Latest news with #postpandemic
Fast Company
4 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Why your workplace wellness program isn't reducing stress—and how to fix it
Companies are spending more than $65 billion globally on corporate wellness, offering everything from meditation rooms and resilience webinars to nap pods and self-help apps. Projections suggest this market will exceed $100 billion by 2032. And yet burnout is worse than ever. Post-pandemic, 77% of U.S. employees report experiencing workplace stress, according to the American Psychological Association, and 82% say they're at risk of burnout. Experts blame collaboration overload, digital fatigue, and blurred work-life boundaries. Even artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, intended to streamline work, can amplify pressure by raising expectations for speed and output. This disconnect exposes a hard truth: More wellness spending doesn't mean better employee well-being. If anything, it masks the root of the problem. The Corporate Wellness Paradox The more companies invest in wellness, the worse employees seem to feel. Is wellness spending the cause of burnout? Probably not. But it's clearly not preventing it either. So why are both rising in tandem? 1. Wellness as a deflection, not a solution. The 10 most dangerous words in business: Burnout is an organizational problem that needs an organizational solution. Too often, companies outsource that responsibility—handing out mindfulness apps rather than asking why employees need them in the first place. Like blaming the canary instead of clearing the toxic mine, we focus on individual resilience instead of fixing the system. 2. Perks that miss the point. Wellness perks like yoga sessions sound good, but they don't address what's actually broken: unsustainable workloads, poor management, lack of autonomy, and toxic cultures. These programs treat symptoms, not causes. It's like handing out umbrellas in a flood and calling it disaster relief. 3. Branding over behavior. Wellness is often treated as a recruitment asset —front and center in job postings and Mental Health Awareness Month campaigns, but rarely integrated into how work actually gets done. If wellness isn't embedded in deadlines, resourcing, and manager training, it won't move the needle. The result? While 81% of employers say their well-being programs are effective, 61% of employees disagree. That gap signals a deeper issue: performative wellness that looks good on paper but fails in practice. 4. The illusion of progress. Companies often equate the presence of wellness programs with progress. But few measure what matters: burnout rates, psychological safety, and team performance. When wellness becomes symbolic, it can obscure the deeper structural problems driving stress. How Companies Can Improve Their Workplace Wellness Programs If traditional wellness programs aren't solving the problem, what will? Start by shifting from symbolic gestures to structural change. The most effective strategies don't focus on fixing individuals—they fix the systems creating burnout in the first place. Here are five ways to start. 1. Measure what matters. Don't confuse participation with impact. It's one thing to track completion rates; it's another to measure real behavioral outcomes. Metrics like absenteeism, turnover, psychological safety, and employee net promoter scores offer a far clearer picture of employee well-being than satisfaction surveys ever could. 2. Ask better, validated questions. Move beyond generic surveys. Use research-backed questions from sources like Mental Health America, having employees rate statements such as: My work stress affects my mental health. My manager provides emotional support to help me manage my stress. These surveys reveal insights about workload, leadership, and organizational culture—three of the strongest predictors of workplace mental health. 3. Rethink ROI. The best wellness investments aren't flashy—they're foundational. Fair compensation, job security, schedule flexibility, and a culture of respect aren't perks; they're prerequisites for a healthy, high-performing workplace—and exactly what workers want. These elements do more to buffer against chronic stress than any app or wellness challenge ever could. 4. Train managers as mental health allies. People don't leave jobs—they leave bad bosses. Train leaders to recognize burnout, normalize open conversations, and model healthy boundaries. Research shows managers influence employee mental health more than therapists. That's a leadership skill companies can't afford to ignore. 5. Design work differently. Instead of pushing employees to 'build resilience,' ask how your organization might reduce the need for it. Redesign roles, expectations, and collaboration norms to create environments in which people don't have to constantly recover from their jobs. We Don't Need More Wellness Programs—We Need Better Workplaces If companies frame wellness as a benefit instead of a responsibility, they'll keep spending billions while burnout grows. The real opportunity isn't in launching the next app or hosting another webinar. It's in rethinking how we design work itself.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
It's Too Easy for Foreigners to Buy Property in Japan
A cottage industry has spun up in Japan in the last few years offering abandoned houses, known as akiya, to foreigners. Many countries have stock of underused housing, though Japan is certainly one of the worst offenders. Since the post-pandemic reopening, there's been a surge of interest in akiya among those priced out of their markets at home. Buyer beware: Living in poorly insulated, socially isolated dwellings in the countryside can often be less My Neighbor Totoro and more torturous.
Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
This Hidden Retail Tech Is Transforming Customer Experiences
A new class of operational technologies is quietly transforming how retailers engage customers — by empowering the people and processes behind the scenes. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In retail, the concept of customer experience (CX) is typically framed through a consumer-facing lens — think loyalty apps, curbside pickup or influencer-driven TikTok campaigns. But the real transformation of CX in the post-pandemic era isn't happening in apps or ads. It's happening in the unglamorous trenches of store operations — through workforce tools, communications systems and intelligent infrastructure that the average customer may never even notice. What's emerging is a new truth: The future of CX is operational. And the companies quietly reshaping it aren't your usual suspects. Related: The 6 Essential In-Store Experiences That Your Customers Want to See From flashy to functional In the early 2010s, retail tech was dominated by bold digital concepts designed to "surprise and delight" the shopper. Magic mirrors. Augmented reality. Endless aisle touchscreens. Most of these either flopped or became museum pieces in a few flagship stores. They failed not because they were uncreative, but because they were disconnected — from operations, from employees and from the shopper's actual intent. What today's most innovative retail technologies have in common is subtlety. They don't shout for attention; they support it. They equip frontline teams with faster information, they adapt to real-world constraints like store layouts and staffing realities, and they improve performance metrics that most shoppers will never ask about but always feel. Let's take a closer look at how this shift is playing out. 1. The rise of retail communications infrastructure A shopper enters a store with a question — say, whether a jacket is available in another size. A decade ago, the employee might leave the customer waiting while they "go check in the back," perhaps never to return. Today, with voice-controlled mobile communication tools, that same employee can instantly ping the stockroom team without taking a single step away. Within seconds, the customer has their answer. What this technology enables is more than a productivity boost. It's a moment of trust. A micro-interaction where a shopper feels heard, respected and helped — without the friction that defines so many in-store experiences. It's frontline enablement as CX, and it's catching on fast. And while tools like these improve person-to-person communication on the floor, other solutions focus on the digital touchpoints customers encounter throughout the store — promotional screens, endcap displays and in-aisle messaging. These systems help major retailers manage these assets across thousands of locations, keeping content synchronized, compliant and up to date as campaigns change. When the system is working, the store feels intuitive: Offers make sense, signage matches what's on the shelf, and the experience runs smoothly. When it's not, shoppers may not pinpoint the problem, but they notice the friction — and it quietly erodes confidence in the brand. Related: How Technology is Improving Retail Business 2. The shopper sees the surface. Operations define the substance. There's a certain irony in modern retail: The more seamless an experience feels, the more operational complexity is likely happening behind the scenes. You can't staff a store like it's 2015 and expect to win on experience in 2025. Yet, that's still the reality for many brands struggling with turnover, outdated scheduling systems and lack of execution. This is where workforce optimization solutions play a crucial role — providing the workforce intelligence and operational backbone that modern retailers need to keep stores running efficiently. By forecasting demand more accurately, aligning staffing to actual foot traffic and helping managers execute daily tasks without the usual chaos, they're helping retailers deliver on the promises their ads make. And perhaps more importantly, they're restoring sanity to the employee experience — a deeply overlooked component of CX. After all, burned-out workers don't deliver exceptional service. They follow the script, if you're lucky. But a team that's well-staffed, well-informed and empowered? That's the secret sauce behind any successful in-store experience. 3. Infrastructure that moves with the customer Retail environments have always been built for stability — fixed shelves, anchored signage, permanent displays. But shoppers are increasingly fluid. Planograms shift monthly. Promotions change weekly. And in pop-up or seasonal formats, store layouts are reinvented overnight. Traditional digital signage — especially fixed, hardwired displays — can be limiting in dynamic environments. As store layouts shift or temporary formats emerge, retailers increasingly need solutions that can move and adapt just as quickly. That's where innovative portable display technologies are shifting the paradigm. These battery-powered, cordless solutions are purpose-built for agility. No cords. No construction. No waiting weeks for installation. What this enables isn't just convenience — it's responsiveness. A retailer can reposition signage based on observed foot traffic patterns, launch a flash sale at a specific display or bring product education directly to the point of decision — all without waiting for IT tickets to clear or maintenance crews to arrive. It's a subtle but powerful idea: making digital signage behave more like merchandise. It moves. It adapts. It responds. Related: How to Write an Operations Plan for Retail and Sales Businesses 4. Why this shift matters now We're entering an era where the margin between customer loyalty and abandonment is razor-thin. Shoppers don't give second chances the way they used to. If an in-store experience feels disjointed, slow or inattentive, they go elsewhere — or back online. At the same time, retail teams are being asked to do more with less. Labor shortages. Shrinking budgets. Rising expectations. There's no room for bloated tech that dazzles but doesn't deliver. That's why the "silent revolution" matters. These operational technologies aren't designed just to dazzle; they're built to remove friction. Some may look impressive, even attention-grabbing, but their real value is in how seamlessly they empower employees, streamline execution and support smarter customer interactions. In the end, the best customer experience isn't one shoppers post about; it's one they don't have to think about. The store just works. And more and more, it's the technology behind the scenes — well-placed screens, real-time communication, smarter staffing — that makes that kind of experience possible.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China, Vietnam reopen railway line amid tourism boom after 5-year pause
China and Vietnam have reopened a passenger train route that was suspended during the early months of the pandemic, a move that could boost already surging tourism between the neighbours and attract more international travellers to visit the mainland without a visa, analysts said. Advertisement Beijing has expanded visa-free access to more countries in recent years, as authorities look to boost the tourism industry as part of China's post-pandemic economic recovery. Vietnamese citizens can now enter China visa-free at select ports if they are part of a tour group organised by a travel agency in mainland China. Trains started running on Sunday for the 11.5-hour trip between Nanning in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, according to Xinhua News Agency. The service, launched in 2009, was paused in February 2020 when borders closed throughout Asia to curb the spread of the pandemic. The reopening of the route would serve tourism growth on both sides of the 1,297-km (806-mile) land border, analysts said. 'Over the past two years there's been a trend of Vietnamese coming in and their economy is expanding fast,' said Steven Zhao, CEO of the Guilin-based online travel agency China Highlights. Advertisement After they arrive in Nanning, Vietnamese passengers would be able to transfer to China's high-speed railway network for cities that they typically like to visit, such as Beijing and Shanghai, Zhao added. People travelling to mainland China from Vietnam accounted for 4 per cent of all arrivals processed in 2023, according to market research firm Statista. By the third quarter of 2024, they made up 23,500 visitors, second only to Hong Kong as an offshore source, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Bag Charms Are Booming: Why Is This Statement Resonating Now?
Heaven Mayhem and Freja NYC collaboration, Photo Credit: Courtesy of Heaven Mayhem and Freja NYC Call it nostalgia, self-expression, or a playful twist on everyday luxury — bag charms are having a moment. From whimsical plushies to refined, jewelry-inspired tokens, statement charms are dangling from purses everywhere. Women aren't just getting the bag — they're accessorizing it, too. Of course, this isn't an entirely new phenomenon. Fashion has long been known to sit at the intersection of practicality and play. It's also no coincidence that whimsical brands like Jellycat (which has exploded in popularity with adult collectors, amassing a devoted following on TikTok) are also earning their spot on designer handbags, with their food-inspired plush keychains. Before charms became high-fashion heirlooms, they were hanging from Kipling's signature nylon bags in the form of plush monkey keychains. Luxury brands soon elevated the concept. Brands like Louis Vuitton and Fendi transformed bag charms into status symbols. Fendi's Bag Bugs (or 'monster charms'), designed by Karl Lagerfeld in 2014, were plush, playful and priced in the hundreds — turning bags into characters and collectors' items. Now, in a post-pandemic world shaped by emotional dressing and nostalgic aesthetics, bag charms are having a renaissance. From Lububu dolls to Monchhichi revivals and fashion accessory brands blurring the lines between plush and precious, the trend reflects a desire for comfort, joy and individuality — especially in an era of 'trend burnout' and aesthetic overload. Fashion sourcer and founder of SourcedBy, Gab Waller, points to the power of belonging: 'I really think it all comes down to being part of an 'if you know, you know' type of community. Owning one makes you feel like you're part of something, and right now, community is at the core of what consumers are craving.' This rise in plush charms and toy-like accessories aligns with a broader cultural movement: the kidult trend. Adults — especially Gen Z — are embracing toys, collectibles, and playful accessories not just for fun, but for emotional comfort and expression. According to market research firm Circana, adults over 18 now account for 28% of global toy sales, with U.S. adult toy purchases exceeding $7 billion in the 12 months ending June 2024. Labubu plush toys have become a significant trend in the collectible market, with resale prices varying based on edition, rarity and demand. 'It's cheeky! I love it,' says Taylor Sade, founder of jewelry brand Vertigo (whose collab with handbag brand Liffner launches in late May). 'Ultimately, 'getting the bag' has always been about securing what's yours. Accessorizing speaks to that — it's no longer just about owning the status symbol, but about elevating it through personal flair.' 'We're seeing the rise of emotional collectibles,' adds Emily Austen, founder of PR agency Emerge and author of Smarter. 'From enamel pins to limited-run toys, there's a new category of accessory that doesn't just adorn — it affirms.' Austen continues: 'Charms sit beautifully between fashion and fandom. They borrow the collectability and drop culture of sneakers, but filter it through emotion and personal meaning. They're playful, affordable(ish), and portable — the accessory equivalent of a meme with main-character energy." Photo Credit: Courtesy of Smarter, Emily Austen That emotional connection is what inspired the collaboration between lifestyle and accessory brand Heaven Mayhem and luxury vegan handbag line Freja NYC. Together, they launched a limited-edition capsule of two bags and three charms, combining Freja's beloved Mini Chrystie bag with charms inspired by Heaven Mayhem's best-selling Julia necklace. The charms are visually cohesive with the bag color scheme yet striking with bold hardware. 'It only made sense to adorn the bags with a charm that represents Heaven Mayhem,' says Heaven Mayhem founder Pia Mance. 'They're a spin-off of our iconic Julia necklace, but reimagined for your everyday essentials.' 'The bag charms celebrate personal style and allow people to be unique in how they adorn their bags or keyrings,' she adds. 'They blur the line between functionality and fashion, and bring that playful element to everyday life.' Freja founder Jenny Lei echoes that sentiment: 'I started Freja as a work bag brand for women entering the workforce, because I couldn't find a tote that felt functional yet confidence-boosting. Our first tagline was 'bags that work overtime, so you don't have to.' Now, I think the act of accessorizing that bag symbolizes something more — women really owning their power. Not just trusting themselves and chasing dreams, but gaining confidence and having fun with it.' Waller agrees — and says her clients are responding to charms as a way to access luxury without the full price tag: "To be able to buy a Prada keychain or a Miu Miu bag charm, it's something my clients are gravitating toward because it's still relatively affordable. That charm makes a non-designer bag feel luxurious.' Vertigo's Sade adds: 'Whether your bag costs $100 or $10K, chances are you aren't the only one who owns it. Small accessorization opportunities, whether it's charms, scarves, chains, or whatever else suits your style, add a sense of individuality and originality that fashion, and many other industries for that matter, are really championing.' Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vertigo Laura Gabriele, a style expert and wardrobe curator, sees the charm boom as part of a larger accessories renaissance. 'We're in the ultimate era of accessorizing these days, which I love,' she says. 'With the rise of quiet luxury, ready-to-wear has leaned more minimal — so we're relying on standout but not necessarily loud accessories to make a statement. Items like sunglasses, brooches, statement cuffs, stacks of jewelry — and yes, bag charms — are no longer afterthoughts. In many cases, they're the entire focal point of a look.' Jewelry designer Adina Reyter also sees charms as an extension of something deeper — not just style, but sentiment. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Adina Reyter 'When we launched our bag charms, I wanted to create something lasting that could work on your bag or your keys,' Reyter says. 'When I was 16 and got my license, someone gave me a Tiffany keychain with my name engraved on it. Our bag charms carry that same meaning. You can pick your zodiac or an engravable Big Bead and add any color of the rainbow enamel beads to create this joyful charm that reflects your personality. Bag charms add joy to your bag, your keys — and it's those little moments that make everything better.' For Austen, the appeal is also emotional: "In a content-first world, your charm becomes part of your identity. It's like Taylor Swift's friendship bracelets — a visual code that connects us to others. It's an easy way for brands to create emotional products and for people to express themselves. At their core, charms are about personality. And there's always room for that.' Austen's own Smarter book charm, a tiny token modeled after her bestselling book, sold over 800 units in a quiet, invite-only drop. 'It sold out almost instantly,' she says. 'Purely through word-of-mouth and vibes. We didn't run ads. We gave people something they didn't know they needed — a charm that whispered 'you're doing great, sweetie' every time they zipped up their bag. It wasn't just merch — it was a mini manifesto.' Designer Julie Etienne, founder of the jewelry line Mademoiselle Jules, describes her charms as wearable energy. 'I wanted to take the symbolism and intention behind jewelry and reimagine it in a fresh, fashion-forward way,' Etienne says. 'We currently have three styles, each with a unique mood and meaning. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mademoiselle Jules "For example, our Talislove Charm features a big bubble heart, a mini gold heart, an evil eye, a cornetto (Italian horn), and a freshwater pearl — some of my best-selling symbols across earrings and necklaces. Each one represents protection, strength, and love. They're like modern talismans for your keys or your bag.' 'They hit the sweet spot between statement and sentiment,' she adds. 'In a world where people are curating their style down to every detail, bag charms are a joyful way to express who you are. After a few seasons of quiet luxury, we're seeing a return to personality and play — and bag charms are an easy way to add both, without overthinking it.' 'They remind us of the joy of personalization,' Etienne continues. 'Like sticker books or charm bracelets from childhood, but elevated. Each one speaks to something personal: a reminder to stay strong, a tribute to someone you love, or just a pop of color that makes you smile.' 'I carry a tote bag every day, and on it I have a pink Prada teddy bear and a Fendi strawberry,' says Waller. 'That combo is uniquely me." For Pia Mance, it's also about range: 'You can enjoy the charm's fun nature from a distance, on a keyring — or go bold and adorn your bag. It's personal flair, without the pressure of wearing something expressive around your neck or ears.' Photo Credit: Heaven Mayhem bag charm Or as Vertigo's Sade puts it: 'Sometimes a charm blends into your look. Other times, it's all about contrast. That's the beauty of it — you can switch it up depending on what you want to express that day.' 'I see bag charms as a staple,' Waller adds. 'The collecting craze might slow down, but the charm isn't going anywhere. They've become a permanent part of how we personalize and style our accessories — even on Birkins and Kellys.' 'I see accessories as more powerful than ever,' Gabriele explains. 'My clients are investing in timeless staples they'll wear again and again. They're proud outfit repeaters. But accessories are where they play. A plushy charm or bead stack can instantly make a formal bag feel less serious — and open up entirely new ways to wear the same look." 'I don't think this is a fleeting trend," Gabriele adds. "As minimal dressing becomes the default, charms become the twist — the wink, the personality, the way in.'
