A speedy overview of five resources to help you improve business performance – including the results of a retail store experiment with scheduling; trends in robots; HR; social media; and ways to bring humor into the office.

1. The power of consistency ­– Gap stores conducted a study to see how consistent schedules would affect operations. Their $30,000 investment gained $3 million in sales. Plus, theft went down and managers spent much less time on scheduling. Read how guaranteeing a core group of employees 20 hours a week paid off big time.
2. Embracing robots – Employers and employees alike are embracing the potential of robots. However, their enthusiasm is tempered by a desire for human connection, according to a MetLife Benefit Trends Study. Find out what makes employees feel connected and empowered at work.
3. Top HR Tech Trends – HR pros are using technology to keep their companies at the forefront of innovation, starting with new performance management models. People analytics, changes in talent sourcing and increased use of wellness apps are also changing workplace dynamics.
4. Get more efficient with social media for B2B – Mobile chatbots, ephemeral content, social listening tools, micro influencers, AI and image recognition are all changing the social media for the B2B sector. Discover the latest tools that will help you create more engaging content.
5. End the laughter drought – Even though laughter relieves stress and boredom while boosting engagement and well-being, our workplaces (except Consumers) are rather sober places. Harvard Business Review tells you how to crack the humor code to lead with humor (skim down to the bullets to quickly get to the tips).

Thank you to our Friday Five sources: Inc., Business Wire, Net@Work, Mar Tec Series and Harvard Business Review.

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