INTHEBLACK April 2022 - Magazine - Page 15
T E D TA L K
WORKPLACE RESEARCH
In this interesting TED Talk, Harvard academic
Professor Ashley Whillans examines how,
especially in the COVID-19 era, work has
increasingly crept into our private lives. This
is a recipe for burnout, she says, but there are
some ways to re-establish balance. Her research
shows that time management issues are best
negotiated at the recruitment stage, to ensure
that family commitments are acknowledged
and accommodated. Another critical point is to
ensure that private time is insulated from work
communication, especially email and mobile
phones. Co-workers should be informed when
you are not available, so that “time away”
allows for genuine mental recharging.
WAT C H T H E T E D TA L K H E R E
STUDY
EQUITY SCORECARD
A study from the College of Business and Economics at the Australian National University has placed
Australia last on a gender pay gap scorecard that compares six developed countries, with a gap of more
than 14 per cent. There are disclosure requirements at the industry level, but the underlying assumption
that reporting would help to close the gap has not been borne out, the report finds. The authors
recommend shifting the focus of reporting to individual companies, setting clear minimum standards
for pay equity, and governments imposing sanctions on non-compliant firms.
R E A D T H E S T U DY H E R E
P O D C AS T
RESOURCE HUB
D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N
CLOUD POTENTIAL
CYBER SECURITY
DISRUPTION DISCUSSION
The Built for Change podcast series from
Accenture provides useful discussions
around taking advantage of new
technologies. Episode 10 deals with
how brewing company Carlsberg used
cloud technology and related algorithms
to improve inventory control, track
consumer preferences and adjust products
accordingly, and remake its distribution
infrastructure. The overarching message
is that data collection and storage are a
means and not an end in itself, and that
the cloud offers the potential to dissect,
manipulate and disseminate information
across a widespread group of stakeholders.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
has released a package of improvements to help
businesses with their cyber security, including
enhancements to its hotline (1300 CYBER1),
which now operates around the clock and can
be used to obtain advice and report cyber
attacks. Data from the ACSC shows that the
cybersecurity threats facing Australian small and
medium-sized businesses are growing in number.
Cyber attacks, especially ransomware raids and
business email compromise, are also becoming
more sophisticated and destructive.
The ACSC has also released new online
learning resources offering simple-to-follow
advice for businesses and individuals.
Gerald Kane, Rich Nanda and Anh Nguyen
Phillips are experts on business and
technology strategy as well as co-authors
of The Transformation Myth with Jonathan
Copulsky. In this interview on the site of MIT
Press, they explore avenues for dealing with
disruption, using the pandemic as an object
lesson. The hour-long discussion drills into
case studies and solutions. The key points
are that new technology has to be designed
with customers in mind, leaders have
to prioritise organisation resilience, and
attempting to merely “weather the storm”
means missing critical opportunities for
positive change.
L I S T E N T O T H E P O D C AS T H E R E
EXPLORE THE RESOURCE HERE
WAT C H T H E D I S C U S S I O N H E R E
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