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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. As is usually the case after Consumer Electronics Show (CES), older flagship tech products drop in price—including TVs like OLED models, QLEDs, and budget-friendly options. In other words, the coming weeks are a great time to upgrade if you're looking for bargains on older flagship models. One of the best deals I've found so far is on the Samsung S85F, an entry-level OLED TV that was already on the low end of the price spectrum before this latest discount. Right now, you can get the 65-inch series for $1,197.99 (originally $1,797.99) or the 77-inch for $1,497.99 (originally $2,997.99 at launch), both the lowest prices they've been, according to price tracking tools. Samsung 65" OLED S85F 4K Smart TV (2025 Model 65S85F) $1,197.99 at Amazon $1,797.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,197.99 at Amazon $1,797.99 Save $600.00 77" Samsung S85F Series 4K OLED Smart TV (2025 Model) $1,597.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $1,597.99 at Amazon SEE -1 MORE Not everyone can afford OLED TVs, since they're the most expensive type of TV technology on the market—but they're worth the big jump in quality when it comes to picture quality and colors. If you've been waiting for a good opportunity to get a decent-sized, well-reviewed OLED for a great price, consider the Samsung S85F, especially if you're a gamer. As expected, Samsung had to make some cuts to make a cheaper OLED, and it made them in the audio department, brightness, and by cutting out Dolby Vision. But the picture quality, colors, and gaming features rival premium OLEDs, which is impressive, especially for the price. This OLED came out in Sept. 2025 and has drastically dropped in price since then. Gamers can use the four HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K 120Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync, ALLM, and HDR10+ gaming. The lag time is a mere 9.4ms, so you'll get fast, responsive performance. Of course, you also get Samsung’s Gaming Hub with access to cloud gaming apps. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $159.00 (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 — $407.47 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — $279.99 (List Price $349.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A surging stock market and a flurry of deal-making padded the profits of Wall Street’s two big investment banks, which both saw a double-digit jump in profits in the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs’s net earnings rose 12% from a year earlier, posting a profit of $4.62 billion, or $14.01 a share. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley said it earned $4.4 billion, or $2.68 per share, compared to a profit of $3.71 billion, or $2.22 per share, compared to a year earlier. Wall Street has been bolstered by the The President administration’s deregulatory policies, which have led corporations to seek out mergers and acquisitions, as well as the surge of investor interest in artificial intelligence companies and those who stand to benefit from the mass adoption of technologies like ChatGPT. Fourth-quarter investment fee revenues over at Goldman were up 25% year-over-year and Morgan Stanley saw a 47% jump in revenue in its investment banking division. Both banks said their investment fee backlog, which is a signal of how much deal making is still pending that banks are working on, increased significantly in the fourth quarter. Goldman and Morgan’s results reflect the strong earnings out of the other big banks that reported their results this week. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup all saw jumps in fourth-quarter profits, but their results were dampened by the ongoing tensions that Wall Street is having with the White House over the issue of the independence of the Federal Reserve and President Donald The President’s interest in capping credit card interest rates at 10%. Along with a strong investment banking performance, Goldman Sachs also agreed to sell off its Apple Card credit card portfolio to JPMorgan Chase last week, effectively exiting its brief experiment in consumer banking. The bank sold the credit card portfolio at a discount to JPMorgan, a sign of how desperately Goldman wanted to exit the business and put the Apple Card behind it. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Morgan Stanley’s investment banking revenues rose 47%, not 22%. —Ken Sweet, AP business writer View the full article

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Ryan Holiday on social intelligence: “Our curiosity, our desire for understanding should extend not just to the person in front of us but to how people function within groups. Both because it is an endlessly fascinating topic and because it’s essential to getting things done.” Source: Wisdom Takes Work: Learn. Apply. Repeat. II. Michael J. Fanuele on inspiring others: “Passion and Reason work against each other. Passion is the energy that wants you jumping out of your seat. Reason wants you to sit and think for a little longer. Adding one decreases the other. “By all means, use your reason and logic and the full force of your big brain in figuring out what’s right and wrong, what you want to do and what you don’t, in composing your strategy. But then, when it comes to moving people to inspiring, I’m sorry, but Passion and Reason are indeed enemies. You’ll have to find the right balance between adding one and subtracting the other.” Source: Stop Making Sense: The Art of Inspiring Anybody * * * Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index. * * * Follow us on Instagram and X for additional leadership and personal development ideas. View the full article

An investigation into a sprawling betting scheme to rig NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games ensnared 26 people, including more than a dozen college basketball players who tried to fix games as recently as last season, federal prosecutors said Thursday. The scheme generally revolved around fixers recruiting players with the promise of a big payment in exchange for purposefully underperforming during a game, prosecutors said. The fixers would then place big bets against the players’ teams in those games, defrauding sportsbooks and other bettors, authorities said. Calling it an “international criminal conspiracy,” U.S. Attorney David Metcalf told reporters in Philadelphia that this case represents a “significant corruption of the integrity of sports.” The indictment suggests that many others — including unnamed players — had a role in the scheme but weren’t charged, and Metcalf said the investigation was continuing. The varying charges against the 26 defendants, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, include bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy. Concerns about gambling and college sports have grown since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on the practice, leading some states to legalize it to varying degrees. According to the indictment unsealed Thursday, fixers started with two games in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2023 and, successful there, moved on to rigging NCAA games as recently as January 2025. The fixers’ scheme grew to involve more than 39 players on more than 17 different NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams, who then rigged and attempted to rig more than 29 games, prosecutors said. They wagered millions of dollars, generating “substantial proceeds” for themselves, and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to players in bribes, prosecutors said, with payments to players typically ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game. Prosecutors named more than 40 schools that were involved in games that were targeted by the scheme. Rigged games included those played by teams in major conferences, such as Big East and Atlantic 10, prosecutors said. Some were games against nationally ranked programs while some were playoff games, including the first round of the Horizon League championship and the second round of the Southland Conference championship. Some of the allegedly targeted teams were Tulane University, Buffalo State University, DePaul University, Robert Morris University, University of Southern Mississippi, Abilene Christian University, Eastern Michigan State University and the University of New Orleans. Players often recruited teammates to cooperate by playing badly, sitting out or keeping the ball away from players who weren’t in on the scheme to prevent them from scoring. Sometimes the attempted fix failed, meaning the fixers lost their bets. To entice players, fixers would text photos of stacks of cash. In one case, a fixer encouraged a player to recruit a St. Louis University teammate by texting him one such photo: “send that to him if he bite he bite if he don’t so be it lol,” the indictment said. Four of the players charged — Simeon Cottle, Carlos Hart, Oumar Koureissi and Camian Shell — played for their current teams in the last few days, although the allegations against them do not involve this season, but the 2023-24 season. Of the defendants, 15 played basketball for Division I NCAA schools during 2024-25 season, prosecutors say. Five others last played in the NCAA in the 2023-24 season while another, former NBA player Antonio Blakeney, played in the Chinese Basketball Association in the 2022-23 season. The remaining five defendants were described as “fixers” who recruited players and placed bets. They include two men who prosecutors say worked in the training and development of basketball players. Another was a trainer and former coach, one was a former NCAA player and two were described as gamblers, influencers and sports handicappers. One fixer reassured another by texting him there were no guarantees “in this world but death taxes and Chinese basketball,” court papers said. At the end of the Chinese Basketball Association’s 2022-23 season, fixers put nearly $200,000 in bribe payments and shared winnings from rigged games into Blakeney’s storage locker in Florida, authorities said. In many instances, the defendants’ wagers on the rigged games were successful. “The sportsbooks would not have paid out those wagers had they known that the defendants fixed those games,” the indictment said. One betting scandal after another has rocked the sports world, where gambling revenue topped $11 billion for the first three-quarters of last year, according to the American Gaming Association. That’s up more than 13% from the prior year, the group said. The NCAA does not allow athletes or staff to bet on college games, but it briefly allowed student-athletes to bet on professional sports last year before rescinding that decision in November. The indictment follows a series of NCAA investigations that led to at least 10 players receiving lifetime bans this year for bets that sometimes involved their own teams and their own performances. And the NCAA has said that at least 30 players have been investigated over gambling allegations. More than 30 people were also charged in last year’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional basketball. —Marc Levy and Tassanee Vejpongsa, Associated Press Associated Press writer Maryclaire Dale contributed. View the full article

Most of the talk around AI lately seems to center on one thing—getting it to write your emails or blog posts. But as more businesses set boundaries around generative AI, many of us are left wondering: What else can it actually do for me? View the full article

By now, you've no doubt heard about (or experienced yourself) yesterday's massive Verizon outage. For nearly all of Wednesday, roughly two million Verizon customers could not connect to the network, and had to rely on wifi to use their smartphones, which were otherwise stuck in SOS mode. Sure, they could call 911, but they couldn't do much else. It was an ordeal, one Verizon is literally paying for: The company committed to issuing $20 account credits to affected customers. It might not be as much as some of us think the company should offer, but it's something. And if the $20 isn't a comfort, the fact that the outage is over should be—even if you needed to restart your phone this morning to implement the fix. The weirdest part of the whole affair was that Verizon didn't initially offer any details about what caused the outage. The company posted throughout yesterday, issuing updates and responding to angry customers, but never shedding light on why their network was down for so many customers. Finally, a day and a half after the outages kicked off, the company has an answer, albeit a partial one. A software issue caused the Verizon outage, not a cyber attackAccording to a statement Verizon sent to our sister site Mashable, the cause of the outage was simply a problem with the company's software. "This was a software issue and we are conducting a full review of what happened," the company said. "As of now, there is no indication that this was a cyber security issue." That last bit is important, as some customers took the outage as evidence of some type of cyber attack. While those worries seem to be unfounded, considering the current state of the world, I understand those fears. Still, while it's nice to have some sort of explanation, I could do with more details. This wasn't a minor, temporary outage affecting only a limited number of users; customers across the country couldn't connect to Verizon for most of the day. Software issues happen, but they usually don't take down one of the three major carriers in the United States. View the full article

President Donald The President on Thursday announced the outlines of a health care plan he wants Congress to take up as Republicans have faced increasing pressure to address rising health costs after lawmakers let subsidies expire. The cornerstone is his proposal to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can handle insurance and health costs as they see fit. Democrats have rejected the idea as a paltry substitute for the tax credits that had helped lower monthly premiums for many people. “The government is going to pay the money directly to you,” The President said in a taped video the White House released to announce the plan. “It goes to you and then you take the money and buy your own health care.” The President’s plan also focuses on lowering drug prices and requiring insurers to be more upfront with the public about costs, revenues, rejected claims and wait times for care. The President has long been dogged by his lack of a comprehensive health care plan as he and Republicans have sought to unwind former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. The President was thwarted during his first term in trying to repeal and replace the law. When he ran for president in 2024, The President said he had only “concepts of a plan” to address health care. His new proposal, short on many specifics, appeared to be the concepts of a plan. Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, described it to reporters on a telephone briefing as a “framework that we believe will help Congress create legislation.” It was not immediately clear if any lawmakers in Congress were working to introduce the Republican president’s plan. A White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and described some details on condition of anonymity said the administration had been discussing the proposal with allies in Congress, but was unable to name any lawmakers who were working to address the plan. Few specifics on health savings accounts The White House did not offer any details about how much money it envisioned being sent to consumers to shop for insurance, or whether the money would be available to all “Obamacare” enrollees or just those with lower-tier bronze and catastrophic plans. The idea mirrors one floated among Republican senators last year. Democrats largely rejected it, saying the accounts would not be enough to cover costs for most consumers. Currently, such accounts are used disproportionately by the wealthiest Americans, who have more income to fund them and a bigger incentive to lower their tax rate. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked at her briefing Thursday whether the president could guarantee that under his plan, people would be able to cover their health costs. She did not directly answer, but said, “If this plan is put in place, every single American who has health care in the United States will see lower costs as a result.” Enhanced tax credits that helped reduce the cost of insurance for the vast majority of Affordable Care Act enrollees expired at the end of 2025 even though Democrats had forced a 43-day government shutdown over the issue. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has been leading a bipartisan group of 12 senators trying to devise a compromise that would extend those subsidies for two years while adding new limits on who can receive them. That proposal would create the option, in the second year, of a health savings account that The President and Republicans prefer. The White House official denied that The President was closing the door completely on those bipartisan negotiations, and said the White House preferred to send money directly to consumers. Plan follows massive cuts to health programs The President’s plan comes months after the Republicans’ big tax and spending bill last year cut more than $1 trillion over a decade in federal health care and food assistance, largely by imposing work requirements on those receiving aid and shifting certain federal costs to the states. Democrats have blasted those cuts as devastating for vulnerable people who rely on programs such as Medicaid for their health care. The GOP bill included an infusion of $50 billion over five years for rural health programs, an amount experts have said is inadequate to fill the gap in funding. The White House said The President’s new proposal will seek to bring down premiums by fully funding cost-sharing reductions, or CSRs, a type of financial help that insurers give to low-income ACA enrollees on silver-level, or mid-tier plans. From 2014 until 2017, the federal government reimbursed insurance companies for CSRs. In 2017, the first The President administration stopped making those payments. To make up for the lost money, insurance companies raised premiums for silver-level plans. That ended up increasing the financial assistance many enrollees got to help them pay for premiums. As a result, health analysts say that while restoring money for CSRs would likely bring down silver-level premiums, as The President says, it could have the unwelcome ripple effect of increasing many people’s net premiums on bronze and gold plans. Lowering drug prices is a priority Oz said The President’s plans also seeks to have certain medications made available over the counter instead of by prescription if they are deemed safe enough. He mentioned higher-dose nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and peptic ulcer drugs as two examples. It was unclear whether the White House is asking Congress to take steps to make more prescription drugs available over the counter. For decades, the Food and Drug Administration has had the ability to do that. The heartburn drug Prilosec, as well as numerous allergy medications, are among those the FDA has approved for over-the-counter sales. The FDA only approves such changes if studies show patients can safely take the drug after reading the package labeling. Companies must apply for the switch. The White House said The President’s plan would also codify his efforts to lower drug prices by tying prices to the lowest price paid by other countries. The President has already struck deals with a number of drugmakers to get them to lower the prices. As part of that, the drugmakers have agreed to sell pharmacy-ready medicines directly to consumers who can shop online at the White House’s website for selling drugs directly to consumers, The PresidentRx.gov. The PresidentRx did not yet have any drugs listed on Thursday. Oz said drugs will be available on the website at the end of the month. —Michelle L. Price and Ali Swenson, Associated Press AP Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this report. View the full article

After weeks of pressure from both advocacy groups and governments, Elon Musk's X says it's finally going to do something about its deepfake porn problem. Unfortunately, after testing following the announcement, some are still holding their breath. When did the X deepfake porn controversy begin?The controversy started earlier this January, after the social media site added a feature allowing X users to tag Grok in their posts and prompt the AI to instantly edit any image or video posted to the site, all without the original poster's permission. The feature seemingly came with few guardrails, and according to reporting done by AI authentication company Copyleaks, as well as statements victims have given to sites like Metro, posters on X quickly started using it to generate explicit or intimate images of real people, particularly women. In some cases, child sexual abuse material was also reportedly generated. It's pretty upsetting stuff, and I wouldn't advise you to go looking for it. While the initial trend seemed to focus on AI photos of celebrities in bikinis, posters quickly moved on to manipulated images of regular people where they appeared to be pregnant, skirtless, or in some other kind of sexualized situation. While Grok was technically able to generate such imagery from uploaded photos before, the ease of access to it appeared to open the floodgates. In response to the brewing controversy, Musk had Grok generate a photo of himself in a bikini. However, the jokes ceased after regulators got involved. Governments are starting to investigateEarlier this week, the UK launched investigations into Grok's alleged deepfake porn, to determine whether it violated laws against nonconsensual intimate images as well as child sexual abuse material. Malaysia and Indonesia went a step further, actually blocking Grok access in the country. Yesterday, California began its own investigations, with Attorney General Rob Banta saying "I urge XAI to take immediate action to ensure this goes no further." X is implementing blocksIn response to the pressure, X cut off the ability to tag Grok for edits on its social media site for everyone except subscribers. However, the Grok app, website, and in-X chatbot (accessible via the sidebar on the desktop version of the site) still remained open to everyone, allowing the flood of deepfaked AI photos to continue (said photos would also still pose the same problems even if generated solely by subscribers, although X later said the goal was to stem the tide and make it easier to hold users generating illegal imagery accountable). The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that X also started blocking tagged Grok requests to generate images of women in sexualized scenarios, but that such images of men were still allowed. Additionally, testing by both U.S. and U.K. writers from The Verge showed that the banned requests could still be made to Grok's website or app directly. Musk has taken a more serious tone in more recent comments on the issue, denying the presence of child sexual abuse material on the site, although various replies to his posts expressed disbelief and claimed to show proof to the contrary. Scroll at your own discretion. To finally put the controversy to bed, X said on Wednesday that it would now be blocking all requests to the Grok account for images of any real people in revealing clothing, regardless of gender and whether coming from paid subscribers or not. But for anyone hoping that would mark the end of this, there appears to be some fine print. Specifically, while the statement said that it would be adding these guardrails to all users tagging the Grok account on X, the standalone Grok website and app are not mentioned. The statement does say it will also block creation of such images on "Grok in X," referring to the in-X version of the chatbot, but even then, it's not a total block. Instead, the imagery will be "geoblocked," meaning it will only be applied "in those jurisdictions where it's illegal." X's post also says that similar requests made by tagging the Grok account will also be geoblocked, although because the section before this says that the Grok account won't accept such requests from any user, that appears to be a moot point. It's important to note that, while the majority of the criticism lobbed at X during this debacle does not accuse the site of generating fully nude imagery, locations like the UK ban nonconsenual explicit imagery regardless of whether it is fully nude or not. Some users can still generate sexualized deepfakesIt's the biggest crackdown X has made on these images yet, but for now, it still appears to have holes. According to further testing by The Verge, the site's reporters were still able to generate revealing deepfakes even after Wednesday's announcement, by using the Grok app not mentioned in the update. When I attempted this using a photo of myself, both the Grok app and standalone Grok website gave me full-body deepfaked images of myself in revealing clothing not present in the original shot. I was also able to generate these images using the in-X Grok chatbot, and some images changed my posing to be more provocative (which I did not prompt), too. As such, the battle is likely to continue. It's unclear whether ignoring the Grok app or website is an oversight, or if X is only seeking to block its most visible holes. One would hope the former, given that X said that it has "zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content." It is worth noting that I am located in New York State, which might not be part of the geoblock, although we do have a law against explicit nonconsensual deepfakes. I've reached out to X for clarification on the issue and will update this post when I hear back. However, when NBC News reached out with similar questions, the outlet was only told "Legacy Media Lies." I can't make any promises as to how the site will reply to my own requests. In the meantime, while governments continue their investigations, others are calling for more immediate action from app stores. A letter sent from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Ben Ray Lujan, and Ed Markey to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai argues that Musk's app now clearly violates both App Store and Google Play policies, and calls on the tech leaders to "remove these apps from the [Apple and Google] app stores until X's policy violations are addressed." View the full article

A federal judge on Thursday cleared the way for a New York offshore wind project to resume construction, a victory for the developer who said a The President administration order to pause it would likely kill the project in a matter of days. District Judge Carl J. Nichols, an appointee of President Donald The President, ruled construction on the Empire Wind project could go forward while he considers the merits of the government’s order to suspend the project. He faulted the government for not responding to key points in Empire Wind’s court filings, including the contention that the administration violated proper procedure. Norwegian company Equinor owns Empire Wind. Spokesperson David Schoetz said they welcome the court’s decision and will continue to work in collaboration with authorities. It’s the second developer to prevail in court against the administration this week. The The President administration froze five big offshore wind projects on the East Coast days before Christmas, citing national security concerns. The President has targeted offshore wind from his first days back in the White House, most recently calling wind farms “losers” that lose money, destroy the landscape and kill birds. Developers and states sued seeking to block the order. Large, ocean-based wind farms are the linchpin of plans to shift to renewable energy in East Coast states that have limited land for onshore wind turbines or solar arrays. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul applauded the court decision, telling reporters the projects had been “stopped under the bogus pretense of national security.” “When I heard this I said one thing: I’m the governor of New York, if there is a national security threat off the coast of New York, you need to tell me what it is. I want a briefing right now. Well, lo and behold, they had no answer,” she said. On Monday, a judge ruled that the Danish energy company Orsted could resume its project to serve Rhode Island and Connecticut. Senior Judge Royce Lamberth said the government did not sufficiently explain the need for a complete stop to construction. That wind farm, called Revolution Wind, is nearly complete. It’s expected to meet roughly 20% of the electricity needs in Rhode Island, the smallest state, and about 5% of Connecticut’s electricity needs. Orsted is also suing over the pause of its Sunrise Wind project for New York, with a hearing still to be set. Dominion Energy Virginia, which is developing Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, plans to ask a judge Friday to block the administration’s order so it can resume construction, too. The President has also dismissed offshore wind developments as ugly, but the Empire project is about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) offshore and the Sunrise project is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) offshore. The fifth paused project is Vineyard Wind, under construction in Massachusetts. Vineyard Wind LLC, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, joined the rest of the developers in challenging the administration on Thursday. They filed a complaint in District Court in Boston. Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast New Jersey, said the administration was right to stop construction on national security grounds. He urged officials to immediately appeal the adverse rulings and seek to halt all work pending appellate review. Opponents of offshore wind projects are particularly vocal and well-organized in New Jersey. Empire Wind is 60% complete and designed to power more than 500,000 homes. Equinor said the project was in jeopardy due to the limited availability of specialized vessels, as well as heavy financial losses. During a hearing Wednesday, Judge Nichols said the government’s main security concern seemed to be over operation of the wind turbines, not construction, although the government pushed back on that contention. In presenting the government’s case, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr. was skeptical of the perfect storm of horrible events that Empire Wind said would derail their entire project if construction didn’t resume. He disagreed with the contention that the government’s main concern was over operation. “I don’t see how you can make this distinction,” Woodward said. He likened it to a nuclear project being built that presented a national security risk. The government would oppose it being built, and it turning on. Molly Morris, Equinor’s senior vice president overseeing Empire Wind, said in an interview that the company wants to build this project and deliver a major, essential new source of power for New York. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Michael Phillis and Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre contributed to this report. 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. I've been testing portable projectors for a bunch of different use cases, but few, if any, have come close to the complete package offered by the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro. It's my favorite of the lot, and right now, you can get a sweet bundle with the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro portable projector and the PowerBase Stand (which you do honestly need) for $368.99, down from $500 at release. This is its all-time low price, according to price-tracking tools. XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro Bundle With PowerBase Stand $368.99 at Amazon $439.00 Save $70.01 Get Deal Get Deal $368.99 at Amazon $439.00 Save $70.01 The projector has two ports—a USB and a micro HDMI—so you can project from a laptop or phone, or you can simply screen mirror from your devices via the Google TV OS. Also, since the projector is "smart," it already comes with the typical apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon, and you can download more from the Google Play Store and control it with a remote. With 450 lumens and 1080p, it's best used in dark rooms, but you can get away with some ambient light (I make good use of it in my backyard). Where this projector truly shines is with the auto keystone focus feature. If you move it anywhere, it'll autocorrect to make the image look its best, regardless of where it's set up. It's user-friendly and made to be set up quickly, without a lot of fiddling. It also comes with a powerful 5W Harman Kardon speaker, which sounds great—about on par with a speaker like the Echo Dot. One caveat: This projector has no internal battery, which is a huge bummer. You'd need to use a portable charger, plug it into an outlet, or, if you're getting it in this bundle, the PowerBase Stand, which can deliver 2.5 hours of battery life. (If you plan to use it mostly indoors, you can choose just the projector for $318.99.) Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $159.00 (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 — $407.47 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — $279.99 (List Price $349.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Wikipedia unveiled new business deals with a slew of artificial intelligence companies on Thursday as it marked its 25th anniversary. The online crowdsourced encyclopedia revealed that it has signed up AI companies, including Amazon, Meta Platforms, Perplexity, Microsoft, and France’s Mistral AI. Wikipedia is one of the last bastions of the early internet, but that original vision of a free online space has been clouded by the dominance of Big Tech platforms and the rise of generative AI chatbots trained on content scraped from the web. Aggressive data collection methods by AI developers, including from Wikipedia’s vast repository of free knowledge, has raised questions about who ultimately pays for the artificial intelligence boom. The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the site, signed Google as one of its first customers in 2022 and announced other agreements last year with smaller AI players like search engine Ecosia. The new deals will help one of the world’s most popular websites monetize heavy traffic from AI companies. They’re paying to access Wikipedia content “at a volume and speed designed specifically for their needs,” the foundation said. It did not provide financial or other details. While AI training has sparked legal battles elsewhere over copyright and other issues, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said he welcomes it. “I’m very happy personally that AI models are training on Wikipedia data because it’s human curated,” Wales told The Associated Press in an interview. “I wouldn’t really want to use an AI that’s trained only on X, you know, like a very angry AI,” Wales said, referring to billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform. Wales said the site wants to work with AI companies, not block them. But “you should probably chip in and pay for your fair share of the cost that you’re putting on us.” The Wikimedia Foundation last year urged AI developers to pay for access through its enterprise platform and said human traffic had fallen 8%. Meanwhile, visits from bots, sometimes disguised to evade detection, were heavily taxing its servers as they scrape masses of content to feed AI large language models. The findings highlighted shifting online trends as search engine AI overviews and chatbots summarize information instead of sending users to sites by showing them links. Wikipedia is the ninth most visited site on the internet. It has more than 65 million articles in 300 languages that are edited by some 250,000 volunteers. The site has become so popular in part because its free for anyone to use. “But our infrastructure is not free, right?” Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander said in a separate interview in Johannesburg, South Africa. It costs money to maintain servers and other infrastructure that allows both individuals and tech companies to “draw data from Wikipedia,” said Iskander, who’s stepping down on Jan. 20, and will be replaced by Bernadette Meehan. The bulk of Wikipedia’s funding comes from 8 million donors, most of them individuals. “They’re not donating in order to subsidize these huge AI companies,” Wales said. They’re saying, “You know what, actually you can’t just smash our website. You have to sort of come in the right way.” Editors and users could benefit from AI in other ways. The Wikimedia Foundation has outlined an AI strategy that Wales said could result in tools that reduce tedious work for editors. While AI isn’t good enough to write Wikipedia entries from scratch, it could, for example, be used to update dead links by scanning the surrounding text and then searching online to find other sources. “We don’t have that yet but that’s the kind of thing that I think we will see in the future.” Artificial intelligence could also improve the Wikipedia search experience, by evolving from the traditional keyword method to more of a chatbot style, Wales said. “You can imagine a world where you can ask the Wikipedia search box a question and it will quote to you from Wikipedia,” he said. It could respond by saying “here’s the answer to your question from this article and here’s the actual paragraph. That sounds really useful to me and so I think we’ll move in that direction as well. ” Reflecting on the early days, Wales said it was a thrilling time because many people were motivated to help build Wikipedia after he and co-founder Larry Sanger, who departed long ago, set it up as an experiment. However, while some might look back wistfully on what seems now to be a more innocent time, Wales said those early days of the internet also had a dark side. “People were pretty toxic back then as well. We didn’t need algorithms to be mean to each other,” he said. “But, you know, it was a time of great excitement and a real spirit of possibility.” Wikipedia has lately found itself under fire from figures on the political right, who have dubbed the site “Wokepedia” and accused it of being biased in favor of the left. Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are investigating alleged “manipulation efforts” in Wikipedia’s editing process that they said could inject bias and undermine neutral points of view on its platform and the AI systems that rely on it. A notable source of criticism is Musk, who last year launched his own AI-powered rival, Grokipedia. He has criticized Wikipedia for being filled with “propaganda” and urged people to stop donating to the site. Wales said he doesn’t consider Grokipedia a “real threat” to Wikipedia because it’s based on large language models, which are the troves of online text that AI systems are trained on. “Large language models aren’t good enough to write really quality reference material. So a lot of it is just regurgitated Wikipedia,” he said. “It often is quite rambling and sort of talks nonsense. And I think the more obscure topic you look into, the worse it is.” He stressed that he wasn’t singling out criticism of Grokipedia. “It’s just the way large language models work.” Wales say he’s known Musk for years but they haven’t been in touch since Grokipedia launched. “I should probably ping him,” Wales said. What would he say? “’How’s your family?’ I’m a nice person, I don’t really want to pick a fight with anybody.” —Kelvin Chan, AP business writer AP writer Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report 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. If you’ve had the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on your wishlist, you’re in luck: It's now $1,079.99, a 24% discount off its regular price of $1,419.99. This marks the device's lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. With high praise from Lifehacker own review and an outstanding rating on PCMag, the powerful, future-proof S25 Ultra is a top choice for Android users. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra $1,079.99 at Amazon $1,419.99 Save $340.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,079.99 at Amazon $1,419.99 Save $340.00 The model on sale includes 512GB storage and a large 6.9-inch AMOLED display with thinner bezels, an updated anti-glare coating, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Softened corners make it more ergonomic to hold, and it’s more durable than its predecessors thanks to an IP68 rating, upgraded Gorilla Armor glass, and a stronger titanium frame. Powering the phone is the speedy Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which runs the device’s AI features, games, and any other multitasking needs smoothly. The built-in S Pen is still there, tucked into the phone’s body, but it no longer includes Bluetooth functions, so it can’t be used as a remote camera button or slideshow controller, unfortunately. The SnapDragon 8 Elite also improves the phone's battery life; the 5,000 mAh-capacity battery lasts over 14 hours with the screen on constant brightness and location sharing on. You’ll get a full suite of Galaxy AI tools, like converting spoken speech to text, drawing assist, and the digital assistant Google Gemini. While these generational changes are more about refinements than full-on transformation, a $300 discount makes this a great excuse to swap out your own phone with an upgraded Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $159.00 (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 — $407.47 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — $279.99 (List Price $349.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

If you are Verizon customer, like me, you’ve probably been scrambling to make phone calls, send texts, and get online since Wednesday, due to a massive, nationwide service outage. (I am writing this from my local food co-op outside Boston, where I am using the internet in their cafe.) The mobile giant says the issue has now been resolved, however, some customers are saying they’re still without service. Some 1.5 million users reported the prolonged outage on Downdetector, which still had some 893 reports (as of around 2:30 p.m. ET). That’s over 24 hours after customers first started losing service around noon ET on Wednesday, with iPhone users reporting an “SOS” icon, as Fast Company reported. This live map on Downdetector reports continued outages in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas, and Houston (as of this writing at around 3 p.m. ET). To its credit (literally), Verizon has said it will contact customers and provide them with a $20 credit for the inconvenience. Posting on X, the mobile company wrote on Thursday: “Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves. To help provide some relief to those affected, we will give you a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed by logging into the myVerizon app.” How can I get the $20 Verizon credit for the outage? According to the post, customers will receive a text message when the credit is available. However, the credit will not be automatically applied to customers’ accounts, and customers must redeem it through the myVerizon app. Additionally, the credit can also be redeemed by contacting Verizon customer service through phone, chat, or online, according to reporting from Engadget. “On average, this covers multiple days of service. Business customers will be contacted directly about their credits,” the company explained. “This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging your time and showing that this matters to us.” Still having trouble connecting? Verizon suggests the following: “please restart your device (power down and power back on). This is the fastest way to reconnect your phone to the network.” View the full article

The president was barely a year into his administration when a health care debate began to consume Washington. On Capitol Hill, partisan divides formed as many Democrats pressed for guaranteed insurance coverage for a broader swath of Americans while Republicans, buttressed by medical industry lobbying, warned about cost and a slide into communism. The year was 1945 and the new Democratic president, Harry Truman, tried and failed to persuade Congress to enact a comprehensive national health care program, a defeat Truman described as the disappointment of his presidency that “troubled me the most.” Since then, 13 presidents have struggled with the same basic questions about the government’s role in health care, where spending now makes up nearly 18% of the U.S. economy. The fraught politics of health care are on display again this month as millions of people face a steep rise in costs after the Republican-controlled Congress allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire. While the subsidies are a narrow, if costly, slice of the issue, they have reopened long-festering grievances in Washington over the way health care is managed and the legacy of the ACA, the signature legislative achievement of President Barack Obama that was passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote. “That’s the key thing that I’ve got to convince my colleagues to understand who hate Obamacare,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, who is leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers discussing ways to extend some of the subsidies. “Let’s take two years to actually deliver for the American people truly affordable health care.” Democrats have heard that refrain before, and argue Republicans have had 15 years to offer an alternative. They believe the options being discussed now, which largely focus on allowing Americans to funnel money to health savings accounts, do little to address the cost of health care. “They’ve had a lot of time,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Maryland Democrat who was House majority leader during the ACA debate. And with that, welcome back to the health care debate that never seems to end. The challenge of reaching consensus The often-tortured dynamics surrounding health care have remained remarkably consistent. Obamacare dramatically expanded coverage but remains — even in the minds of those who crafted the law — imperfect and more expensive than many would prefer. And Washington seems more entrenched in stalemate rather than marching toward a solution. “People hate the status quo but they’re not too thrilled with change,” Rahm Emanuel said as he reflected on the arc of the health care debate that he has watched as a top aide to President Bill Clinton, chief of staff to Obama and Chicago mayor. “That’s the riddle to the politics of health care.” Major reforms inevitably run into a health industry — a broad group of interests ranging from pharmaceutical and health services companies to hospitals and nursing homes — that spent more than $653 million on lobbying in 2025, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks political spending. “Any time you try to figure out how to bring costs down, somebody thinks ‘uh oh, I’m about to get less,’” said Hoyer, who announced last week he will not seek reelection after serving since 1981. When Obamacare was passed, opinion on the law was mixed, although views tended to be more positive than negative, according to KFF polling. But the law has steadily grown in popularity. A KFF poll conducted in September 2025 found that about two-thirds of Americans have a favorable view of the ACA. That’s put The President and Republicans in a bind. The President’s ‘concepts of a plan’ Since the ACA’s passage, Republicans largely dedicated themselves to the law’s destruction. The President issued social media posts calling for a repeal as early as 2011 and spoke in generalities during each of his presidential campaigns about delivering better coverage at lower cost. During his 2024 debate against Democratic rival Kamala Harris, he referred to “concepts of a plan.” One thing he hasn’t done — offer his own formal proposal. During a speech to the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday, The President said he would soon announce a “health care affordability framework.” Throughout his second term, The President has criticized Obamacare as unfairly subsidizing insurers, a point that could have been addressed had the legislation created a so-called “public option” that would have competed alongside the private sector. Republicans — and a sizable number of Democrats — objected to that approach, arguing it would give the government an outsize role in health care. But in a reminder that the past is never really over, a small group of Democrats is aiming to revive the debate over the public option, even if the prospects in a Republican-controlled Congress are dim. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan along with Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois introduced legislation last week that would create a public health insurance option on the ACA exchanges. Last year, a record 24 million people were enrolled in ACA, though fewer appear to be signing up this year as the expired subsidies make coverage more expensive. The Supreme Court has upheld the law and Republicans have failed to repeal, replace, or alter it dozens of times. In the most famous example, Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, cast the deciding vote in 2018 to keep the legislation in place, underscoring the lack of an alternative by noting there was “no replacement to actually reform our health care system and deliver affordable, quality health care to our citizens.” Democrats successfully turned the repeal efforts into a rallying cry in the 2018 midterms and see an opportunity to do so again this year with the expired subsidies. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who isn’t seeking reelection, has warned this moment could be even more perilous for Republicans because, unlike the subsidies, voters didn’t lose anything during the 2018 debate. “Us failing to put something else in place did not create this cliff,” Tillis said. “That’s the fundamental difference in an election year.” ACA veterans acknowledge challenges Even those who crafted the ACA concede that the health care system created in its wake has problems. Former Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat who was one of the bill’s architects as chair of the Finance committee, acknowledged that “nothing is perfect,” pointing to high health care costs. “Bending the cost curve, that has not bent as much as we’d like,” he said. That’s in part why some Republicans have expressed openness to a deal on the subsidies. They see it less as an endorsement of ACA than a bridge that would give lawmakers time to address more complex issues. “We need to get to a long-term solution,” said Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. Veterans of past health care negotiations, however, are skeptical that lawmakers can produce anything meaningful without the type of in-depth negotiations that led up to the ACA. “It takes a long time to figure all this out,” Baucus said. Asked whether he’s studied that history as he dives into the next chapter of health care talks, Moreno noted that he’s only been in Congress for a year. “I don’t know s—-,” he said. “What that means is I don’t have scars.” —Steven Sloan, Associated Press Associated Press writer Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report. View the full article

A handful of former Fed officials noted that the markets' measured response to a probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell was a result of pushback from The President allies. View the full article

In recent years, there’s been a wave of studies reporting that humans are basically full of microplastics: They’ve been found in our brains, arteries, and even in placentas. But some scientists, quoted and cited in an article published by the Guardian this week, have critiqued some of those findings, saying that microplastics research has been muddied by issues like contamination and false positives. One chemist even told the outlet that these criticisms are “​​forcing us to re-evaluate everything we think we know about microplastics in the body.” However, other scientists who study microplastics and human health say that this framing is overblown. While they concede that the field of studying microplastics in our bodies is new—and that some concerns over study methodologies are valid—readers should not conclude that the entire area of study is filled with errors. And, they add, it’s an irrefutable fact that microplastics are present in human bodies. What are the critiques of microplastic studies? When plastics break down, they form these tiny fragments we call microplastics, defined as pieces less than 5 millimeters in length. There are also nanoplastics, which are even smaller particles, usually considered smaller than 1,000 nanometers—which is about 100 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Research has found them in the air, the soil, and our bodies. But in comments to scientific journals and a recent Guardian article, some scientists have challenged the way that researchers have identified these microplastics, particularly in human organs. One study, which said that the levels of microplastics in human brains are rapidly rising, was critiqued for having limited controls around contamination, and for not validating potential false-positives. “Fat is known to make false-positives for polyethylene. The brain has [approximately] 60% fat,” Dr. Dušan Materić, at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany, told the Guardian. Other studies, which found microplastics in arteries, were criticized for not testing blank samples taken in the operating room, basically a way to measure if there’s any background contamination to start. Researchers who wrote comments to scientific journal editors also generally highlighted that the “the analytical approach” used in some microplastic studies is “not robust enough to support [their] claims.” What do these critiques really mean? Microplastics researchers do understand that there are methodological challenges to studying microplastics in human organs. That’s because the field itself is still new. “The tools are in their infancy,” Kara Meister, a pediatric ear, nose, and throat doctor with Stanford Medicine who also studies how our environment—including the presence of microplastics—affects our immune system, told Fast Company. “None of these tools [to detect microplastics] were developed specifically to look at this problem, so we’re borrowing from other science and then trying to apply that to a brand new field,” she adds. The critiques, then, do have truth to them. Yes, microplastics can be confused with fats, Meister says. That’s because microplastics are often made from polymers (meaning something with repeated bonds or a predictable structure), which is also how several human tissues like fats are made. Scientific tools can’t always parse the two. And yes, limiting contamination is a challenge. That’s because microplastics are everywhere. “When we take human tissue, whether that’s a blood sample or a tissue sample from the body, we’re doing it in an operating room that is full of plastic,” Meister says. In her lab, she uses metal instruments and wraps samples in sterile foil, but there are still ambient microplastics that might lead to some element of contamination. And yes, there are issues around having a positive or negative control in a study—basically, a control to compare a sample to show this is what it looks like with or without microplastics. “In a perfect study, we would know, if I took this tonsil and I spiked it with known polyethylene, are we picking that up right in the tools?” she says. “The problem is that the plastics that you can buy in a laboratory setting to be able to test these, they’re not actually what we’re encountering in real life.” In real life, microplastics are not one specific thing; they have multiple characteristics. Take microplastics from a plastic bottle—if those contaminate your body, your body isn’t only seeing the polyethylene. Your body also sees “things like BPA, heavy metals, dyes, ink—all the things that come with it,” Meister says. Microplastics are also known to carry bacteria and other proteins, “like a little raft” they attach to. This means when scientists look for microplastics in our bodies, they’re not just looking for one thing. “It’s really hard to measure, because it’s a category of a whole bunch of diverse different things. And we also know that there are over 350,000 different proprietary chemicals in the world.” Along with all these challenges, it’s also difficult for researchers to compare their findings across labs or research techniques. There aren’t standards for how to measure microplastics or tools researchers should use. Scientists know about these caveats So there are challenges to measuring microplastics, but scientists working to study this already know that. Ideally, Meister says, researchers would measure microplastics in three ways: identify (what is the polymer; is it polyethylene, for example, or maybe PVC?); quantify (how many particles, and how big are they?); and localize (where are they within human tissue?). The problem is, there isn’t yet one measurement technique that can answer all three of those questions. “That leaves triangulating different types of measurements and some gaps in the science,” she says. “We will get there, but it’s going to take trial and error to get better standards and accelerate the data.” Megan Wolff, executive director of the Physician and Scientist Network for Advocacy on Plastics and Health, put it this way on LinkedIn: “methodological uncertainty is a normal feature of science, especially in a newly evolving discipline.” In some cases, the critiques raised in the Guardian article were also acknowledged by the original study authors. These caveats, though, may not always be clear in media stories or to the general public. Concerns over framing Critiquing studies itself isn’t controversial, Wolff added; that’s part of how science evolves. But Wolff took issue with the way the critiques were framed. In both the Guardian’s headline and lede, the article highlights a quote calling the critiques of the brain study “a bombshell.” That phrase is attributed to Roger Kuhlman, a chemist formerly at the Dow Chemical Company, and the same source who said that the critiques are “forcing us to re-evaluate everything we think we know about microplastics in the body.” The fact that this chemist formerly worked at Dow, a major plastics manufacturer, was a controversial choice to Wolff. Dow has “a vested interest in casting doubt on the science of plastics, microplastics, and human health, she wrote. Kulhman’s “bombshell” comment was in response to a study assessing a specific analysis method for quantifying plastics in human blood, and which found those tools are “not a suitable analysis method” for two types of plastic, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, in uhman tissue. In a statement to Fast Company, Kuhlman stood by this framing, and his concerns about the way that “questionable results” in scientific studies have been “The Presidented to popular media outlets as solid scientific facts.” “Scientists have traditionally been conservative with public descriptions of early-stage results for good reason,” he added. “I hope the article in The Guardian and related reports help level-set public expectations to the true state of current scientific understanding, which is that we know almost nothing about concentrations of micro- and nanoplastics in human bodies.” Kuhlman also disputed the idea that his experience at Dow would color his comments. “I am not, nor have I ever been, a corporate spokesman—I was a lab rat,” he said. “Both throughout and after my employment, environmental issues (especially climate change) have been critical to me and guided my priorities and thinking.” Should concerns diminish the whole field? Even with some problematic studies, cross contamination, and difficulties quantifying microplastics in human tissue, Wolff emphasized that there are a few irrefutable facts about microplastics and our bodies, “regardless of measurement techniques,” Wolff adds. Those facts are: Microplastics are present in human bodies, “from blood to brains to bones”; microplastics are made of fossil carbon and chemical additives, many of which are known to be toxic; and hazardous chemicals are always leaching out of plastics—including when we eat off plastic, drink out of plastic, or wear plastic—meaning that plastic degrades throughout its environment. So maybe scientists don’t know how many microplastics are in our bodies, or what exactly they’re doing to us. But they’re trying to figure that out. And as Leonardo Trasande, director of NYU Langone Health’s Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards, put it in his own LinkedIn post: “As a new field, there are of course going to be bumps in the road and a need to recalibrate our understanding.” But the Guardian article, he added, risks damaging all researchers who study this. “It implies that the entire field is lacking in rigor,” he wrote. “That’s just not the case.” In a statement to Fast Company, the Guardian said it would not be providing additional comments “as the story speaks for itself.” When it comes to studying microplastics in our bodies, the question of exactly how many there are in our brains or blood might not even be the most important one, scientifically, to ask. “It’s probably there, yeah,” Meister says. “Is it actually harming us? That’s the question we’re trying to answer.” Even if we don’t know specifically how they’re impacting human health, “we know that microplastics are hurting the environment,” Meister says. Wolff, in her post on LinkedIn, was even more blunt: “The science, for its own part, is clear,” she wrote. “Exposure to plastic is harmful, be it through large items or tiny particles.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Users of Supernatural got an unpleasant surprise this week: Meta has pulled the plug on its flagship virtual reality fitness app. Citing "organizational changes," Meta says it will no longer release new content or update features for Supernatural. The app is not shutting down completely however. Subscribers can still access Supernatural's existing library of Beat Saber-workouts, and Meta says it will maintain the platform and Facebook page, but no new workouts, features, or other content is planned. Both users and critics have nearly universally praised Supernatural—CNet scored it 9 out of 10, it won both Fast Company's Best App award in 2020 and a Webby in 2023, and boasted celebrity tie-ins with Jane Fonda and Bon Jovi. Meta doesn't publish subscriber numbers for Supernatural, but there are over 110,000 members of Supernatural's Facebook community. Not enough, apparently, to warrant keeping the app going. In 2021, Meta spent an estimated $400 million to purchase Within, Supernatural's developer, even battling the FTC to make the deal, and the app was a heavily promoted part of the company's overall "Metaverse" strategy. Meta shifts from VR to AI wearablesThe shuttering of Supernatural is part of a larger shift at Meta. This week, the company laid off 1,500 people—about 10% of the staff—from Reality Labs, Meta's hardware and virtual reality division. “We said last month that we were shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward Wearables. This is part of that effort,” a Meta spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. Along with cuts at Supernatural, Meta is closing three studios behind some of the most prominent, high-end VR games: Armature, who brought Resident Evil 4 to VR, Sanzaru, the studio behind Asgard’s Wrath, and Twisted Pixel, creators of Deadpool VR. View the full article

Rejection stings. If you’re on the job hunt right now, it’s likely something you’ve grown accustomed to, if not entirely numb to. Considering more than one in four workers without jobs has been unemployed for at least half a year, chances are that comes with a tidal wave of rejection emails. The entry-level job market is also the toughest it’s been in years, with only 30% of 2025 graduates finding jobs in their fields. One TikTok creator, however, has made it her personal mission to collect rejections like gold stars, documenting her challenge to receive 1,000 instances of being told “no” in one year. Just 71 “nos” into her journey, she’s already seen how embracing rejection has opened doors to a whole host of unexpected opportunities. For Gabriella Carr, among the rejections were some unexpected yeses. She tried to be rejected for a national pageant title, “but they accepted me. So now I’m a national pageant title holder.” She auditioned for a play, thinking she would be rejected, but instead landed the part. “I actually went and performed in 11 shows,” she says. “Let this be your sign,” she concluded. “Chase rejection.” Her original video introducing the challenge has already reached hundreds of thousands of views, encouraging others to, if not chase their dreams, at least put themselves out there and see what happens. “Because of your video, I was able to get my own apartment for the first time, got a federal job, applied to volunteer for a hospice home and learned chess,” one user commented. “Because of your idea…I launched a business, applied for a scholarship abroad and decided to try remote work,” another wrote. One simply put: “I’m clearly not using my free will to its fullest potential.” Carr’s format is simple and highly replicable. Pick a number of “nos” to chase this year. (If you’re sensitive, no need to start with 1,000. Why not aim for 10?). “Or maybe you want to make your goals more effort based and say, ‘Okay, I’m going to try 100 times’,” she also suggests. From there, she encourages actively seeking opportunities where rejection is a possibility. Track those outcomes in a journal or spreadsheet, logging both nos and yeses. If you’re feeling brave, share your progress publicly or with a friend to hold yourself accountable and help normalize rejection as simply part of the process. The challenge is most effective when the rejections are in service of a bigger goal, whether that’s finding a romantic partner or applying for grants, colleges, or a dream job. The math is simple: every no gets you one step closer to a yes. While the scale of Carr’s personal challenge might be petrifying to some, the core principles are nothing new. Exposure therapy is a commonly used technique in cognitive behavioral therapy, developed to help people confront their fears head-on. Meanwhile, entrepreneur Jia Jiang’s 2015 TED Talk about his “100 days of rejection,” has been viewed more than 11 million times. Rejection is also nothing new to a generation once described as the most rejected in history by Business Insider. When it comes to Gen Z’s experience with rejection, the article’s author, Delia Cai, points to the fact that applications to the country’s 67 most selective colleges have tripled in the past two decades, to nearly 2 million a year. The current job market isn’t much gentler. In early 2025, the average knowledge worker job opening received 244 applications, up from 93 in February 2019, according to data cited in the article. Reddit and TikTok are also full of stories of those who have applied to thousands of jobs and been rejected by all of them. Of course, all this rejection is sure to have an impact on anyone’s psyche, if not their ego. But with Carr’s challenge, the logic goes, aiming for 1,000 nos, a far more attainable goal than 1000 yeses, should take some of the pain out of the process. And remember, as entrepreneur Chris Dixon once said: “If you aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough.” View the full article

Office for Students says almost two-thirds more first-class degrees were awarded than can be explainedView the full article

The government securitization guarantor could move forward with more big-picture initiatives as well this year now that it officially has a confirmed president. View the full article

Marketers can now set a total budget for a campaign over a defined period. Google automatically optimizes spend to fully use the budget by the campaign’s end date. The feature, earlier only available for Performance Max, is now available Search and Shopping campaigns, reducing the need for daily adjustments. Why we care. Managing budgets for short-term campaigns — like product launches, sales events, or promotions — hasn’t been easy. Marketers often tweak daily budgets manually to avoid overspending or underutilizing spend. Google’s new campaign total budgets, now in open beta, aim to solve that. Big picture. The update lets campaigns run confidently without overspending, whether it’s a 72-hour test or a month-long push. It also frees marketers to focus more on strategy instead of constant budget tweaks. Real-world impact. UK beauty retailer Escentual.com used the feature during promotions and saw a 16% increase in website traffic without exceeding budget or harming ROAS. Tom Jenkins, Insights Manager: “The campaign total budget feature helped us hit our traffic goals while staying on budget.” What’s next. The feature simplifies campaign management and gives marketers more time to focus on results. View the full article

Customer advocacy marketing focuses on turning loyal customers into brand champions. This approach leverages their positive experiences and authentic endorsements to boost credibility and cultivate community. By prioritizing customer relationships, businesses can greatly lower acquisition costs and build trust. Comprehending the nuances of this strategy and its implementation can lead to sustainable growth. So, what are the key components that make up an effective customer advocacy program? Key Takeaways Customer advocacy marketing leverages loyal customers to promote a brand through authentic word-of-mouth, enhancing trust and credibility. Advocates often spend twice as much as average customers, increasing overall customer lifetime value and loyalty. It fosters a sense of community, encouraging shared positive experiences and reducing customer acquisition costs. Engaging advocates through testimonials, referrals, and social sharing can significantly boost brand awareness and conversion rates. Measuring advocacy success through metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and customer engagement helps refine marketing strategies and improve relationships. Understanding Customer Advocacy Comprehending customer advocacy is crucial for any business looking to cultivate growth and build a loyal customer base. Customer advocacy definition involves loyal customers actively promoting your brand through positive word-of-mouth. These advocates broaden your brand’s reach and credibility, making their support necessary for your growth. They typically emerge near the end of the customer experience, often aligned with the Referral stage of the AAARR model. This is where satisfied customers recommend your brand to others, greatly impacting new customer acquisition. Building strong relationships with advocates nurtures trust and increases overall customer satisfaction. You can identify and nurture different advocate personas, such as status seekers or educators, to tailor your advocacy strategies to their unique motivations and needs. In the end, these advocates can be more valuable than average customers, often spending twice as much and demonstrating higher loyalty, which can drive substantial business success. Importance of Customer Advocacy Marketing Grasping the importance of customer advocacy marketing is essential for your brand’s growth. When satisfied customers amplify their authentic voices, they not just improve your brand’s credibility but additionally cultivate a sense of community among users. This community-building aspect encourages loyalty, as customers share their positive experiences, driving engagement and broadening your reach through genuine recommendations. Authentic Voice Amplification In the domain of marketing, leveraging authentic voices has become essential for brands looking to build trust and credibility. Customer advocacy marketing taps into the experiences of satisfied customers, encouraging them to share their positive stories through word-of-mouth. This approach not merely builds brand loyalty but likewise aids in acquiring new customers, as retaining existing ones is considerably cheaper than attracting new ones. Studies show that 70% of consumers trust online reviews from other customers, making advocacy a critical tool for reputation improvement. With effective customer advocacy marketing, brands can amplify their reach, as happy advocates promote their experiences across social media, leading to increased visibility and engagement, ultimately benefiting the brand’s overall marketing strategy. Community Building Benefits Building a strong community around your brand not just improves customer loyalty but also utilizes the strength of advocacy marketing to drive growth. When you nurture customer advocacy, satisfied customers share their positive experiences, greatly lowering your acquisition costs—up to 5-7 times compared to traditional methods. Engaging advocates boosts brand awareness, as 88% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. By establishing online communities, you strengthen relationships and encourage advocates to provide valuable insights and testimonials, serving as social proof for potential customers. Moreover, community-driven advocacy programs can double customer spending compared to non-advocates, enhancing retention rates. Prioritizing feedback and collaboration builds a sense of belonging, improving emotional connections within your customer community. Types of Customer Advocacy Various types of customer advocacy play crucial roles in enhancing brand visibility and credibility. One prominent customer advocacy example is social sharing, where both employees and customers promote company content on platforms, leading to a 25%-40% increase in engagement. Testimonials likewise serve as impactful endorsements; 88% of consumers trust recommendations from known individuals, greatly influencing potential buyers. Case studies highlight detailed success stories that showcase product effectiveness, helping to attract new customers by illustrating real-world applications. Referrals involve direct recommendations from advocates to peers, often yielding higher conversion rates, as referred customers typically spend 20% more than non-referred customers. Finally, webinars and podcasts featuring customer advocates discussing their experiences build trust and promote the brand, leveraging personal narratives effectively. Each type contributes uniquely to nurturing a strong customer advocacy culture that benefits both the brand and its loyal customers. Role of Customer Advocates Customer advocates play a pivotal role in enhancing a brand’s visibility and credibility by actively promoting it through positive experiences. They share testimonials, reviews, and word-of-mouth referrals, which greatly amplify brand awareness. Comprehending customer advocacy meaning helps you realize the value of these advocates, who often serve as trusted sources of information for potential customers. Engaging with advocates not simply leads to higher retention rates but also nurtures a lively customer community. Here are some key roles of customer advocates: They provide relatable support and insights for other customers. Advocates often contribute to case studies and webinars. They help others maximize the value from products or services. Satisfied advocates are less likely to churn, boosting loyalty. Their endorsements resonate strongly with prospective buyers, driving sales. Building a Customer Advocacy Program Creating an effective advocacy program requires a strategic approach that aligns your goals with the overall business objectives. Start by defining clear goals, such as increasing customer retention or driving revenue growth. Comprehending different advocate personas is essential, as each group may have distinct motivations that you can cater to improve their experience. Regularly collecting and analyzing customer feedback through surveys and testimonials helps you refine the customer advocacy program continuously. This guarantees it meets the evolving needs of your advocates. Moreover, offering incentives and recognition, like exclusive rewards or public acknowledgments, can greatly boost engagement and participation levels. Finally, measure the effectiveness of your advocacy program using metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS) and track referral rates. These insights will help you evaluate the program’s impact on customer loyalty and overall business growth, allowing you to make informed decisions moving forward. Steps to Implement a Customer Advocacy Strategy To implement a successful customer advocacy strategy, you should start by defining clear program objectives that align with your overall business goals. Next, identify different advocate personas to understand their motivations and tailor your engagement efforts accordingly. Finally, measure engagement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your advocacy initiatives and make necessary adjustments for continuous improvement. Define Program Objectives Defining clear, measurable objectives for your advocacy program is essential to guide your strategy effectively. When you define customer advocacy, aim to set specific, quantifiable goals that align with your overall business aims. Consider the following objectives: Increase customer referrals by 20% within a year. Improve your Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 15 points. Boost brand awareness through targeted outreach efforts. Nurture customer retention by creating loyalty initiatives. Utilize data analytics to identify potential advocates based on engagement. Identify Advocate Personas Grasping advocate personas is crucial for effectively implementing a customer advocacy strategy, as these personas represent distinct customer profiles based on motivations and engagement levels. By analyzing customer demographics and behaviors, you can identify key traits that potential advocates possess, such as their social influence and willingness to share experiences. Creating detailed advocate personas helps you align your advocate marketing programs with the unique needs of different customer groups, enhancing outreach efforts. Comprehending these personas likewise allows you to tailor incentives and rewards, nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes long-term loyalty. Regularly updating and refining these personas based on customer feedback guarantees that your advocacy strategies remain relevant and impactful over time, maximizing engagement and effectiveness. Measure Engagement Metrics Measuring engagement metrics is essential for grasping the effectiveness of your customer advocacy strategy. To guarantee you’re on the right track, focus on these key metrics: Track your Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge customer loyalty, aiming for scores above 50. Analyze social media interactions, including likes, shares, and comments, to see how advocates promote your brand. Monitor customer testimonials and reviews to evaluate the sentiment and volume of feedback. Use referral tracking systems to quantify the number of new customers brought in by advocates. Regularly assess customer engagement through surveys, gathering insights on their experiences and motivations. Measuring Customer Advocacy Success To effectively assess the success of your customer advocacy initiatives, it’s crucial to focus on specific metrics that provide insight into their impact. One key metric is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures how likely your customers are to recommend your brand. Furthermore, tracking customer lifetime value (CLV) can highlight the financial benefits of your customer advocacy marketing strategy, as advocates typically spend twice as much as non-advocates. Analyzing engagement levels, such as participation in referrals and testimonials, offers a clear view of how active your advocates are. Regularly conducting customer feedback surveys helps gather actionable insights, allowing you to identify areas that need improvement. Finally, monitoring social media mentions and sentiment analysis can reveal how advocacy influences brand perception and trust, providing a thorough picture of your advocacy program’s success. Strategies to Enhance Customer Advocacy Improving customer advocacy requires a strategic approach that aligns your goals with the overall objectives of your business. To effectively boost customer advocacy, consider the following strategies: Implement a structured customer advocacy program with clear goals. Leverage customer success platforms to identify potential advocates based on metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores. Cultivate a sense of community by creating platforms for sharing experiences, such as case studies and testimonials, which can amplify brand messages. Regularly collect and analyze customer feedback to understand their needs and motivations, refining advocacy strategies accordingly. Offer incentives for advocacy participation, like discounts or exclusive rewards, to encourage customers to share positive experiences. These advocacy marketing examples can greatly improve your brand’s loyalty and engagement, ensuring that every effort contributes to a stronger connection with your customers. Examples of Successful Customer Advocacy Programs Successful customer advocacy programs showcase the strength of genuine customer experiences in promoting a brand. HubSpot‘s use of Influitive’s AdvocateHub platform greatly increased customer references, revenue, and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). Similarly, Data.com’s Ohana Hub gamified engagement, leading to more customer references and valuable case studies. Here’s a summary of key examples: Company Strategy Outcome HubSpot AdvocateHub platform Increased customer references and NPS Data.com Ohana Hub for personalized experiences Boosted customer references and case studies Webinar Customer shares success story Built trust among potential users Engagement Actively collecting feedback Improved customer advocacy efforts These brand advocacy programs highlight the importance of leveraging customer experiences to cultivate trust, engagement, and eventually, business growth. Leveraging Customer Feedback for Advocacy To effectively leverage customer feedback for advocacy, you need to gather valuable insights that highlight how your product or service meets customer needs. Encouraging honest testimonials not just showcases positive experiences but additionally boosts your brand’s trustworthiness in the eyes of potential customers. Gathering Valuable Insights Gathering customer feedback plays a crucial role in comprehending their needs and preferences, which directly informs improvements to products and services that underpin advocacy efforts. By regularly soliciting this feedback, you amplify customer trust and rapport, making them feel valued, which can lead to increased customer brand advocacy. Use surveys and social listening to gather insights. Analyze testimonials and reviews to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Implement metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge satisfaction. Adapt your advocacy programs based on real-time feedback. Continuously refine strategies to align with evolving customer expectations. This structured approach not merely improves customer experiences but likewise nurtures stronger relationships that encourage advocacy. Encouraging Honest Testimonials Even though many brands recognize the importance of customer testimonials, actively encouraging honest feedback can greatly improve your advocacy efforts. Honest testimonials serve as significant endorsements, with 88% of consumers trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. To cultivate customer advocates, solicit feedback through surveys and social media, creating opportunities for customers to share their genuine experiences. Establish dedicated testimonial pages or invite social media shout-outs to amplify positive stories. Furthermore, recognize and reward customers who provide testimonials, nurturing a culture of advocacy. Engaging with customers post-purchase not merely strengthens relationships but also reinforces that their opinions matter, leading to more authentic and enthusiastic endorsements, thereby enhancing your brand’s credibility and influence in the marketplace. Enhancing Brand Trustworthiness How can leveraging customer feedback improve your brand’s trustworthiness? Advocacy marketing relies on authentic testimonials and experiences, with 88% of consumers trusting recommendations from people they know. By encouraging satisfied customers to share their feedback, you create valuable social proof, which greatly influences potential buyers. Engaging customers in feedback loops cultivates community and provides insights for product improvement, ensuring your advocacy efforts align with consumer needs. A well-structured advocacy program can lower customer acquisition costs by 5-7 times compared to traditional marketing, making it a cost-effective strategy to boost brand trustworthiness. Builds authentic connections Increases customer loyalty Amplifies positive testimonials Provides insights for improvement Lowers acquisition costs Frequently Asked Questions What Is Customer Advocacy Marketing? Customer advocacy marketing involves transforming satisfied customers into brand advocates who actively promote your products or services. It relies on word-of-mouth, social media, and reviews to increase visibility and trust. By encouraging customers to share their positive experiences, you elevate brand awareness and loyalty. This approach not only reduces customer acquisition costs but additionally nurtures a community around your brand, driving engagement and support as well as providing valuable feedback for continuous improvement. What Are the 3 C’s of Advocacy? The 3 C’s of advocacy are Customers, Content, and Community. Customers are the advocates who promote your brand through their authentic experiences. Content includes testimonials, case studies, and social media posts that these advocates share, serving as impactful social proof. Community refers to the networks and platforms where advocates engage and amplify your brand messages. Together, these elements improve brand credibility, drive customer loyalty, and expand your reach in the market. What Is Advocacy and Why Does It Matter? Advocacy refers to actions taken by loyal customers who actively promote a brand, influencing others through word-of-mouth recommendations. It matters since authentic testimonials resonate more with potential buyers than traditional advertising, enhancing trust and credibility. Advocacy nurtures community among customers, boosts engagement, and drives brand awareness. Additionally, satisfied advocates often generate higher revenue, improving customer retention and loyalty, making advocacy an essential element for businesses aiming to succeed in competitive markets. What Are the 4 Purposes of Advocacy? The four primary purposes of advocacy are to increase brand awareness, improve customer loyalty, enhance product feedback, and drive sales growth through word-of-mouth referrals. By nurturing strong relationships with advocates, you can amplify positive brand messages, which builds trust among potential customers. Moreover, advocates provide valuable insights that can inform product improvements, contributing to a better overall customer experience and finally boosting your business’s bottom line. Conclusion In conclusion, customer advocacy marketing is a valuable strategy that leverages loyal customers to promote your brand through authentic endorsements. It boosts credibility, nurtures community, and reduces acquisition costs. By comprehending the different types of advocacy and actively building a program, you can cultivate strong relationships with advocates. Measuring success and implementing effective strategies further improve these efforts. Ultimately, prioritizing customer advocacy can lead to increased loyalty, trust, and sustainable growth for your business in a competitive market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Customer Advocacy Marketing and Why It Matters?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Customer advocacy marketing focuses on turning loyal customers into brand champions. This approach leverages their positive experiences and authentic endorsements to boost credibility and cultivate community. By prioritizing customer relationships, businesses can greatly lower acquisition costs and build trust. Comprehending the nuances of this strategy and its implementation can lead to sustainable growth. So, what are the key components that make up an effective customer advocacy program? Key Takeaways Customer advocacy marketing leverages loyal customers to promote a brand through authentic word-of-mouth, enhancing trust and credibility. Advocates often spend twice as much as average customers, increasing overall customer lifetime value and loyalty. It fosters a sense of community, encouraging shared positive experiences and reducing customer acquisition costs. Engaging advocates through testimonials, referrals, and social sharing can significantly boost brand awareness and conversion rates. Measuring advocacy success through metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and customer engagement helps refine marketing strategies and improve relationships. Understanding Customer Advocacy Comprehending customer advocacy is crucial for any business looking to cultivate growth and build a loyal customer base. Customer advocacy definition involves loyal customers actively promoting your brand through positive word-of-mouth. These advocates broaden your brand’s reach and credibility, making their support necessary for your growth. They typically emerge near the end of the customer experience, often aligned with the Referral stage of the AAARR model. This is where satisfied customers recommend your brand to others, greatly impacting new customer acquisition. Building strong relationships with advocates nurtures trust and increases overall customer satisfaction. You can identify and nurture different advocate personas, such as status seekers or educators, to tailor your advocacy strategies to their unique motivations and needs. In the end, these advocates can be more valuable than average customers, often spending twice as much and demonstrating higher loyalty, which can drive substantial business success. Importance of Customer Advocacy Marketing Grasping the importance of customer advocacy marketing is essential for your brand’s growth. When satisfied customers amplify their authentic voices, they not just improve your brand’s credibility but additionally cultivate a sense of community among users. This community-building aspect encourages loyalty, as customers share their positive experiences, driving engagement and broadening your reach through genuine recommendations. Authentic Voice Amplification In the domain of marketing, leveraging authentic voices has become essential for brands looking to build trust and credibility. Customer advocacy marketing taps into the experiences of satisfied customers, encouraging them to share their positive stories through word-of-mouth. This approach not merely builds brand loyalty but likewise aids in acquiring new customers, as retaining existing ones is considerably cheaper than attracting new ones. Studies show that 70% of consumers trust online reviews from other customers, making advocacy a critical tool for reputation improvement. With effective customer advocacy marketing, brands can amplify their reach, as happy advocates promote their experiences across social media, leading to increased visibility and engagement, ultimately benefiting the brand’s overall marketing strategy. Community Building Benefits Building a strong community around your brand not just improves customer loyalty but also utilizes the strength of advocacy marketing to drive growth. When you nurture customer advocacy, satisfied customers share their positive experiences, greatly lowering your acquisition costs—up to 5-7 times compared to traditional methods. Engaging advocates boosts brand awareness, as 88% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. By establishing online communities, you strengthen relationships and encourage advocates to provide valuable insights and testimonials, serving as social proof for potential customers. Moreover, community-driven advocacy programs can double customer spending compared to non-advocates, enhancing retention rates. Prioritizing feedback and collaboration builds a sense of belonging, improving emotional connections within your customer community. Types of Customer Advocacy Various types of customer advocacy play crucial roles in enhancing brand visibility and credibility. One prominent customer advocacy example is social sharing, where both employees and customers promote company content on platforms, leading to a 25%-40% increase in engagement. Testimonials likewise serve as impactful endorsements; 88% of consumers trust recommendations from known individuals, greatly influencing potential buyers. Case studies highlight detailed success stories that showcase product effectiveness, helping to attract new customers by illustrating real-world applications. Referrals involve direct recommendations from advocates to peers, often yielding higher conversion rates, as referred customers typically spend 20% more than non-referred customers. Finally, webinars and podcasts featuring customer advocates discussing their experiences build trust and promote the brand, leveraging personal narratives effectively. Each type contributes uniquely to nurturing a strong customer advocacy culture that benefits both the brand and its loyal customers. Role of Customer Advocates Customer advocates play a pivotal role in enhancing a brand’s visibility and credibility by actively promoting it through positive experiences. They share testimonials, reviews, and word-of-mouth referrals, which greatly amplify brand awareness. Comprehending customer advocacy meaning helps you realize the value of these advocates, who often serve as trusted sources of information for potential customers. Engaging with advocates not simply leads to higher retention rates but also nurtures a lively customer community. Here are some key roles of customer advocates: They provide relatable support and insights for other customers. Advocates often contribute to case studies and webinars. They help others maximize the value from products or services. Satisfied advocates are less likely to churn, boosting loyalty. Their endorsements resonate strongly with prospective buyers, driving sales. Building a Customer Advocacy Program Creating an effective advocacy program requires a strategic approach that aligns your goals with the overall business objectives. Start by defining clear goals, such as increasing customer retention or driving revenue growth. Comprehending different advocate personas is essential, as each group may have distinct motivations that you can cater to improve their experience. Regularly collecting and analyzing customer feedback through surveys and testimonials helps you refine the customer advocacy program continuously. This guarantees it meets the evolving needs of your advocates. Moreover, offering incentives and recognition, like exclusive rewards or public acknowledgments, can greatly boost engagement and participation levels. Finally, measure the effectiveness of your advocacy program using metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS) and track referral rates. These insights will help you evaluate the program’s impact on customer loyalty and overall business growth, allowing you to make informed decisions moving forward. Steps to Implement a Customer Advocacy Strategy To implement a successful customer advocacy strategy, you should start by defining clear program objectives that align with your overall business goals. Next, identify different advocate personas to understand their motivations and tailor your engagement efforts accordingly. Finally, measure engagement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your advocacy initiatives and make necessary adjustments for continuous improvement. Define Program Objectives Defining clear, measurable objectives for your advocacy program is essential to guide your strategy effectively. When you define customer advocacy, aim to set specific, quantifiable goals that align with your overall business aims. Consider the following objectives: Increase customer referrals by 20% within a year. Improve your Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 15 points. Boost brand awareness through targeted outreach efforts. Nurture customer retention by creating loyalty initiatives. Utilize data analytics to identify potential advocates based on engagement. Identify Advocate Personas Grasping advocate personas is crucial for effectively implementing a customer advocacy strategy, as these personas represent distinct customer profiles based on motivations and engagement levels. By analyzing customer demographics and behaviors, you can identify key traits that potential advocates possess, such as their social influence and willingness to share experiences. Creating detailed advocate personas helps you align your advocate marketing programs with the unique needs of different customer groups, enhancing outreach efforts. Comprehending these personas likewise allows you to tailor incentives and rewards, nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes long-term loyalty. Regularly updating and refining these personas based on customer feedback guarantees that your advocacy strategies remain relevant and impactful over time, maximizing engagement and effectiveness. Measure Engagement Metrics Measuring engagement metrics is essential for grasping the effectiveness of your customer advocacy strategy. To guarantee you’re on the right track, focus on these key metrics: Track your Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge customer loyalty, aiming for scores above 50. Analyze social media interactions, including likes, shares, and comments, to see how advocates promote your brand. Monitor customer testimonials and reviews to evaluate the sentiment and volume of feedback. Use referral tracking systems to quantify the number of new customers brought in by advocates. Regularly assess customer engagement through surveys, gathering insights on their experiences and motivations. Measuring Customer Advocacy Success To effectively assess the success of your customer advocacy initiatives, it’s crucial to focus on specific metrics that provide insight into their impact. One key metric is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures how likely your customers are to recommend your brand. Furthermore, tracking customer lifetime value (CLV) can highlight the financial benefits of your customer advocacy marketing strategy, as advocates typically spend twice as much as non-advocates. Analyzing engagement levels, such as participation in referrals and testimonials, offers a clear view of how active your advocates are. Regularly conducting customer feedback surveys helps gather actionable insights, allowing you to identify areas that need improvement. Finally, monitoring social media mentions and sentiment analysis can reveal how advocacy influences brand perception and trust, providing a thorough picture of your advocacy program’s success. Strategies to Enhance Customer Advocacy Improving customer advocacy requires a strategic approach that aligns your goals with the overall objectives of your business. To effectively boost customer advocacy, consider the following strategies: Implement a structured customer advocacy program with clear goals. Leverage customer success platforms to identify potential advocates based on metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores. Cultivate a sense of community by creating platforms for sharing experiences, such as case studies and testimonials, which can amplify brand messages. Regularly collect and analyze customer feedback to understand their needs and motivations, refining advocacy strategies accordingly. Offer incentives for advocacy participation, like discounts or exclusive rewards, to encourage customers to share positive experiences. These advocacy marketing examples can greatly improve your brand’s loyalty and engagement, ensuring that every effort contributes to a stronger connection with your customers. Examples of Successful Customer Advocacy Programs Successful customer advocacy programs showcase the strength of genuine customer experiences in promoting a brand. HubSpot‘s use of Influitive’s AdvocateHub platform greatly increased customer references, revenue, and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). Similarly, Data.com’s Ohana Hub gamified engagement, leading to more customer references and valuable case studies. Here’s a summary of key examples: Company Strategy Outcome HubSpot AdvocateHub platform Increased customer references and NPS Data.com Ohana Hub for personalized experiences Boosted customer references and case studies Webinar Customer shares success story Built trust among potential users Engagement Actively collecting feedback Improved customer advocacy efforts These brand advocacy programs highlight the importance of leveraging customer experiences to cultivate trust, engagement, and eventually, business growth. Leveraging Customer Feedback for Advocacy To effectively leverage customer feedback for advocacy, you need to gather valuable insights that highlight how your product or service meets customer needs. Encouraging honest testimonials not just showcases positive experiences but additionally boosts your brand’s trustworthiness in the eyes of potential customers. Gathering Valuable Insights Gathering customer feedback plays a crucial role in comprehending their needs and preferences, which directly informs improvements to products and services that underpin advocacy efforts. By regularly soliciting this feedback, you amplify customer trust and rapport, making them feel valued, which can lead to increased customer brand advocacy. Use surveys and social listening to gather insights. Analyze testimonials and reviews to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Implement metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge satisfaction. Adapt your advocacy programs based on real-time feedback. Continuously refine strategies to align with evolving customer expectations. This structured approach not merely improves customer experiences but likewise nurtures stronger relationships that encourage advocacy. Encouraging Honest Testimonials Even though many brands recognize the importance of customer testimonials, actively encouraging honest feedback can greatly improve your advocacy efforts. Honest testimonials serve as significant endorsements, with 88% of consumers trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. To cultivate customer advocates, solicit feedback through surveys and social media, creating opportunities for customers to share their genuine experiences. Establish dedicated testimonial pages or invite social media shout-outs to amplify positive stories. Furthermore, recognize and reward customers who provide testimonials, nurturing a culture of advocacy. Engaging with customers post-purchase not merely strengthens relationships but also reinforces that their opinions matter, leading to more authentic and enthusiastic endorsements, thereby enhancing your brand’s credibility and influence in the marketplace. Enhancing Brand Trustworthiness How can leveraging customer feedback improve your brand’s trustworthiness? Advocacy marketing relies on authentic testimonials and experiences, with 88% of consumers trusting recommendations from people they know. By encouraging satisfied customers to share their feedback, you create valuable social proof, which greatly influences potential buyers. Engaging customers in feedback loops cultivates community and provides insights for product improvement, ensuring your advocacy efforts align with consumer needs. A well-structured advocacy program can lower customer acquisition costs by 5-7 times compared to traditional marketing, making it a cost-effective strategy to boost brand trustworthiness. Builds authentic connections Increases customer loyalty Amplifies positive testimonials Provides insights for improvement Lowers acquisition costs Frequently Asked Questions What Is Customer Advocacy Marketing? Customer advocacy marketing involves transforming satisfied customers into brand advocates who actively promote your products or services. It relies on word-of-mouth, social media, and reviews to increase visibility and trust. By encouraging customers to share their positive experiences, you elevate brand awareness and loyalty. This approach not only reduces customer acquisition costs but additionally nurtures a community around your brand, driving engagement and support as well as providing valuable feedback for continuous improvement. What Are the 3 C’s of Advocacy? The 3 C’s of advocacy are Customers, Content, and Community. Customers are the advocates who promote your brand through their authentic experiences. Content includes testimonials, case studies, and social media posts that these advocates share, serving as impactful social proof. Community refers to the networks and platforms where advocates engage and amplify your brand messages. Together, these elements improve brand credibility, drive customer loyalty, and expand your reach in the market. What Is Advocacy and Why Does It Matter? Advocacy refers to actions taken by loyal customers who actively promote a brand, influencing others through word-of-mouth recommendations. It matters since authentic testimonials resonate more with potential buyers than traditional advertising, enhancing trust and credibility. Advocacy nurtures community among customers, boosts engagement, and drives brand awareness. Additionally, satisfied advocates often generate higher revenue, improving customer retention and loyalty, making advocacy an essential element for businesses aiming to succeed in competitive markets. What Are the 4 Purposes of Advocacy? The four primary purposes of advocacy are to increase brand awareness, improve customer loyalty, enhance product feedback, and drive sales growth through word-of-mouth referrals. By nurturing strong relationships with advocates, you can amplify positive brand messages, which builds trust among potential customers. Moreover, advocates provide valuable insights that can inform product improvements, contributing to a better overall customer experience and finally boosting your business’s bottom line. Conclusion In conclusion, customer advocacy marketing is a valuable strategy that leverages loyal customers to promote your brand through authentic endorsements. It boosts credibility, nurtures community, and reduces acquisition costs. By comprehending the different types of advocacy and actively building a program, you can cultivate strong relationships with advocates. Measuring success and implementing effective strategies further improve these efforts. Ultimately, prioritizing customer advocacy can lead to increased loyalty, trust, and sustainable growth for your business in a competitive market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Customer Advocacy Marketing and Why It Matters?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Effective management hinges on grasping vital human resources guidelines. These guidelines not only guarantee compliance with employment laws but furthermore cultivate a workplace that values diversity and inclusion. By implementing clear performance management processes and strong employee engagement strategies, organizations can improve overall employee satisfaction. It’s imperative to continuously adapt these practices to meet evolving workforce needs. So, what specific areas should you concentrate on to truly optimize your HR strategies? Key Takeaways Establish clear HR guidelines to ensure legal compliance and promote transparency in decision-making processes. Foster an inclusive workplace by implementing diversity initiatives and providing regular training on unconscious bias. Develop customized training programs that align with organizational goals to enhance employee productivity and retention. Implement a comprehensive performance management system with continuous feedback and clear anti-harassment policies to create a safe work environment. Leverage HR technology for streamlined processes and data analytics to inform decision-making and improve overall operational efficiency. The Importance of HR Guidelines in Organizations Establishing a solid framework for human resources is crucial for any organization. HR guidelines serve as the backbone of effective HR practices, ensuring compliance with employment laws and minimizing legal risks. By outlining clear expectations and responsibilities, these guidelines promote fairness and transparency in decision-making processes, which eventually improves employee treatment. In addition, well-defined human resources guidelines contribute to a supportive work environment, boosting employee engagement and retention. When everyone knows what’s expected, productivity levels often rise, as communication improves between management and staff regarding performance standards. Regularly updating these guidelines shows your commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability, key factors in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive job market. Key Legal Compliance Areas for HR Professionals As an HR professional, you need to understand key legal compliance areas to effectively manage your organization’s workforce. This includes ensuring non-discrimination and inclusion in your employment policies, implementing clear grievance procedures, and adhering to various laws that impact employee rights and safety. Employment Policies Overview Grasping employment policies is crucial for HR professionals, as these guidelines not just shape the workplace culture but also guarantee compliance with key legal requirements. At-will employment policies allow either party to terminate the relationship anytime, ensuring flexibility in workforce management. Employee separation policies outline procedures for voluntary resignations and involuntary terminations, including exit interviews and final pay details, promoting clarity during changes. Anti-harassment policies define unacceptable behaviors and provide reporting procedures, aiming for a safe work environment. Furthermore, confidentiality and non-disclosure policies protect sensitive company information, defining employee responsibilities regarding data handling. Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Non-discrimination and inclusion are fundamental components of a fair workplace, ensuring that every employee has equal access to opportunities regardless of their background. Compliance with federal laws like the Civil Rights Act is critical, as it prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, promoting inclusivity. Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives helps address systemic barriers and advances a culture valuing diverse perspectives. Organizations that prioritize non-discrimination and inclusion often attract and retain top talent, enhancing innovation and performance. Regular training on anti-discrimination laws is imperative for HR professionals to mitigate legal risks and nurture a respectful workplace environment. Grievance Procedures Implementation Implementing effective grievance procedures is crucial for guaranteeing that employees can voice their concerns safely and receive fair treatment. A clear process not merely complies with legal standards but additionally cultivates a culture of transparency. Here’s a quick overview of key components: Step Description Timeline Filing a Complaint Employees submit their issues through a formal channel. Within 5 business days Response Process Designated personnel review and respond to grievances. Within 10 business days Documentation Record cases and resolutions for legal compliance. Ongoing Regular training for employees and management improves comprehension and promotes open communication. Adhering to employment laws like EEO guidelines guarantees equitable treatment throughout the grievance process. Fostering an Inclusive and Diverse Workplace Creating an inclusive and diverse workplace isn’t merely a moral imperative; it furthermore drives business success. Studies show that diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors, enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction. Implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy establishes clear guidelines for equitable treatment, nurturing a culture that values varied perspectives and backgrounds. Organizations with strong DEI initiatives experience 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee, illustrating that diversity greatly impacts financial performance and innovation. Regular training on unconscious bias and cultural competence raises awareness, creating an environment where all employees feel valued, which can reduce turnover rates. Moreover, companies prioritizing diversity are 70% more likely to capture new markets, as diverse teams understand and cater to a broader customer base. Developing Effective Training and Development Programs A diverse and inclusive workplace sets the stage for developing effective training and development programs that align with organizational goals. When you customize these programs to meet the needs of various employee demographics, you’ll see substantial benefits. For example, organizations with effective training can boost productivity by up to 70%. Implementing continuous learning initiatives is crucial, as 94% of employees would stay longer at companies that invest in their career development. Regular evaluations of training effectiveness lead to improved employee performance by 50% on average. Here’s a quick overview of key training aspects: Training Aspect Impact on Employees Recommended Approach Alignment with Goals Increases productivity Focus on business objectives Continuous Learning Improves retention Offer diverse resources Customized Programs Meets demographic needs Adapt content accordingly Implementing Robust Employee Engagement Strategies Though many organizations concentrate on productivity and profitability, nurturing robust employee engagement strategies can remarkably improve overall performance. Start by implementing regular employee engagement surveys; organizations with high engagement levels experience a 21% increase in profitability. Recognizing employee contributions through recognition programs can additionally improve engagement, as 69% of employees report they’d work harder if acknowledged. Open communication is essential; conducting regular feedback sessions promotes trust, leading to 25% higher engagement in companies with effective communication practices. Furthermore, providing opportunities for professional development and continuous learning can greatly boost retention, with 94% of employees indicating they’d stay longer if their career growth was supported. Finally, consider creating a flexible work environment that encourages work-life balance; 83% of employees prefer flexible options, which correlates with increased job satisfaction. Establishing Clear Performance Management Processes Establishing clear performance management processes is essential for aligning employee efforts with organizational objectives. Start by setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—to guide employee performance. Regular performance evaluations, typically conducted bi-annually or annually, create structured opportunities for feedback, nurturing both employee growth and accountability. Incorporating key performance indicators (KPIs) allows you to quantitatively assess contributions, ensuring alignment with business outcomes. Continuous feedback mechanisms encourage an ongoing dialogue between you and your employees, promoting open communication and immediate recognition of achievements or areas needing improvement. Training managers in effective performance management techniques, such as providing constructive feedback, can greatly improve employee engagement and satisfaction. This focus on clear processes not only enhances performance but also leads to better retention rates, creating a more stable and productive workforce. By systematically implementing these practices, you can drive your organization toward success. Promoting a Safe and Respectful Work Environment To promote a safe and respectful work environment, it’s essential to implement effective Anti-Harassment Initiatives and Violence Prevention Strategies. These measures not merely define unacceptable behaviors but likewise establish clear reporting procedures and consequences, ensuring everyone understands the standards expected in the workplace. Anti-Harassment Initiatives Creating a safe and respectful work environment hinges on effective anti-harassment initiatives. To achieve this, consider implementing the following strategies: Define a Clear Anti-Harassment Policy: Outline unacceptable behaviors, reporting procedures, and consequences for violations to promote accountability. Provide Regular Training: Conduct sessions for employees and management on recognizing, preventing, and addressing harassment; this can reduce incidents by 37%. Establish Multiple Reporting Channels: Create anonymous hotlines and designate personnel to guarantee employees feel safe reporting harassment. Conduct Regular Surveys: Assess the workplace climate regarding harassment to identify areas for improvement and tailor initiatives accordingly. Violence Prevention Strategies Though workplace violence may seem like an extreme issue, it’s crucial to recognize that proactive measures can greatly reduce risks and promote a safer environment for everyone. Implementing a thorough workplace violence prevention policy can cut incidents by up to 50%. Regular training on conflict resolution and de-escalation empowers you to handle potentially violent situations effectively. Establishing clear reporting procedures guarantees you feel safe to speak up about any threats, with transparent communication reducing workplace anxiety. Conducting risk assessments helps identify potential hazards and vulnerabilities, allowing you to mitigate violence risks proactively. Finally, nurturing a culture of respect and inclusivity through diversity training and open dialogue can diminish hostility and improve the sense of belonging, eventually contributing to overall workplace safety. Leveraging Technology for HR Efficiency In today’s fast-paced business environment, leveraging technology in human resources has become essential for improving efficiency and effectiveness. By embracing HR technology, you can streamline processes and improve your team’s focus on strategic initiatives. Here are four key benefits to take into account: Streamlined Processes: Integrate HR technology to simplify recruitment, onboarding, and performance management, reducing administrative burdens. Data Analytics: Use analytics to gain insights into workforce trends and employee performance, leading to informed decision-making and better retention strategies. Automation: Automate routine tasks like payroll processing and attendance tracking, which increases accuracy and compliance with labor regulations. Cloud-Based Platforms: Implement cloud solutions for remote access to HR services, allowing employees to manage their information efficiently. Investing in HR technology not only improves operational efficiency but additionally helps your organization remain competitive by adapting to changing workforce needs. Continuous Improvement in HR Practices Continuous improvement in HR practices is vital for ensuring that your organization remains agile and responsive to the ever-changing workforce environment. Regularly evaluating and updating your policies helps align them with current organizational goals and workforce needs. Implementing feedback mechanisms, like employee surveys and performance evaluations, identifies areas for improvement as you drive engagement among staff. Utilizing data analytics to track HR metrics enables you to make informed decisions regarding recruitment, retention, and employee performance, ensuring effective resource allocation. Furthermore, investing in ongoing employee training and development boosts skillsets and promotes a culture of continuous learning, which contributes to overall success. Finally, regularly benchmarking your HR practices against industry standards keeps your organization competitive and allows for effective adaptation to changing market conditions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 7 C’s of Human Resource Management? The 7 C’s of Human Resource Management are Competence, Commitment, Communication, Consistency, Cost-effectiveness, Culture, and Compliance. Competence guarantees employees have the skills needed for their roles. Commitment aligns employee goals with the organization’s objectives, cultivating loyalty. Communication facilitates transparency and trust. Consistency assures fair treatment, whereas Culture shapes the workplace environment. Finally, Compliance guarantees adherence to laws and regulations, promoting a stable and effective organizational framework. Each element contributes to overall success. What Are the 7 Pillars of HR Management? The seven pillars of HR management are essential for effective organizational performance. They include recruitment and selection, ensuring you attract the right talent; training and development, which focuses on employee growth; performance management, involving regular feedback; compensation and benefits, to motivate staff; employee relations, promoting a positive workplace; compliance with labor laws, ensuring fairness; and organizational culture, shaping the work environment. Together, they drive productivity and create a cohesive workforce. What Are the 5 P’s of Human Resource Management? The 5 P’s of human resource management are Philosophy, Policies, Programs, Practices, and Processes. Your HR Philosophy defines how you view employee management, shaping your organizational culture. Policies create formal guidelines for behavior and compliance. Programs encompass training and initiatives to develop your workforce. Practices involve daily HR actions that align with your philosophy and policies. Finally, Processes guarantee that your HR operations are systematic, efficient, and meet regulatory standards. What Are the 5 C’s of HR? The 5 C’s of HR are crucial for effective management. First, Competence emphasizes strong skills in recruitment and employee development. Second, Communication nurtures clear dialogue, building trust and resolving conflicts. Third, Collaboration encourages teamwork and inclusive decision-making, enhancing adaptability. Fourth, Culture shapes the workplace environment, promoting diversity and inclusion. Finally, Compliance guarantees adherence to legal standards and policies. Together, these components create a robust human resource framework that supports organizational success. Conclusion In conclusion, fundamental human resources guidelines are crucial for effective management within organizations. By ensuring legal compliance, promoting diversity, and developing training programs, you create a more engaged workforce. Establishing clear performance management processes and encouraging a safe work environment additionally contribute to overall success. Leveraging technology improves HR efficiency, whereas continuous improvement keeps your practices relevant. Adopting these guidelines not just supports employee development but additionally strengthens organizational performance in a competitive environment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Essential Human Resources Guidelines for Effective Management" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Effective management hinges on grasping vital human resources guidelines. These guidelines not only guarantee compliance with employment laws but furthermore cultivate a workplace that values diversity and inclusion. By implementing clear performance management processes and strong employee engagement strategies, organizations can improve overall employee satisfaction. It’s imperative to continuously adapt these practices to meet evolving workforce needs. So, what specific areas should you concentrate on to truly optimize your HR strategies? Key Takeaways Establish clear HR guidelines to ensure legal compliance and promote transparency in decision-making processes. Foster an inclusive workplace by implementing diversity initiatives and providing regular training on unconscious bias. Develop customized training programs that align with organizational goals to enhance employee productivity and retention. Implement a comprehensive performance management system with continuous feedback and clear anti-harassment policies to create a safe work environment. Leverage HR technology for streamlined processes and data analytics to inform decision-making and improve overall operational efficiency. The Importance of HR Guidelines in Organizations Establishing a solid framework for human resources is crucial for any organization. HR guidelines serve as the backbone of effective HR practices, ensuring compliance with employment laws and minimizing legal risks. By outlining clear expectations and responsibilities, these guidelines promote fairness and transparency in decision-making processes, which eventually improves employee treatment. In addition, well-defined human resources guidelines contribute to a supportive work environment, boosting employee engagement and retention. When everyone knows what’s expected, productivity levels often rise, as communication improves between management and staff regarding performance standards. Regularly updating these guidelines shows your commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability, key factors in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive job market. Key Legal Compliance Areas for HR Professionals As an HR professional, you need to understand key legal compliance areas to effectively manage your organization’s workforce. This includes ensuring non-discrimination and inclusion in your employment policies, implementing clear grievance procedures, and adhering to various laws that impact employee rights and safety. Employment Policies Overview Grasping employment policies is crucial for HR professionals, as these guidelines not just shape the workplace culture but also guarantee compliance with key legal requirements. At-will employment policies allow either party to terminate the relationship anytime, ensuring flexibility in workforce management. Employee separation policies outline procedures for voluntary resignations and involuntary terminations, including exit interviews and final pay details, promoting clarity during changes. Anti-harassment policies define unacceptable behaviors and provide reporting procedures, aiming for a safe work environment. Furthermore, confidentiality and non-disclosure policies protect sensitive company information, defining employee responsibilities regarding data handling. Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Non-discrimination and inclusion are fundamental components of a fair workplace, ensuring that every employee has equal access to opportunities regardless of their background. Compliance with federal laws like the Civil Rights Act is critical, as it prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, promoting inclusivity. Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives helps address systemic barriers and advances a culture valuing diverse perspectives. Organizations that prioritize non-discrimination and inclusion often attract and retain top talent, enhancing innovation and performance. Regular training on anti-discrimination laws is imperative for HR professionals to mitigate legal risks and nurture a respectful workplace environment. Grievance Procedures Implementation Implementing effective grievance procedures is crucial for guaranteeing that employees can voice their concerns safely and receive fair treatment. A clear process not merely complies with legal standards but additionally cultivates a culture of transparency. Here’s a quick overview of key components: Step Description Timeline Filing a Complaint Employees submit their issues through a formal channel. Within 5 business days Response Process Designated personnel review and respond to grievances. Within 10 business days Documentation Record cases and resolutions for legal compliance. Ongoing Regular training for employees and management improves comprehension and promotes open communication. Adhering to employment laws like EEO guidelines guarantees equitable treatment throughout the grievance process. Fostering an Inclusive and Diverse Workplace Creating an inclusive and diverse workplace isn’t merely a moral imperative; it furthermore drives business success. Studies show that diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors, enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction. Implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy establishes clear guidelines for equitable treatment, nurturing a culture that values varied perspectives and backgrounds. Organizations with strong DEI initiatives experience 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee, illustrating that diversity greatly impacts financial performance and innovation. Regular training on unconscious bias and cultural competence raises awareness, creating an environment where all employees feel valued, which can reduce turnover rates. Moreover, companies prioritizing diversity are 70% more likely to capture new markets, as diverse teams understand and cater to a broader customer base. Developing Effective Training and Development Programs A diverse and inclusive workplace sets the stage for developing effective training and development programs that align with organizational goals. When you customize these programs to meet the needs of various employee demographics, you’ll see substantial benefits. For example, organizations with effective training can boost productivity by up to 70%. Implementing continuous learning initiatives is crucial, as 94% of employees would stay longer at companies that invest in their career development. Regular evaluations of training effectiveness lead to improved employee performance by 50% on average. Here’s a quick overview of key training aspects: Training Aspect Impact on Employees Recommended Approach Alignment with Goals Increases productivity Focus on business objectives Continuous Learning Improves retention Offer diverse resources Customized Programs Meets demographic needs Adapt content accordingly Implementing Robust Employee Engagement Strategies Though many organizations concentrate on productivity and profitability, nurturing robust employee engagement strategies can remarkably improve overall performance. Start by implementing regular employee engagement surveys; organizations with high engagement levels experience a 21% increase in profitability. Recognizing employee contributions through recognition programs can additionally improve engagement, as 69% of employees report they’d work harder if acknowledged. Open communication is essential; conducting regular feedback sessions promotes trust, leading to 25% higher engagement in companies with effective communication practices. Furthermore, providing opportunities for professional development and continuous learning can greatly boost retention, with 94% of employees indicating they’d stay longer if their career growth was supported. Finally, consider creating a flexible work environment that encourages work-life balance; 83% of employees prefer flexible options, which correlates with increased job satisfaction. Establishing Clear Performance Management Processes Establishing clear performance management processes is essential for aligning employee efforts with organizational objectives. Start by setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—to guide employee performance. Regular performance evaluations, typically conducted bi-annually or annually, create structured opportunities for feedback, nurturing both employee growth and accountability. Incorporating key performance indicators (KPIs) allows you to quantitatively assess contributions, ensuring alignment with business outcomes. Continuous feedback mechanisms encourage an ongoing dialogue between you and your employees, promoting open communication and immediate recognition of achievements or areas needing improvement. Training managers in effective performance management techniques, such as providing constructive feedback, can greatly improve employee engagement and satisfaction. This focus on clear processes not only enhances performance but also leads to better retention rates, creating a more stable and productive workforce. By systematically implementing these practices, you can drive your organization toward success. Promoting a Safe and Respectful Work Environment To promote a safe and respectful work environment, it’s essential to implement effective Anti-Harassment Initiatives and Violence Prevention Strategies. These measures not merely define unacceptable behaviors but likewise establish clear reporting procedures and consequences, ensuring everyone understands the standards expected in the workplace. Anti-Harassment Initiatives Creating a safe and respectful work environment hinges on effective anti-harassment initiatives. To achieve this, consider implementing the following strategies: Define a Clear Anti-Harassment Policy: Outline unacceptable behaviors, reporting procedures, and consequences for violations to promote accountability. Provide Regular Training: Conduct sessions for employees and management on recognizing, preventing, and addressing harassment; this can reduce incidents by 37%. Establish Multiple Reporting Channels: Create anonymous hotlines and designate personnel to guarantee employees feel safe reporting harassment. Conduct Regular Surveys: Assess the workplace climate regarding harassment to identify areas for improvement and tailor initiatives accordingly. Violence Prevention Strategies Though workplace violence may seem like an extreme issue, it’s crucial to recognize that proactive measures can greatly reduce risks and promote a safer environment for everyone. Implementing a thorough workplace violence prevention policy can cut incidents by up to 50%. Regular training on conflict resolution and de-escalation empowers you to handle potentially violent situations effectively. Establishing clear reporting procedures guarantees you feel safe to speak up about any threats, with transparent communication reducing workplace anxiety. Conducting risk assessments helps identify potential hazards and vulnerabilities, allowing you to mitigate violence risks proactively. Finally, nurturing a culture of respect and inclusivity through diversity training and open dialogue can diminish hostility and improve the sense of belonging, eventually contributing to overall workplace safety. Leveraging Technology for HR Efficiency In today’s fast-paced business environment, leveraging technology in human resources has become essential for improving efficiency and effectiveness. By embracing HR technology, you can streamline processes and improve your team’s focus on strategic initiatives. Here are four key benefits to take into account: Streamlined Processes: Integrate HR technology to simplify recruitment, onboarding, and performance management, reducing administrative burdens. Data Analytics: Use analytics to gain insights into workforce trends and employee performance, leading to informed decision-making and better retention strategies. Automation: Automate routine tasks like payroll processing and attendance tracking, which increases accuracy and compliance with labor regulations. Cloud-Based Platforms: Implement cloud solutions for remote access to HR services, allowing employees to manage their information efficiently. Investing in HR technology not only improves operational efficiency but additionally helps your organization remain competitive by adapting to changing workforce needs. Continuous Improvement in HR Practices Continuous improvement in HR practices is vital for ensuring that your organization remains agile and responsive to the ever-changing workforce environment. Regularly evaluating and updating your policies helps align them with current organizational goals and workforce needs. Implementing feedback mechanisms, like employee surveys and performance evaluations, identifies areas for improvement as you drive engagement among staff. Utilizing data analytics to track HR metrics enables you to make informed decisions regarding recruitment, retention, and employee performance, ensuring effective resource allocation. Furthermore, investing in ongoing employee training and development boosts skillsets and promotes a culture of continuous learning, which contributes to overall success. Finally, regularly benchmarking your HR practices against industry standards keeps your organization competitive and allows for effective adaptation to changing market conditions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 7 C’s of Human Resource Management? The 7 C’s of Human Resource Management are Competence, Commitment, Communication, Consistency, Cost-effectiveness, Culture, and Compliance. Competence guarantees employees have the skills needed for their roles. Commitment aligns employee goals with the organization’s objectives, cultivating loyalty. Communication facilitates transparency and trust. Consistency assures fair treatment, whereas Culture shapes the workplace environment. Finally, Compliance guarantees adherence to laws and regulations, promoting a stable and effective organizational framework. Each element contributes to overall success. What Are the 7 Pillars of HR Management? The seven pillars of HR management are essential for effective organizational performance. They include recruitment and selection, ensuring you attract the right talent; training and development, which focuses on employee growth; performance management, involving regular feedback; compensation and benefits, to motivate staff; employee relations, promoting a positive workplace; compliance with labor laws, ensuring fairness; and organizational culture, shaping the work environment. Together, they drive productivity and create a cohesive workforce. What Are the 5 P’s of Human Resource Management? The 5 P’s of human resource management are Philosophy, Policies, Programs, Practices, and Processes. Your HR Philosophy defines how you view employee management, shaping your organizational culture. Policies create formal guidelines for behavior and compliance. Programs encompass training and initiatives to develop your workforce. Practices involve daily HR actions that align with your philosophy and policies. Finally, Processes guarantee that your HR operations are systematic, efficient, and meet regulatory standards. What Are the 5 C’s of HR? The 5 C’s of HR are crucial for effective management. First, Competence emphasizes strong skills in recruitment and employee development. Second, Communication nurtures clear dialogue, building trust and resolving conflicts. Third, Collaboration encourages teamwork and inclusive decision-making, enhancing adaptability. Fourth, Culture shapes the workplace environment, promoting diversity and inclusion. Finally, Compliance guarantees adherence to legal standards and policies. Together, these components create a robust human resource framework that supports organizational success. Conclusion In conclusion, fundamental human resources guidelines are crucial for effective management within organizations. By ensuring legal compliance, promoting diversity, and developing training programs, you create a more engaged workforce. Establishing clear performance management processes and encouraging a safe work environment additionally contribute to overall success. Leveraging technology improves HR efficiency, whereas continuous improvement keeps your practices relevant. Adopting these guidelines not just supports employee development but additionally strengthens organizational performance in a competitive environment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Essential Human Resources Guidelines for Effective Management" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article