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Thanks to social media, it has never been easier to connect with people from the past. Curious about what that old classmate is up to now? Their profile is only a couple of clicks away. What’s more, most of us now use our social media feeds as a kind of virtual photo album. If you’re of a certain age, then a scroll through the older photos will no doubt take you on a trip down memory lane which rekindles memories of long-forgotten nights out, old friends we lost touch with an

Chatbots are proliferating rapidly thanks to advancements in AI. Most of us have come into contact with them, commonly in a customer service capacity. Formulaic responses aside, they can save a lot of time. Who wants to spend over an hour on hold, only to be hung up on? Chatbots mimic whatever information is fed to them. The result is a reflection of the integrity (or otherwise) of whoever programmed the information. Given the nefarious potential, it’s left some to question i

There’s arguably no emotion more powerful than shame. From an early age, we learn the discomfort brought on by feelings of having done "wrong". Without the heaviness of shame, you might not know your behavior is unacceptable. Public shaming has undergone a digital renaissance, thanks in large part to Twitter and online social media commentary. If you don’t stand corrected, then fear not – someone out there is more than happy to step up to the task. The flip side of today’s tr

Pre-pandemic, ideas to improve work-life balance were often abstractions floated by leaders, who could get away with paying them only occasional lip service. However, COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns provided a stark assessment of employees’ working conditions. "The Great Resignation" worker exodus has sent many employers into a tailspin. As businesses scramble for incentives to retain staff and attract job seekers, the idea of a four-day working week is gaining traction. A

When you think of market research, you might picture wannabe-entrepreneurs from The Apprentice conducting their so-called “focus groups”; scrawling down notes about biscuit preferences from pre-school children and their parents.  Typically, contestants skirt over any negative feedback and continue full steam ahead with their nonsense concepts. It makes for great entertainment (“what were they thinking?!”) but does little for the reputation of customer research. Market resea

In my day job, I’ve been responsible for hundreds – if not thousands – of hires. I’ve read CV after CV, conducted interview after interview… It can be a long, arduous process but it’s one I take very seriously.  It’s about more than just finding the right person for the job – it’s ensuring it’s the right job for the person. Will they find the work interesting? Will they feel challenged? Will they enjoy it? These are not questions answered by two sides of A4, but by hearing wh

In January 2021, the BBC reported that stationery chain Paperchase was on the brink of administration. It was sad news for anyone with a penchant for avocado-themed greetings cards, but worse news for the company’s 1,500 employees. Thankfully, 1,000 or so jobs were saved when Aspen Phoenix Newco, backed by Permira Debt Managers, stepped in as buyers.  Still, 27 stores were permanently closed, leading many to question where did it all go wrong for Paperchase? They have an on

“Covfefe” will forever remain as Donald Trump’s best contribution on social media — the memes that followed were the gift that kept on giving. Even US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel conceded “what makes me saddest is that I know I’ll never write anything funnier than 'covfefe'”.  But whilst we laughed and joked at this innocuous typo, Trump’s tweets were becoming increasingly dangerous. On 6th January this year, riots took place at the U.S. Capitol, jeopardising the peaceful tra

Life expectancy in the UK has more than doubled over the course of two and a half centuries, from below 39 years in 1765 to 81.1 years in 2020. Smallpox outbreaks, World War One and the Spanish Flu epidemic contributed to dips in an otherwise overwhelmingly positive trajectory. Even since the turn of the millennium, the life expectancy rate has increased by more than 5%. But it has since stalled, with the slowdown reported as one of the biggest among 20 of the world’s leadi

You’ll often hear about “must-watch” television: the latest water-cooler thriller from HBO or the long-awaited finale of insert generic celebrity “talent” show here . Rarely should these programmes be considered compulsory viewing. David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet , on the other hand, very much should be. I’d go as far as to say it should be mandatory for all school-age children to watch at least once. Yes, there are graphic scenes of death and destruction — the snip

Fifty years ago, Joni Mitchell lamented “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” in her hit single Big Yellow Taxi. She wasn’t wrong, and we have 2020 to thank for proving it to the masses. In a 1996 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mitchell stated: “I wrote “Big Yellow Taxi” on my first trip to Hawaii. I took a taxi to the hotel and when I woke up the next morning, I threw back the curtains and saw these beautiful green mountains in the distance. Then, I looked d

In November 2020, The Times published an article exposing the downsides of so-called “green prescriptions”, whereby patients are advised to participate in outdoor activities such as exercise classes, planting trees or visiting natural beauty spots. On paper, it seems like a sensible remedy. Studies have shown that spending time in green spaces helps to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, premature death, stress and high blood pressure. Indeed, the issuing of “green prescript

In October 2020, the Harvard Business Review published an article entitled “What Health Care Can Teach Other Industries About Preventing Burnout”. It’s a topic of particular interest to me. Not just because of my line of work, but due to my own experience of burnout.  Failing to recognise the signs is something I think all of us will be guilty of at least once in our lives. It’s just a headache it will pass… Oh it’s nothing to worry about, I never sleep well… Sorry, what did

In October 2020, The Guardian published a tongue-in-cheek “Pass Notes” article about how young people no longer understand traditional hand gestures such as miming a phone call or requesting a bill at a restaurant.  Questioning whether we’re losing part of our cultural heritage as a result, the piece takes the form of a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee: hand gestures themselves. "Can you give me an example of what you’re talking about?" "Certainly: pl

Would you let your boss microchip you? Not an everyday question I ask myself, I must admit. But, with technology advancing and security systems becoming more prevalent in our society, could this be the ID card of the 21st century? In January this year, The Wall Street Journal explored this very topic . "For many employees, the workday starts by swiping a plastic ID card to enter the office. But employers can’t always be sure who’s holding the card. "That humble ID badge is st

When we were young, we’d find out what music was popular by tuning into Top of the Pops on a Friday evening, or listening to the chart show on the radio. Nowadays, many people listen solely to streaming services — such as Spotify — who use algorithms to recommend songs we’ll like based on our listening history. As such, our notion of what is and isn’t popular with the masses is greatly affected.   Similar to the Echo Chamber Effect, if you and those you follow consistently l

Prior to the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown, Greggs — the UK bakery chain — was making the  news   for all the right reasons.   Not only has their vegan sausage roll proved to be a game changer, but the bigwigs at Head Office felt it right to share the product’s success directly with employees in the form of a £7m bonus payout. And they didn’t stop there... ​ Their new Vegan Steak Bake resulted in empty shelves in stores across the nation as they  struggled to meet demand.

Every year there’s at least one new drama on television that gets everyone talking — the “must-see”, water cooler, trending on Twitter phenomenon… 2019 was the year of BBC’s The Capture — a riveting six-part series led by Holliday Grainger and Callum Turner.    Having been acquitted of a war crime in Afghanistan, former Special Forces Lance Corporal Shaun Emery (played by Turner) finds himself accused of the kidnap and murder of his barrister. CCTV footage clearly shows the p

I revisited a Q3 2018 report from StartUp Health around digital health funding earlier this week. It contains insights into the most active investors, functions and technologies from January to end of September 2018, and generally paints a rosy picture of growth within the digital health funding landscape.   It’s fascinating stuff. Not least because Q3 2018 achieved the highest quarter performance since tracking began in 2010, with a whopping $4.5bn generated through seed, v

If you’ve seen the Black Mirror episode “Nosedive”, then you’ll be familiar with the concept of social credit and how one’s actions can affect their socioeconomic status. What you may be surprised to hear, however, is that a similar social credit system is already active in China.  ​ Representing China’s attempt to restore trustworthiness in its economy and society, their system combines traditional western-style credit scores with more intrusive measures. Individuals are ran