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The return-to-office (RTO) pendulum continues to swing toward the wants of CEOs, and we expect this trend to continue. A 2024 survey of CEOs by KPMG found that 79% believe employees will be back in the office five days a week within three yearsa dramatic increase from 2023s survey. For many leaders, the workplace remains a vital tool for reinforcing company values and driving strategic alignment across teams. Yet, while employers prioritize a return to the collaboration, culture, and innovation that the office fosters, employees say they enjoy the autonomy and flexibility theyve gained working remotely. If leaders dont act consistently and communicate a RTO strategy effectively, theyll further erode employee trust. As a designer and workplace strategist, Ive been reflecting on how to design offices that encourage in-office collaboration, and engaging in deep conversations with clients about how they are implementing RTO policies. “Trust begins with leading by example, Jon Martin told me recently. Martin is the North American CEO of AEW Capital Management, one of the worlds largest global real-estate investment managers. AEW is a client of my firm Elkus Manfredi Architects, and we helped them reimagine their headquarters in Boston. AEW currently doesnt have a mandate for how many days a week its employees are expected to work out of its office. But its leadership teamlike many othershas been explicit about its desire to promote a predominately in-office culture. To encourage employees to be in the office more often, AEWs senior management team works in-person nearly full-time. If you have a return-to-office policy, whatever it may be, and it is not upheld by leadership, you will lose credibility quickly, says Martin. Success begins with transparency RTO policies often fail because inconsistent actions erode trust among employees, making it essential to align leadership actions with transparent communication. Employees often ask: “Are our leaders considering our needs? Are they asking for our insights? Will these mandates truly increase efficiency and purpose? These are valid concerns that can be addressed through a thoughtfully designed process to maintain organizational trust. I know from experience that listening to and engaging with the people for whom you are designing is immensely important for creating solutions and ensuring buy-in. Research shows involving employees in policy development enhances their commitment to change initiatives. Best practices for company leaders to take include: Establish a shared vision before seeking feedback. Frame discussions around organizational goals to align responses with achieving these objectives rather than focusing solely on personal preferences. Ask for input within a structured framework. Provide context and priorities to guide decision-making rather than posing open-ended questions like, Do you prefer working at the office or at home? Be transparent about trade-offs. Set expectations early, acknowledging theyre unlikely to meet everyones needs perfectly, and balance individual preferences with broader organizational priorities. Incorporate feedback thoughtfully and communicate decisions clearly. Asking for input and then failing to address itor worse, ignoring it entirelycan erode trust. Even if not all suggestions are implemented, explain decisions and how feedback shaped them. Mutual trust = a balanced solution When leadership demonstrates its trust in employees, staff are increasingly willing to collaborate on changes within their organizations. In fact, research finds that creating internal structures for feedback makes employees feel more included in organizational decisions and has downstream benefits on productivity and profitability. Leaders should also encourage employees to consider the broader impact of decisions on the business, fostering a sense of shared investment in a company’s path. Insights on team dynamics and performance can help leaders communicate the workplace strategies that support both individual and collective success. From intangible to innovative Crafting a successful return-to-office strategy is much like effective workplace design: Both transform intangible inputsemotions, interests, and individual experiencesinto solutions that benefit everyone. Martin sums up the stakes: If your return to the office policy feels administrative, is inconsistently applied across your organization, or lacks support from leadership, it will be nearly impossible to have a shared vision and achieve success.
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E-Commerce
U.S. consumers often pay more for gluten-free products, yet these items typically provide less protein and more sugar and calories compared with gluten-containing alternatives. That is the key finding of my new study, published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. This study compared gluten-free products with their gluten-containing counterparts, and the findings suggested that many perceived benefits of gluten-free productssuch as weight control and diabetes managementare exaggerated. Currently, many gluten-free products lack dietary fiber, protein, and essential nutrients. Manufacturers often add supplements to compensate, but the incorporation of dietary fibers during processing can hinder protein digestion. In addition, gluten-free products generally contain higher sugar levels compared with other products containing gluten. Long-term adherence to a gluten-free diet has been associated with increased body mass index, or BMI, and nutritional deficiencies. Gluten-free productsdefined in the U.S. as those that contain less than or equal to 20 parts per million of glutenlargely lack wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats, all rich sources of arabinoxylan, a crucial nonstarch polysaccharide. Arabinoxylan provides several health benefits, including promoting beneficial gut bacteria, enhancing digestion, regulating blood sugar levels, and supporting a balanced gut microbiota. Our study also pointed out that it is difficult to find a gluten-free product that excels in all nutritional areas, such as high protein and fiber content with low carbohydrates and sugar. On the other hand, gluten-free seeded bread contains significantly more fiber38.24 grams per 100 gramsthan its gluten-containing counterparts. This is likely due to efforts by manufacturers to address fiber deficiencies by using ingredients such as pseudo-cereals, such as amaranth and quinoa hydrocolloids (water-soluble macromolecules used in gluten-free baked goods made with quinoa flour). These improvements, however, vary by manufacturer and region. For example, gluten-free products in Spain tend to have lower fiber content than their gluten-containing counterparts. Why it matters The term gluten-free diet has become a buzzword, much like organic, and is now a part of everyday life for many people, often without a full understanding of its actual benefits. While a gluten-free diet is a medical necessity for people who are sensitive to gluten, a condition called celiac disease, or for those with wheat allergies, others adopt a gluten-free diet due to perceived health benefits or because its a trend. In 2024, the global gluten-free product market was valued at $7.28 billion and projected to reach $13.81 billion by 2032. The U.S. market share is estimated to be $5.9 billiona little less than half of the global figure. Approximately 25% of the U.S. population consumes gluten-free products. This figure is far higher than the the roughly 6% of people with non-celiac wheat sensitivity, 1% of people with celiac disease and even lower percentages of people with wheat allergies. This suggests that many people adopt gluten-free diets for reasons other than medical necessity, which may not offer health or financial benefits. Whats next Investment in research and development is essential to create more nutritionally balanced gluten-free products using locally available ingredients. This will require human feeding trials with different formulations of gluten-free products to ensure that these products meet nutritional needs without adverse effects. Collaborations between governments could help secure subsidies, which would reduce production costs and make these products more affordable. Although the initial costs of research and maintaining a gluten-free production line are high, using local ingredients and financial incentives can make these products more cost-competitive compared with their gluten-containing counterparts. Public education is also important to keep people informed about the pros and cons associated with a gluten-free diet. Sachin Rustgi is an associate professor of molecular breeding at Clemson University. The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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E-Commerce
The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Customer experience is at a tipping point. Companies are struggling to see results from AI, digital transformation, and personalization. But lets be real: Most companies arent connecting the dots. Consumers want seamless, human-like engagement, but too often theyre met with fragmented systems and half-baked AI solutions. The good news? The gap between what customers expect and what brands deliver is finally starting to closebut only for the companies willing to do the hard work. This isnt about throwing bots at every problem or chasing shiny new tools. Its about integrating the right technologies, driving measurable outcomes, and putting the customer experience at the center of every decision. If youre ready to leave “good enough” behind and turn customer experience (CX) into your strongest competitive advantage, heres are five trends you need to know. Trend 1: Bridge the AI perception gap Over the last two years, consumer attitudes toward AI have markedly shifted. Research from LivePerson shows that in 2023, only 50% of consumers felt positive about using AI to interact with brands, compared to 90% of brands that embraced it. By 2024, consumer sentiment rose to 63%, signaling a closing gap. This evolution represents more than a shift in sentimentits a window of opportunity. Brands that effectively integrate AI to enhance, rather than replace, human interactions are succeeding in building trust and delivering value. To capitalize, leaders must focus on using AI to create meaningful customer outcomes, like personalization at scale, proactive engagement, and actionable insights. The takeaway is clear: AI adoption should not just be about cutting costs; if the CX is right, it should be efficient while enhancing consumer experiences. Trend 2: Move from systems of record to systems of action Traditional CX platforms served as data repositoriessystems of record that lacked the capability to drive real-time actions. In 2025, the paradigm has shifted. Systems of actionintegrated frameworks that unify AI and human capabilities to orchestrate, automate, and personalize customer interactions across all touchpointsenable businesses to translate data into insights and transform insights into immediate, measurable actions. These capabilities allow brands to go beyond passive data collection, using AI-driven analytics and automation to anticipate customer needs and deliver proactive engagement. For instance, integrating data streams across CRM, voice, email, and chat creates a unified view of the customer journey, breaking down organizational silos to serve customers more effectively. The key is interoperability. Brands must avoid rip and replace approaches that disrupt existing systems. Instead, investing in platforms that integrate seamlessly with legacy tools can create a cohesive ecosystem, driving efficiency and better customer outcomes. Trend 3: Personalization at scale The demand for hyperpersonalized experiences is transforming CX strategies. Consumers no longer tolerate fragmented interactionsthey expect seamless, consistent engagement across all touchpoints. And meeting their expectations is worth it: At LivePerson, we find that brands that effectively leverage AI to blend automation with human empathy (through use of solutions such as proactive messaging or intelligent routing) report higher satisfaction scores and increased loyalty. To achieve this, brands must: Connect digital and human interactions cohesively. Use AI-powered tools to predict customer needs and recommend next best actions. Embed personalization deeply into every stage of the customer journey, from acquisition to retention. Trend 4: CX as a strategic growth driver CX has outgrown its traditional role as a support function. Its now a strategic lever for achieving business outcomes, from revenue growth to operational efficiency. Leaders must reframe CX as a company-wide capability that drives differentiation and long-term loyalty. This involves: Customer-first metrics: Shift from siloed departmental key performance indicators to metrics like customer lifetime value and satisfaction across the entire journey. Reimagined cost centers: Transform support functions into profit centers through smart automation and efficient self-service options. Cross-functional alignment: Enable seamless collaboration between marketing, sales, and service teams by integrating shared data and insights. Trend 5: Find true AI partnerships In a crowded AI vendor market, its essential to choose partners that deliver real ROI. Avoid overpromises like building a billion bots or replacing humans entirely. Instead, prioritize partnerships that: Offer proven use cases and measurable results. Focus on enhancing human and machine collaboration. Provide flexibility and openness to integrate with your existing systems. For example, brands using LivePerson Copilot benefit from tools that amplify agent productivity and enable real-time, data-informed customer engagement. The path forward 2025 is a pivotal year for CX. As the lines between digital and human interactions blur, brands that embrace the following principles will lead the pack: Be human-centric: Let AI augment, not replace, human connections. Integrate relentlessly: Invest in platforms that bridge legacy systems and new capabilities. Focus on outcomes: Use CX to drive measurable business impactnot just operational efficiency. By focusing on these strategies, businesses can not only meet, but exceed customer expectations, turning CX into their most powerful competitive advantage. John Sabino is CEO of LivePerson.
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E-Commerce
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