Written for the leaders, owners and professionals of the 11 million businesses with between $50,000 and $50 million in revenue.
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Nobody is productive every waking second, so employees will inevitably check the news or their personal accounts a few times throughout the workday. But what about checking in on their side hustles?
In a recent survey from the Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals, 41% of job seekers admit to “double dipping on the clock,” and 57% believe working two shifts at once should be allowed as long as it doesn’t affect their performance. (Two-thirds of Gen Z feel this way as opposed to one-third of boomers.)
In fact, half of all U.S. companies don’t have an official policy against the practice, so business owners might need to clarify theirs. Maybe some people are productive every waking second after all?
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Pumpkin spice: How Starbucks created its iconic fall latte
Video games: They can help with after-work recovery
Morgan’s Wonderland: A theme park with a mission
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How Starbucks Created the Pumpkin Spice Latte (With No Actual Pumpkin at First)
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Love it or hate it, no drink says autumn like a pumpkin spice latte. Some of us consider the flavor to be an ideal source of holiday nostalgia and comfort … while others mock it as basic and played out.
However, both camps might be surprised to learn that the latte behind the perennial trend was originally made with absolutely no pumpkin.
Back in 2003, following the success of eggnog and peppermint mocha lattes, Starbucks began experimenting with another seasonal taste. Peter Dukes, Starbucks’ head of espresso for the domestic market, noticed there weren’t any coffee products centered around pumpkins. Even though pumpkin pie spice had long been established as a Thanksgiving staple, no coffee company had capitalized on the flavor.
“We brought in pumpkin pies into our R&D lab and actually just poured shots of espresso on ’em, and ate ’em,” Dukes told CBS News in 2021.
The pumpkin spice latte was a massive hit when released. However, controversy soon followed. Critics pointed out the use of artificial flavors and the latte’s lack of real pumpkin. In 2015, Starbucks reformulated the drink with “cleaner ingredients,” including the titular gourd in pureed form. Customers seemed to enjoy it even more; last year, the PSL had a 20% surge in sales on launch day.
But hey, if you can’t stand pumpkin spice, eggnog and peppermint mocha season is right around the corner.
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Get more from your business phone system with Ooma
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Every business needs to stay connected, which is why modern business phone systems should do more than just handle calls and video conferences — but that shouldn’t mean exorbitant prices and lengthy contracts.
If you want to get more out of your business phone system without spending more of your budget, then it’s time to switch to Ooma. Delivering more features for less money with no contractual obligations, Ooma rings in a new era of business phone systems designed with small businesses in mind.
Hang up on providers that charge expensive rates and require long-term contracts, and give Ooma a try for free today.
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All Work and No Play: Video Games Can Help With After-Work Recovery
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Dr. Steven Rogelberg is a chancellor’s professor at UNC Charlotte, former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and author of Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings.
As a society, we often don’t encourage adults to play video games, but research suggests this may be misguided.
Gaming after work can help people feel better rested the next day, according to a recent study involving 65 employees. These positive effects were due to two forces:
- Gaming serves as a form of psychological detachment from work, similar to other activities that promote recovery and mitigate stress (e.g., physical exercise).
- It offers a mastery experience where emotional and social resources can be gained through interactions, acquisition of new skills, stimulation, and achievement. (Thus, games promoting these four states are most ideal from a recovery perspective.)
A key caveat is that gaming should not replace other healthy activities — such as exercise and socializing. However, it can be helpful as part of a broader recovery strategy, especially if the game being played provides skill development and positive engagement with others. Given this, organizations might consider video game competitions after work for their team members as a way to promote a healthy workplace.
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From Homebuilder to Dreambuilder at Morgan’s Wonderland Amusement Park
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(Source: Morgan’s Wonderland)
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Gordon Hartman once owned a successful homebuilding business in Texas. But his daughter Morgan — who has cognitive disabilities and autism — inspired him to create something bigger … and a lot more whimsical.
During a family vacation in the early 2000s, Morgan wanted to toss a ball around with children at a hotel pool; the other kids shunned her from the game. Gordon felt there had to be a way for children of all abilities to play together.
So, Gordon sold his company in 2005 to build Morgan’s Wonderland, an accessibility-focused, inclusive theme park in San Antonio. The park features a miniature train, a Ferris wheel, playgrounds, a catch-and-release fishing lake, and a carousel with wheelchair-friendly chariots. Morgan’s Wonderland, which is sponsored by Toyota and remains free for those with disabilities, has welcomed more than a million visitors.
In 2018, Time named Morgan’s Wonderland as one of the “World’s Greatest Places.” Since then, Gordon and Morgan have dreamt even bigger, opening an associated splash park and camp with “complimentary lodging and activities” for “any individual who has a special need.”
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Written by Ali Saleh and Carolyn Neuhausen. Comic by John McNamee.
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