Tools to Measure Employee Performance | Business.com

February 20, 2025February 19, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a business owner, you must track employee performance to ensure your team progresses on projects and spends company time efficiently. Managers and leaders who notice the quality of a specific employee’s work is dropping can use employee performance tracking software to identify gaps in understanding and resolve the disconnect.

Establishing an employee performance process and tracking the results can get to the core of any workflow issues while holding their teams accountable for their assignments each day. Discover 14 tools below that measure employee performance and the benefits of using such software.

Are noise-canceling headphones really hurting kids’ hearing? | Digital Trends

February 19, 2025February 18, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

On February 15, BBC News published an article that explored the possible link between the use of noise-canceling headphones and auditory processing disorder (APD) in young people. This will likely come as a shock to many parents who have come to think of these devices as helpful for their kids’ concentration. Parents of neurodivergent children, in particular, see noise-canceling headphones as a vital tool that helps their kids navigate environments that would otherwise be overwhelming.

The existence of a possible APD link also flies in the face of the advice parents are usually given around the use of headphones. Normally, the chief concern with headphones and earbuds is that kids will listen at unsafe volume levels, which could lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

Respect Goes a Long Way When Entering New Markets | The Startup Magazine

February 18, 2025February 17, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s a staggering $115 trillion of global opportunity in 2025.

And international expansion is seen as key for long-term growth, according to WellsFargo, “with emerging markets providing the greatest opportunities.”

Branching out into another community or state can be daunting, let alone going outside of the U.S.

Where does an entrepreneur even start?

For entrepreneurs and startups looking to expand beyond U.S. borders, start with the same basics:

Build strong, loyal customer bases

Small businesses often have the agility to adapt quickly to cultural and linguistic nuances. Unlike larger corporations, they can personalize their approach to align with a specific market’s traditions and preferences.

For example, a small boutique exporting goods to Italy might tailor its messaging to align with local customs, such as celebrating Ferragosto, a major holiday in August. This flexibility allows small businesses to build strong, loyal customer bases.

The best AI chatbots: What makes them so popular? | The Startup Magazine

February 18, 2025February 17, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AI chatbots aren’t new – people seem to love the opportunity to talk to their favorite characters, or even create their own. While regular AI chats have existed for a few years, people seem to get bored pretty quickly – simply because these services didn’t provide any options for spicy interactions. Meanwhile, the best NSFW AI chats seem to satisfy users completely. But why?

The best NSFW chatbot isn’t just about the spicy stuff it can do. It’s about all the features a regular AI chatbot can do, but with extras. When chatting with your favorite characters from anime or TV shows, it’s quite tempting to flirt with them – especially when you have a crush on them. Luckily, the best NSFW chatbot can give it to you!

How to Break Free From Your Comfort Zone and Start Fueling The Growth of Your Company | Entrepreneur

February 13, 2025February 12, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the heart of Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California, a tiny miscalculation caused a domino effect that altered everything about how I approach business and life. A baby hummingbird, no larger than a few of my fingers, darted through an open door on my balcony. What followed was not just a tale of attempted rescue but a profound lesson in business and life that I never expected to learn from such a small creature.

As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we often pride ourselves on our problem-solving abilities. That day, my partner and I threw everything at the situation. This cute little bird was clearly confused and starting to panic. We didn’t want to harm the animal or scare it more than it already was. We tried brooms, mops and even a Swiffer extended to its full length in our attempt to guide the hummingbird back to the open door.

We tried to make everything dark except the doorway, hoping it would see the apparent path out and follow the light. We crafted makeshift solutions recommended by friends and videos on YouTube, such as adding sugar to bowls of water and eventually to the tip of the Swiffer itself. Each attempt was met with the same result — failure, but with a slight variation. Sound familiar?

Are AI features good for dating apps? | Mashable

February 12, 2025February 11, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Frustration with dating apps isn’t hard to find in 2025. Between talk of dating app fatigue and dating apps becoming increasingly similar online, you can hardly swipe on your FYP without some complaint about being on “the apps.”

Dating app executives seem to be aware of this. Both Hinge’s CEO and Bumble’s former CEO mentioned burnout and exhaustion, respectively, and Tinder is enlisting influencers to try to entice young adults into swiping.

Orcas off Antarctica filmed teaching calves to hunt in incredible new footage | Live Science

February 10, 2025February 10, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Stunning new footage captures the moment adult orcas carefully teach their calves how to hunt, demonstrating how to push a seal off a bit of ice before getting the young to give it a go themselves.

The clip shows a group of seven orcas — four adults and three calves — as they circle a seal on a tiny chunk of ice in western Antarctica’s Marguerite Bay. The lesson, which lasted over an hour, was filmed for the new PBS show “Nature: Expedition Killer Whale,” which follows a remarkable group of pack ice orcas (Orcinus orca) that live off the coast of Antarctica.

“The biggest surprise was the careful, measured way in which the females kept the seal corralled close to the piece of ice without fatally injuring it, so that it would climb back out onto the ice,” Leigh Hickmott, a whale biologist and science advisor for the show, who observed the encounter from a boat nearby, told Live Science in an email.

Is the moon still geologically active? Evidence says it’s possible | Live Science

February 10, 2025February 9, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The moon may still be geologically active, judging from the way the lunar far side is wrinkling as the moon contracts. At least, that’s what planetary scientists who have discovered 266 lunar “wrinkle ridges,” say, as all of these ridges appear to have formed during the past 160 million years in the rare volcanic plains on the lunar far side.

“Knowing that the moon is still geologically dynamic has very real implications for where we’re going to put our astronauts, equipment and infrastructure on the moon,” said one of those scientists, Jaclyn Clark of the University of Maryland, in a statement.

Communicate With Employees to Maintain Engagement | Business News Daily

February 7, 2025February 6, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Effective workplace communication can foster meaningful, authentic employee engagement and solid working relationships that will strengthen your organization’s core. However, businesses sometimes confuse disseminating information with communication.

Genuine employee communication is a two-way street that includes personal connections, sharing the big picture, and giving and accepting feedback. Engaged employees are more productive and loyal, make fewer mistakes, and produce higher-quality work – ultimately impacting customer satisfaction.

In contrast, poor communication between management and their teams can lead to tangible losses, such as time spent correcting errors – and lost time often equals lost profit. A Grammarly and Harris Poll study found that ineffective communication processes cost U.S. businesses up to $1.2 trillion every year.

Responsible AI Implementation Is Possible—Start With This AI Compliance Checklist – AllBusiness.com

February 5, 2025February 4, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enabling smarter decision-making. However, integrating AI into business operations brings challenges, especially concerning legal and ethical compliance.

Small business owners, in particular, must navigate these complexities to ensure their AI systems align with current laws and uphold public trust. Developing a comprehensive AI compliance checklist is a critical first step toward responsible AI use.

Explore this detailed framework for ensuring responsible AI implementations that adhere to existing legal and ethical standards, including in key areas such as data protection, algorithmic transparency, fairness, and regulatory updates.