There is a reason why offices exist
Before the pandemic became a buzzword, our offices were not only a place to slog, they were also a source of pride. Employees felt regal as soon as they stepped inside their cathedrals of innovation. Clicking selfies of the various drool-worthy corners in the office and gloating about them on social media gave them the much-needed dopamine shots.
It’s not surprising that 78% of millennials consider workplace quality as a criterion before choosing an employer. Or 69% of them will give up other perks to work in a well-designed place.
Contemporary workplace designs increase employee productivity without freaking them out with the workload. …
Living in the future is not as bad as it is made to look.
Like how we used to get excited thinking about the future as kids, now cooped up at home, we have found refuge in the future again. The thought of a vacation when a lockdown is over, or of sipping coffee in your favorite cafe is refreshing. The exciting thoughts of the future are blowing the dark clouds of the present away.
Mindfulness is the key to happiness. Live in the present, they say.
On the contrary, can thinking about the future make us happier than living in the present? Is the anticipation of a trip much better than the trip itself? If happiness is the summit we all are trying to conquer, then what does it matter how we reach the top? Via the north face or the south? Via the difficult route or the simple one. …
Creative Nonfiction Contest Finalist
What does my love for the airports tell me about myself?
Have you ever felt satisfied and restless at the same time?
Say right after you cracked a tough interview. You might be satisfied because you got the job, but you will also be restless to celebrate.
Similarly, a melange of emotions stirs within me every time I am at the airport. I feel satisfied because I am traveling to a new place, leaving behind all the worries. Restless, because one, the thought of missing the flight keeps me on my toes. Second, I love to scan the whole place, relish the imposing architecture, buy a new book, watch the planes take off, devour an expensive cup of coffee, and talk to strangers. It’s the perfect artist’s date for me. I feel free, nimble, and full of life. …
5 viral commercials that will make you laugh your heads off and show you why humor works
What makes content go viral?
No one knows exactly.
But if you are told to name a few viral advertisements, chances are high that you would recall advertisements that were bizarrely funny.
Remember the Old Spice ads? Or the Burger King’s viral marketing gimmicks?
Not able to recall any funny ads, huh?
What about your favorite sitcoms?
I bet there is at least one comedy on that list. And if Friends is not there, then you need to stop reading this article and watch it. There is a reason Friends is still world’s most favorite sitcom.
Forget about content. Who is the person you love to hangout with? …
Office politics is not about office anymore
When meeting someone personally, their body language gives meaning to the words they utter. But while communicating online, it’s the words that give shape to someone’s body language.
All Caps message suggests aggression: An image of a person shouting at you will pop up in your mind. A diktat without words such as please, kindly or thank you sounds rude: An image of someone with a stern face ordering you around will instantly flash in front of you.
And as business communication comes somewhere at the end of the list of the employee development programmes, most employees don’t sound empathetic while communicating online. Which sets up the stage for an engrossing spectacle of online workplace politics. …
The New York Times campaign that turned around its fortunes
Do you think online news is worth paying for? Or are you satisfied with the “based on your reading biases” information that you get on your Facebook feed?
Warren Buffett says, “price is what you pay, value is what you get.” Do you think well-investigated news is valuable enough for you to loosen your purse strings?
For you to know how valuable unbiased news is, you need to first understand why is it important to know the truth and what it takes to bring the truth to your doorstep or in your inbox. …
The cats are out of the bag
I was waiting for my school bus on the porch when I saw a cat lurking around. I was 10, and I loved cats. I always wanted to have one.
She didn’t hesitate to come near me, as I lured her with my tch-tch-tchs, tsk-tsk-tsks and hello kitty calls.
Looking at me with the “whatever the fuck are you trying to do eyes,” first, she moved in circles around me, then as soon as I moved a muscle, she dashed off on her toes like a ballet dancer.
After a few minutes, however, I found her rubbing against my feet, purring and acting like she knew me for ages. …
When faces are hidden behind masks, eyes have truly become the window to your soul
“When a woman is talking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.” — Victor Hugo
The other day at the airport, I stumbled into my schoolmate, whom I had not seen since the last day of high school. My flight was late, I had a lot of time to kill; she was looking great and I made a comment about the book she was reading. It was one of my favorites. Initially, she didn’t recognize me — or maybe, she was just trying to ignore me.
But when she did recall my face, I knew the conversation wouldn’t last. Our eyes locked for a few seconds initially, and then we kept passing evasive glances back and forth. The conversation chugged on uncomfortably until she went to the loo, never to return. …
A look at Burger King’s recent bonhomie in the backdrop of its historical mind-blowing campaigns
As the Cola wars are waning into the past, burger wars are taking the center stage. McDonald’s being the heavyweight champion is frequently being outmaneuvered by its rival Burger King. Not only has Burger king mastered the art of trolling its nemesis, it also has cut down on the fat from its operations.
Burger King reported increased operating margins from 11% in 2011 to a whopping 40% in 2018 on the back of several cost cutting initiatives. …
Welcome to the era of information inequality
“It’s a big question for democracy: The business model of news is changing, That’s a big challenge for the world.” — BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti
The tremors from the meteoric rise of the internet giants have shaken up the news industry. Globally, a greater number of people are consuming news through social media platforms, cutting the streams of revenue that used to keep traditional newspapers in circulation.
To compensate for the lost revenue, papers are increasingly erecting digital paywalls. The online news that people used to get for free is paid for now. On one side, the benefits of subscription-based news are quite broad. Apart from helping them stay afloat, the news organizations can now focus on delivering fact-based news and not waste time chasing advertising money, which forced them to publish more clickbaity content. …
