e-lifeandwork: Learn New Skills Online | Online Courses & Real-World

© Maura Intemann 17interactions illo For most people, the office is more than just a place to work. Walking down the hallway, getting a cup of tea, even sitting at your desk are all opportunities to get to know colleagues, whether it’s sizing up the latest Patriots game or commiserating over projects you’re struggling to complete. These casual encounters aren’t just inconsequential chitchat, regardless of what’s discussed. Research shows they can build trust, spark creativity, and boost morale — and lead to a happier, more productive workforce. When she wasn’t out visiting clients, consultant Flavia Mucciolo used to love catching up with her Accenture co-workers in Boston. “One of my favorite things . . . was going into the office and learning about what other people were doing,” she said. The pandemic eliminated the vast majority of those in-person interactions when it cleared out workplaces a year ago, and due to the success of the mass remote-work experiment, many will cont...

As president of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, Wendy Hartman has learned a lot over the past year about herself, her company and the overall financial services industry. Kicking off the opening session at the InvestmentNews Women Adviser Summit on Thursday morning, Hartman described 2020 as a “transformative year,” while admitting that the ongoing fallout from the global pandemic still represents a moving target for the financial planning industry. On the now familiar concept of working from home, Hartman said Buckingham’s policies are in a near constant state of change and are an extreme contrast from just a year ago. “Working from home is an ever-evolving topic,” she said. “We’re looking at what a hybrid approach looks like, whether we might need a different office space, and whether we can be location-agnostic.” Hartman said her $16.2 billion Clayton, Missouri-based advisory firm, which has more than 40 offices, could consider an “expanded talent pool” if location was not a f...

Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your business and your business bank account. Think of cash flow like your car’s gas tank. You fill up the tank with gas, and it empties as you drive. The goal, however, is to have enough gas in your tank so that you never run on empty. In the same way, cash flow is the movement of cash in and out of your business account. Cash inflows are your sources of income. Cash outflows are your business expenses. Naturally, positive cash flow is better than negative cash flow. Why being cash flow positive is important to your business Positive cash flow should be the goal for all small business owners. You want to generate more money than you’re spending. That sounds simple, but plenty of profitable businesses run into cash flow problems. It can be challenging to balance regular business expenses—salaries, rent, technology updates, etc.—with things less under your control. Think sporadic revenue and periods of negative...

In August 2019, 181 corporate executives of the Business Roundtable made headlines by redefining a corporation’s purpose, extending it beyond maximizing shareholder value to include a “fundamental commitment to all stakeholders” inclusive of employees, customers, and communities. Both criticism and applause followed the announcement. Then 2020 brought a global pandemic, rampant wildfires, a collective reckoning with systemic racism, and a corresponding economic crisis—events that disrupted business and society in unprecedented and interconnected ways. What it means for companies to commit to all stakeholders is being put to the test like never before. While businesses have a lot more to do to fully embrace the ideals of the Business Roundtable’s ambitions, they are increasingly opting to invest capital for social impact as one way to “walk the talk.” Over the last 12 months, several companies have launched investment strategies to advance social-and-environmental causes alongside st...