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Google AI boss tells FT that despite unsustainable exuberance in the tech sector, ‘if the bubble bursts we will be fine’View the full article

Below, J. Eric Oliver shares five key insights from his new book, How To Know Your Self: The Art & Science of Discovering Who You Really Are. Eric has been teaching at the University of Chicago for 20 years as a professor of political science. He has published six books and numerous scholarly articles on topics ranging from the “obesity epidemic” to the sources of conspiratorial thinking in American politics. He is also the host of the Knowing podcast. What’s the big idea? We suffer because we mistake the fluid process of being for a fixed identity. Flourishing begins when we learn to bring into alignment and balance the forces that shape the self. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Eric himself—in the Next Big Idea App. 1. You are not a noun. You are a verb. For most of my life, I thought of myself as a fixed entity: This is me. These are my traits. This is who I am. I assumed I was essentially that same person who loved sugary cereal at age 8, fried chicken at 12, and tequila at 21, and who still loves those things now, even if my stomach disagrees. But this is an illusion. Neuroscience, physics, and Buddhism all agree: There is nothing fixed about us—not even close. Instead, we are processes. We are an ever-shifting swirl of molecules, emotions, passing thoughts, and the lingering echo of every person we’ve ever loved, disliked, or wanted to impress. The self is a process. More specifically, your self is all the ways the energies that animate you as a living being negotiate with reality. Unfortunately, like most negotiations in my life, I accepted the contract without reading the fine print. And so, much of myself is caught up in painful and unproductive feeling states. But the good news is that once you see yourself as a verb, not a noun, everything changes. You realize you are not stuck, even if your mind insists you are. Instead, you are continually unfolding and can be redirected in more positive ways. We are not broken things, but misaligned processes. 2. Our purpose in life is balance. When people ask about my “purpose,” I usually mumble something about being a better parent, writing a good book, or trying to make the world a better place. But the reality is that none of these activities really defines my life. They are disguises of what my life’s true purpose is: Optimizing this self. This notion is not as shallow or narcissistic as it first sounds. It starts with a key fact: At our core, we are living energy systems. Everything that we know as ourselves—our identities, thoughts, emotions, and so on—are ways this living energy system within keeps going. The self is what keeps the flame of life alight, preferably without burning the house down in the process. This means balancing two basic imperatives of the self: Order: all the structures that organize our lives, from our cells to habits to calendars. Vitality: the energy that animates us—what compels us to sing and dance or eat that second slice of cake. This is where balance becomes vital. A self with too much order is stifled and diminished, but a self with too much vitality is wasteful and incoherent. The secret to living well is finding the right balance between Order and Vitality at all layers of your being. Your moods, thoughts, and “good” or “bad” days all emerge from this balancing act. To optimize your life, you need to see and fix the things that throw you out of alignment. 3. Thoughts do not define you. I used to believe that my thoughts were everything. Every anxious rumination. Every petty judgment. Every catastrophic prediction about the future—all hard truths. But this was a delusion. Thoughts are more like mental weather that rolls in and rolls out. Your thoughts are not you. They are mental emissions—quick guesses that your brain makes to keep you eating better or stop you from walking into traffic. “When you step back and watch your thoughts without always believing them, you gain a bit of freedom.” Once I realized this, life became a lot lighter. I learned to ask myself, “Is this thought helping anything?” And a lot of the time, the answer was no. Sure, I might still wake up at 3 a.m., but I’m no longer convinced that the world was ending because I hadn’t replied to an email. When you step back and watch your thoughts without always believing them, you gain a bit of freedom. A little spaciousness. A moment of, “Oh, look. There’s my anxiety talking again. How cute.” It’s surprisingly life-changing. 4. We are social beings—down to our cells. Inside each of your cells live many tiny creatures called mitochondria. Technically, they are not the same species as you. They moved into our cells a billion years ago and never left. They also reveal a profound truth: We are not a singular person, but a collection of living beings. Our very essence is a social phenomenon. We live because of cooperation. We flourish because of connection. Our selves are not built in isolation. They grow in language, in culture, in relationships, and especially in the messy ones that involve stressful holidays, unmet expectations, or the occasional handwritten apology. I used to think I could solve myself privately, through solitary contemplation and discipline. Now I know better. The way I really grow as a person is through my relationships with others. It’s where I find my sticking points, meaning the places where my self-processes are misaligned. “As a social being, love is not optional.” If you want to thrive, you must do it in community, whatever that means for you. As a social being, love is not optional. Friendship is not optional. Intimacy is not optional. Even conflict, when done kindly, can be a tool for growth. This is humbling, but also oddly comforting. We don’t have to figure everything out alone. In fact, we shouldn’t even try to. Balance is something we figure out together. 5. Living well means recognizing your imbalances, and letting them go. Most of us secretly believe in a moment of transcendence: If I get the perfect job … If the kitchen remodel ever finishes … If my partner would just load the dishwasher correctly … … then I will be calm, wise, and fulfilled. But transcendence doesn’t work like that. Living well is both simpler and more difficult than we usually believe. First, you have to see your imbalances—the places where you are rigid, afraid, lonely, or exhausted. Recognizing them can be difficult because your mind will keep insisting that these reactions are essential to your survival. But most of the time, they are not. They are merely habits that we keep around even if they aren’t serving us well. Once we can see our thoughts and feelings this way, they no longer dominate us. But then comes the harder part: letting them go. Not by force, but by curiosity, courage, and care. Three things help: Tend to your basics. Sleep, relationships, food, and meaningful work are all essential. You can’t build a thriving self on a collapsing foundation. To find your optimal balance, you first need to locate the right footing. This means taking care of your body’s basic needs. Direct your attention. Wherever your attention goes, your experience follows. We need to find ways to control our minds better. Meditation, journaling, and yoga are useful tools for doing this. They all reveal our mental machinery and help cultivate mindfulness. Engage your emotions with gentleness. Our emotions aren’t verdicts. They’re signals. If we treat them as teachers instead of emergencies, they lose their power to dominate us. When you can sit with your feelings and muster some calm detachment, a radical change happens. What emerges is not a flawless, transcendent self, but a softer, wiser relationship with the person you already are. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

Companies have never had more tools to measure engagement, yet employees have never reported feeling more disconnected. It’s one of the defining paradoxes of modern work: Engagement scores are the obsession of many organizations, yet loneliness, turnover, and team friction are rising. People are completing their tasks but not always experiencing the relationships that make work sustainable, creative, or truly human. Engagement measures motivation, whereas connectedness assesses whether people can work effectively together over time. Many researchers and thinkers have named the forces shaping the future of work. Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, highlights how today’s workforce arrives with higher baseline anxiety and weaker social muscles, shaped by smartphone-centered adolescence and a decline in face-to-face interaction. Sociologist Allison Pugh, in The Last Human Job, argues that the only irreplaceable work humans will do in the future is relational, involving empathy, attunement, and presence, the distinctively human capacities that AI cannot replicate. Given all this, why are organizations still leaning so heavily on engagement surveys, tools that were built decades ago for a radically different world of work? Because engagement has historically been a useful signal. However, in today’s context, it is insufficient. Engagement indicates whether people are motivated, whereas connectedness indicates whether people can thrive. When Engagement Worked and Why It No Longer Does There’s a reason engagement became the gold standard of workplace metrics. According to Kevin Kruse, a serial entrepreneur and best-selling author, engagement reflects the emotional commitment employees feel toward their organization—the psychological spark behind discretionary effort. Engaged employees often deliver higher productivity, better customer service, and stronger alignment with the company’s purpose. For years, engagement surveys have helped leaders understand motivation at scale. In the industrial, colocated workplaces for which they were designed, engagement was a reasonable proxy for performance. But motivation is no longer the primary bottleneck. The bottleneck is relational capacity: people’s ability to work together, navigate conflict, build trust, and collaborate across distance and difference. Today, an employee can be engaged with their tasks while feeling profoundly disconnected from their team. They can care about the mission yet feel invisible in meetings. They can exceed goals while having no one at work they can confide in. High engagement can sit atop fragile relational foundations. In hybrid and distributed work, it often does. Engagement indicates whether people are enthusiastic, while connectedness indicates whether an organization is healthy. Why Engagement No Longer Matches the Moment The central challenge facing leaders is not effort, it’s isolation. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory called loneliness a “public health epidemic,” noting that the workplace is one of the primary places where adults seek connection. Hybrid work has weakened casual social ties, while digital communication has reduced emotional nuance. Younger workers, raised in online ecosystems, often arrive less practiced in conflict resolution, spontaneous dialogue, and relational risk-taking, all core ingredients of high-functioning teams. Employees may be engaged but unable to speak candidly, trust teammates, navigate differences, ask for help, or integrate into a cohesive whole. As Moe, a workplace culture expert and bestselling author, often says: “People thrive when they feel seen, not just surveyed.” Engagement surveys weren’t designed to measure visibility, they were designed to measure satisfaction, and satisfaction does not predict resilience. What Connectedness Actually Measures Connectedness is not a vibe, it is a measurable set of relational conditions that determine whether people can do complex, interdependent work together. We define connectedness as “The degree to which people feel seen, supported, trusted, and in meaningful relationships with the humans they rely on to do their work.” Connectedness captures dimensions that engagement simply doesn’t: 1. Relational Trust. Do people believe their colleagues have their backs? Trust is a well-established predictor of team performance and psychological bravery. 2. Belonging. A sense of belonging reduces turnover risk, buffers stress, and improves collaboration. Deloitte reports that 79% of employees surveyed said fostering belonging was important to organizational success, and 93% agreed belonging drives organizational performance. 3. Psychological Bravery. Can employees disagree productively? Tell the truth? Take interpersonal risks? Bravery is what fuels innovation and healthy conflict. 4. Purpose and Meaning. Clarity of purpose is not a strategic artifact, it is relational glue. It helps employees understand not only what they do but also why they matter. 5. Network Strength and Collaboration Flow. This reflects how well people work together across teams, not just how they feel about the organization in the abstract. 6. Feeling Seen. Employees do not require perfection, but they do require recognition of their humanity: their story, their needs, their contributions. Allison Pugh’s research underscores this point: These relational dimensions are the very aspects of work that machines cannot automate. “The irreplaceable human contribution,” she writes, “is connection itself.” Connectedness Predicts Performance Better Than Engagement Does Why is connectedness more predictive than engagement? Research across organizational psychology, sociology, and network science consistently shows that connected teams: Innovate more easily Recover from setbacks faster Handle conflict with less damage Execute complex work with fewer delays Experience lower burnout and turnover Google’s Project Aristotle famously found that psychological safety—a relational variable—was the top predictor of team effectiveness, beating out individual talent and skill mix. In hybrid and in-person work, it is the strength of relationships, not individual sentiment scores, that determines the speed of collaboration, cross-functional problem-solving, and execution resilience. Engagement fuels effort while connectedness fuels performance. How Leaders Can Start Measuring Connectedness Today This is where leaders typically ask: “Okay, but how do we measure something as intangible as connectedness?” Here’s a practical playbook from our combined work: 1. Quarterly Connection Pulses. Short, frequent surveys with questions such as: Do you feel connected to the people you work closely with? Do you have someone at work you can be real with? Does cross-team collaboration feel trusting and safe? 2. Relationship Network Mapping. Organizational network analysis, a method of mapping networks in organizations, can identify bottlenecks, isolated individuals, and overloaded “super-connectors.” 3. Leader Relational Credibility Index. A relational 360: Do people feel seen, supported, safe, challenged, and understood by their leaders? 4. Collaboration Friction Score. Identify where function-to-function trust is breaking down, even when engagement is high. 5. Belonging Gaps. Identify individuals who are enthusiastic but invisible, the group most vulnerable to burnout and turnover. 6. Monthly Meet-Ups. Replace or refine annual performance reviews with regular, meaningful two-way dialogue between the people leader and the employee. These tools shift leaders from watching scores to watching stories, the lived relational realities within their teams. To build connected organizations, leaders must shift from driving engagement to designing relational ecosystems and from motivating individuals to strengthening networks. In Tony’s work designing relational leadership experiences, we call this creating Campfires of Connection: intentional spaces where people can speak bravely, listen deeply, and reconnect with the purpose behind their work. In Moe’s research, this is the Heart Habit of leadership: showing up with curiosity, presence, and attunement so people feel truly seen. In a world where isolation is rising and trust is fraying, connectedness is a strategic capability, and it’s time leaders start measuring what matters most. View the full article

Remote and hybrid teams provide significant advantages for both employees and organizations. These arrangements improve work-life balance, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and enhanced productivity. By allowing flexible schedules, companies can tap into a broader talent pool, saving on costs as they nurture diversity. In addition, these setups support stronger team collaboration and employee well-being. As you explore these benefits, consider how they might impact your own work experience and team dynamics. Key Takeaways Remote and hybrid work arrangements enhance work-life balance, leading to higher employee satisfaction and retention rates. Flexibility in work hours contributes to improved productivity, allowing employees to work during their peak performance times. Organizations gain access to a broader talent pool, attracting diverse candidates with specialized skills beyond geographical limitations. Both employees and companies experience cost savings, with reduced commuting expenses for workers and lower overhead costs for employers. Enhanced team collaboration and mental health support are achieved through digital communication tools and flexible work structures, fostering a cohesive work environment. Enhanced Work-Life Balance As remote and hybrid work arrangements become more common, many employees find that they can achieve a better work-life balance. With flexible work hours and locations, you can better manage your time and personal responsibilities. A considerable reduction in commute times means you can dedicate more hours to personal activities, improving overall satisfaction and well-being. The flexibility in choosing where you work helps mitigate burnout, allowing you to tailor your environment to fit your needs and productivity patterns. When managing hybrid teams, leaders notice that this flexibility contributes to higher retention rates, especially among women and those with long commutes. Studies show that when employees gain control over their work hours and locations, their productivity increases, leading to a healthier balance and better job performance. Increased Employee Satisfaction When you have the flexibility to choose your work location, it greatly improves your work-life balance, leading to higher job satisfaction. Studies show that hybrid work arrangements reduce employee turnover by 33%, highlighting the importance of autonomy in your role. In the end, this flexibility not only empowers you but additionally contributes to increased engagement and productivity, making it an essential aspect of modern work environments. Work-Life Balance Enhancement Remote and hybrid work arrangements greatly improve work-life balance, leading to increased employee satisfaction. Employees in hybrid models report a better balance between their personal and professional lives, resulting in reduced burnout and higher job satisfaction. This flexibility allows you to manage personal responsibilities alongside your work tasks, which is vital for overall satisfaction. Studies show that having the option to work remotely markedly boosts retention rates, as you feel more fulfilled when you can choose your work environment. Furthermore, eliminating commute time gives you more opportunities to engage in personal activities that promote well-being. Working during your peak productivity hours, enabled by flexible schedules, further contributes to improved satisfaction and performance in your role. Flexibility and Autonomy Benefits The flexibility and autonomy provided by remote and hybrid work models markedly contribute to increased employee satisfaction. You can choose your work hours and location, which often leads to improved work-life balance and time efficiency. This ability to manage personal responsibilities during working helps boost your productivity and job satisfaction. Many employees prefer this level of autonomy, as studies show it correlates with higher retention rates, especially among knowledge workers who appreciate control over their environments. Furthermore, a hybrid model allows you to tailor your work methods, cultivating a sense of ownership that improves job satisfaction. Offering flexible arrangements aligns with expectations, as most knowledge workers now anticipate some degree of remote work in their roles. Improved Productivity Levels When you work in a remote or hybrid setup, you often enjoy improved work-life balance, which directly impacts your productivity. Flexible work hours mean you can structure your day to fit your peak performance times, allowing for better focus on tasks. Furthermore, reduced commute stress frees up valuable time and energy, enabling you to concentrate on your work more effectively. Enhanced Work-Life Balance Achieving a better work-life balance substantially improves productivity levels for employees in hybrid arrangements. When you can manage your personal responsibilities during working, it leads to higher job satisfaction and reduces burnout. The flexibility of hybrid work allows you to allocate your time effectively, whether that means focusing on work tasks or personal activities. Benefit Impact Improved Job Satisfaction Increases motivation and engagement Reduced Turnover Rate 33% decrease, especially for women Improved Productivity Customized work environments boost output Flexible Work Hours Flexible work hours play a significant role in enhancing productivity levels for employees, especially in hybrid and remote work settings. When you can work during your peak productivity times, you’re likely to experience increased efficiency and job satisfaction. A study shows that 65% of remote workers report working more hours than their in-office counterparts, indicating the potential for heightened productivity with flexible schedules. Furthermore, having control over your work hours helps you maintain a better work-life balance, reducing burnout and improving overall performance. This flexibility likewise allows you to manage personal responsibilities more effectively, leading to better focus during work hours. Organizations offering flexible schedules can attract and retain top talent, as many knowledge workers now expect some level of remote work flexibility. Reduced Commute Stress Reducing commute stress is one of the most notable advantages of remote and hybrid work models, as it allows you to reclaim valuable time that would otherwise be spent traveling to and from the office. With shorter or eliminated commutes, you can redirect those hours toward productive tasks or personal activities, greatly enhancing your work-life balance. Studies show that lower commute-related stress leads to improved overall productivity, focus, and creativity, as you have more energy to dedicate to your work. Furthermore, the financial savings from reduced commuting costs can be allocated to enhancing your work environment or personal well-being. In the end, less time spent commuting contributes to higher job satisfaction and retention rates, benefiting both you and your employer. Access to a Broader Talent Pool As companies adopt remote and hybrid work models, they gain access to a broader talent pool that transcends geographical boundaries. This flexibility not only draws in a diverse range of candidates but additionally greatly improves the chances of finding the right fit for specific roles. Studies indicate that knowledge workers increasingly prioritize remote options, making organizations that offer these models more appealing. Here’s a quick overview of the benefits: Benefit Description Impact on Organization Diverse Talent Access to candidates from various backgrounds Improved creativity and innovation Increased Flexibility Attracts workers seeking better work-life balance Higher retention rates Cost Efficiency Reduced recruitment costs by broadening reach Better hiring outcomes Specialized Skills Ability to find niche skills not available locally Strengthened competitive advantage Cost Savings for Employees and Organizations Though remote and hybrid work models offer significant advantages for both employees and organizations, one of the most compelling aspects is the potential for cost savings. For employees, these arrangements can save an average of $4,000 annually by eliminating: Commuting costs, which include fuel or public transportation fees. Work attire expenses, as formal clothing requirements diminish. Daily meals outside the home, leading to reduced food expenditure. Organizations likewise benefit financially, with the opportunity to reduce overhead costs by up to 30%. This is achieved through decreased office space needs and lower utility expenses. In addition, the flexibility of remote work allows employees to choose lower-cost living areas, enhancing their financial situation. Companies can similarly experience increased employee retention rates, as 80% of workers prefer some form of remote work, saving on recruitment and training costs. Flexibility in Work Arrangements Flexibility in work arrangements has become a crucial factor in today’s employment environment, allowing employees to choose when and where they work. This level of control over work hours and location has been linked to improved productivity and reduced burnout. Studies show that those with hybrid work options report better work-life balance, which leads to higher job satisfaction and retention rates. By embracing remote work flexibility, organizations can tap into a broader talent pool, unrestricted by geographic boundaries, enhancing their recruitment efforts. Moreover, flexible schedules enable you to manage personal responsibilities more effectively, resulting in improved overall performance and well-being. Research indicates that providing hybrid work models can decrease turnover rates, particularly among women and non-managers, by as much as 33%. In a competitive job market, these factors illustrate why flexibility in work arrangements is critical for both employees and organizations alike. Strengthened Team Collaboration In today’s work environment, strengthened team collaboration can emerge as a significant advantage of remote and hybrid models. These setups utilize digital communication tools that promote engagement, even when team members are miles apart. Here are three key aspects of this collaboration: Continuous Innovation: The flexibility of hybrid arrangements encourages a culture of creativity and idea-sharing, allowing teams to adapt swiftly to challenges. Diverse Perspectives: With access to a broader talent pool, organizations can attract individuals from various locations, enriching discussions and collaboration with different viewpoints. Enhanced Cohesion: Regular check-ins and clear communication strategies help maintain connections among team members, strengthening overall team dynamics. Boosted Employee Retention Rates As companies increasingly embrace hybrid work models, they often see a notable boost in employee retention rates. Shifting to a hybrid schedule can reduce turnover by 33%, demonstrating a strong link between such arrangements and retention. A study of over 1,600 workers at Trip.com revealed that women, non-managers, and those with long commutes exhibit the highest retention rates. Furthermore, 80% of U.S. companies adopting remote work policies report improved employee satisfaction. The flexibility of hybrid work greatly improves work-life balance, an essential factor for retaining talent. It’s clear that employees with remote work flexibility tend to stay longer, making hybrid models effective for attracting and retaining top talent. Factor Impact on Retention Hybrid Work Model 33% Decrease in Turnover Employee Satisfaction 80% Report Improvement Flexibility Key for Work-Life Balance Support for Mental Health and Well-Being Even though many remote workers enjoy the benefits of flexible schedules, a significant number still face challenges related to mental health and well-being. Nearly half report feeling a lack of emotional support at work, which underscores the need for customized mental health resources. Addressing these challenges is essential, as 11% of remote workers experience burnout, impacting productivity. To effectively support mental health, organizations can implement the following strategies: Flexible Work Hours: Allowing for varied schedules helps maintain a healthier work-life balance. Increased Paid Time Off (PTO): Offering additional PTO can combat feelings of burnout and help recharge employees. Digital Wellness Initiatives: Tools addressing personal finance and other well-being aspects can improve retention, with 84% of employees preferring employers who provide all-encompassing wellness solutions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Vs Remote? When comparing hybrid versus remote work models, you’ll notice distinct benefits. Hybrid work offers flexibility, allowing you to balance in-office and remote hours, which can improve job satisfaction. You’re likewise likely to experience better collaboration with colleagues when meeting face-to-face occasionally. Conversely, fully remote work provides more freedom in location and often eliminates commute times, promoting a better work-life balance. Both models can boost productivity but cater to different employee preferences and needs. What Are the 5 C’s of Hybrid Work? The five C’s of hybrid work are collaboration, culture, communication, creativity, and comfort. You’ll find that collaboration combines in-person and remote teamwork, nurturing diverse ideas. A strong culture promotes employee satisfaction and retention. Effective communication guarantees clarity and cohesion within teams. Creativity flourishes when individuals work during their most productive hours. Finally, comfort leads to improved work-life balance, reducing stress and increasing overall job satisfaction, which benefits both employees and organizations. What Is a Key Benefit of Managing a Virtual or Hybrid Workplace? A key benefit of managing a virtual or hybrid workplace is the ability to access a broader talent pool. By removing geographical restrictions, you can recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds, enhancing your team’s creativity and problem-solving capabilities. This approach not just increases inclusion but furthermore strengthens your organization by bringing in various perspectives. Moreover, remote work often leads to greater employee satisfaction, which can boost retention rates and overall productivity within your team. What Are the Benefits of Working Remotely for the Team? Working remotely offers several advantages for your team. You’ll experience improved work-life balance, as flexible hours allow you to manage your personal and professional responsibilities more effectively. This setup can lead to reduced burnout, enhancing overall productivity. Furthermore, remote work eliminates commute time, contributing to healthier lifestyles. You’ll likewise find that you can tap into a wider talent pool, enabling you to collaborate with diverse individuals regardless of their location. Conclusion In conclusion, remote and hybrid teams offer significant advantages that can benefit both employees and organizations. You can enjoy improved work-life balance, increased satisfaction, and enhanced productivity, as well as accessing a diverse talent pool. These flexible arrangements lead to cost savings and promote stronger collaboration, ultimately boosting employee retention rates. By prioritizing mental health and well-being, remote work structures not just support individual growth but likewise contribute to the overall success of the organization. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Key Benefits of Remote and Hybrid Teams" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Remote and hybrid teams provide significant advantages for both employees and organizations. These arrangements improve work-life balance, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and enhanced productivity. By allowing flexible schedules, companies can tap into a broader talent pool, saving on costs as they nurture diversity. In addition, these setups support stronger team collaboration and employee well-being. As you explore these benefits, consider how they might impact your own work experience and team dynamics. Key Takeaways Remote and hybrid work arrangements enhance work-life balance, leading to higher employee satisfaction and retention rates. Flexibility in work hours contributes to improved productivity, allowing employees to work during their peak performance times. Organizations gain access to a broader talent pool, attracting diverse candidates with specialized skills beyond geographical limitations. Both employees and companies experience cost savings, with reduced commuting expenses for workers and lower overhead costs for employers. Enhanced team collaboration and mental health support are achieved through digital communication tools and flexible work structures, fostering a cohesive work environment. Enhanced Work-Life Balance As remote and hybrid work arrangements become more common, many employees find that they can achieve a better work-life balance. With flexible work hours and locations, you can better manage your time and personal responsibilities. A considerable reduction in commute times means you can dedicate more hours to personal activities, improving overall satisfaction and well-being. The flexibility in choosing where you work helps mitigate burnout, allowing you to tailor your environment to fit your needs and productivity patterns. When managing hybrid teams, leaders notice that this flexibility contributes to higher retention rates, especially among women and those with long commutes. Studies show that when employees gain control over their work hours and locations, their productivity increases, leading to a healthier balance and better job performance. Increased Employee Satisfaction When you have the flexibility to choose your work location, it greatly improves your work-life balance, leading to higher job satisfaction. Studies show that hybrid work arrangements reduce employee turnover by 33%, highlighting the importance of autonomy in your role. In the end, this flexibility not only empowers you but additionally contributes to increased engagement and productivity, making it an essential aspect of modern work environments. Work-Life Balance Enhancement Remote and hybrid work arrangements greatly improve work-life balance, leading to increased employee satisfaction. Employees in hybrid models report a better balance between their personal and professional lives, resulting in reduced burnout and higher job satisfaction. This flexibility allows you to manage personal responsibilities alongside your work tasks, which is vital for overall satisfaction. Studies show that having the option to work remotely markedly boosts retention rates, as you feel more fulfilled when you can choose your work environment. Furthermore, eliminating commute time gives you more opportunities to engage in personal activities that promote well-being. Working during your peak productivity hours, enabled by flexible schedules, further contributes to improved satisfaction and performance in your role. Flexibility and Autonomy Benefits The flexibility and autonomy provided by remote and hybrid work models markedly contribute to increased employee satisfaction. You can choose your work hours and location, which often leads to improved work-life balance and time efficiency. This ability to manage personal responsibilities during working helps boost your productivity and job satisfaction. Many employees prefer this level of autonomy, as studies show it correlates with higher retention rates, especially among knowledge workers who appreciate control over their environments. Furthermore, a hybrid model allows you to tailor your work methods, cultivating a sense of ownership that improves job satisfaction. Offering flexible arrangements aligns with expectations, as most knowledge workers now anticipate some degree of remote work in their roles. Improved Productivity Levels When you work in a remote or hybrid setup, you often enjoy improved work-life balance, which directly impacts your productivity. Flexible work hours mean you can structure your day to fit your peak performance times, allowing for better focus on tasks. Furthermore, reduced commute stress frees up valuable time and energy, enabling you to concentrate on your work more effectively. Enhanced Work-Life Balance Achieving a better work-life balance substantially improves productivity levels for employees in hybrid arrangements. When you can manage your personal responsibilities during working, it leads to higher job satisfaction and reduces burnout. The flexibility of hybrid work allows you to allocate your time effectively, whether that means focusing on work tasks or personal activities. Benefit Impact Improved Job Satisfaction Increases motivation and engagement Reduced Turnover Rate 33% decrease, especially for women Improved Productivity Customized work environments boost output Flexible Work Hours Flexible work hours play a significant role in enhancing productivity levels for employees, especially in hybrid and remote work settings. When you can work during your peak productivity times, you’re likely to experience increased efficiency and job satisfaction. A study shows that 65% of remote workers report working more hours than their in-office counterparts, indicating the potential for heightened productivity with flexible schedules. Furthermore, having control over your work hours helps you maintain a better work-life balance, reducing burnout and improving overall performance. This flexibility likewise allows you to manage personal responsibilities more effectively, leading to better focus during work hours. Organizations offering flexible schedules can attract and retain top talent, as many knowledge workers now expect some level of remote work flexibility. Reduced Commute Stress Reducing commute stress is one of the most notable advantages of remote and hybrid work models, as it allows you to reclaim valuable time that would otherwise be spent traveling to and from the office. With shorter or eliminated commutes, you can redirect those hours toward productive tasks or personal activities, greatly enhancing your work-life balance. Studies show that lower commute-related stress leads to improved overall productivity, focus, and creativity, as you have more energy to dedicate to your work. Furthermore, the financial savings from reduced commuting costs can be allocated to enhancing your work environment or personal well-being. In the end, less time spent commuting contributes to higher job satisfaction and retention rates, benefiting both you and your employer. Access to a Broader Talent Pool As companies adopt remote and hybrid work models, they gain access to a broader talent pool that transcends geographical boundaries. This flexibility not only draws in a diverse range of candidates but additionally greatly improves the chances of finding the right fit for specific roles. Studies indicate that knowledge workers increasingly prioritize remote options, making organizations that offer these models more appealing. Here’s a quick overview of the benefits: Benefit Description Impact on Organization Diverse Talent Access to candidates from various backgrounds Improved creativity and innovation Increased Flexibility Attracts workers seeking better work-life balance Higher retention rates Cost Efficiency Reduced recruitment costs by broadening reach Better hiring outcomes Specialized Skills Ability to find niche skills not available locally Strengthened competitive advantage Cost Savings for Employees and Organizations Though remote and hybrid work models offer significant advantages for both employees and organizations, one of the most compelling aspects is the potential for cost savings. For employees, these arrangements can save an average of $4,000 annually by eliminating: Commuting costs, which include fuel or public transportation fees. Work attire expenses, as formal clothing requirements diminish. Daily meals outside the home, leading to reduced food expenditure. Organizations likewise benefit financially, with the opportunity to reduce overhead costs by up to 30%. This is achieved through decreased office space needs and lower utility expenses. In addition, the flexibility of remote work allows employees to choose lower-cost living areas, enhancing their financial situation. Companies can similarly experience increased employee retention rates, as 80% of workers prefer some form of remote work, saving on recruitment and training costs. Flexibility in Work Arrangements Flexibility in work arrangements has become a crucial factor in today’s employment environment, allowing employees to choose when and where they work. This level of control over work hours and location has been linked to improved productivity and reduced burnout. Studies show that those with hybrid work options report better work-life balance, which leads to higher job satisfaction and retention rates. By embracing remote work flexibility, organizations can tap into a broader talent pool, unrestricted by geographic boundaries, enhancing their recruitment efforts. Moreover, flexible schedules enable you to manage personal responsibilities more effectively, resulting in improved overall performance and well-being. Research indicates that providing hybrid work models can decrease turnover rates, particularly among women and non-managers, by as much as 33%. In a competitive job market, these factors illustrate why flexibility in work arrangements is critical for both employees and organizations alike. Strengthened Team Collaboration In today’s work environment, strengthened team collaboration can emerge as a significant advantage of remote and hybrid models. These setups utilize digital communication tools that promote engagement, even when team members are miles apart. Here are three key aspects of this collaboration: Continuous Innovation: The flexibility of hybrid arrangements encourages a culture of creativity and idea-sharing, allowing teams to adapt swiftly to challenges. Diverse Perspectives: With access to a broader talent pool, organizations can attract individuals from various locations, enriching discussions and collaboration with different viewpoints. Enhanced Cohesion: Regular check-ins and clear communication strategies help maintain connections among team members, strengthening overall team dynamics. Boosted Employee Retention Rates As companies increasingly embrace hybrid work models, they often see a notable boost in employee retention rates. Shifting to a hybrid schedule can reduce turnover by 33%, demonstrating a strong link between such arrangements and retention. A study of over 1,600 workers at Trip.com revealed that women, non-managers, and those with long commutes exhibit the highest retention rates. Furthermore, 80% of U.S. companies adopting remote work policies report improved employee satisfaction. The flexibility of hybrid work greatly improves work-life balance, an essential factor for retaining talent. It’s clear that employees with remote work flexibility tend to stay longer, making hybrid models effective for attracting and retaining top talent. Factor Impact on Retention Hybrid Work Model 33% Decrease in Turnover Employee Satisfaction 80% Report Improvement Flexibility Key for Work-Life Balance Support for Mental Health and Well-Being Even though many remote workers enjoy the benefits of flexible schedules, a significant number still face challenges related to mental health and well-being. Nearly half report feeling a lack of emotional support at work, which underscores the need for customized mental health resources. Addressing these challenges is essential, as 11% of remote workers experience burnout, impacting productivity. To effectively support mental health, organizations can implement the following strategies: Flexible Work Hours: Allowing for varied schedules helps maintain a healthier work-life balance. Increased Paid Time Off (PTO): Offering additional PTO can combat feelings of burnout and help recharge employees. Digital Wellness Initiatives: Tools addressing personal finance and other well-being aspects can improve retention, with 84% of employees preferring employers who provide all-encompassing wellness solutions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Vs Remote? When comparing hybrid versus remote work models, you’ll notice distinct benefits. Hybrid work offers flexibility, allowing you to balance in-office and remote hours, which can improve job satisfaction. You’re likewise likely to experience better collaboration with colleagues when meeting face-to-face occasionally. Conversely, fully remote work provides more freedom in location and often eliminates commute times, promoting a better work-life balance. Both models can boost productivity but cater to different employee preferences and needs. What Are the 5 C’s of Hybrid Work? The five C’s of hybrid work are collaboration, culture, communication, creativity, and comfort. You’ll find that collaboration combines in-person and remote teamwork, nurturing diverse ideas. A strong culture promotes employee satisfaction and retention. Effective communication guarantees clarity and cohesion within teams. Creativity flourishes when individuals work during their most productive hours. Finally, comfort leads to improved work-life balance, reducing stress and increasing overall job satisfaction, which benefits both employees and organizations. What Is a Key Benefit of Managing a Virtual or Hybrid Workplace? A key benefit of managing a virtual or hybrid workplace is the ability to access a broader talent pool. By removing geographical restrictions, you can recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds, enhancing your team’s creativity and problem-solving capabilities. This approach not just increases inclusion but furthermore strengthens your organization by bringing in various perspectives. Moreover, remote work often leads to greater employee satisfaction, which can boost retention rates and overall productivity within your team. What Are the Benefits of Working Remotely for the Team? Working remotely offers several advantages for your team. You’ll experience improved work-life balance, as flexible hours allow you to manage your personal and professional responsibilities more effectively. This setup can lead to reduced burnout, enhancing overall productivity. Furthermore, remote work eliminates commute time, contributing to healthier lifestyles. You’ll likewise find that you can tap into a wider talent pool, enabling you to collaborate with diverse individuals regardless of their location. Conclusion In conclusion, remote and hybrid teams offer significant advantages that can benefit both employees and organizations. You can enjoy improved work-life balance, increased satisfaction, and enhanced productivity, as well as accessing a diverse talent pool. These flexible arrangements lead to cost savings and promote stronger collaboration, ultimately boosting employee retention rates. By prioritizing mental health and well-being, remote work structures not just support individual growth but likewise contribute to the overall success of the organization. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Key Benefits of Remote and Hybrid Teams" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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The average organization uses 106 SaaS apps, meaning work is disjointed by default. Every workflow needs to push data and work items from tool to tool to tool. This can create devastating misunderstandings and push projects past their deadlines. That’s why SaaS integration platforms are so essential. What are SaaS integration platforms? SaaS (software as a service) apps are delivered over the internet, meaning you don’t need to install them locally. SaaS integration platforms are tools that are both delivered over the internet and integrate SaaS apps. That means you can bridge the gap between the SaaS tools you rely on for day-to-day work with a similar platform. The actual functionality of SaaS integration platforms can vary widely, with the following options being the most common: Two-way sync: These platforms sync changes back and forth between the apps they integrate. One-way automation: These tools push updates and work items in one direction, from one app to another. Native integrations: These integrations are built into other SaaS tools, allowing you to integrate them without using third-party services. Best SaaS integration platforms: Summary table SaaS integration platformStarting priceIntegration typeNumber of connectorsBest forUnito$49/monthTwo-way, real-time60+Two-way syncingZapierFree plan, with paid plans starting at $19.99 a monthOne-way automation7,000+Simple automationsWorkato$10,000 a yearTrigger-action automation1,000+Enterprise automationMakeFree plan, with paid plans starting at $10.59 a monthOne-way automationThousandsComplex, data-intensive workflowsTray.aiCustom, usage-based pricingLow-code and API management600+Customized workflowsBoomiCustom, per-connector pricingHybrid300,000+Enterprise integrationMulesoft$27,000/year for Composer, custom pricing for AnypointNo-code integration and API managementHundredsSalesforce integration The 7 best SaaS integration platforms Unito: Best two-way SaaS integration platform Many SaaS integration platforms use one-way automations to push data from one tool to another. With the right technical knowledge, you can even chain multiple automations together to create robust integrations across your workflows. But this doesn’t compare to a true two-way sync. Unito is a two-way sync SaaS integration platform with some of the deepest integrations for tools like ServiceNow, Salesforce, Jira, Asana, and more. With a Unito integration, nearly every field in your tools can be automatically updated as you work, keeping everyone in sync as they collaborate across tools. Strengths Real-time, bidirectional sync 60+ pre-built connectors Deep field mapping and rules No-code visual interface SOC 2 Type II security certification Main limitation While Unito has over 60 integrations, that’s less than other integration platforms. Customer rating G2: 4.5/5 Capterra: 4.5/5 Zapier: Best for one-way automations Zapier is one of the most popular SaaS integration tools out there, largely due to its support for thousands of connectors. With simple, trigger-based automations, Zapier allows just about anyone to start building their first integration, no matter their background. Strengths 7000+ connectors Visual automation builder Prebuild templates for quick setup Webhook support Main limitation Zapier’s automations have less depth than other integration solutions. Customer rating G2: 4.5/5 Capterra 4.7/5 Workato: Best for AI-powered workflow automation Workato is a leading platform for workflow automation, meaning it’s also a solid option for SaaS integration. With built-in AI machine learning and other proprietary features, the platform is supposed to help you create automations 10 times faster than other tools. Strengths 1000+ enterprise connectors Advanced conditional logic and branching Embedded integration options Workbot for pushing updates to Slack and Teams Enterprise-grade data security Main limitation Workato integrations are some of the more complex to set up. Customer rating G2: 4.7/5 Capterra 4.6/5 Make: Best for no-code automations Make’s drag-and-drop interface allows any user to automate entire workflows by integrating all the SaaS apps you rely on. Workflows can run on a schedule or in real-time, customized to your needs. Strengths 3,000+ pre-built apps Agentic AI allows you to build and scale AI copilot assists you in building integrations with natural language Drag-and-drop visual interface Custom app support for any SaaS platform with an API Main limitation Make doesn’t support syncing historical data, subtasks, or attachments. Customer rating G2: 4.6/5 Capterra 4.8/5 Tray.ai: Best low-code SaaS integration platform Tray.ai is a low-code SaaS integration platform that supports hundreds of apps. Its visual workflow builder lets you map out your integrations before you build them. API support means you can also build your own integrations as needed. Strengths Visual workflow builder made stronger with coding knowledge 600+ connectors Custom API development tools Advanced data transformation AI agent builder Main limitation Since Tray.ai is a low-code tool, you’ll need some technical knowledge to get the most out of it. Customer rating G2: 4.5/5 Capterra 4.9 /5 Boomi: Best for hybrid SaaS integration Boomi’s interface allows users of all skill levels to build integrations for SaaS apps, though it’s most effective if you have some coding knowledge. Built-in AI agents streamline some of this process, as do Boomi’s API management features. Strengths Cloud and on-premise deployment 300,000+ possible integrations Visual integration builder Legacy-to-cloud migration Main limitation Boomi is best for enterprise organizations, due to its complex setup and steep learning curve. Customer rating G2: 4.4/5 Capterra 4.4/5 Mulesoft: Best for Salesforce users Mulesoft is an integration platform with a variety of services for all sorts of business needs. The Anypoint platform is built specifically with IT in mind, allowing them to build and deploy custom integrations, while pre-built Salesforce connectors allow Salesforce users to use a low-code platform for their integration needs. Strengths No-code integration for Salesforce users API development and management Cloud, hybrid, and on-premise deployment Templates and pre-built connectors Main limitation More suitable for large organizations. Customer rating G2: 4.4/5 Capterra 4.5/5 Ready to try the best SaaS integration platform? Unito is the only two-way sync SaaS integration platform with deep integrations for tools like ServiceNow, Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, and more. Get deep two-way integrations Meet with our team to see what Unito can do for your workflows. Talk with sales FAQ: SaaS integration platforms What’s the difference between SaaS integration platforms and other integrations? A SaaS integration platform is an integration solution that is hosted and delivered over the internet. That means you can access everything you need to use it on a web browser. This is different from integration platforms that are either built into other SaaS tools or installed on premise, meaning they’re hosted on your servers. Can SaaS integration platforms handle real-time data sync? Some SaaS integration platforms, like Unito, can sync data in real-time, back-and-forth, between platforms. Others may only handle data on a schedule, anywhere from five minutes to once a day. Do you need technical resources to use SaaS integration platforms? It depends on the platform you’re using. Some can be set up with minimal technical knowledge, since they’re no-code and use a drag-and-drop interface. Others require coding experience, or may even need to be deployed by dedicated IT teams. View the full article

A client experience survey is a structured tool that helps you gather feedback from customers about their interactions with your business. It measures satisfaction through metrics like the Net Promoter Score and Customer Satisfaction Score, whereas additionally allowing for open-ended responses. Comprehending these surveys is vital, as they pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your services, guiding you to improve and align your strategies with customer expectations. So, how can you effectively implement these surveys for maximum benefit? Key Takeaways A client experience survey collects feedback on customer interactions to measure satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. It utilizes quantitative metrics like NPS and CSAT alongside qualitative open-ended questions for comprehensive insights. The survey findings help businesses tailor offerings and enhance customer loyalty by aligning strategies with client needs. Regular feedback encourages decision-making that optimizes customer engagement and reduces churn, ultimately driving brand loyalty. Effective survey design and distribution strategies increase participation rates, ensuring valid and actionable insights for enhancing the customer experience. Understanding Client Experience Surveys When you think about improving your business, client experience surveys play a fundamental role in grasping how customers perceive your brand. A client experience survey is a structured questionnaire designed to gather feedback on customer interactions with your business. These surveys help measure customer satisfaction by evaluating feelings and perceptions at various touchpoints in the customer experience. To comprehend how do you measure customer experience effectively, it’s critical to include both quantitative metrics—like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)—and qualitative open-ended questions for deeper insights. By identifying trends in strengths and weaknesses, client experience surveys reveal customer expectations and how well those expectations are being met. Utilizing feedback from these surveys enables you to implement targeted improvements, eventually enhancing customer loyalty and retention rates. Grasping these elements is crucial for crafting a successful strategy that aligns with your customers’ needs. Importance of Client Experience Surveys Client experience surveys serve as a crucial tool for businesses aiming to understand and improve customer satisfaction. These surveys provide a thorough measurement of how customers feel about your services, revealing strengths and weaknesses in service delivery. Research shows that 52% of consumers stop using a brand because of a negative experience, highlighting the need for capturing feedback to prevent churn. By leveraging these surveys, you can uncover specific customer expectations and identify fulfillment gaps, enabling you to implement targeted strategies. Here’s a quick overview of the importance of client experience surveys: Benefit Impact Identifies improvement areas Boosts customer satisfaction Reduces churn Increases brand loyalty Informs decision-making Optimizes loyalty program outcomes Ultimately, effective client experience surveys can guide your business decisions, ensuring you stay aligned with evolving customer expectations. Key Objectives of Client Experience Surveys Comprehending client preferences and enhancing service quality are key objectives of client experience surveys. By gathering insights directly from customers, you can identify what they value most and where your services may fall short. This feedback not only aids you in tailoring your offerings to meet client needs but additionally drives improvements that can lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty. Understand Client Preferences How can businesses effectively tap into client preferences to improve their services? Client experience surveys play a vital role in this process. By gathering insights from various touchpoints, these surveys help you understand customer sentiments and augment satisfaction levels. They reveal trends that highlight your strengths and weaknesses, allowing for targeted improvements. When you understand client preferences, you can align your offerings with their expectations, which boosts loyalty and retention rates. Utilizing quantitative metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES) provides valuable data on satisfaction levels and identifies areas needing attention. In the end, the insights from these surveys inform strategic decisions that cultivate better customer engagement and drive business growth. Enhance Service Quality To improve service quality, businesses rely on client experience surveys as a key tool for gathering actionable feedback. These surveys help you identify gaps in service quality by capturing insights on specific interactions, allowing you to pinpoint areas needing improvement. Implementing changes based on survey insights can considerably boost customer satisfaction; organizations prioritizing service quality often see a 20% increase in retention rates. Regular assessments through surveys enable you to adapt to evolving customer expectations, which 70% of executives admit are outpacing their organizations’ responses. Identifying Your Target Audience When you think about gathering valuable feedback through a client experience survey, who exactly should you reach out to? Identifying your target audience is crucial for collecting relevant insights. Start by considering factors like purchase history, demographics, and location. This will help you tailor your survey to specific customer segments that align with your goals. Using pre-screening questions can filter respondents, ensuring that those who meet certain criteria participate, which reduces survey fatigue and increases the chances of obtaining actionable insights. It’s often more effective to survey a representative sample rather than all customers, as this minimizes the risk of overwhelming individuals with frequent feedback requests. Crafting Effective Survey Questions What makes a survey question effective? To start, effective questions incorporate a mix of metrics-based inquiries, like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES). This approach guarantees a thorough assessment of customer experience. Utilizing a Likert scale allows you to capture degrees of agreement, providing nuanced insights. It’s also advantageous to include both multiple-choice and open-text questions. Whereas multiple-choice yields quantitative data, open-text responses offer richer qualitative feedback that can inform actionable improvements. Moreover, clarity is key. Questions should be direct and focused on one topic at a time to reduce confusion and improve accuracy. Avoiding bias and distractions in your survey design is vital, as this enables respondents to provide honest and reflective feedback. Designing an Engaging Survey When designing an engaging survey, you’ll want to start by crafting compelling questions that are clear and focused, ensuring respondents can easily understand them. Enhancing the visual design of your survey with elements like progress bars or personalized touches can likewise boost engagement and completion rates. Crafting Compelling Questions How can you design survey questions that truly resonate with your customers? Start by including quantitative metrics like NPS, CSAT, and CES, which offer actionable insights into satisfaction and loyalty. Use clear and direct language to minimize confusion, enhancing the chances of obtaining meaningful feedback. Incorporate a mix of question formats, such as multiple-choice and open-ended questions, to gain a thorough comprehension of customer sentiments. Tailor your questions to your target audience to guarantee relevance and engagement, which encourages thoughtful responses. In addition, limit your survey to 10-15 questions. This keeps completion rates high by reducing fatigue and allows you to focus on the most critical aspects of the customer experience, leading to valuable insights. Enhancing Visual Design To create an engaging survey that captures your customers’ attention, it’s essential to improve its visual design. Start by ensuring the design reflects your brand identity through consistent colors, fonts, and logos. This boosts recognition and trust among respondents. Incorporate visual elements like images and micro-videos; they can humanize surveys and motivate thoughtful responses. To improve user experience, organize questions logically and begin with easier ones, leading to higher completion rates. Finally, utilize white space effectively to reduce cognitive overload and enhance navigation. Don’t forget mobile optimization; surveys designed for mobile devices can greatly increase participation rates by accommodating on-the-go feedback. Reflect brand identity Use engaging visual elements Organize questions logically Optimize for mobile devices Utilizing Survey Logic for Better Responses Utilizing survey logic improves the efficiency and relevance of client experience surveys, ensuring respondents engage with questions customized to their specific situations. By incorporating conditional questions, you can maintain participant interest, as they’ll only answer questions relevant to their experiences. This customized approach not only improves engagement but also leads to more meaningful insights. Implementing page-jumping features allows respondents to skip sections that don’t apply to them, creating a smoother survey experience and reducing fatigue. In addition, randomizing questions and answer options minimizes bias, resulting in more accurate data collection. With strategic survey logic, you create a personalized feedback process that encourages higher completion rates and richer qualitative insights for analysis. Eventually, thoughtful survey design using logic can transform how you gather client feedback, making it more efficient and effective while ensuring that the data collected is relevant and actionable. Validating and Testing Your Survey Validating and testing your survey is vital for ensuring it functions as intended and meets your design specifications. To achieve this, follow these important steps: Conduct thorough reviews: Involve colleagues and stakeholders to identify potential issues early in the design process, enhancing reliability and user experience. Check for compatibility: Test your survey on various devices, ensuring it’s optimized for mobile use, which can notably increase completion rates. Utilize A/B testing: Experiment with different survey formats to analyze response rates and effectiveness, allowing for continuous improvement based on user feedback. Iterate regularly: Continuously refine your survey design based on collected data and insights, ensuring it remains relevant and effective in capturing valuable customer feedback. Timing and Distribution Channels When you consider the timing and distribution channels for your client experience survey, keep in mind that these factors play a significant role in response rates and overall engagement. Timing is vital; surveys sent on weekdays, especially in the mornings or late afternoons, typically yield better responses than those sent on weekends. Avoid distributing surveys during holidays or busy seasons, as this can lead to lower engagement. Utilizing omnichannel survey software allows you to reach clients through various platforms like email, mobile apps, social media, and SMS, catering to their preferences. A strategic approach to survey timing and frequency is important to prevent survey fatigue, keeping clients engaged and more likely to provide thoughtful feedback. Testing different days and times for distribution can help you identify the best timing that resonates with your audience, ultimately enhancing your overall response rates. Crafting Compelling Subject Lines How can you guarantee your survey gets noticed in a crowded inbox? Crafting compelling subject lines is essential for grabbing attention and improving open rates. Here are some effective strategies to reflect on: Keep it concise: Aim for 6-10 words to make sure your subject line is quickly digestible. Use action-oriented language: Phrases like “Share your thoughts” or “We want your feedback” can prompt immediate engagement. Personalize your message: Including the recipient’s name or referencing past interactions makes the email feel more relevant. Test different options: Experimenting with various subject lines can highlight what resonates best with your audience, leading to higher response rates. Incentives for Participation Why should you consider offering incentives for survey participation? Providing incentives, like gift cards or discounts, can greatly boost your response rates. Studies show that about 70% of consumers are more inclined to complete a survey when offered a reward. This strategy not just improves engagement but also builds trust, as it demonstrates that you value their time and opinions. Higher participation often leads to better quality feedback, giving you genuine insights into customer experiences. Although some might worry that incentives could skew results, research indicates they typically don’t affect the honesty of responses. Instead, they can help you achieve a more thorough comprehension of customer satisfaction and pinpoint areas needing improvement. Implementing a well-structured incentive program can finally drive better business outcomes, making it a worthwhile investment in your client experience strategy. Analyzing Survey Results Analyzing survey results is a critical step in comprehending customer feedback and improving overall client experience. To effectively derive insights, you should consider the following: Data Cleaning: Remove unengaged responses to guarantee the feedback you analyze is valid and reliable. Data Processing: Utilize methods like crosstab analysis and graphical representation to identify trends and patterns within the feedback efficiently. Statistical Analysis: Apply statistical tests and predictive analytics to uncover significant correlations and forecast customer behavior accurately. Actionable Insights: Transform your findings into practical improvements for customer experience by focusing on identified strengths and weaknesses. Regularly analyzing survey results not just helps you stay aligned with customer expectations but likewise allows you to refine your strategies based on real-time insights. This process is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and enhancing the overall client experience. Continuous Improvement Based on Feedback Continuous improvement based on customer feedback is vital for businesses aiming to improve their client experience and maintain competitiveness. With 52% of consumers abandoning a brand after a bad experience, comprehension and addressing customer sentiments is imperative. By implementing a robust feedback loop, you can act on suggestions and complaints, creating a culture where customer insights drive strategic changes. Regularly analyzing survey results helps you identify trends and areas needing improvement; 84% of executives report increasing spending on customer loyalty initiatives in response to feedback. Closing the feedback loop boosts trust and engagement, as 88% of customers lose trust after a poor experience. This reinforces the need to act on customer input. Continuous adaptation not only increases satisfaction but additionally aligns with evolving expectations, which 70% of executives recognize as outpacing their organizations’ ability to respond. Frequently Asked Questions Why Is Customer Experience Survey Important? Customer experience surveys are crucial as they provide valuable insights into how customers feel about your products and services. By identifying areas for improvement, you can address issues that lead to disengagement. These surveys reveal trends, helping you adapt to evolving customer expectations. Implementing feedback can boost retention rates, as many customers lose trust after a negative experience. What Is the Purpose of a Client Survey? A client survey aims to gather valuable feedback about your interactions with a brand. It helps identify strengths and weaknesses in service delivery, revealing areas needing improvement. By measuring client satisfaction and expectations, you can track loyalty trends and adjust strategies accordingly. Incorporating metrics like NPS and CSAT allows you to gauge performance accurately. In the end, these surveys are crucial for enhancing client satisfaction, nurturing trust, and improving retention rates in your business. Why Is Client Experience Important? Client experience is important since it directly influences customer loyalty and retention. When you provide positive interactions, you’re more likely to keep customers engaged. Poor experiences can lead to trust issues, with many consumers abandoning brands after a single bad encounter. Furthermore, as customer expectations evolve, staying attuned to their needs becomes necessary. Companies that prioritize client experience often see improved business outcomes, making it critical for long-term success. What Is the Purpose of CSAT Survey? The purpose of a CSAT survey is to measure your satisfaction with a product or service immediately after an interaction. Using a simple rating scale, it helps you express your experience. High scores indicate you’re satisfied, whereas low scores highlight potential issues. By analyzing these results over time, businesses can identify trends and make improvements, eventually enhancing your experience and increasing revenue. This feedback loop is essential for ensuring services meet your needs effectively. Conclusion In conclusion, client experience surveys are crucial tools for gathering valuable feedback from customers. By comprehending their needs and preferences, businesses can identify strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback not merely improves customer satisfaction but additionally nurtures loyalty and drives growth. To maximize the benefits, focus on effective question design, target audience selection, and thorough analysis of results. In the end, continuous improvement based on these insights will help align your strategies with customer expectations. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is a Client Experience Survey and Why Does It Matter?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A client experience survey is a structured tool that helps you gather feedback from customers about their interactions with your business. It measures satisfaction through metrics like the Net Promoter Score and Customer Satisfaction Score, whereas additionally allowing for open-ended responses. Comprehending these surveys is vital, as they pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your services, guiding you to improve and align your strategies with customer expectations. So, how can you effectively implement these surveys for maximum benefit? Key Takeaways A client experience survey collects feedback on customer interactions to measure satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. It utilizes quantitative metrics like NPS and CSAT alongside qualitative open-ended questions for comprehensive insights. The survey findings help businesses tailor offerings and enhance customer loyalty by aligning strategies with client needs. Regular feedback encourages decision-making that optimizes customer engagement and reduces churn, ultimately driving brand loyalty. Effective survey design and distribution strategies increase participation rates, ensuring valid and actionable insights for enhancing the customer experience. Understanding Client Experience Surveys When you think about improving your business, client experience surveys play a fundamental role in grasping how customers perceive your brand. A client experience survey is a structured questionnaire designed to gather feedback on customer interactions with your business. These surveys help measure customer satisfaction by evaluating feelings and perceptions at various touchpoints in the customer experience. To comprehend how do you measure customer experience effectively, it’s critical to include both quantitative metrics—like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)—and qualitative open-ended questions for deeper insights. By identifying trends in strengths and weaknesses, client experience surveys reveal customer expectations and how well those expectations are being met. Utilizing feedback from these surveys enables you to implement targeted improvements, eventually enhancing customer loyalty and retention rates. Grasping these elements is crucial for crafting a successful strategy that aligns with your customers’ needs. Importance of Client Experience Surveys Client experience surveys serve as a crucial tool for businesses aiming to understand and improve customer satisfaction. These surveys provide a thorough measurement of how customers feel about your services, revealing strengths and weaknesses in service delivery. Research shows that 52% of consumers stop using a brand because of a negative experience, highlighting the need for capturing feedback to prevent churn. By leveraging these surveys, you can uncover specific customer expectations and identify fulfillment gaps, enabling you to implement targeted strategies. Here’s a quick overview of the importance of client experience surveys: Benefit Impact Identifies improvement areas Boosts customer satisfaction Reduces churn Increases brand loyalty Informs decision-making Optimizes loyalty program outcomes Ultimately, effective client experience surveys can guide your business decisions, ensuring you stay aligned with evolving customer expectations. Key Objectives of Client Experience Surveys Comprehending client preferences and enhancing service quality are key objectives of client experience surveys. By gathering insights directly from customers, you can identify what they value most and where your services may fall short. This feedback not only aids you in tailoring your offerings to meet client needs but additionally drives improvements that can lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty. Understand Client Preferences How can businesses effectively tap into client preferences to improve their services? Client experience surveys play a vital role in this process. By gathering insights from various touchpoints, these surveys help you understand customer sentiments and augment satisfaction levels. They reveal trends that highlight your strengths and weaknesses, allowing for targeted improvements. When you understand client preferences, you can align your offerings with their expectations, which boosts loyalty and retention rates. Utilizing quantitative metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES) provides valuable data on satisfaction levels and identifies areas needing attention. In the end, the insights from these surveys inform strategic decisions that cultivate better customer engagement and drive business growth. Enhance Service Quality To improve service quality, businesses rely on client experience surveys as a key tool for gathering actionable feedback. These surveys help you identify gaps in service quality by capturing insights on specific interactions, allowing you to pinpoint areas needing improvement. Implementing changes based on survey insights can considerably boost customer satisfaction; organizations prioritizing service quality often see a 20% increase in retention rates. Regular assessments through surveys enable you to adapt to evolving customer expectations, which 70% of executives admit are outpacing their organizations’ responses. Identifying Your Target Audience When you think about gathering valuable feedback through a client experience survey, who exactly should you reach out to? Identifying your target audience is crucial for collecting relevant insights. Start by considering factors like purchase history, demographics, and location. This will help you tailor your survey to specific customer segments that align with your goals. Using pre-screening questions can filter respondents, ensuring that those who meet certain criteria participate, which reduces survey fatigue and increases the chances of obtaining actionable insights. It’s often more effective to survey a representative sample rather than all customers, as this minimizes the risk of overwhelming individuals with frequent feedback requests. Crafting Effective Survey Questions What makes a survey question effective? To start, effective questions incorporate a mix of metrics-based inquiries, like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES). This approach guarantees a thorough assessment of customer experience. Utilizing a Likert scale allows you to capture degrees of agreement, providing nuanced insights. It’s also advantageous to include both multiple-choice and open-text questions. Whereas multiple-choice yields quantitative data, open-text responses offer richer qualitative feedback that can inform actionable improvements. Moreover, clarity is key. Questions should be direct and focused on one topic at a time to reduce confusion and improve accuracy. Avoiding bias and distractions in your survey design is vital, as this enables respondents to provide honest and reflective feedback. Designing an Engaging Survey When designing an engaging survey, you’ll want to start by crafting compelling questions that are clear and focused, ensuring respondents can easily understand them. Enhancing the visual design of your survey with elements like progress bars or personalized touches can likewise boost engagement and completion rates. Crafting Compelling Questions How can you design survey questions that truly resonate with your customers? Start by including quantitative metrics like NPS, CSAT, and CES, which offer actionable insights into satisfaction and loyalty. Use clear and direct language to minimize confusion, enhancing the chances of obtaining meaningful feedback. Incorporate a mix of question formats, such as multiple-choice and open-ended questions, to gain a thorough comprehension of customer sentiments. Tailor your questions to your target audience to guarantee relevance and engagement, which encourages thoughtful responses. In addition, limit your survey to 10-15 questions. This keeps completion rates high by reducing fatigue and allows you to focus on the most critical aspects of the customer experience, leading to valuable insights. Enhancing Visual Design To create an engaging survey that captures your customers’ attention, it’s essential to improve its visual design. Start by ensuring the design reflects your brand identity through consistent colors, fonts, and logos. This boosts recognition and trust among respondents. Incorporate visual elements like images and micro-videos; they can humanize surveys and motivate thoughtful responses. To improve user experience, organize questions logically and begin with easier ones, leading to higher completion rates. Finally, utilize white space effectively to reduce cognitive overload and enhance navigation. Don’t forget mobile optimization; surveys designed for mobile devices can greatly increase participation rates by accommodating on-the-go feedback. Reflect brand identity Use engaging visual elements Organize questions logically Optimize for mobile devices Utilizing Survey Logic for Better Responses Utilizing survey logic improves the efficiency and relevance of client experience surveys, ensuring respondents engage with questions customized to their specific situations. By incorporating conditional questions, you can maintain participant interest, as they’ll only answer questions relevant to their experiences. This customized approach not only improves engagement but also leads to more meaningful insights. Implementing page-jumping features allows respondents to skip sections that don’t apply to them, creating a smoother survey experience and reducing fatigue. In addition, randomizing questions and answer options minimizes bias, resulting in more accurate data collection. With strategic survey logic, you create a personalized feedback process that encourages higher completion rates and richer qualitative insights for analysis. Eventually, thoughtful survey design using logic can transform how you gather client feedback, making it more efficient and effective while ensuring that the data collected is relevant and actionable. Validating and Testing Your Survey Validating and testing your survey is vital for ensuring it functions as intended and meets your design specifications. To achieve this, follow these important steps: Conduct thorough reviews: Involve colleagues and stakeholders to identify potential issues early in the design process, enhancing reliability and user experience. Check for compatibility: Test your survey on various devices, ensuring it’s optimized for mobile use, which can notably increase completion rates. Utilize A/B testing: Experiment with different survey formats to analyze response rates and effectiveness, allowing for continuous improvement based on user feedback. Iterate regularly: Continuously refine your survey design based on collected data and insights, ensuring it remains relevant and effective in capturing valuable customer feedback. Timing and Distribution Channels When you consider the timing and distribution channels for your client experience survey, keep in mind that these factors play a significant role in response rates and overall engagement. Timing is vital; surveys sent on weekdays, especially in the mornings or late afternoons, typically yield better responses than those sent on weekends. Avoid distributing surveys during holidays or busy seasons, as this can lead to lower engagement. Utilizing omnichannel survey software allows you to reach clients through various platforms like email, mobile apps, social media, and SMS, catering to their preferences. A strategic approach to survey timing and frequency is important to prevent survey fatigue, keeping clients engaged and more likely to provide thoughtful feedback. Testing different days and times for distribution can help you identify the best timing that resonates with your audience, ultimately enhancing your overall response rates. Crafting Compelling Subject Lines How can you guarantee your survey gets noticed in a crowded inbox? Crafting compelling subject lines is essential for grabbing attention and improving open rates. Here are some effective strategies to reflect on: Keep it concise: Aim for 6-10 words to make sure your subject line is quickly digestible. Use action-oriented language: Phrases like “Share your thoughts” or “We want your feedback” can prompt immediate engagement. Personalize your message: Including the recipient’s name or referencing past interactions makes the email feel more relevant. Test different options: Experimenting with various subject lines can highlight what resonates best with your audience, leading to higher response rates. Incentives for Participation Why should you consider offering incentives for survey participation? Providing incentives, like gift cards or discounts, can greatly boost your response rates. Studies show that about 70% of consumers are more inclined to complete a survey when offered a reward. This strategy not just improves engagement but also builds trust, as it demonstrates that you value their time and opinions. Higher participation often leads to better quality feedback, giving you genuine insights into customer experiences. Although some might worry that incentives could skew results, research indicates they typically don’t affect the honesty of responses. Instead, they can help you achieve a more thorough comprehension of customer satisfaction and pinpoint areas needing improvement. Implementing a well-structured incentive program can finally drive better business outcomes, making it a worthwhile investment in your client experience strategy. Analyzing Survey Results Analyzing survey results is a critical step in comprehending customer feedback and improving overall client experience. To effectively derive insights, you should consider the following: Data Cleaning: Remove unengaged responses to guarantee the feedback you analyze is valid and reliable. Data Processing: Utilize methods like crosstab analysis and graphical representation to identify trends and patterns within the feedback efficiently. Statistical Analysis: Apply statistical tests and predictive analytics to uncover significant correlations and forecast customer behavior accurately. Actionable Insights: Transform your findings into practical improvements for customer experience by focusing on identified strengths and weaknesses. Regularly analyzing survey results not just helps you stay aligned with customer expectations but likewise allows you to refine your strategies based on real-time insights. This process is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and enhancing the overall client experience. Continuous Improvement Based on Feedback Continuous improvement based on customer feedback is vital for businesses aiming to improve their client experience and maintain competitiveness. With 52% of consumers abandoning a brand after a bad experience, comprehension and addressing customer sentiments is imperative. By implementing a robust feedback loop, you can act on suggestions and complaints, creating a culture where customer insights drive strategic changes. Regularly analyzing survey results helps you identify trends and areas needing improvement; 84% of executives report increasing spending on customer loyalty initiatives in response to feedback. Closing the feedback loop boosts trust and engagement, as 88% of customers lose trust after a poor experience. This reinforces the need to act on customer input. Continuous adaptation not only increases satisfaction but additionally aligns with evolving expectations, which 70% of executives recognize as outpacing their organizations’ ability to respond. Frequently Asked Questions Why Is Customer Experience Survey Important? Customer experience surveys are crucial as they provide valuable insights into how customers feel about your products and services. By identifying areas for improvement, you can address issues that lead to disengagement. These surveys reveal trends, helping you adapt to evolving customer expectations. Implementing feedback can boost retention rates, as many customers lose trust after a negative experience. What Is the Purpose of a Client Survey? A client survey aims to gather valuable feedback about your interactions with a brand. It helps identify strengths and weaknesses in service delivery, revealing areas needing improvement. By measuring client satisfaction and expectations, you can track loyalty trends and adjust strategies accordingly. Incorporating metrics like NPS and CSAT allows you to gauge performance accurately. In the end, these surveys are crucial for enhancing client satisfaction, nurturing trust, and improving retention rates in your business. Why Is Client Experience Important? Client experience is important since it directly influences customer loyalty and retention. When you provide positive interactions, you’re more likely to keep customers engaged. Poor experiences can lead to trust issues, with many consumers abandoning brands after a single bad encounter. Furthermore, as customer expectations evolve, staying attuned to their needs becomes necessary. Companies that prioritize client experience often see improved business outcomes, making it critical for long-term success. What Is the Purpose of CSAT Survey? The purpose of a CSAT survey is to measure your satisfaction with a product or service immediately after an interaction. Using a simple rating scale, it helps you express your experience. High scores indicate you’re satisfied, whereas low scores highlight potential issues. By analyzing these results over time, businesses can identify trends and make improvements, eventually enhancing your experience and increasing revenue. This feedback loop is essential for ensuring services meet your needs effectively. Conclusion In conclusion, client experience surveys are crucial tools for gathering valuable feedback from customers. By comprehending their needs and preferences, businesses can identify strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback not merely improves customer satisfaction but additionally nurtures loyalty and drives growth. To maximize the benefits, focus on effective question design, target audience selection, and thorough analysis of results. In the end, continuous improvement based on these insights will help align your strategies with customer expectations. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is a Client Experience Survey and Why Does It Matter?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, by Melinda Taub. In this amusing retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Lydia is a witch, Kitty is a cat (although thanks to a spell, everyone but Lydia believes she’s another Bennet sister), and Mr. Wickham is a literal demon. (Amazon, Bookshop) Please enjoy this painting of Laurie by extremely talented reader Istra, inspired by this ridiculous photo! Here are more. * I earn a commission if you use those links. The post weekend open thread – January 24-25, 2026 appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Japanese currency rises most since August after New York Fed queries market participants on price levels View the full article

Donald The President called plan to transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius an ‘act of great stupidity’View the full article

Since the The President administration deployed 2,000 immigration officers to Minneapolis a few weeks ago, childcare workers have been on high alert. Immigration officers have shown up at childcare centers across Minnesota, leaving many childcare workers scared to show up for work. Childcare providers, who have long faced funding challenges and staffing shortages, are now being forced to figure out how to protect their workers while continuing to provide an essential service to families. Today, many of these centers—at least 50 providers, according to the childcare coalition Kids Count on Us—have shut their doors to participate in an economic blackout across the state that is being called the Day of Truth and Freedom. The collective action is intended to protest ICE’s presence in the state, by halting all economic activity for the day. For childcare workers, there is a lot on the line: A viral YouTube video that made the rounds in December put a target on their backs, alleging that Somali-run daycares were committing fraud and misusing public funding. The video has since been debunked, but the damage was done: The The President administration issued a freeze on $10 billion in federal funding for childcare and social services in Minnesota, along with four other states. (A federal judge has temporarily blocked the freeze for the time being, and the states in question have brought a lawsuit against the The President administration.) “From the beginning, childcare and the ICE operation were very closely tied,” says Meredith Loomis Quinlan, the director of childcare at advocacy group Community Change. “There’s threats of these frozen funds, and at the same time their colleagues are getting targeted by ICE. These childcare providers have really stood together—and the childcare movement of parents and providers are a really core [part] of what’s happening right now in Minnesota.” Many of them feel it is essential that they fight back against both ICE and the looming threat of a funding freeze. That’s why Kayley Spencer and Megan Schmitz, directors at a childcare center in northern Michigan, decided to close their daycare for the day. “We have connections all around the state, [and] other providers and families are experiencing this very real heaviness around being scared to go to school, being scared to go to work, and being scared to leave their houses,” Schmitz says. “We needed to show solidarity, and that we won’t stand for our neighbors and families and other providers being targeted in that way.” While their staff has not been directly targeted thus far, they have fielded questions about how the center would navigate any encounters with ICE and introduced protocols accordingly. “That is something as a childcare provider that I never thought I’d have to come across,” Schmitz says. “What if they do show up now? So having those protocols in place was really important for us, to make our staff feel secure in coming to work.” This day of action is also intended to call attention to the federal funding freeze, which could leave many childcare providers struggling to keep their doors open. “We’re operating on razor thin margins,” Spencer says, noting that their center has six families who rely on childcare assistance from the state. “If you lose those six families—even one—you’re at risk of permanent closure.” Access to childcare allows countless parents to stay in the workforce, and closing for the day is not a decision that providers take lightly. Spencer and Schmitz were candid about why they felt it was important to participate and why collection action was critical at this moment. “We’re very transparent with our families about how this is not just an isolated incident,” Schmitz says. “We are in the collapse of childcare if we do nothing—and we’re already at severe risk of that every single day, and this is just another way to not give childcare [providers] the funding and the resources that they so badly deserve and need.” Spencer and Schmitz say they had the support and understanding of many families they serve—and a number of them who are small business owners closed shop for the day in solidarity, as well. “[As] providers, our only goal is to provide safe spaces for these children—and now they’re being targeted, and it’s not okay,” Schmitz says. “This is such a small way of us showing support, but we knew we had to do it.” These actions have also extended beyond Minnesota, as childcare workers around the country are finding ways to show their support. Community Change works with grassroots organizations in many states that are hosting events or taking other actions—from protesting ICE facilities to closing their centers in solidarity—to draw attention to what is happening in Minnesota. Meanwhile, childcare providers and advocates in Minnesota are continuing to put pressure on Republican lawmakers to preserve the federal funding that is so crucial for centers to keep serving families. “People might feel hopeless or afraid right now, but there are so many ways to show up for our neighbors and for each other,” Loomis Quinlan says. “So we’re just trying to encourage more people to join our movement.” View the full article

Apple is expanding ads in App Store search results, giving advertisers more opportunities to reach users at the moment they’re looking to download apps. Starting March 3rd, Apple Ads will begin showing additional ads per search query in the UK, followed by Japan. The expansion is expected to roll out to all Apple Ads markets by the end of March. Why we care. More ad slots in App Store search results mean more chances to win installs—but also more competition for the same high-intent queries, which could push up costs. With no ability to choose placements, performance may vary by position, making creative relevance, keyword strategy, and conversion tracking more important than ever. What’s changing. Until now, Apple Ads search results featured a single sponsored placement at the top of the page. Beginning in March, multiple ad positions may appear for a single search query, including the existing top slot and new placements further down the results. The new placements will be supported on devices running iOS and iPadOS 26.2 and later. How eligibility works. Advertisers don’t need to make any changes to access the new inventory. Any existing search results campaign will automatically be eligible to appear in all available positions. However, advertisers can’t choose or bid for specific placements. Apple will decide where an ad appears within search results. Ad formats and pricing stay the same. Ads will look the same regardless of placement, using either a default product page or a custom product page. Optional deep links can send users directly to a specific in-app destination. Billing remains unchanged, with advertisers paying on a cost-per-tap or cost-per-install basis. How ads are matched to searches. Search results ads continue to rely on keywords, either selected by advertisers or suggested by Apple. Apple says its relevance-based matching delivers more than a 60% average conversion rate for top-of-search ads. Placement is determined by a combination of relevance and bid, but relevance is non-negotiable. Apple says ads won’t enter auctions if they aren’t a strong match for the user’s query — regardless of bid size. What advertisers should watch. More ad slots mean more opportunities — but also more competition within the same search results page. Advertisers may need to closely monitor performance by query, creative alignment, and conversion rates as the rollout expands globally. What’s next. The phased rollout will continue through March, bringing additional App Store search ads to all Apple Ads markets. For app marketers, it marks a meaningful shift in how search visibility — and competition — will work inside the App Store. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 360-degree cameras like the GoPro Max2 are designed for creators who want to capture more than what a single-lens camera, like the GoPro Hero series, can handle. Right now, the GoPro Max2 action camera is down from $499 to $399 on Amazon, marking its lowest price ever. GoPro Max2 Action Camera $399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00 Compared to the Max1, the Max2 has a higher 8K resolution and 29MP stills, resulting in sharper, more detailed footage and photos, while 10-bit color, GP-Log, and up to 14FPS Raw capture with 3D Tracking focus make it appealing for pros or anyone who wants more flexibility in post-production. It shoots 360-degree spherical video, unlike the single-lens action cams like the Hero, earning it an Editors' Choice Award from PCMag. This lets you record everything in your vicinity and reframe at any level, allowing for even more creative possibilities when editing. With a magnesium chassis and weather protection, it's built for adventures and high-impact environments, with waterproofing up to 5 meters, a compact build, easy-to-replace lenses, and a variety of mounting options. As part of the GoPro ecosystem, it works seamlessly with the GoPro Quik video editing app for edits and reframing, while Bluetooth mic support and voice control make it even more versatile. Still, compared to the Hero series and its sensor design, low-light performance may be weaker, and battery life varies depending on whether you’re shooting with both lenses, the resolution, and the frame rate. Long 8K sessions will be more demanding, during which heat buildup can also happen. Slow motion also maxes out at 100 fps, and editing isn’t as slick or built for social shares as platforms like Insta360. If your priority is immersive storytelling, post-shoot reframing, and more creative freedom, the GoPro Max2 action camera is a strong choice for pros and casual users at $100 off, and a major upgrade over the original. But if you mainly want traditional action footage, often shoot in low-light conditions, and want longer battery life, the less-niche Hero line may suffice. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $148.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $399.00 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Silver) — $159.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Last month, Google told online publishers that it had started testing AI-generated headlines in Google Discover, replacing stories' carefully handcrafted titles with truncated alternatives made up by Gemini. Some journalists were predictably unhappy, but now, the company says that the AI headlines are no longer an experiment—they're a "feature." Back when the testing began, the results ranged from poorly worded to straight up misinformation. For instance, one AI-generated headline promised "Steam Machine price revealed," when the original article made no such claim. Another said "BG3 players exploit children," which sounds serious, until you click through to the article and see that it's about a clever way to recruit invincible party members in Baldur's Gate 3 (which, to be fair, does involve turning child NPCs into sheep at one point). At the time, Google said that the test was a "small UI experiment for a subset of Discover users," and simply rearranged how users saw AI previews, which were introduced in October of last year and feature short AI summaries of articles, including an occasional AI headline. However, while that AI headline was previously hidden below the original, authored headline, the test put it up top, while getting rid of the authored headline entirely. For a while, it seemed like Google might have been willing to back away from the AI headlines, but now the company says it's doubling down. In a statement to The Verge, Google said that its AI headlines are no longer in testing, but are now a full-fledged feature. The company didn't elaborate on why, but did say that the update "performs well for user satisfaction." When 9to5Google then reached out for more detail, the publication was told, "The overview headline reflects information across a range of sites, and is not a rewrite of an individual article headline." Well, that hasn't quite been the case for me: When I first wrote about this "experiment," I actually had yet to run into one of the AI headlines. But perusing my Google Discover feed today (to see yours, swipe right from the home screen on an Android phone, or scroll down in the Google app), I've finally seen some first hand. To Google's credit, these AI previews do seem to synthesize several sources as claimed—you can see them above the linked story. However, they still call out one article in particular, linking to it and using its header photo. That can easily lead users to think the AI generated headline was written by the linked publication. That can have consequences for the publication or writer if the AI gets something wrong, which a disclaimer at the bottom of these AI previews admits can happen. For instance, The Verge said it saw an AI Discover headline on a story from Lifehacker's sister site PCMag that said, "US reverses foreign drone ban," even though the linked story goes out of its way to say headlines that claim this are "misleading." Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt The AI headlines I've seen personally haven't been quite that bad, but as someone with a more than decade-long career in journalism, I do question their helpfulness. For instance, "Starfleet Academy full of Trek Nods" is much less informative than the original, "One of TNG's Strangest Species Is Getting a Second Life In Modern Star Trek." I guess "Star Trek show has Star Trek things" is apparently clickier or more useful to the reader than just saying what the specific Star Trek thing is? Another example: "Anbernic unveils RG G01 Controller." I hope you know what those letters and numbers mean, because this AI headline completely buries the context in the original headline, "Anbernic's New Controller Has a Screen and Built-In Heartbeat Sensor, for Some Reason." I guess this is a future that I'll have to get used to though. That I'm starting to see these headlines myself, despite not being part of the initial experiment, does suggest we can expect them to stick around, and to roll out to more people. If you see something that seems questionable while scrolling Google Discover, the feature has probably rolled out to you now too. How to check if a Google Discover headline was written by AITo check whether that suspicious headline was written by a human or not, try clicking the "See more" button at the bottom of the article's description and looking for a "Generated with AI" disclaimer. On the plus side, only about half of the articles in my Google Discover are currently using AI headlines, so not every piece of "content" is being affected. But for journalists, the move still comes at a tough time: According to Reuters, Google traffic from organic search was down by 38% on test sites in the United Stated between November 2024 and November 2025, and while Google Discover isn't Search, editors write headlines the way they do for a reason. Using a robot to overwrites those decisions probably isn't the best way to tackle eroding trust in media. I've reached out to Google for comment on its AI headlines and will provide an update when I hear back. View the full article

For the first time in Dr Pepper’s 140-year history, the brand is the second-most-popular soda in America. Now it has a shiny new jingle to match. In late December, TikTok creator Romeo Bingham, 25, posted a jingle she had made up for Dr Pepper. “Dr Pepper baby. It’s good and nice. Doo. Doo. Doo,” the tune went. In her caption she tagged the company and noted, “please get back to me with a proposition we can make thousands together.” The original post has garnered almost 54 million views, 6.4 million likes and almost 500,000 bookmarks, at the time of writing. One month later, Bingham’s dreams were realised. Dr. Pepper licensed the song and folded it into an NCAA football commercial. TikTok creators capitalizing on viral moments is not unusual. Influencers have long been tagging brands in content in the hopes of landing freebies or a lucrative brand deal, as the booming influencer-marketing industry becomes ever-more saturated. Here, the success of Bingham’s overt brand baiting may signal a subtle shift in power dynamics, as creators compete for brand’s attention and marketing budgets. Once the jingle became viral, Bingham’s comments section was inundated with brands. “Me next bb i beg,” wrote Denny’s Diner. “Yea imma need one of these theme songs right now,” added Buffalo Wild Wings. “GET HER ON THE PHONE NOW!!” Popeyes chimed in. “Not to be pick me but US NEXT,” commented Welch’s Fruit Snacks. Bingham has since gone on to make jingles for Hyundai and Vita Coca, fully realising the new American dream of overnight viral success. Brands showing up in the comments sections on TikTok and Instagram, whether the post is about them or not, isn’t new. The top comments on a trending TikTok video often garner hundreds of thousands of likes, gaining brands the type of attention they could only dream of on their own channels. But overnight, a new batch of of “POV: trying to make a jingle so I can quit my job,” type videos have been cropping up across social media platforms, some of the most popular of which have brands meeting the creators in the comments section hoping to capitalise on some of Dr Pepper’s hype. With these public auditions in pursuit of 10 seconds of fame, brands might appear like the real winners, receiving massive amounts of unpaid creative labor, sometimes even full commercials, complete with engagement metrics and audience-testing in real time. “If brands reward the noisiest creators with paid partnerships, this could lead to creators shilling spec work ads as a new content pillar,” Dayna Castillo, founder of the digital culture newsletter Silence, Brand! told Fast Company. And yet, “brand baiting is normalizing unpaid promotional labor from creators and long term, this practice risks burning out both audiences, brands, and creators.” As she noted in a recent Substack post: “We no longer skip the ads. We consume the ads our peers made in hopes The Capitalism will notice.” The warp speed with which the internet moves means replicating another’s recipe for viral success is unlikely to ever deliver the same results. As the saying goes, lightning never strikes twice. Instead, all that’s left to gain is further muddying the shared waters of the internet with sub-par unpaid spon-con (Bingham’s jingle was at least catchy). View the full article

The President, during his return from Davos, signaled reluctance to allow 401(k) withdrawals for home down payments, but other tax-advantaged options remain on table. View the full article

A growing number of wealthy UK residents are investing in country establishmentsView the full article

Wall Street executive’s remuneration jumps 21% from the previous year and was roughly in line with bank’s profits View the full article