Key Points

• Figuring out a solid approach is non-negotiable when tackling the metaverse. For Rafaella Camera, Head of Brands & Advertisers Solutions for Unreal Engines, taking a creator first approach has garnered massive success for the company. While a creator first approach isn’t for everyone, companies must figure out what works best in order to capitalize on their success.
• With such vast possibilities within the metaverse, companies must focus not on what they think or hope will attract consumers, but pay attention to what consumers actually want. Looking at successful virtual patterns over the years can greatly help steer companies in the right direction.

Key Points

• “What’s common sense in real life is common sense on social media,” Sree Sreenivasan, a professor of Digital Innovation and CEO/Co-Founder of Digimentors said of how companies should go about implementing social media strategies. If you wouldn’t do it in person, don’t do it online.
• Negative comments are inevitable in the digital world. Instead of focusing on combating these comments completely, social teams should be connected to HR on reputable online platforms in order to gain an in depth understanding of their policies and how they deal with these matters.

Key Points

• According to a survey, 91% of respondents believe the fed. is late in addressing the issue of inflation. Respondents are still optimistic the economy will do well as long as it reaches a point where it is able to fight inflation.
• America however will still have to deal with supply chain issues as well as the effects of the virus on supplies. There has also been a significant rise in consumer demands over the past months.

Key Points

• In a recent development, surveys have found that hiring difficulties are a permanent concern. Aside from general difficulties in terms of hiring, the U.S. is now significantly behind in terms of women in the workforce as a result of childcare accessibility.
• Compared to November’s survey, this survey predicted the fed to taper at 30 billion. The biggest concern however shifted to whether or not the fed was moving too high too fast.

Key Points

• Given what is known—and not known—about omicron, Dr. Vin Gupta, a critical care pulmonologist, affiliate faculty member and scientific health advisor at the University of Washington, says the psychological wellbeing of employees would be better served with more time and certainty about the risks posed by this latest variant.
• While changing return dates only makes CHROs’ jobs even more complex, the bigger issue that companies will soon need to address is the definition of fully vaccinated. Companies should prepare now to re-evaluate their definition of fully vaccinated to better reflect what we’re learning about omicron and communicate that clearly to their employees.

• Bryan Hancock, a partner with McKinsey & Co., said the challenge of fair performance reviews pre-dated Covid, but the pandemic amplified the need to get this right.
• It will require a new way of doing things but fairness and equity in performance reviews can be achieved when there is a premium placed on transparency and consistent and open communication between managers and employees.

Key Points

• According to Anil Dash, CEO of Glitch and self-proclaimed tech optimist, the ability to check in with remote employees via different tools and platforms is liberating and productive for many, but there are differences. “Vulnerable people in your organization don’t experience surveillance as helpful,” he said.
• “We’re never going to solve this talent shortage if companies don’t address what’s happening at the entry level,” Simone Petrella, CEO of CyberVista told CNBC’s Jon Fortt. She said companies should put a bigger focus on evaluating the tech talent they have and then put in place upskilling programs to get them to the next level. Petrella added that the average cyber job takes six months to fill.

• The unrelenting frequency of cyber attacks on companies, hospital systems, schools and critical U.S. infrastructure has reached a boiling point, said Kevin Mandia, CEO of Mandiant, the company that discovered the SolarWinds attack nearly a year ago. “Everyone is tired of ransomware,” he told CNBC Senior Washington Correspondent Eamon Javers. But there are things companies can do. He urged TEC members to require two-factor authentication in their organizations and to make spear phishing training essential for all employees.
• “There’s just so much we don’t know about space yet,” said Jared Isaacman, Shift4 Payments founder and commander of the first all-civilian crew to orbit the Earth. He told TEC members that the role of the private sector in space exploration is a good thing, adding that capital can be deployed more efficiently than when it comes from the government.