CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY – IT’S MAKE OR BREAK FOR COMPANIES; OFFICE MODEL UNDER THREAT

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY – IT’S MAKE OR BREAK FOR COMPANIES; OFFICE MODEL UNDER THREAT

Welcome to this week’s business and media intelligence update, with insights collected by the Cannings team over the past seven days.

RECOVERY, ONE COFFEE CUP AT A TIME

  • New figures reveal that Australian consumers spent $30.7 billion in March – a whopping 10.6 per cent above pre-pandemic levels. And a lot of that extra money went into food, drinks … and coffee. With consumer confidence at its highest in 11 years, retail sales jumped 1.4 per cent, more than twice some economists’ forecasts. Read more in The AFR.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY – IT’S MAKE OR BREAK FOR COMPANIES

  • The last 20 years has seen a dramatic shift in how companies understand their responsibility and their connection to the rest of society. Ideas around stakeholder capitalism have infiltrated mainstream thinking and there has been a growing realisation that corporate and social responsibility is about a much broader range of factors which can make or break a company and its reputation. Read more in The Australian.

OFFICE MODEL UNDER THREAT: JLL

  • Employees want less time in the office and more time at home, according to JLL’s Top 10 commercial real estate trends. The report found 74 per cent of office workers want to switch to a four-day work week, while 71 per cent said a flexible schedule appealed. Exactly half of the people surveyed wanted to split their working hours between the home and office, while 26 per cent wanted to do all their work from home. Read more here.

MEA CULPA: A LESSON IN HOW TO APOLOGISE TO YOUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS

  • The owners of Liverpool and Manchester premier league teams came under fire this week after attempting to drag both clubs into the proposed (and highly controversial) European “Super League”. Despite making a mess of the whole thing, their apologies hit the mark; taking ownership, recognising fault and promising a future… but is it too late? Read Manchester’s apology letter here.

MISSING WORKPLACE GOSSIP? YOU’RE NOT ALONE

  • Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of office gossip?  Well, stop feeling guilty. According to management professor Dr Joe Labianca, gossip can relay positive news, provide stress relief and intellectual stimulation, help us gain influence and fosters interpersonal intimacy. But working from home has created a hole that office gossip used to fill, the professor told The WSJ.

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