SWC’s Fast Five
RTW requires new rationale, airport improvements promise a low turbulence experience, supply chain kinks in business forecasts don’t choke demand, dignity for the hungry comes in this app and GM tries to make up for the death wish of the seatbelt free.
So, here’s this week’s Fast Five:
1 When, why and how employees come together getting the big rethink
While camaraderie and the need to separate work from home are among the top reasons employees cite for coming back to the office, the concept of “water cooler innovation” may be overblown. “There is no data that supports that happens in real life, and yet we all subscribe to it,” says Twilio’s CPO Christy Lake. “You can’t put the genie back in the bottle and tell people, ‘Oh you have to be back in the office or innovation won’t happen.’”
2 Airport design looks to humanize terminal experience
“Covid caused a great disruption and accelerated thinking about giving back the joy of travel,” said Alex Thome, Stantec’s U.S. airport division head. New terminals and recent upgrades to existing concourses demonstrate ways – from muting televisions to installing indoor gardens – that airports are trying to ease psychic turbulence on the ground.
3 A paint maker’s warning on supply chain disruption
Big companies continue to misread how global supply chain issues will affect business. PPG just admitted it was too optimistic about its forecasts. Management blamed commodity supply disruptions, equipment parts shortages, semiconductor chips and transportation issues.
4 Bento app lets hungry people secure their next meal with a text
There are 50 million people in our country that don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Now, rather than waiting in line at a food bank, people can text the word “HUNGRY” to Bento, choose a nearby restaurant, and pick up a meal. The ease of use allows people to get their meals in a dignified way.
5 GM rolls out buckle-up feature as highway deaths rise and seat belt use drops
With highways deaths at a 15-year high, experts have pointed to a decline in seat belt usage – prompting auto manufacturers to look for ways to get people to buckle up. General Motors has dusted off an idea from the 1970s, introducing a new system that prevents motorists from shifting into gear until they get belted up.
