The B2B News is mixed today. We’ll start with HR, delve into some entrepreneurialism, help marketers out and then get into a wellness app. It’s a reading adventure that defies the tendency to find a theme, define a trend or make sense of where we are all going in our half-vaccinated states.

The pandemic has brought many changes to how we work. The numbers are starting to come in on just how significant those changes have been.

ADP released the findings from its global study People at Work 2021: A Global Workforce View. The report details how the global pandemic impacted the global workforce. The study surveyed 32,000 workers in 17 countries.

Top lines from the results include

• The pandemic’s impact has already pushed three quarters (75%) of the global workforce make changes to or plan to change their living arrangements, rising to 85% of Generation Z (18-24 year olds).

• One in seven workers (15%) are actively trying to move into a new industry that they consider more future proof.

• Two thirds (67%) of the global workforce say they have been forced to make a compromise between their work and their personal life because of the impact of the pandemic and the research points to some concerns for women and parents in particular.

• 15% of working parents report that they or someone in their household stopped working voluntarily, rising to 26% for those with children under one. Half of respondents (52%) believe employers’ provisions for working parents will cease within a year.

• Unpaid overtime has jumped sharply to 9.2 hours per week on average, up from 7.3 just a year ago.

• The amount of ‘free time’ provided to employers is highest among hybrid workers (those who divide work time between home and the office).

• At the same time, workers feel more empowered to take advantage of flexible working arrangements: two-thirds (67%) say so today, up from just over a quarter (26%) before the pandemic. Nearly half (47%) say their managers allow more flexibility than company policy provides.

Press release: https://www.adpri.org/assets/people-at-work-2021-a-global-workforce-view/

Visa Canada has announced the winners of its first She’s Next Grant Program in Canada as an extension of Visa’s global She’s Next Grant Program. Ten Canadian women entrepreneurs received $10,000 CAD and one-year business coaching through IFundWomen.

The announcement comes as the pandemic created she-cession continues.  Visa’s Back to Business Study: 2021 Women’s Edition found 60 per cent of women-owned Canadian small pivoted to adapt to challenges presented by COVID-19.

“ln a pandemic-challenged world, women-owned small businesses are continuing to prove their resilience, demonstrating fierce optimism about the future of their business,” said Stacey Madge, president and country manager of Visa Canada. “Visa is appreciative of their dedication and ongoing contributions to our communities, and proud to be supporting them through our grant program. We would like to congratulate the ten women entrepreneurs selected and look forward to empowering them through these grants and mentorship to keep going and thrive during these uncertain times.”

Press release: https://www.visa.ca/en_CA/run-your-business/women-small-business.html

B2B tech marketers are invited to a free one-day virtual conference called FINITE Fest 2021.

The event is on May 13th from 08:30 to 18:00 BST. The debut of FINITE Fest expects B2B tech and SaaS marketers from all over the world to hear speakers from more than 28 senior B2B marketers including Scott Allen, the Global Marketing Development and Strategy Director at Microsoft,  Gabrielle Pirzad, Field & ABM Marketing Leader at IBM UK&I, and Carlos Cantu, Director Of Business Marketing at Twitter EMEA.

More information: https://finite.community/

Gravvity, has raised over $600,000 CAD since the launch of its Canadian crowdfunding campaign last week. The social media wellness app achieved more than 80% of its $750,000 goal in just 24 hours.

“We’re on a mission to empower people to enjoy the benefits of being socially connected without the influences of manipulative ads. For the first time, we’re giving control back to users while contributing to something bigger,” explained Jerry Chien, Co-Founder and CEO of Gravvity. “In addition to supporting Gravvity’s funding goals, crowdfunding also allows us to develop a community of like-minded individuals who want to invest in a healthier social media experience and for them to share in our success.”

More information: https://www.frontfundr.com/gravvity

The following two tabs change content below.

Kate Baggott is a former Managing Editor of B2BNN. Her technology and business journalism has appeared in the Technology Review, the Globe and Mail, Canada Computes, the Vancouver Sun and the Bay Street Bull. She is the author of the short story collections Love from Planet Wine Cooler and Dry Stories. Find links to recent articles by following her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-baggott-9a0306/

• B2B News for Monday, May 3, 2021: Working Even More for Less, She’s Next Winners, New B2B Tech & SaaS Marketing Conference, Gravvity Gets Funding – May 3, 2021
• B2B News for April 28, 2021: Smart Cities, Being Scrappy in B2B Tech, Workplace Whistleblower Reluctance – April 28, 2021
• B2B News for Monday, April 26, 2021 : The Startup Edition Sees Couply Win Pitch Contest, Jobber Nabs Gail Goodman, Beam.gg Launches Early Access and Quantum Computing Gets a Specialist Incubator – April 25, 2021