see opportunities to train the next generation of robotics or improving driverless cars. Lee says they’ve even fielded calls from manufacturing companies, that imagine understanding the human side of the equation could help identify human factors issues in product design and assembly line production. The challenge, of course, is building Moonlake well enough that it produces games up to the standards of gamers, and that it continues investing in the product, so that people can restyle the entire graphics package with a button press, or easily export these games to sell on PC, iOS, or any other platform they would like. These ideas are all on the road map. But for now, Moonlake AI offers an accessible trip into the vibe-coding era, all through the lens of fun. View the full article

Senior jobs for Jenrick, Braverman, Yusuf and Tice as Farage hopes to convince voters that his party is ready for powerView the full article

Europe’s largest economy faces steeper demographic decline than previously estimated, says IfoView the full article

When you’re designing customer feedback surveys, it’s crucial to look at effective examples that can guide your approach. Various companies have adopted unique methods to gather insights, from HubSpot‘s mixed-scale questions to Miro‘s unobtrusive surveys. These examples illustrate how different formats can boost engagement and yield valuable data. Comprehending these strategies can greatly improve your survey design. What specific elements will you incorporate to meet your feedback goals? Key Takeaways HubSpot’s survey combines a 1-7 scale with open-ended questions for both quantitative and qualitative insights. Userpilot’s NPS survey uses a 0-10 scale, followed by a question to gather actionable customer sentiment. Slack’s overall customer satisfaction survey emphasizes brevity with multiple-choice questions for quick analysis. Jira’s in-app survey utilizes an emoji rating scale for immediate feedback after feature engagement, enhancing user experience. Miro’s passive survey allows for unobtrusive, continuous feedback through simple rating systems, ensuring consistent customer engagement. HubSpot’s Customer Satisfaction Score Survey HubSpot’s Customer Satisfaction Score Survey is an effective tool for measuring customer satisfaction through a straightforward 1-7 point scale. This simplicity encourages higher response rates, making it easy for you to collect data after significant interactions. If you’re wondering how to ask feedback from a client, consider timing your survey right after a key service experience—this guarantees the feedback is relevant and fresh. While the numerical ratings provide valuable quantitative insights, you might want to improve your surveys by learning how to ask for feedback from customers through open-ended questions. Nevertheless, HubSpot’s model demonstrates that a focused, quick survey can still yield actionable results. By examining customer feedback survey examples, you can see how this concise format balances simplicity with the need for useful insights, making it a solid choice for businesses aiming to improve their customer satisfaction metrics. Userpilot’S NPS Survey With a Follow-Up Question When you’re looking to measure customer loyalty effectively, Userpilot’s NPS survey stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. This survey asks customers to rate their likelihood of recommending the product on a scale from 0 to 10. What sets it apart is the follow-up question that invites respondents to explain their rating, allowing you to gather qualitative insights. Here are some key benefits of Userpilot’s approach: Two-part structure: It not only gauges customer sentiment but likewise gathers actionable feedback for improvement. High response rates: The survey’s simplicity encourages customers to participate without feeling overwhelmed. Commitment to improvement: Userpilot uses this feedback to understand customer needs better and refine product offerings. Slack’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Survey Example How effectively can a company gauge customer satisfaction? Slack’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Survey provides a clear example of how to achieve this. The survey is designed to collect feedback at various touchpoints, ensuring that you receive timely insights about your experiences with the platform. Primarily utilizing multiple-choice questions, it simplifies responses and facilitates quick data analysis, making it user-friendly for you and other respondents. By sending these surveys regularly, Slack can assess overall satisfaction and pinpoint areas needing improvement in service and features. The survey emphasizes brevity, respecting your time, which encourages higher completion rates thanks to its straightforward format. The feedback gathered informs product development and helps maintain strong relationships by effectively addressing user concerns. This systematic approach not only improves user experience but additionally contributes to the continuous evolution of Slack’s offerings, ensuring alignment with customer expectations. Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey Regarding a New Issue Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey offers a contextual in-app experience that captures your feedback right after you engage with a new feature. Using a straightforward emoji rating scale, it allows you to quickly express your satisfaction without lengthy explanations, making the process efficient. This streamlined user experience not just encourages more responses but likewise helps the development team identify specific areas for improvement based on your insights. Contextual In-App Survey To effectively gather user feedback on new features, contextual in-app surveys like the Customer Satisfaction Survey provide a timely and relevant method for collecting insights immediately after users interact with specific functionalities. This guarantees you receive feedback right when it matters most, leading to actionable outcomes. The survey uses a quick emoji-based scoring system, making it easy for you to express satisfaction levels. Feedback is gathered in real-time, allowing for swift identification of user sentiment and potential issues. The non-intrusive design integrates seamlessly into the user interface, maximizing participation rates without disrupting your experience. Emoji Rating Scale The emoji rating scale in the Customer Satisfaction Survey offers a visually engaging and straightforward method for users to share their opinions on new features in Jira. By using emojis, the survey simplifies the feedback process, allowing you to quickly express your feelings without having to write detailed responses. This playful and informal approach encourages higher response rates compared to traditional numerical scales. Integrating the emoji rating scale immediately after your interaction with new features helps Jira capture timely feedback, making it more relevant. This context allows the company to identify pain points and areas needing improvement, ultimately driving continuous improvements to their product based on your sentiments, ensuring your experience is prioritized and refined. Streamlined User Experience How can a streamlined user experience improve your interaction with new features? Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey is aimed at improving your feedback process. By making it quick and user-friendly, you can share your thoughts immediately after using a new feature. This survey employs an emoji-based scoring system, which simplifies your feedback and makes it more engaging. The survey triggers contextually, appearing right after you engage with specific features. It captures real-time user sentiment, allowing for immediate improvements. Integrating the survey seamlessly into the interface minimizes disruption, maximizing response rates. Miro’s Passive Customer Satisfaction Survey Example As many companies struggle to gather meaningful customer feedback, Miro’s passive customer satisfaction survey stands out as an effective solution that integrates smoothly into its user interface. This survey is always accessible, allowing you to provide feedback without disrupting your workflow, which greatly increases participation. Its simple and intuitive design encourages quick responses, often using emoji or star rating systems for ease of use. Miro continuously collects feedback in real-time as you interact with the platform, leading to more immediate and relevant data. This approach helps Miro maintain a pulse on customer satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement. Postfity’s New Feature Survey What if you could provide valuable feedback on new features without interrupting your workflow? Postfity’s New Feature Survey does just that with its non-intrusive slideout format. This design encourages user engagement as you’re actively using the platform. Here’s how it works: It focuses on newly released features, gathering targeted insights on their effectiveness and user satisfaction. The survey combines quantitative and qualitative questions, allowing you to give numeric ratings and detailed comments. Its visually appealing and user-friendly layout improves participation, making it easy for you to share your thoughts. Wise’s Transactional NPS Survey Following the trend of innovative feedback mechanisms, Wise’s Transactional NPS Survey presents a timely approach to gauging customer satisfaction right after a transaction. By sending the survey immediately post-purchase, Wise effectively captures customer sentiment at a critical touchpoint. The survey employs a straightforward 0-10 scale, asking customers how likely they’re to recommend Wise to others, yielding clear, quantifiable data. Additionally, the survey includes an open-ended follow-up question, allowing customers to provide qualitative insights into their experiences. This combination of quantitative and qualitative feedback enriches the data collected, offering a deeper comprehension of customer sentiments. The concise format of the survey respects customers’ time, encouraging higher response rates and ensuring the feedback is relevant and timely. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Good Customer Service Survey Questions? Good customer service survey questions often include a satisfaction rating scale from 1 to 10, helping you quantify experiences. You might ask about the responsiveness of your customer service team on a scale from 1 to 5, which gauges effectiveness. Open-ended questions like, “What can we do to improve?” invite specific feedback. Furthermore, inquiring about the likelihood of recommending your service can measure customer loyalty, whereas questions on self-service resources identify areas needing support. What Are 5 Good Survey Questions? To create effective survey questions, consider these five examples: First, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service?” using a Likert scale. Second, include a multiple-choice question like, “Which product features do you value most?” Third, inquire, “What improvements would you suggest for our service?” as an open-ended question. Fourth, implement a Net Promoter Score (NPS) question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us?” Finally, ask, “What is your preferred communication method?” What Is an Example of a Customer Survey? A customer survey typically gathers feedback about a product or service. For example, you might encounter a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey that asks you to rate your likelihood of recommending a service on a scale from 0 to 10. Following that, it may prompt you to explain your rating, allowing for more in-depth insights. This format helps companies understand customer loyalty and identify areas needing improvement, ultimately improving their offerings. What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The 3 C’s of customer satisfaction are Clarity, Consistency, and Connection. Clarity guarantees you communicate product details and expectations clearly, reducing confusion. Consistency focuses on delivering the same quality experience at every customer touchpoint, which builds trust in your brand. Connection involves creating emotional engagement with customers, nurturing loyalty and advocacy. When you implement these principles effectively, you can expect improved customer satisfaction, higher retention rates, and positive word-of-mouth referrals. Conclusion Incorporating effective customer feedback surveys is crucial for gathering valuable insights. By examining successful examples like HubSpot, Userpilot, and Slack, you can identify key elements that improve engagement and clarity. Utilizing varied formats, such as scales, open-ended questions, and in-app prompts, allows you to capture diverse customer sentiments. In the end, designing your survey with these strategies in mind can lead to more meaningful feedback, helping you enhance your offerings and better meet customer needs. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Effective Examples of Customer Feedback Surveys to Inspire Your Design" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you’re designing customer feedback surveys, it’s crucial to look at effective examples that can guide your approach. Various companies have adopted unique methods to gather insights, from HubSpot‘s mixed-scale questions to Miro‘s unobtrusive surveys. These examples illustrate how different formats can boost engagement and yield valuable data. Comprehending these strategies can greatly improve your survey design. What specific elements will you incorporate to meet your feedback goals? Key Takeaways HubSpot’s survey combines a 1-7 scale with open-ended questions for both quantitative and qualitative insights. Userpilot’s NPS survey uses a 0-10 scale, followed by a question to gather actionable customer sentiment. Slack’s overall customer satisfaction survey emphasizes brevity with multiple-choice questions for quick analysis. Jira’s in-app survey utilizes an emoji rating scale for immediate feedback after feature engagement, enhancing user experience. Miro’s passive survey allows for unobtrusive, continuous feedback through simple rating systems, ensuring consistent customer engagement. HubSpot’s Customer Satisfaction Score Survey HubSpot’s Customer Satisfaction Score Survey is an effective tool for measuring customer satisfaction through a straightforward 1-7 point scale. This simplicity encourages higher response rates, making it easy for you to collect data after significant interactions. If you’re wondering how to ask feedback from a client, consider timing your survey right after a key service experience—this guarantees the feedback is relevant and fresh. While the numerical ratings provide valuable quantitative insights, you might want to improve your surveys by learning how to ask for feedback from customers through open-ended questions. Nevertheless, HubSpot’s model demonstrates that a focused, quick survey can still yield actionable results. By examining customer feedback survey examples, you can see how this concise format balances simplicity with the need for useful insights, making it a solid choice for businesses aiming to improve their customer satisfaction metrics. Userpilot’S NPS Survey With a Follow-Up Question When you’re looking to measure customer loyalty effectively, Userpilot’s NPS survey stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. This survey asks customers to rate their likelihood of recommending the product on a scale from 0 to 10. What sets it apart is the follow-up question that invites respondents to explain their rating, allowing you to gather qualitative insights. Here are some key benefits of Userpilot’s approach: Two-part structure: It not only gauges customer sentiment but likewise gathers actionable feedback for improvement. High response rates: The survey’s simplicity encourages customers to participate without feeling overwhelmed. Commitment to improvement: Userpilot uses this feedback to understand customer needs better and refine product offerings. Slack’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Survey Example How effectively can a company gauge customer satisfaction? Slack’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Survey provides a clear example of how to achieve this. The survey is designed to collect feedback at various touchpoints, ensuring that you receive timely insights about your experiences with the platform. Primarily utilizing multiple-choice questions, it simplifies responses and facilitates quick data analysis, making it user-friendly for you and other respondents. By sending these surveys regularly, Slack can assess overall satisfaction and pinpoint areas needing improvement in service and features. The survey emphasizes brevity, respecting your time, which encourages higher completion rates thanks to its straightforward format. The feedback gathered informs product development and helps maintain strong relationships by effectively addressing user concerns. This systematic approach not only improves user experience but additionally contributes to the continuous evolution of Slack’s offerings, ensuring alignment with customer expectations. Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey Regarding a New Issue Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey offers a contextual in-app experience that captures your feedback right after you engage with a new feature. Using a straightforward emoji rating scale, it allows you to quickly express your satisfaction without lengthy explanations, making the process efficient. This streamlined user experience not just encourages more responses but likewise helps the development team identify specific areas for improvement based on your insights. Contextual In-App Survey To effectively gather user feedback on new features, contextual in-app surveys like the Customer Satisfaction Survey provide a timely and relevant method for collecting insights immediately after users interact with specific functionalities. This guarantees you receive feedback right when it matters most, leading to actionable outcomes. The survey uses a quick emoji-based scoring system, making it easy for you to express satisfaction levels. Feedback is gathered in real-time, allowing for swift identification of user sentiment and potential issues. The non-intrusive design integrates seamlessly into the user interface, maximizing participation rates without disrupting your experience. Emoji Rating Scale The emoji rating scale in the Customer Satisfaction Survey offers a visually engaging and straightforward method for users to share their opinions on new features in Jira. By using emojis, the survey simplifies the feedback process, allowing you to quickly express your feelings without having to write detailed responses. This playful and informal approach encourages higher response rates compared to traditional numerical scales. Integrating the emoji rating scale immediately after your interaction with new features helps Jira capture timely feedback, making it more relevant. This context allows the company to identify pain points and areas needing improvement, ultimately driving continuous improvements to their product based on your sentiments, ensuring your experience is prioritized and refined. Streamlined User Experience How can a streamlined user experience improve your interaction with new features? Jira’s Customer Satisfaction Survey is aimed at improving your feedback process. By making it quick and user-friendly, you can share your thoughts immediately after using a new feature. This survey employs an emoji-based scoring system, which simplifies your feedback and makes it more engaging. The survey triggers contextually, appearing right after you engage with specific features. It captures real-time user sentiment, allowing for immediate improvements. Integrating the survey seamlessly into the interface minimizes disruption, maximizing response rates. Miro’s Passive Customer Satisfaction Survey Example As many companies struggle to gather meaningful customer feedback, Miro’s passive customer satisfaction survey stands out as an effective solution that integrates smoothly into its user interface. This survey is always accessible, allowing you to provide feedback without disrupting your workflow, which greatly increases participation. Its simple and intuitive design encourages quick responses, often using emoji or star rating systems for ease of use. Miro continuously collects feedback in real-time as you interact with the platform, leading to more immediate and relevant data. This approach helps Miro maintain a pulse on customer satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement. Postfity’s New Feature Survey What if you could provide valuable feedback on new features without interrupting your workflow? Postfity’s New Feature Survey does just that with its non-intrusive slideout format. This design encourages user engagement as you’re actively using the platform. Here’s how it works: It focuses on newly released features, gathering targeted insights on their effectiveness and user satisfaction. The survey combines quantitative and qualitative questions, allowing you to give numeric ratings and detailed comments. Its visually appealing and user-friendly layout improves participation, making it easy for you to share your thoughts. Wise’s Transactional NPS Survey Following the trend of innovative feedback mechanisms, Wise’s Transactional NPS Survey presents a timely approach to gauging customer satisfaction right after a transaction. By sending the survey immediately post-purchase, Wise effectively captures customer sentiment at a critical touchpoint. The survey employs a straightforward 0-10 scale, asking customers how likely they’re to recommend Wise to others, yielding clear, quantifiable data. Additionally, the survey includes an open-ended follow-up question, allowing customers to provide qualitative insights into their experiences. This combination of quantitative and qualitative feedback enriches the data collected, offering a deeper comprehension of customer sentiments. The concise format of the survey respects customers’ time, encouraging higher response rates and ensuring the feedback is relevant and timely. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Good Customer Service Survey Questions? Good customer service survey questions often include a satisfaction rating scale from 1 to 10, helping you quantify experiences. You might ask about the responsiveness of your customer service team on a scale from 1 to 5, which gauges effectiveness. Open-ended questions like, “What can we do to improve?” invite specific feedback. Furthermore, inquiring about the likelihood of recommending your service can measure customer loyalty, whereas questions on self-service resources identify areas needing support. What Are 5 Good Survey Questions? To create effective survey questions, consider these five examples: First, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service?” using a Likert scale. Second, include a multiple-choice question like, “Which product features do you value most?” Third, inquire, “What improvements would you suggest for our service?” as an open-ended question. Fourth, implement a Net Promoter Score (NPS) question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us?” Finally, ask, “What is your preferred communication method?” What Is an Example of a Customer Survey? A customer survey typically gathers feedback about a product or service. For example, you might encounter a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey that asks you to rate your likelihood of recommending a service on a scale from 0 to 10. Following that, it may prompt you to explain your rating, allowing for more in-depth insights. This format helps companies understand customer loyalty and identify areas needing improvement, ultimately improving their offerings. What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The 3 C’s of customer satisfaction are Clarity, Consistency, and Connection. Clarity guarantees you communicate product details and expectations clearly, reducing confusion. Consistency focuses on delivering the same quality experience at every customer touchpoint, which builds trust in your brand. Connection involves creating emotional engagement with customers, nurturing loyalty and advocacy. When you implement these principles effectively, you can expect improved customer satisfaction, higher retention rates, and positive word-of-mouth referrals. Conclusion Incorporating effective customer feedback surveys is crucial for gathering valuable insights. By examining successful examples like HubSpot, Userpilot, and Slack, you can identify key elements that improve engagement and clarity. Utilizing varied formats, such as scales, open-ended questions, and in-app prompts, allows you to capture diverse customer sentiments. In the end, designing your survey with these strategies in mind can lead to more meaningful feedback, helping you enhance your offerings and better meet customer needs. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Effective Examples of Customer Feedback Surveys to Inspire Your Design" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Automattic's James LePage describes emerging WooCommerce capabilities that will enable Sidekick-type AI extensions The post WooCommerce May Gain Sidekick-Type AI Through Extensions appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

EU probes platform for sales tactics and offering illegal productsView the full article

But America’s Democratic voters will be a much tougher sell for the California governor than foreignersView the full article

Originators of the clean energy loans will have to follow stricter lending laws, a move that program administrators say will hike costs and reduce funding. View the full article

Some vendors' voice agents have quoted "outrageously low" interest rates to consumers, among other potential violations, according to one expert. View the full article

If you stop by the “as-is” section at one of Ikea’s U.S. stores, you might now find a vintage table from the 1980s. The company recently started accepting older products in its Buy Back & Resell program, which gives customers store credit for bringing back used items, and then offers them for sale to other customers. Since launching as a pilot in the U.S. five years ago, the program—still the only one of its kind at a major furniture retailer—has steadily expanded, underscoring the demand for circular options. The program “is our opportunity to bring our products back into the store from our customers to keep them out of landfill,” says Mardi Ditze, sustainability manager for Ikea U.S. U.S. stores recently started taking back 700 additional SKUs through the program, from vintage furniture to glassware. Last year, customers brought back 14,700 products, growing from 8,000 in 2023. Most resold within 48 to 72 hours. The brand’s resale program is also growing globally. Ingka Group, the largest Ikea franchise that operates stores in 31 countries, sourced nearly 690,000 used Ikea products for resale last year. Part of the appeal, especially in the current economy, is the fact that the secondhand products have a built-in discount. “We’ve always had a focus on creating value for money for customers, and this strengthens our low-price offer,” says Karen Pflug, chief sustainability officer for Ingka Group. “Our research shows that even though we feel we’re affordable, it can still be a barrier for some people. So the secondhand offers a whole new level of affordability.” Selling secondhand products doesn’t cannibalize the company’s sales of new products. Instead, it’s helping bring in some new customers who are looking for lower-priced options. Customers who bring in their own used products to resell typically spend more than the value of the voucher that they get for the return. “Our experience has been that when a customer comes and successfully has a buyback resale transaction, has a store credit in their hand, they are likely thinking about what their next purchase is going to be,” says Ditze. “That transaction could happen as soon as that day, and that gift card gets applied to the purchase that they were thinking about doing.” Ikea also offers a peer-to-peer resale option in a handful of countries, with plans to expand this year. Customers who want to resell something scan their product with Ikea’s app, and then automatically get price recommendations, measurements, descriptions, assembly instructions, and professional product photos for their listing, helping remove some of the friction of posting an ad yourself on another platform like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Sellers also get either cash or a 15% digital refund card that they can use at Ikea. The work is part of Ikea’s larger effort to become a circular company, meaning that it keeps products and materials in use as long as possible, shifts to recycled and renewable materials, and eliminates waste throughout the supply chain. Inter Ikea, the part of the brand that handles design, is also beginning to redesign products for longevity. The classic Billy bookcase, for example, now has more resilient materials and snap-in attachments instead of nails in the back, so it can be disassembled and reassembled more quickly—and more easily be resold and moved. Ikea has also long offered free parts to repair products if a screw is lost, and sofa covers to help furniture stay in use longer if it gets a stain. Some stores in Europe have tested repair programs for resold items. Ikea is actively finding new recycling options for when products do wear out completely—or if they can’t easily be resold because of hygiene reasons. The company invested in a mattress recycling startup, for example, which can harvest parts from springs to foam for use in new mattresses. And by 2030, Ikea is aiming for a third of the wood in its products to be recycled. “One part of it is creating a closed-loop circular stream for ourselves because of resource materials coming in,” says Pflug. “But the other is just doing the right thing from a circular economy point of view.” On the resale front, Ikea is tapping into momentum that already existed. In Europe, Pflug says that Ikea products make up around 9% of the secondhand furniture market. But the company’s efforts could help nudge more people to take the time to give items a second life rather than throwing them out. Other brands could follow the same approach. “Customers already see the value of our products but also the value of secondhand furniture in general, and are doing it themselves,” says Pflug. “So if you want to have a part of that conversation and a part of that market, you have to make sure you’re being accessible and affordable and removing the barriers and pain points for people to do it. I think that’s when you’ll then get the demand.” View the full article

Gabriela Flax spent the first part of her career working in tech as a product manager. And while every day was different and varied, there were aspects of it that were causing her burnout. “I’ve always really enjoyed the product marketing aspect of my work,” she says. “I really like talking to end-users about ‘Hey, this is how this thing helps you’ and how to articulate that.” However, she wasn’t able to work on it as much as she would have liked. At the same time, Flax was in her 20s, living in London, and had stopped drinking alcohol. She began posting her journey in social media, talking about bars and places that were non-alcohol related. Flax recalls, “The more and more I did that, I started having brands reaching out to me saying, Hey, we’d love to partner with you. We have this event coming up—would you come and speak about what it’s like living in London in your 20s and not drinking?” By weekends and nights, Flax was organizing events and creating a lot of user-generated content for brands. She was able to exercise her creative muscle and passion for marketing, all while getting paid for it. Eventually, she left her tech job to pursue what is now commonly known as a portfolio career: where individuals make a living from multiple projects and streams of income. Today, she continues to do events and marketing for non-alcoholic beverage brands, alongside her career-coaching business, Pivot School. Making money through multiple means is not a new thing. But in a landscape where side-hustles, gig work, and freelance contracts have become the norm and at times necessary, Flax’s career trajectory is becoming more and more common. A solution to burnout Flax pursued a portfolio career because she felt burned out in her full-time tech job. The same can be said for Anna MacKenzie, who had the same feeling about being a founder. After spending a career in beauty and tech, MacKenzie cofounded a successful, award-winning podcast and events business. But as a “multi-passionate generalist,” MacKenzie eventually felt burned out. “When you’re a founder, you have to pour absolutely everything into a brand and business,” she says. “I really felt this desire to do multiple things. The reason that I pivoted into a portfolio career, which I didn’t have the language for at the time, was that I was looking for something that was halfway between being an employee and being a founder.” A portfolio career, MacKenzie explains, allows her to maintain the freedom and flexibility and control of her earning potential. However, unlike being a founder, it didn’t require “the responsibility of building a brand, building a business, and having contractors or a team.” Today, MacKenzie’s work setup spans advising early-stage beauty startups on how to get into major retailers like Sephora, mentoring, and selling digital products that guide people in building these types of careers. She also does fractional work for tech companies, which is when a high-level professional provides their expertise to a company and joins a team on a temporary, contract, or project basis. This is slightly different than a consultant, who typically plays more of an advisory role and isn’t often embedded in a team. But as Fast Company covered in a previous story about this trend, pursuing it can have the trappings of hustle culture. Rice University management professor Scott Sonenshein said that self-employed portfolio careerists can have trouble setting boundaries when it comes to workload. He explained, “You might feel like you always need to be working because there’s more incremental money to be earned for taking on additional gigs, as opposed to what you might be doing if you were working full-time for a traditional employer.” Being able to maintain a sense of control For Tracie Sponenberg, preventing burnout is about being intentional with her schedule and work environment. The former HR executive coach, keynote speaker, and consultant is having what she calls “one of the busiest months of her life.” Yet she feels nowhere close to burning out. For a few days, she can take a trip to South Carolina and work while overlooking the ocean. Things like that, she explains, “really help.” Like Flax, Sponenberg experienced burnout during her corporate career (in Sponenberg’s case, in the aftermath of the pandemic). But since she’s been on her own, she’s been able to stay away from it. The decision to do this work, she explains, “and whether I succeed or fail is on me.” That sense of control, Sponenberg says, is what makes that feel like “huge relief” rather than a heavy burden. For Flax, that sense of control has been extremely crucial to sustaining a portfolio career. She is aware that what hers looks like right now can change and evolve in the future. “I think that’s the fun part,” she says. “If one piece works today, because you’re the one who is in charge of it, you also have the capacity to turn that part of the engine off.” If there are certain activities that no longer resonate, she explains, “I don’t have to ask permission for someone to stop doing that.” Engineering a form of stability Like any entrepreneurial venture, pursuing a this kind of employment does come with risks. For MacKenzie, this was familiar territory as a founder. But when she decided to pivot into a portfolio career, she landed a lucrative contract, thanks to her extensive network that she’d built during her corporate career and previous business. Because of that, she was able to take her time to experiment and explore with what she wanted to do next. Having that kind of financial security without the stability of a full-time job is something that MacKenzie continues to prioritize. “To this day, I’ve always had one reliable income stream. Whether that’s a client or a product, I know we’ll bring in enough revenue to cover my life,” she says. Having this structure in place can also help prevent individuals from putting themselves in a position where they’re constantly selling, which can be a recipe for burnout. While Flax asserts that no contract roles are perfectly safe, being a freelancer where you’re having to pitch your services every single day is quite different from being a contractor with two fractional jobs who do a little bit of writing on the side. What it takes to succeed For some, this can also be a temporary arrangement. It can also be a way to build a career around a lifestyle change. MacKenzie believes that it’s a structure that new parents can benefit from, especially for those who are highly skilled. “There’s an inherent flexibility in terms of how you design and structure your career,” she says. She also believes that it’s a strategic way for people to scale their careers outside of just client work. But it’s not an arrangement that is suitable for everyone, at least for the long term. Flax says that she has seen many different archetypes try out portfolio careers. And in that time, she’s seen those with similar personality types and motivations both thrive and struggle. The willingness to improve your risk tolerance One of the key things that she believes will be crucial is one’s appetite for risk. You need to be someone who “finds the process of instability as something that they can gamify [and] conquer,” Flax explains. When people tell her that they want to pursue this path, she encourages them go ahead only if “not doing so will eat away at you.” In many instances, this also requires you to put yourself out there, network, and build your personal brand. “If that’s not a line of activity that you’re willing to go down, it’s not impossible, but it’s going to make it harder,” she says. If you don’t have a high tolerance for risk but still want to go down this path, Flax says, “you’ve got to want to strengthen that muscle.” And that can start when you’re still in your corporate job. Maybe you volunteer for a project that has the potential to fail big. Or perhaps you look for micro examples in your personal life where you can get more exposure to risks. Alternatively, you can just take the jump and see how you react. Flax suggests, however, having a backup plan you can return to if you do decide that it isn’t for you. Self-awareness and sustainability Ultimately, maintaining a portfolio career for the long term requires a good sense of self-awareness. Sponenberg, for example, knows what she’s good at (and what’s she’s not). When she started her business, she knew that cold calling and traditional business development wasn’t her forte. “What I do know how to do is help people and be really useful and offer advice,” she explains. And due to her multi-decade HR career in manufacturing and distribution, companies came to her for help. So she worked hard to be the go-to person for them anytime they had a people issue. Flax also says that understanding your working style and tailoring your portfolio career around that is also important. This type of structure, she says is “great for people who are multi-hyphenates, who have so different interests and want to exercise those different parts. But be very conscious if context switching is going to cause you whiplash,” she says. Flax recommends that at the start, you should be very conscious about how many components you introduce. This way, “you don’t feel overwhelmed by the ecosystem that you’ve built yourself,” she explains. “It can have two pieces to it that scratch very different parts of your brain,” she says. “It doesn’t need to look like a web.” Accepting that it’s not for everyone And if it turns out that it’s not something you’re able (or want) to sustain, Flax asserts that there’s no shame in going back to a nine-to-five. “It is so okay to have a corporate job that pays your bills that you enjoy, ” she says. “I think there’s a bit of an anti-corporate or anti nine-to-five or anti-traditional work rhetoric that’s going on right now, largely driven by the freelance portfolio career self-employment world. It is not for everyone, and that is so okay.” “It is one of the many ways to think about work. It is not the only way. My personal opinion is that yes, we are moving more towards a decentralized type of work. Having a portfolio career may, in the long term or the medium term, serve you well in that way. But I don’t think in our lifetime, there’s a reality in which no one has a corporate job anymore.” View the full article

Nigel Farage to unveil several members of his top team on TuesdayView the full article

On January 23rd, outside an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, a Waymo vehicle hit a child. That’s what we know for sure. It sounds shocking, horrifying even. And it’s already giving plenty of groups cover to demand that California revoke Waymo’s license to operate its cars. But the details matter. And once you start digging a bit, the scary headline about a kid struck down by a heartless robot clearly isn’t the whole story. In fact, accidents like this provide a lens through which to improve both human and robot driving—and even save lives. Braking Hard The specifics of the incident in Santa Monica are still coming out. As it does with any potential safety incident involving a self-driving car, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is actively investigating. That investigation—as well as a voluntary statement from Waymo—is already revealing quite a lot of nuance. It appears that the incident happened during drop off time at the SoCal school. A Waymo vehicle appears to have been driving among vehicles operated by parents delivering their kids. As often happens during stressful school dropoffs (I have three kids, so believe me, I know!), a large SUV had double-parked, blocking part of the roadway. As the Waymo approached the double-parked SUV, a child ran out from behind the SUV and into the roadway, directly in front of the Waymo. The next bit is crucial. Waymo says that its vehicle “…braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact was made.” Waymo doesn’t specify the exact distances involved. But dropping 11mph in a split second represents a slamming-on of the brakes, not a gentle slowdown. It’s an aggressive move. And it may very well have saved a life. Waymo says that–because its vehicle was traveling only 6mph when it made contact with the child–”the pedestrian stood up immediately” and “walked to the sidewalk” on their own. Waymo called 911 and reported the incident to authorities. The company initially said that the child sustained “minor injuries,” but it’s not clear what injuries, if any, actually happened. The Problem With People To be clear, any time a child gets hit by a car, it’s a horrible incident. It’s good that the NHTSA is investigating. As a parent, I feel for the parents involved here–seeing your kid hit by any vehicle must be terrifying. But before drawing any broader conclusions about the safety of self-driving cars, it’s important to consider the question: “Would a human driver have handled this situation any better?” SafeKids, an advocacy organization, reports that between 2013 and 2022 almost 200 school-aged kids were killed in school zone accidents. And that’s only kids. Just days before the Waymo incident, two parents were killed in a crosswalk after dropping their child off at a different California school. Why do so many people die on the way to school? Speed and distraction are the two biggest factors. SafeKids reports that as many as 10% of drivers are distracted while driving in school zones–mostly by phones and other devices. 3% of drivers observed by the group were even seen using two devices at the same time–perhaps fumbling with a Bluetooth headset while also trying to sign their kid into school on their cellphone. And most school zones, the group reports, have speed limits that are way too high–under 20mph is ideal, but most are 25mph+ Not that drivers follow those, anyway–other data shows that when drivers hit kids in school zones, they’re traveling an average of 27 miles per hour. Human drivers, in other words, make tons of mistakes. Especially with the stress of traffic and the pressure to avoid the dreaded “late pass,” it’s all too easy for parents to speed and to take their eyes off the road during dropoff. Sadly, when kids are involved–with their propensity to dart into the road, as happened in Santa Monica–that combo of speed and distraction means that people die. Worse With a Person? Again, that begs the question, in the context of Waymo’s incident, of whether a person would have done better than an AI-powered robot. Let’s assume, for a moment, that a human was behind the wheel of the vehicle in Santa Monica. What might have gone down differently? The average human reaction time while driving is about ¾ of a second. When the child darted into the road, that means their car–going 17mph–would have traveled about 19 feet before the driver would even perceive the presence of a pedestrian. Perhaps they would have immediately slammed on the brakes. But the NHTSA itself says that most people don’t. Whether through surprise or simply a delay in processing, drivers consistently underbrake, even in potentially fatal accidents. With a person behind the wheel, it’s thus likely that the child in Santa Monica would have been hit at a much higher speed. Waymo says that its own independent models show “a fully attentive human driver in this same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at approximately 14 mph.” And again, most drivers in school zones aren’t “fully attentive.” As SafeKids points out, they’re distracted, rushing, and speeding. Waymos aren’t perfect by any means. But they consistently follow speed limits–sometimes to a fault. And because they’re constantly scanning the road, they react faster than people–and hit the brakes hard when they see something even remotely concerning. They never check their phones or try to shave while ferrying passengers around. When a 5,000 robot kits a kid, there’s a natural human tendency to vilify the robot. But in this specific case, the question of whether a person could have done better is far from clear. Optimize for Safety That doesn’t mean we should crucify autonomous vehicles–nor does it mean we should let them off the hook. The NHTSA’s investigation will probably come down to a question not of whether Waymo outperformed a human in this incident, but rather whether self-driving cars could do more to keep kids safe near schools. Indeed, NHTSA says it’s specifically investigating “whether the Waymo AV exercised appropriate caution given, among other things, its proximity to the elementary school during drop off hours, and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users.” Given that Waymos can be programmed to behave a certain way in specific circumstance—and will do so consistently once the parameters are set—they provide a unique opportunity to set even higher safety standards than we apply to humans. Again, SafeKids says that most school zones have speed limits above the 20mph ideal. There’s no reason, though, that Waymo couldn’t program their cars to consistently travel at a slower speed when in a school zone at pickup or dropoff times. Perhaps Waymos could always travel 15mph when traversing an active school zone. That might bug the hell out of parents navigating the pickup line, but it would keep kids safer in the event of an accident. Waymos near schools could even serve as moving “traffic calming” devices, forcing distracted, impatient human drivers behind them to slow down, too! Likewise, Waymo could set parameters that instruct their vehicles to slow to a crawl when approaching a double parked car near a school. SafeKids specifically calls out double parking as a big risk factor for accidents near schools. Thankfully–whether through Waymo’s ingenious driving (in the company’s telling) or dumb luck–this incident ended with a kid walking away alive. But that’s not a reason to dismiss what happened. Rather, incidents like this provide a unique opportunity to define society’s rules for challenging circumstances like driving near kids–and then program them into a machine that (unlike people) will actually follow them. Asking the tough questions required to set those guidelines–and holding the reality that scary incidents are also learning experiences–is a lot harder than simply blaming the robots and reverting to the human-powered status quo. But with kids dying in school zones every year, learning the right lessons from accidents like this is absolutely crucial–even life-saving. View the full article

Career spanned two bids for the presidency after early years with Martin Luther KingView the full article

Most of us assume bullying is something we age out of by middle school, high school at the latest. By the time you’re a professional—especially one with credentials, experience, and a résumé you worked hard for—you expect a baseline of mutual respect. And yet. If you’ve spent enough time in workplaces, on boards, or in other community organizations, you’ve probably had that moment where your stomach tightens in a meeting and you’re not entirely sure why. A comment lands sideways. A tone shifts. Someone interrupts you for the third time. You walk away replaying the exchange, wondering whether you imagined it or whether something subtle but unmistakable just happened. That confusion is often the first sign you’re dealing with a workplace bully. Wait, what’s going on? Explosive behavior at work is disorienting precisely because it violates the story we’re told about professionalism. We’re taught that adult leadership comes with emotional control. So when someone yells, slams a table, or lashes out publicly, people scramble to explain it away. It gets framed as stress. Passion. A bad day. A one-off. Individually, each outburst can be rationalized. Collectively, they form a pattern. These incidents tend to look like sudden escalations in meetings, disproportionate reactions to small problems, or public reprimands that feel designed to humiliate rather than correct. The volume may drop later, but the message sticks: this person can explode, and you don’t want to be the target. Over time, the workplace begins to organize itself around that volatility: People self-censor, meetings narrow, feedback travels sideways instead of up, and decisions get made to avoid triggering another episode rather than to serve the work itself. At that point, the outbursts are no longer just moments of poor regulation. They’ve become a mechanism of control. This isn’t about communication style or personality. It’s about power and the use of fear and unpredictability to enforce it. Power is the throughline Bullies rely on ambiguity and asymmetry. They say just enough to destabilize you, but not enough to get themselves in trouble. They benefit from your hesitation—your desire to be reasonable, professional, and not “make a thing out of nothing.” And often, they’re counting on the fact that you have more to lose than they do. This is where so much well-meaning advice falls flat. Telling someone to “just address it directly” ignores the very real calculations people are making about hierarchy, reputation, and risk. Before we talk about what to do, it’s worth naming how context shapes the experience. What helps in the moment When something inappropriate happens in real time, your nervous system often takes over before your language does. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to deliver a perfect response, but rather have a few low-drama phrases available that interrupt the behavior without escalating it. A few examples: “Can you clarify what you mean by that?” “I want to pause for a second—I wasn’t finished.” “I’m open to feedback, just not in this format.” “Let’s keep this focused on the work.” “I’d rather discuss that privately.” These responses work not because they’re confrontational, but because they’re steady. They shift the interaction back to neutral ground and signal that you’re paying attention. If you don’t say anything in the moment, that doesn’t mean you missed your chance. The quieter work that matters more What happens after the interaction often matters more than what happens during it. Start by documenting patterns, not impressions. Include dates, contexts, exact language, who was present, and what the impact was. This isn’t about building a case right away; it’s about anchoring yourself in facts when self-doubt starts creeping in. Then, reality-test with care. Choose people who are perceptive and discreet—not those who default to minimizing or catastrophizing. Ask specific questions. “Did you notice X?” tends to be more useful than “Am I crazy?” When the bully is your boss This is where advice needs to be especially honest. When the person mistreating you controls your evaluations, assignments, or future opportunities, the calculus shifts. Speaking up isn’t just about courage; it’s about strategy. HR may feel unsafe. Direct confrontation may backfire. Silence may feel like the only viable option—for now. If you’re in this position and wondering why it feels so hard to “just say something,” that’s not weakness, it’s being realistic. If your manager is the problem, direct confrontation may not be the safest or most effective option. In these cases, the most important question isn’t how to change them, it’s how to protect yourself. That might mean keeping communication in writing. Looping others into key conversations. Reducing exposure where possible. Building alliances quietly. Exploring internal transfers. Updating your résumé before you think you need to. Leaving is not a failure. Staying and absorbing chronic disrespect is not resilience. Over time, it erodes your confidence in ways that can be surprisingly hard to undo. The myth of ‘just be more professional’ People dealing with workplace bullying are often told—explicitly or implicitly—to be more professional. What this usually translates to is being quieter, more accommodating, and less visibly affected. Professionalism does not require self-erasure. It requires judgment. It requires discernment. And sometimes, it requires deciding that an environment is incompatible with your values or your well-being—even if you could technically survive it. What bullying really costs One of the most under-discussed aspects of workplace bullying is how much energy it consumes. The mental replaying. The strategizing. The vigilance. All of that cognitive load gets diverted away from creativity, leadership, and actual satisfaction in your work. Over time, people don’t just lose confidence; they lose range, they speak less, take fewer risks, and shrink their presence in rooms where they once belonged comfortably. Addressing bullying isn’t about winning or proving toughness. It’s about reclaiming agency. Sometimes that looks like speaking up. Sometimes it looks like documenting and planning. Sometimes it looks like choosing a different room altogether. What matters most is making those choices consciously, without self-blame, and with a clear-eyed understanding of what you deserve at work. View the full article

After 50, too many women reduce their working hours, become trapped in lower-quality jobs, or exit the labor market altogether. Part-time employment becomes more prevalent as women age. The gender gap widens. For women, this means lower lifetime earnings and significantly smaller pensions. Many are calling this phenomenon the “menopause penalty”—a midlife equivalent of the motherhood penalty. And indeed, research suggests that women’s earnings drop in the years following a menopause diagnosis. But while menopause clearly plays a role, there is a risk in attributing these economic setbacks too narrowly to biology. Doing so not only oversimplifies women’s lived realities—it also medicalizes what are fundamentally social and organizational problems. Menopause matters. But it rarely acts alone. A convergence of pressures and setbacks Midlife is often the most demanding phase of women’s lives. Menopause tends to coincide with a series of other “life shocks” that disproportionately affect women. Caregiving responsibilities intensify: aging parents begin to need support, while many women are still helping children or even grandchildren. The “sandwich generation” is squeezed between upward and downward care. Meanwhile, serious health risks increase—including breast cancer and chronic illness. Divorce is also common in midlife and comes with major financial and emotional consequences. The death of a parent is another major shock that frequently occurs in midlife and is largely invisible in workplace thinking—grief doesn’t fit into a few days of leave but often brings lasting exhaustion and difficulty concentrating. Overlay all of this with growing exposure to ageism in the workplace and it becomes clear that menopause is rarely the only culprit. Yes, symptoms such as fatigue, hot flashes, or brain fog can make work harder to sustain. But menopause comes at a moment of cumulative strain. It does not create the inequalities. It amplifies those that already exist. When work refuses to adapt Many jobs are still designed for a worker who is endlessly available, physically resilient, emotionally stable, and largely free from caregiving responsibilities. Menopause symptoms collide with these unrealistic expectations. Instead of redesigning work—adjusting schedules, reducing unnecessary presenteeism, offering autonomy, improving ergonomic conditions and workplaces, or recognizing fluctuating capacity—organizations implicitly ask women to adapt their bodies. And when they cannot, the “choices” available are reducing hours, stepping back from responsibility, refusing promotions, accepting less visible roles, or leaving work altogether. From the outside, this looks like individual preference. That’s why the menopause penalty looks exactly like the motherhood penalty. Neither is caused simply by biology. Both result from the collision between life stages and rigid work systems built around male, uninterrupted career norms. The penalty is also reinforced by stereotypes. Menopause is still associated with emotional volatility, decline, and loss of competence. Many women fear being perceived as less reliable or less ambitious. Some avoid high-visibility projects. Others turn down leadership roles or client-facing positions simply because they fear exposure. Menopause stereotypes are like sexism on steroids. Economically, the menopause penalty represents a massive loss of human capital. Women in their late 40s, 50s, and early 60s often hold their highest levels of skill, institutional knowledge, and professional experience. When they reduce hours or leave work prematurely, organizations lose leadership potential, mentoring capacity, and expertise. The danger of medicalizing inequality There is an increasing push to frame menopause primarily as a health issue requiring medical solutions—more awareness campaigns, more diagnoses, more treatments. Don’t get me wrong: better healthcare really does matter. Too many women suffer unnecessarily because of lack of information, poor medical support, or lingering fears around hormone therapies. For those with severe symptoms, treatment can be life-changing. But there is a real risk in making menopause the central explanation for midlife economic inequality. When reduced earnings or stalled careers are blamed mainly on hormonal changes, it obscures the role of workplaces, the gendered division of unpaid work, insufficient care infrastructure, ageism, and broader social, political, and corporate issues. It suggests that if women simply managed their symptoms better, the problem would disappear. We often medicalize social problems. For example, we prescribe antidepressants without addressing poverty, violence, overwork, or isolation. Hormone therapy may ease hot flashes and prevent osteoporosis (and that’s a lot). But it won’t pay the rent, restart a stalled career, restore lost pension rights, or compensate for years of unpaid care work. Pills don’t fix ageism. They don’t erase structural inequality. Let’s redesign work for long lives 1. Design work for sustainability. Most jobs are still built around an ideal worker who is always available, endlessly energetic, and free from responsibilities outside work. This model breaks down over long working lives. Companies should rethink workloads, hours, and performance expectations to allow for fluctuating capacity over time. Focusing on outputs rather than presence, reducing unnecessary urgency, and normalizing lower-intensity periods would make careers more sustainable. 2. Make flexibility the norm. When flexible working is treated as an exception, it carries invisible penalties (slower progression, reduced visibility). To avoid turning flexibility into a career trap, companies should offer autonomy over hours and location by default and ensure flexible workers are not sidelined. 3. Confront ageism head-on. Many midlife career setbacks for women are inseparable from age discrimination. Employers should track pay, promotions, and evaluations by age and gender, challenge stereotypes in leadership cultures, and ensure development opportunities exist throughout careers. 4. Recognize caregiving as a normal life-stage reality. Midlife is often when care responsibilities peak—for aging parents, ill relatives, or extended family—yet workplace policies remain focused on early parenthood. Companies should expand support to include eldercare flexibility. When caregiving is ignored or treated as a personal inconvenience, many women quietly reduce hours or exit. 5. Address menopause openly. Raising awareness and training managers can reduce stigma and improve support. But if rigid schedules, long hours, and unforgiving performance models remain, women are left to manage symptoms within broken systems. Menopause initiatives must go hand in hand with reforms in job design, flexibility, and inclusion—or risk becoming symbolic rather than effective. View the full article

People close to Indian conglomerate accused of market manipulation held billions of dollars’ worth of shares View the full article

Jobless rate increases to 5.2%View the full article

Defining conflict resolution is vital for nurturing a productive workplace. It involves structured processes that aim to address disputes as well as promoting collaboration. By comprehending the differences between conflict resolution and conflict management, you can better navigate workplace dynamics. This guide will explore fundamental strategies, common misconceptions, and proactive measures to prevent conflict. As you uncover these concepts, you’ll see how effective resolution can transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and improvement. Key Takeaways Conflict resolution is a process focused on finding final solutions through collaboration, emphasizing communication and emotional intelligence. Effective resolution views conflict as an opportunity for positive change instead of merely managing ongoing disputes. It differs from conflict management by seeking resolution rather than allowing issues to persist, promoting healthier workplace dynamics. Misconceptions include seeing conflict as entirely negative or believing in one-size-fits-all solutions; tailored engagement strategies are essential. Training programs and communication skills enhance conflict resolution abilities, leading to increased productivity and improved workplace relationships. Understanding Conflict Resolution When you encounter conflict, comprehension of how to resolve it effectively can make a considerable difference in your personal and professional relationships. To define conflict resolution, consider it a process aimed at finding final solutions to specific, solvable conflicts. Unlike conflict management, which addresses ongoing issues, conflict resolution focuses on collaboration and ongoing efforts to navigate complex dynamics and personal emotions. It’s crucial to recognize that conflict isn’t inherently negative; it can spark positive change and growth. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model provides five strategies for interpersonal resolution: Avoiding, Competing, Accommodating, Compromising, and Collaborating. Each strategy is suitable depending on your goals and relationships. Training in conflict resolution skills, particularly communication and emotional intelligence, can considerably improve your interactions. By equipping yourself with these tools, you can promote a culture of respect and teamwork, turning conflict into an opportunity for improvement. The Importance of Conflict Resolution in the Workplace Conflict resolution plays a substantial role in workplace dynamics, where unresolved issues can lead to considerable financial losses and decreased employee morale. American Express businesses lose about $359 billion each year because of conflicts that diminish productivity and lower morale. Many employees, around 53%, often avoid “toxic” situations, which results in lost workdays and missed deadlines. Consequently, proactive conflict management strategies are vital. Addressing conflicts swiftly can greatly improve team dynamics and cultivate a culture of trust, enhancing employee well-being and organizational health. Leaders are fundamental in this process, as they must address personal disputes and help employees navigate their conflicts, ensuring fairness and ethical treatment. Embracing diverse opinions and constructive disagreements can likewise transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and innovation, eventually enhancing decision-making and creativity within teams. By prioritizing effective conflict resolution, you can create a more productive and harmonious workplace. Key Concepts: Conflict Avoidance vs. Conflict Management Conflict avoidance is when you steer clear of direct confrontations, often leaving issues unresolved and creating deeper tensions. Conversely, conflict management focuses on addressing ongoing issues and finding constructive ways to navigate disagreements as they come up. Comprehending these key concepts is essential for cultivating a healthier workplace environment and improving relationships among team members. Conflict Avoidance Defined Avoiding conflict often reflects a desire for peace, yet this strategy can lead to deeper issues if not addressed. Conflict avoidance is when individuals or groups sidestep direct confrontation, which often leaves unresolved issues simmering beneath the surface. While this approach might temporarily reduce stress, studies show that 53% of employees prefer to avoid “toxic” situations, indicating a prevalent tendency in the direction of avoidance in the workplace. Nevertheless, this can escalate problems and lower morale because of the lack of resolution. Recognizing the difference between conflict avoidance and conflict management is essential, as effectively addressing conflicts cultivates a healthier work environment and encourages open communication. In the end, comprehending this distinction can help you navigate workplace dynamics more effectively. Conflict Management Explained When individuals or teams choose to address rather than avoid issues, they engage in conflict management, a proactive approach that aims to resolve disputes during the preservation of relationships. This approach is essential as unresolved conflicts can cost organizations up to $359 billion annually. Conflict management isn’t a one-time event; it requires consistent effort to handle recurring issues effectively. Conflict Avoidance Conflict Management Evades confrontation Actively addresses issues Leads to unresolved issues Aims for resolution Often damages relationships Preserves relationships Effective conflict management focuses on collaboration and communication, emphasizing clear expectations and a culture of trust to promote constructive dialogue and feedback. This creates a more positive work atmosphere. Common Misconceptions About Conflict Resolution Many people think conflict is always a negative experience, but it can actually spark positive change and growth. There’s furthermore a belief that you can apply the same solution to every conflict, when in fact, effective resolution requires customized strategies. Moreover, some assume that resolving conflict is a one-time event, but it often demands ongoing effort and collaboration among all parties involved. Conflict Is Always Negative Conflict often carries a negative connotation, leading many to believe that it should be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, viewing conflict solely as a negative experience overlooks its potential benefits. When managed effectively, conflict can act as a catalyst for positive change and growth within organizations. Instead of shying away from disagreements, addressing them can improve team dynamics and encourage innovation. It’s vital to understand that conflict resolution isn’t a one-time event; it requires ongoing efforts and adjustments. Collaborative approaches are significant, as they allow for diverse perspectives to be considered, ultimately leading to more thorough solutions. One-Size-Fits-All Solutions Have you ever noticed how often people assume there’s a single solution to every conflict? This misconception can lead to ineffective attempts at resolution. Conflict resolution isn’t a one-size-fits-all process; it requires a customized approach that considers the unique context and individuals involved. Each conflict presents different dynamics, which means strategies that work in one scenario might fail in another. Overlooking this complexity ignores the various factors influencing human interactions. If you rely on a single method, you may escalate the situation instead of resolving it. Comprehending that effective conflict resolution involves ongoing efforts and adjustments is vital. By recognizing the need for personalization, you can nurture more effective, lasting solutions to conflicts in your relationships. One-Time Fix Misconception Assuming that resolving a conflict is a one-time fix can lead to frustration and unresolved issues. Conflict resolution isn’t just about finding a quick solution; it involves ongoing efforts and adjustments to tackle underlying problems. You should recognize that successful resolution often requires multiple discussions and strategies, as each conflict is unique. Relying on a single solution can overlook the intricacies of the situation and the individuals involved. Continuous engagement and collaboration among all parties are crucial for lasting resolution. Strategies for Effective Conflict Resolution When managing disputes in the workplace, employing effective conflict resolution strategies is vital for nurturing a collaborative environment. Start by investing in communication training to help employees express their thoughts and feelings clearly, encouraging constructive dialogue. Utilize the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model to identify when to apply different strategies like Avoiding, Competing, Accommodating, Compromising, or Collaborating based on the situation’s assertiveness and cooperativeness needs. Proactive measures, such as setting clear expectations and cultivating a culture of trust and respect, can greatly lower the chances of conflicts arising. Consider implementing conflict coaching and customized resolution training programs to equip leaders and staff with important skills. Finally, conduct regular follow-up sessions after conflict resolution discussions to guarantee agreements are upheld and to address any lingering issues, eventually helping maintain positive workplace relationships and promoting overall organizational productivity. The Role of Communication in Conflict Resolution Effective communication serves as a cornerstone in the process of resolving conflicts within any organization. It allows you to express your feelings, share perspectives, and clarify misunderstandings, creating a collaborative environment for problem-solving. By utilizing active listening techniques, like acknowledging emotions and paraphrasing, you improve comprehension and guarantee all parties feel heard. Establishing ground rules for communication, such as allowing uninterrupted speaking and maintaining a calm demeanor, facilitates productive conversations. Open communication encourages employees to voice concerns, preventing conflicts before they arise and contributing to a healthier workplace culture. Here’s a quick overview of effective communication strategies: Strategy Description Active Listening Acknowledging emotions and summarizing to improve comprehension. Ground Rules Setting guidelines for respectful and calm discussions. Open Communication Encouraging feedback to cultivate a supportive environment. Skilled Communication Promoting clarity and reducing unresolved conflicts. Mediation as a Conflict Resolution Tool Mediation serves as a valuable tool in resolving conflicts by bringing together a neutral third party to guide discussions between those involved. This structured process not merely promotes collaboration but additionally helps address underlying issues through effective communication techniques. As we explore the mediation process, its benefits, and the skills required for effective mediators, you’ll gain insights into how mediation can improve conflict resolution. Mediation Process Overview Although many conflict resolution methods exist, mediation stands out as a structured process where a neutral third party facilitates discussions between those involved in a disagreement. The mediation process typically includes stages like opening statements, identifying key issues, exploring interests, negotiating solutions, and reaching closure. Throughout this process, mediators employ active listening and effective communication techniques to promote comprehension and empathy among parties, essential for addressing underlying concerns. Confidentiality plays an important role, allowing participants to express themselves freely without worrying about repercussions. Follow-up sessions are significant, as they help consolidate progress and create actionable plans, ensuring that the agreed-upon solutions are implemented and maintained over time. Benefits of Mediation Finding effective ways to resolve conflicts can greatly impact personal and professional relationships. Mediation serves as a valuable conflict resolution tool by encouraging open dialogue between conflicting parties. This collaborative approach helps you identify solutions that meet everyone’s needs. It can rebuild trust and restore healthy dynamics, which are vital for a positive work environment and effective teamwork. By transforming hostile settings into cooperative spaces, mediation markedly reduces emotional intensity. The process promotes comprehension and constructive communication, equipping you with skills for future conflicts. Furthermore, mediation typically leads to quicker resolutions compared to traditional methods, minimizing disruptions and maintaining productivity within organizations. Effective Mediator Skills To effectively mediate conflicts, you need a specific set of skills that enable you to guide discussions between opposing parties. First, active listening is vital; it allows each party to share their perspective, clarifying misunderstandings and promoting trust. You should also employ empathy, which helps you understand emotions and viewpoints, making parties feel heard. Utilizing structured approaches can address underlying issues, transforming hostile environments into cooperative spaces. You’ll benefit from training programs that teach techniques like reflective listening and role reversal. Finally, it’s important to conduct ongoing mediation efforts and follow-up sessions. These steps help consolidate progress, guarantee agreements are upheld, and tackle any lingering issues, ultimately leading to successful conflict resolution. Training Programs for Conflict Resolution Skills Training programs for conflict resolution skills are essential tools for organizations aiming to improve their workplace environment. These programs are customized to meet specific needs, enhancing employees’ abilities to manage and resolve conflicts effectively. Key components often include: Conflict Coaching: Personalized support to navigate challenging situations and develop strategies. Communication Training: Techniques to improve interpersonal dynamics and encourage open dialogue. Structured Mediation Practice: Engaging in role-play to understand underlying issues and explore practical resolution methods. Peacemaking Strategies: Approaches focused on restoring trust and building collaborative relationships. Proactive Measures for Preventing Conflict While conflicts are an inevitable part of any workplace, implementing proactive measures can greatly reduce their frequency and intensity. Start by establishing clear expectations and norms; about 70% of employees report that unclear job roles contribute to conflicts. Cultivating a culture of trust and respect promotes open dialogue, helping to prevent misunderstandings that can lead to disputes. Investing in proactive communication training can decrease workplace conflicts by 30%, enhancing your team’s ability to express concerns effectively. Furthermore, customized conflict resolution training equips employees with the skills to manage disagreements collaboratively. Encourage constructive feedback and open discussions about differing opinions, as employees who feel heard are 62% less likely to engage in conflicts. Navigating Emotional Conflict in the Workplace Even in a workplace where proactive measures have been taken to prevent conflict, emotional disputes can still emerge. When misunderstandings and differing communication styles surface, it’s crucial to address them effectively to maintain morale and productivity. Here are four strategies to navigate emotional conflict: Acknowledge Emotions: Recognizing and validating feelings can prevent escalation and encourage open communication among team members. Practice Active Listening: Show that you’re engaged by listening attentively. This helps team members feel heard and comprehended. Encourage Empathy: Grasping others’ perspectives can bridge gaps in communication and build stronger relationships. Create a Safe Space: Establish an environment where employees can express their concerns without fear. This openness promotes better conflict resolution and improves team dynamics. The Impact of Workplace Dynamics on Conflict Workplace dynamics markedly influence the nature and frequency of conflicts that arise among employees. With diverse backgrounds and personalities, conflicts are often inevitable. In fact, 53% of employees choose to avoid “toxic” situations, leading to significant productivity losses. Unresolved conflicts can cost American businesses up to $359 billion each year, emphasizing the need for effective management to guarantee organizational health and morale. Emotional conflicts, frequently stemming from interpersonal relationships, can escalate tensions if left unaddressed, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence in resolving disputes. You’ll notice that task-based conflicts may conceal deeper issues, such as perceived inequities, whereas relationship conflicts require finding common ground for collaboration. By effectively managing these conflicts, you can cultivate a culture of trust and respect, enhancing team dynamics and encouraging innovative problem-solving, which eventually benefits overall organizational performance. Long-term Benefits of Effective Conflict Resolution When organizations implement effective conflict resolution strategies, they reveal a range of long-term benefits that can greatly improve their overall performance. By addressing conflicts head-on, you can promote a healthier workplace environment, leading to significant gains. Here are some key benefits: Increased Productivity: Teams collaborating more harmoniously can boost productivity by up to 25%. Reduced Turnover Rates: Prioritizing conflict resolution can lower turnover rates by 30%, saving costs on recruitment and training. Improved Employee Engagement: Addressing conflicts effectively can improve morale, resulting in a 50% increase in employee commitment to organizational goals. Stronger Workplace Relationships: Organizations with solid conflict resolution practices report a 35% improvement in relationships, nurturing a culture of trust and collaboration. These long-term benefits not just improve workplace dynamics but contribute to overall organizational success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 5 C’s of conflict resolution are Context, Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, and Commitment. First, you need to understand the context to identify root causes. Then, open communication allows everyone to express their views honestly. Creativity nurtures innovative solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Collaboration helps find common ground, whereas commitment guarantees all parties follow through on agreements. Together, these elements create a structured approach to effectively resolve conflicts and improve relationships. How to Define Conflict Resolution? You can define conflict resolution as the process of addressing and settling disputes or disagreements between individuals or groups. It aims to find a mutually acceptable solution, enhancing relationships and comprehension. This process involves effective communication, active listening, and collaboration, all of which help uncover underlying issues. What Are the 4 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 4 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Cooperation, Compromise, and Consensus. Effective Communication guarantees you listen actively and express your thoughts clearly, allowing all parties to feel heard. Cooperation involves working together in the direction of a shared goal, prioritizing relationships over individual interests. Compromise means making concessions for a satisfactory solution. Finally, Consensus is achieving an agreement where everyone feels invested, nurturing commitment and enhancing team dynamics for better future interactions. What Are the 3 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 3 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Collaboration, and Compromise. Effective Communication involves active listening and clear expression of thoughts, ensuring everyone feels heard. Collaboration emphasizes working together to identify common goals and solutions, nurturing teamwork. Compromise requires parties to make concessions, balancing their needs to reach an agreement that satisfies all. Conclusion In conclusion, comprehending conflict resolution is vital for promoting a collaborative and productive workplace. By distinguishing it from conflict management, you can focus on proactive strategies that emphasize communication and emotional intelligence. Recognizing the impact of workplace dynamics enables you to address potential conflicts effectively. Ultimately, investing in conflict resolution not just improves relationships but additionally contributes to a healthier organizational culture, leading to long-term benefits for both individuals and the organization as a whole. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "How to Define Conflict Resolution in a Comprehensive Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Defining conflict resolution is vital for nurturing a productive workplace. It involves structured processes that aim to address disputes as well as promoting collaboration. By comprehending the differences between conflict resolution and conflict management, you can better navigate workplace dynamics. This guide will explore fundamental strategies, common misconceptions, and proactive measures to prevent conflict. As you uncover these concepts, you’ll see how effective resolution can transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and improvement. Key Takeaways Conflict resolution is a process focused on finding final solutions through collaboration, emphasizing communication and emotional intelligence. Effective resolution views conflict as an opportunity for positive change instead of merely managing ongoing disputes. It differs from conflict management by seeking resolution rather than allowing issues to persist, promoting healthier workplace dynamics. Misconceptions include seeing conflict as entirely negative or believing in one-size-fits-all solutions; tailored engagement strategies are essential. Training programs and communication skills enhance conflict resolution abilities, leading to increased productivity and improved workplace relationships. Understanding Conflict Resolution When you encounter conflict, comprehension of how to resolve it effectively can make a considerable difference in your personal and professional relationships. To define conflict resolution, consider it a process aimed at finding final solutions to specific, solvable conflicts. Unlike conflict management, which addresses ongoing issues, conflict resolution focuses on collaboration and ongoing efforts to navigate complex dynamics and personal emotions. It’s crucial to recognize that conflict isn’t inherently negative; it can spark positive change and growth. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model provides five strategies for interpersonal resolution: Avoiding, Competing, Accommodating, Compromising, and Collaborating. Each strategy is suitable depending on your goals and relationships. Training in conflict resolution skills, particularly communication and emotional intelligence, can considerably improve your interactions. By equipping yourself with these tools, you can promote a culture of respect and teamwork, turning conflict into an opportunity for improvement. The Importance of Conflict Resolution in the Workplace Conflict resolution plays a substantial role in workplace dynamics, where unresolved issues can lead to considerable financial losses and decreased employee morale. American Express businesses lose about $359 billion each year because of conflicts that diminish productivity and lower morale. Many employees, around 53%, often avoid “toxic” situations, which results in lost workdays and missed deadlines. Consequently, proactive conflict management strategies are vital. Addressing conflicts swiftly can greatly improve team dynamics and cultivate a culture of trust, enhancing employee well-being and organizational health. Leaders are fundamental in this process, as they must address personal disputes and help employees navigate their conflicts, ensuring fairness and ethical treatment. Embracing diverse opinions and constructive disagreements can likewise transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and innovation, eventually enhancing decision-making and creativity within teams. By prioritizing effective conflict resolution, you can create a more productive and harmonious workplace. Key Concepts: Conflict Avoidance vs. Conflict Management Conflict avoidance is when you steer clear of direct confrontations, often leaving issues unresolved and creating deeper tensions. Conversely, conflict management focuses on addressing ongoing issues and finding constructive ways to navigate disagreements as they come up. Comprehending these key concepts is essential for cultivating a healthier workplace environment and improving relationships among team members. Conflict Avoidance Defined Avoiding conflict often reflects a desire for peace, yet this strategy can lead to deeper issues if not addressed. Conflict avoidance is when individuals or groups sidestep direct confrontation, which often leaves unresolved issues simmering beneath the surface. While this approach might temporarily reduce stress, studies show that 53% of employees prefer to avoid “toxic” situations, indicating a prevalent tendency in the direction of avoidance in the workplace. Nevertheless, this can escalate problems and lower morale because of the lack of resolution. Recognizing the difference between conflict avoidance and conflict management is essential, as effectively addressing conflicts cultivates a healthier work environment and encourages open communication. In the end, comprehending this distinction can help you navigate workplace dynamics more effectively. Conflict Management Explained When individuals or teams choose to address rather than avoid issues, they engage in conflict management, a proactive approach that aims to resolve disputes during the preservation of relationships. This approach is essential as unresolved conflicts can cost organizations up to $359 billion annually. Conflict management isn’t a one-time event; it requires consistent effort to handle recurring issues effectively. Conflict Avoidance Conflict Management Evades confrontation Actively addresses issues Leads to unresolved issues Aims for resolution Often damages relationships Preserves relationships Effective conflict management focuses on collaboration and communication, emphasizing clear expectations and a culture of trust to promote constructive dialogue and feedback. This creates a more positive work atmosphere. Common Misconceptions About Conflict Resolution Many people think conflict is always a negative experience, but it can actually spark positive change and growth. There’s furthermore a belief that you can apply the same solution to every conflict, when in fact, effective resolution requires customized strategies. Moreover, some assume that resolving conflict is a one-time event, but it often demands ongoing effort and collaboration among all parties involved. Conflict Is Always Negative Conflict often carries a negative connotation, leading many to believe that it should be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, viewing conflict solely as a negative experience overlooks its potential benefits. When managed effectively, conflict can act as a catalyst for positive change and growth within organizations. Instead of shying away from disagreements, addressing them can improve team dynamics and encourage innovation. It’s vital to understand that conflict resolution isn’t a one-time event; it requires ongoing efforts and adjustments. Collaborative approaches are significant, as they allow for diverse perspectives to be considered, ultimately leading to more thorough solutions. One-Size-Fits-All Solutions Have you ever noticed how often people assume there’s a single solution to every conflict? This misconception can lead to ineffective attempts at resolution. Conflict resolution isn’t a one-size-fits-all process; it requires a customized approach that considers the unique context and individuals involved. Each conflict presents different dynamics, which means strategies that work in one scenario might fail in another. Overlooking this complexity ignores the various factors influencing human interactions. If you rely on a single method, you may escalate the situation instead of resolving it. Comprehending that effective conflict resolution involves ongoing efforts and adjustments is vital. By recognizing the need for personalization, you can nurture more effective, lasting solutions to conflicts in your relationships. One-Time Fix Misconception Assuming that resolving a conflict is a one-time fix can lead to frustration and unresolved issues. Conflict resolution isn’t just about finding a quick solution; it involves ongoing efforts and adjustments to tackle underlying problems. You should recognize that successful resolution often requires multiple discussions and strategies, as each conflict is unique. Relying on a single solution can overlook the intricacies of the situation and the individuals involved. Continuous engagement and collaboration among all parties are crucial for lasting resolution. Strategies for Effective Conflict Resolution When managing disputes in the workplace, employing effective conflict resolution strategies is vital for nurturing a collaborative environment. Start by investing in communication training to help employees express their thoughts and feelings clearly, encouraging constructive dialogue. Utilize the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model to identify when to apply different strategies like Avoiding, Competing, Accommodating, Compromising, or Collaborating based on the situation’s assertiveness and cooperativeness needs. Proactive measures, such as setting clear expectations and cultivating a culture of trust and respect, can greatly lower the chances of conflicts arising. Consider implementing conflict coaching and customized resolution training programs to equip leaders and staff with important skills. Finally, conduct regular follow-up sessions after conflict resolution discussions to guarantee agreements are upheld and to address any lingering issues, eventually helping maintain positive workplace relationships and promoting overall organizational productivity. The Role of Communication in Conflict Resolution Effective communication serves as a cornerstone in the process of resolving conflicts within any organization. It allows you to express your feelings, share perspectives, and clarify misunderstandings, creating a collaborative environment for problem-solving. By utilizing active listening techniques, like acknowledging emotions and paraphrasing, you improve comprehension and guarantee all parties feel heard. Establishing ground rules for communication, such as allowing uninterrupted speaking and maintaining a calm demeanor, facilitates productive conversations. Open communication encourages employees to voice concerns, preventing conflicts before they arise and contributing to a healthier workplace culture. Here’s a quick overview of effective communication strategies: Strategy Description Active Listening Acknowledging emotions and summarizing to improve comprehension. Ground Rules Setting guidelines for respectful and calm discussions. Open Communication Encouraging feedback to cultivate a supportive environment. Skilled Communication Promoting clarity and reducing unresolved conflicts. Mediation as a Conflict Resolution Tool Mediation serves as a valuable tool in resolving conflicts by bringing together a neutral third party to guide discussions between those involved. This structured process not merely promotes collaboration but additionally helps address underlying issues through effective communication techniques. As we explore the mediation process, its benefits, and the skills required for effective mediators, you’ll gain insights into how mediation can improve conflict resolution. Mediation Process Overview Although many conflict resolution methods exist, mediation stands out as a structured process where a neutral third party facilitates discussions between those involved in a disagreement. The mediation process typically includes stages like opening statements, identifying key issues, exploring interests, negotiating solutions, and reaching closure. Throughout this process, mediators employ active listening and effective communication techniques to promote comprehension and empathy among parties, essential for addressing underlying concerns. Confidentiality plays an important role, allowing participants to express themselves freely without worrying about repercussions. Follow-up sessions are significant, as they help consolidate progress and create actionable plans, ensuring that the agreed-upon solutions are implemented and maintained over time. Benefits of Mediation Finding effective ways to resolve conflicts can greatly impact personal and professional relationships. Mediation serves as a valuable conflict resolution tool by encouraging open dialogue between conflicting parties. This collaborative approach helps you identify solutions that meet everyone’s needs. It can rebuild trust and restore healthy dynamics, which are vital for a positive work environment and effective teamwork. By transforming hostile settings into cooperative spaces, mediation markedly reduces emotional intensity. The process promotes comprehension and constructive communication, equipping you with skills for future conflicts. Furthermore, mediation typically leads to quicker resolutions compared to traditional methods, minimizing disruptions and maintaining productivity within organizations. Effective Mediator Skills To effectively mediate conflicts, you need a specific set of skills that enable you to guide discussions between opposing parties. First, active listening is vital; it allows each party to share their perspective, clarifying misunderstandings and promoting trust. You should also employ empathy, which helps you understand emotions and viewpoints, making parties feel heard. Utilizing structured approaches can address underlying issues, transforming hostile environments into cooperative spaces. You’ll benefit from training programs that teach techniques like reflective listening and role reversal. Finally, it’s important to conduct ongoing mediation efforts and follow-up sessions. These steps help consolidate progress, guarantee agreements are upheld, and tackle any lingering issues, ultimately leading to successful conflict resolution. Training Programs for Conflict Resolution Skills Training programs for conflict resolution skills are essential tools for organizations aiming to improve their workplace environment. These programs are customized to meet specific needs, enhancing employees’ abilities to manage and resolve conflicts effectively. Key components often include: Conflict Coaching: Personalized support to navigate challenging situations and develop strategies. Communication Training: Techniques to improve interpersonal dynamics and encourage open dialogue. Structured Mediation Practice: Engaging in role-play to understand underlying issues and explore practical resolution methods. Peacemaking Strategies: Approaches focused on restoring trust and building collaborative relationships. Proactive Measures for Preventing Conflict While conflicts are an inevitable part of any workplace, implementing proactive measures can greatly reduce their frequency and intensity. Start by establishing clear expectations and norms; about 70% of employees report that unclear job roles contribute to conflicts. Cultivating a culture of trust and respect promotes open dialogue, helping to prevent misunderstandings that can lead to disputes. Investing in proactive communication training can decrease workplace conflicts by 30%, enhancing your team’s ability to express concerns effectively. Furthermore, customized conflict resolution training equips employees with the skills to manage disagreements collaboratively. Encourage constructive feedback and open discussions about differing opinions, as employees who feel heard are 62% less likely to engage in conflicts. Navigating Emotional Conflict in the Workplace Even in a workplace where proactive measures have been taken to prevent conflict, emotional disputes can still emerge. When misunderstandings and differing communication styles surface, it’s crucial to address them effectively to maintain morale and productivity. Here are four strategies to navigate emotional conflict: Acknowledge Emotions: Recognizing and validating feelings can prevent escalation and encourage open communication among team members. Practice Active Listening: Show that you’re engaged by listening attentively. This helps team members feel heard and comprehended. Encourage Empathy: Grasping others’ perspectives can bridge gaps in communication and build stronger relationships. Create a Safe Space: Establish an environment where employees can express their concerns without fear. This openness promotes better conflict resolution and improves team dynamics. The Impact of Workplace Dynamics on Conflict Workplace dynamics markedly influence the nature and frequency of conflicts that arise among employees. With diverse backgrounds and personalities, conflicts are often inevitable. In fact, 53% of employees choose to avoid “toxic” situations, leading to significant productivity losses. Unresolved conflicts can cost American businesses up to $359 billion each year, emphasizing the need for effective management to guarantee organizational health and morale. Emotional conflicts, frequently stemming from interpersonal relationships, can escalate tensions if left unaddressed, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence in resolving disputes. You’ll notice that task-based conflicts may conceal deeper issues, such as perceived inequities, whereas relationship conflicts require finding common ground for collaboration. By effectively managing these conflicts, you can cultivate a culture of trust and respect, enhancing team dynamics and encouraging innovative problem-solving, which eventually benefits overall organizational performance. Long-term Benefits of Effective Conflict Resolution When organizations implement effective conflict resolution strategies, they reveal a range of long-term benefits that can greatly improve their overall performance. By addressing conflicts head-on, you can promote a healthier workplace environment, leading to significant gains. Here are some key benefits: Increased Productivity: Teams collaborating more harmoniously can boost productivity by up to 25%. Reduced Turnover Rates: Prioritizing conflict resolution can lower turnover rates by 30%, saving costs on recruitment and training. Improved Employee Engagement: Addressing conflicts effectively can improve morale, resulting in a 50% increase in employee commitment to organizational goals. Stronger Workplace Relationships: Organizations with solid conflict resolution practices report a 35% improvement in relationships, nurturing a culture of trust and collaboration. These long-term benefits not just improve workplace dynamics but contribute to overall organizational success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 5 C’s of conflict resolution are Context, Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, and Commitment. First, you need to understand the context to identify root causes. Then, open communication allows everyone to express their views honestly. Creativity nurtures innovative solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Collaboration helps find common ground, whereas commitment guarantees all parties follow through on agreements. Together, these elements create a structured approach to effectively resolve conflicts and improve relationships. How to Define Conflict Resolution? You can define conflict resolution as the process of addressing and settling disputes or disagreements between individuals or groups. It aims to find a mutually acceptable solution, enhancing relationships and comprehension. This process involves effective communication, active listening, and collaboration, all of which help uncover underlying issues. What Are the 4 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 4 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Cooperation, Compromise, and Consensus. Effective Communication guarantees you listen actively and express your thoughts clearly, allowing all parties to feel heard. Cooperation involves working together in the direction of a shared goal, prioritizing relationships over individual interests. Compromise means making concessions for a satisfactory solution. Finally, Consensus is achieving an agreement where everyone feels invested, nurturing commitment and enhancing team dynamics for better future interactions. What Are the 3 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 3 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Collaboration, and Compromise. Effective Communication involves active listening and clear expression of thoughts, ensuring everyone feels heard. Collaboration emphasizes working together to identify common goals and solutions, nurturing teamwork. Compromise requires parties to make concessions, balancing their needs to reach an agreement that satisfies all. Conclusion In conclusion, comprehending conflict resolution is vital for promoting a collaborative and productive workplace. By distinguishing it from conflict management, you can focus on proactive strategies that emphasize communication and emotional intelligence. Recognizing the impact of workplace dynamics enables you to address potential conflicts effectively. Ultimately, investing in conflict resolution not just improves relationships but additionally contributes to a healthier organizational culture, leading to long-term benefits for both individuals and the organization as a whole. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "How to Define Conflict Resolution in a Comprehensive Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker reports the smallest interactions to HR I have a new coworker, Fran, who has not been fitting in with the vibe at work. She seems to have very thin skin, and at any perceived slight, will report coworkers or leaders to HR. Just today, I had an interaction that would have been standard and unmemorable with any other coworker. I was working next to Fran. She asked me a question, and I gave a very calm and direct answer. Fran said she hasn’t performed this particular task before, and to please give her some grace. I didn’t respond, and that was the end of the interaction. Not long after, I was pulled into the office by leadership because Fran had reported that interaction, and I was given a written warning. This has become a pattern, with multiple of my coworkers reported to leadership or HR by Fran. I want to report to leadership/ HR that Fran is putting the staff on edge because we are all afraid of being reported by her. How do I do this in a way that doesn’t seem like I’m retaliating or picking on her? I’m also worried that my leadership won’t take the issue seriously. Fran sounds like a pain in the ass, but it’s also true that responding with silence to someone who says “please give me some grace” could read pretty as fairly rude. It’s still absurd that she escalated it, but she sounds like someone where it’s better not to give them any excuse to complain about you; your life will probably be easier if you just make a point of being scrupulously professional. As for reporting what’s happening to leadership or HR … don’t they know? If Fran is constantly reporting people to leadership or HR, they by definition are aware of it. That said, you could certainly talk to your boss about the chilling effect it’s having on team relations and the fact that it’s hard to work with Fran when you have to worry that innocuous comments will set her off. 2. Protecting interns from office drama I’m part of the management team of a company of about 300 staff. I have a problem with Trinity, who is on the same team I’m on. I’m not her manager, but I am senior to her (because both her boss, Collins, and I report to the CEO). There is some drama with Robby, a new senior exec who has joined, and Langdon, who he’s brought onto his team as his right hand. Langdon took over a big project with a really important client — the type of project that my team has spearheaded and has been very successful in managing — and is failing, badly, despite repeated offers of help and support (never even taking our offer to give an initial overview of our experience with these projects). So that’s a whole big problem and I’m trying to keep my head down from the drama, although I expect my CEO to ask for my perspective in the coming days. But Trinity is a huge gossip. She’s telling everyone and anyone all about her issues with Robby and Langdon, she is openly at our table complaining about them, and whenever she notices anyone talking about it she comes up laughingly and is like, “Haha I wanna know, too, let’s talk,” etc. In the past, she has rejected feedback from me, so I’ve given it sparingly. The team lead of the team we’re both on, Collins, despite being very competent in most areas and a good friend, doesn’t love giving negative feedback and I know that’s another issue. But I also have two interns right now, and Trinity is openly gossiping with them around. I’ve asked her to please keep the interns out of the situation, and impressed upon her that I’d recommend we all keep our heads down in this situation, that Robby and Langdon have very senior positions (and political maneuvering skills) and it might backfire massively to talk to so many people about them. She didn’t seem to catch my point. In fact, when I asked her to keep the interns out of it she said, “Oh but with Whitaker I always laugh so much and we have such a good relationship.” I plan to have a conversation with both interns along the following lines: “It’s my responsibility to show you work norms around tricky things like office politics. I am aware there is currently some office drama, and I want to assure you that none of it will affect our project or you, and want to advise to not take everything flying around at face value and, furthermore, to engage with it as little as possible. If you have any questions, you can always come to me.” Is that the right approach? Is there anything else I should do? Yes, that’s exactly the right approach. If I were one of the interns, I’d feel reassured that someone was being thoughtful about how we might be experiencing this and letting us know we didn’t need to worry about it. You should also tell Trinity’s boss, Collins, that you’ve asked her to be more discreet around the interns and she’s just laughed you off. Feel free to say, “Could you tell her that she needs to rein it in?” Since it sounds like Collins is a wimpy manager, she may or may not do that, but it’s a reasonable request to make — and simply making it highlights that there’s a problem she’s currently not dealing with. 3. What are my responsibilities when leaving a problematic team? I recently took a short-term contract while looking for a permanent role. It is a small, busy team with a high workload. On my first day of work, I was informed that a coworker has stage 4 brain cancer and we needed to be careful about staying away from work when we were sick (generally good advice, and something I read as a green flag). After a few weeks, it was evident that their illness was worse than initially disclosed. As a result of treatment, they aren’t able to read well and have significant vision impairments, impacted emotional regulation, and poor boundaries, including continually disclosing medical details while at their desk, or using voice-to-text to read medical records aloud. Coworkers were often expected to stop work to help this person do a simple task like re-set a password or find a file, and effectively the team is down one full-time staff member, which means the workload increases for others alongside other support work expectations. I lost a parent to brain cancer, and decided to end the contract early for my own mental health (I have a new role starting in the next few weeks, and the resources to cover the time off). In my exit interview, the manager disclosed that other employees have left because of the same issue, and that he is also dealing (secretly) with a brain tumor himself. I think this explains some of the “missing stair” behavior around the unsafe norms in that workplace. What are my responsibilities here? I recognize there are some personal impacts for me which made the environment difficult, but I do not think it is a safe workplace for anyone. You don’t have any responsibilities here! You were a short-term contractor, and you’re no longer there. Employees of that team are well positioned to raise it if they want to, but it’s not something you’re responsible for raising, nor do you even really have standing to raise it at this point. The exceptions to this would be if (a) you were brought in by someone higher up there who you had a pre-existing relationship with, in which case you could share with them what your experience was or (b) the issues were related to physical safety. But short of something like that, mentally wish them all well and just focus on moving forward. 4. Firing an employee on April Fools’ Day Should managers avoid firing/laying off employees on April Fools’ Day so they don’t think it’s a cruel April Fools’ joke? Managers should avoid being the type of manager where it would ever cross an employee’s mind that they’d fake-fire someone as a cruel joke. If there’s any risk of anyone wondering about that, it’s a sign that something already has gone terribly wrong. (And sure, in those offices they should avoid it — but that’s the least of their problems at that point.) Related: when giving good news, my boss first pretends to be upset as a “joke” 5. Will I have to pay back insurance premiums if I don’t return from maternity leave? Can you walk me through what could happen in the event I don’t return from maternity leave? I plan to use both FMLA and short-term disability. I get 16 weeks off —12 paid (100% pay for the first eight weeks and 60% pay for the last four weeks) and four weeks unpaid. I plan to take my full maternity leave but due to child care costs, I am leaning towards being a stay-at-home mom. I am on my employer’s insurance plan. Can they demand I repay them for their part of my insurance premiums? How should I go about asking them this? If you take paid maternity leave and then don’t return, legally you can be responsible for repaying the cost of your health insurance from the period when you were on leave (unless you return for at least 30 days). Whether or not your company will do that is up to them. Ideally you’d be able to find out for sure by consulting an employee handbook or other written policies, but if you can’t find it there, you could frame the question this way to HR: “I plan to return once my maternity leave is over, but I want to be realistic that people’s plans sometimes change. Can you fill me in on how our policies work both if I do and if I don’t return?” The post coworker reports small interactions to HR, protecting interns from office drama, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

After years focused on payouts and discipline, energy majors are being pressed on the longevity of their reservesView the full article

Freeing ourselves of these labels might help young people to think more creatively about the futureView the full article