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There is a nationwide talent war for frontline, skilled workers, and unfortunately, too many companies are losing. Turnover among deskless workers, who account for about 80% of the workforce globally, is high, and they are notoriously difficult to train through traditional training programs. Corporate training solutions that work for someone sitting behind a desk rarely work for someone on a job site or factory floor. HR professionals cited employee engagement, retention, and recruitment as the top management challenges within the deskless workforce, according to a Society for Human Resource Management study. Unlike office workers with predictable schedules and easy access to digital tools, deskless employees are mobile and harder to reach. As a result, 79% of HR leaders cite learning and development as the biggest talent challenge for deskless teams, followed by retention and onboarding cited by 75%. Training can address each of those issues, but even when available, it’s often disconnected from actual business outcomes and lacks measurable value. Why? Because training frontline workers is fundamentally different from training office-based employees. Training and onboarding in-the-field workers is complicated and complex, so many companies are slower to invest in it. Recruit, Ramp, and Retain And yet, the frontline workforce is a business-critical system. Executives love to say, “People are our most important asset.” However, when asked what systems they use to recruit, ramp, and retain employees, most stumble, which tells you everything. The workforce isnt always treated like the strategic system it is. To connect training to business value, we need to view the entire employee journeyrecruit, ramp, retainas an integrated pipeline. Of those three stages, ramp is the most important. Its the anchor. Companies that invest heavily in ramping programs find it easier to recruit and are more successful at retaining. When you invest in frontline workers early, they stay longer. This is especially true for skilled and industrial workers. Studies show that the majority of employees say training programs positively affect their engagement, and 94% say training encourages them to stay at a company longer. In contrast, lack of career progression is one of the top reasons employees leave. So what does ramp look like for most frontline workers today? Most often it is job shadowing. Theres value in that, especially when mentorship is involved, but the challenge is that it doesnt scale. Not every employee is a good trainer. As experienced workers retire, mentorship will become harder to deliver consistently, especially in industries facing labor and skills gaps. Digital Training Allows For Customization The goal, then, is to build a digital training system that can act as a mentor but can scale. Simulations have already been proven in aviation, medicine, and the military. They offer the closest thing to hands-on training and will become even more accessible as spending on technology for deskless workers increases. When digital learning is done well, it mimics great teachers by not just showing people how to do their jobs but also challenging them to understand why it’s done that way. It also provides assessments, which is critical in ramping programs. A strong system meets new workers where they are, quickly understanding their current capabilities and tailoring training accordingly. Digital training also supports personalized learning plans, delivering key lessons in short, targeted bursts that can teach whats needed to improve job performance and support career advancement. Too often, training is treated as a one-size-fits-all solution without alignment to the business strategy. AI will bring even more customization to learning, making it more relevant. But to tie it back to business outcomes, companies must use data to track progress and impact and then align it to company goals. Retain Frontline Talent Companies that see real results are those that define success, design training programs that build the skills to get there, and actively measure how training improves operations. Were already seeing this investment mindset emerge in places like private equity-backed roll-ups of skilled trades companies. These firms are building standardized, scalable training systems across dozens of operating companies to drive profitability. In doing so, theyre setting a model that others can follow. Winning the war for frontline talent requires a shift in thinking. Leaders need to ask themselves: Do we treat workforce development like other critical business systems? Can the knowledge gained translate to measurable business outcomes? Do we have a learning and development foundation that is connected to the business? Can our existing training system leverage the power of AI to deliver personalized, engaging training that derives even more value for employees and the company? Those who can answer yes to these questions are creating a system that recruits faster, ramps better, and retains longer, all of which help transform workforce development from a cost center into a competitive advantage. Doug Donovan is CEO and founder of Interplay Learning.
Category:
E-Commerce
White smoke at the Vatican can only signal one thing: A new pope has been elected. But online? A flurry of memes are roasting the traditions of the pope’s Midwestern roots. Just hours after the conclave concluded, electing Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Provost as pontiff (who will now go by the name Pope Leo XIV), users all over social media are taking part in stereotype-laden antics, associating the pope with deep-dish pizza, sports, and, of course, Malört. New Chicago Pope byu/mikraas inchicago The r/Chicago Reddit thread is flooding with papacy-related memes. In one post, an image of a Catholic priest holding the sacramental bread has been edited to turn the wafer into a Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. The post’s caption reads: “Coming this Sunday to a Vatican near you.” (Never mind that most Chicagoans prefer thin crust.) the communion wafers are deep dish now— Armand Domalewski (@ArmandDoma) May 8, 2025 Another user made a similar joke on X, saying “the communion wafers are deep dish now.” Da Pope byu/StinkStar inchicago Another X post poked fun at Malört, a self-punishing spirit popular among Chicago bars, saying: “Cannot wait for holy water & wine to be replaced by Malört & Old Style.” AI images that feature the pontiff sporting Chicago Bears merchandise are widely circulating on social media. In one image posted on Reddit, a user commented: “Chicago produced a pope before a 4000 yd. passer.” On TikTok, one user posted a skit pretending to be the new pope. “I just got a call from God, saying that deep-dish pizza is real pizza,” he said. A user commented on the video, saying: “Blessed be the children of God across the entire world, except those who live in Green Bay.” An American Pope from Chicago. God help us all.pic.twitter.com/b8VmtR7O9R— chefkids (@girlflopping) May 8, 2025 Many users on X also likened the pope to the fictional Chicago-native protagonist of The Bear, featuring clips from the TV show. A post featuring Chef Carmy screaming is captioned: “An American Pope from Chicago. God help us all.” the pope from chicago receiving a message from god pic.twitter.com/leYJd6liu9— patrick. (@imPatrickT) May 8, 2025 Another post, referencing stills from the show’s Season 1 finale, was captioned: “the pope from Chicago receiving a message from god.” The message in question? “I love you dude. Let it rip.” As memes continue to flood social media, the internet’s reaction might best be described by one user on X: “Announced to my office (we live in Chicago) about the new pope, and the immediate millennial reaction was, “Oh, the memes are gonna be amazing.”
Category:
E-Commerce
Shares of Krispy Kreme Inc. (NASDAQ: DNUT) plunged over 28% on Thursday after the donut-and-coffee chain said it will no longer pay out its quarterly dividend and that it was reassessing the deployment of its planned McDonald’s rollout, and fell short of earnings expectations, according to Bloomberg. Krispy Kreme’s earnings missed expectations for the first quarter of 2025, with the company posting an EPS (earnings per share) of negative $0.05, coming in below the EPS forecast of negative $0.04. It posted revenue of $375.2 million, within previous guidance but below a forecast of $385.11 million. Following the announcement, Krispy Kremes stock fell by 28.18% in premarket trading, and was still down nearly 25% by the time of market close. According to data from InvestingPro, shares of the stock have fallen over 65% in the past year. At the same time, the company said it is ending its quarterly dividend in order to pay down its mounting debt. Our ability to become a bigger Krispy Kreme requires that we become better, and we are taking swift and decisive action to pay down debt, de-leverage the balance sheet and drive sustainable, profitable growth, Krispy Kreme CEO Josh Charlesworth said. Krispy Kreme, which started selling its donuts at McDonald’s in March 2024, and currently sells at some 2,400 burger chain locations, said it won’t be expanding that rollout in the second quarter after sales slowed below projects, CNBC reported. Both companies had previously said the doughnuts would be sold in all McDonalds U.S. locations by the end of 2026. Like many fast casual chains, McDonald’s is seeing less traffic in its U.S. stores, as consumers, worried about skyrocketing prices and a potential recession, are spending less. Fast Company has reached out to McDonald’s for comment. Like many companies, the donut maker also pulled its financial outlook due to the uncertainty surrounding pricing and sales caused by President Donald’s Trump’s tariff wars. The well-known doughnut company, famous for its iconic Original Glazed doughnut, also sells beverages like coffee, and provides catering services. Krispy Kreme has had significant operational challenges recently after a cybersecurity breach last November disrupted its online ordering systems, causing ongoing disruptions to digital sales, which make up 15.5% of the companys doughnut-shop sales.
Category:
E-Commerce
Grab your boots and cowboy hats. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards will have you two-stepping in your living room tonight (Thursday, May 8). This big anniversary show is sure to be an old-fashioned good time. Heres everything you need to know about this celebration of country music, including how to tune in. A brief history of the Academy of Country Music and the ACM Awards Believe it or not, the Academy was founded in Los Angeles, California: A group of country music lovers led by Tommy Wiggins, Eddie Miller, and Mickey and Chris Christensen founded the organization in 1964. Their goal was to promote country music and artists, such as Merle Haggard, in the west. As part of this larger mission, the ACM Awards were created in 1966. The signature hat trophy would debut two years later. Who is hosting the 2025 ACM Awards? Fast-forward to 2025 and country music superstar Reba McEntire is serving as host. This isnt her first rodeo, either. It marks year 18 of her having this honor, the most of any emcee. Who is performing at the 2025 ACM Awards? Beyond her hosting duties, McEntire will perform. This awards show is famous for its unconventional duet partners, and this year is no exception. Viewers can expect mashups from Rascal Flatts and the Backstreet Boys, Jelly Roll and Shaboozey, and Cody Johnson and Brooks & Dunn. Solo artists such as Megan Moroney, Alan Jackson, Chris Stapleton, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Wynonna Judd, and LeAnn Rimes will also wow audiences. Lets not forget groups such as Dan + Shay and Sugarland, who will also perform. Who is up for the Entertainer of the Year? Before we get to one of the biggest awards of the night, we have to mention the Triple Crown award. This has nothing to do with horses but the concept behind it is similar. This lifetime achievement award of sorts will be presented to Keith Urban because he has already won the New Artist, Artist of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year awards. If Luke Combs takes home Entertainer of the Year in 2025, he could be next in line for the Triple Crown himself. This 35-year-old North Carolinian already has New Artist and Artist of the Year under his belt. Combs is up against some fierce competition in Kelsea Ballerini, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson. Viewers will have to tune in to see who takes home the coveted hat. How can I watch the 2025 ACM Awards? To see all the action on the Ford Center at The Star stage in Frisco, Texas, all you have to do is stream it live on Amazon Prime Video. The event begins tonight (Thursday, May 8) at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. According to the academy, you dont even need a Amazon Prime membership to watch the telecastjust a desire to have a good time. If Prime isnt your jam, you can also watch on the AmazonMusic channel on Twitch.
Category:
E-Commerce
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church, seems to have similar views on the environment as his predecessor, Pope Francis. Prevost, who is taking the name Pope Leo XIV, has been outspoken about the need for urgent climate action and voiced his support for the use of climate technology such as solar panels and EVs. Pope Francis, who died in April, made the climate crisis a central issue of his papacy. He urged fossil fuel executives to transition to clean energy, calling the rising greenhouse gas levels disturbing and a cause for real concern; he declared a global climate emergency; and he launched a project to power the Vatican with solar panels, among other acts. Now Pope Leo XIV seems poised to follow in Franciss environmental footsteps. When Francis spoke, in November 2024, about how climate change would impact the worlds most vulnerable populations, and how it requires global cooperation to address, Cardinal Prevost shared his support for climate action, too. Prevost stressed it is time to move from words to action, ” on the climate, Vatican News reported at the time. Prevost also warned against the consequences of unchecked technological development, while reiterating the churchs commitment to protecting the environment through actions like the Vaticans solar panels or by shifting to electric vehicles. In Catholicism, there’s the belief that God has given humans dominion over nature, a directive that has been interpreted by some as domination over the planet and its creatures. Pope Francis, however, championed an interpretation that advocated less for exploitation and more for harmony with nature, and the need to care for it. Cardinal Prevost has echoed this idea, saying, per Vatican News, that dominion over nature should not become tyrannical, but instead must be a relationship of reciprocity with the environment. Prevost hasn’t been vocal about his positions broadly, so it’s not exactly clear what environmental actions he’ll take during his papacy. But his bio on the College of Cardinals Report, a website run by Catholic journalists, notes that he is reportedly very close to Franciss vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants, and meeting people where they are.
Category:
E-Commerce
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