The video games industry is in excellent shape. In 2020 Covid boosted the time and money spent playing and the penetration of gaming in everyday lives. More people than ever engaged in mini-adventures to play on their smartphones or started longer quests with others online. After such a jump, most expected a slight decline. Yet, in 2021, the market size improved by 1.4%, with a revenue of 180.3 billion dollar. And some expect it to expand further at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% from 2022 to 2030. That is good news for many businesses in the compartment, and in terms of employment opportunities. From the...

  Two and ½ years of the Covid era, and employees do not want to return to the workplace of the past. Especially women – who have significantly paid the higher price – demand more. Even more so those in leadership positions. If they feel they need to get more, in terms of flexibility, opportunity and companies' commitment to DE&I, they don't fear leaving in search of better conditions. Women leaders are switching their jobs  «We are in the midst of "The Great Breakup"» confirms McKinsey and LeanIn.org's recently published Women in the Workplace Report. Women leaders are switching their jobs at an unprecedented pace....

    Teenage girls are showing an increased interest in STEAM fields and are considering those fields for a career. Since technology permeates all aspects of living, there are more STEAM open positions than male professionals can fill. Thus, there is great potential for women, who continue to be well underrepresented in those areas. But when it comes to representation, presence and participation of women in STEAM jobs, the good news almost end here. The challenges begin early in women's lives and continue throughout their careers. They tend to consider those areas too difficult or not something for them and are less...

    Sadly, it is common knowledge: motherhood is a penalty. From the less evident gap registered in some countries of South East Asia to the visible inequality in most places in Latin America, becoming a mother represent a disadvantage to a complete stop and all the nuances in between everywhere. And it is a setback for most of those who aspire to leadership roles. Covid-related restrictions made more evident than ever how disproportionately women shoulder caregiving needs. They are overrepresented in frontline occupations, like services and healthcare, and at higher risk of getting sick or losing their jobs, then more likely...

    From January 2023, the minimum wage in the Netherlands will soar by 10%.   With skyrocketing prices and inflation, globally, many countries are on the same trend. In Europe, in particular, some adjustments are being made. Even if the Dutch represents the highest jump on the continent so far, many other member states are intervening, following the European directive on minimum salaries (proposed by the Commission and approved by the EU Parliament on 14th September.) In his speech from the throne on Prinsjesdag (or budget day) - the annual address to the Parliament to set the main features of government policy for...

  Fifty million people were living in some form of forced labour in 2021, says ILO's newest report, 10 million more than five years ago. The "Global Estimates of Modern Slavery" was released this week. Almost simultaneously, it has been reported that the European Commission is expected to announce a ban on forced labour products - linked to allegations about this practice in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. Similarly, in June, the US enacted a blanket ban on all imports, especially from that area, because of the alleged widespread human rights violations, particularly against Muslim Uyghur and other minorities. The decline...

    18 September is the UN International Equal Pay Day. A day of awareness that matters since the gender pay gap is well alive. Undeniably in recent years, some timid changes have been recorded. Yet, as the discussion continues, the attention widens, and both companies and legislators try to intervene, we are far from reaching the target of equality. Earning the same salary if performing a similar activity, regardless of gender, is a right defined by laws and agreed values alike. It is one of the funding principles of the European Union (article 157 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU). In the US, it is protected by...

    Scientific research needs time: the long time required to develop it and the time for public validation. A very long process from the conception of research to its publication in recognised scientific magazines implies a great range of possible missteps and setbacks, some related to the advancement of the research itself—others caused by forces that often have little to do with actual science. Not much can be done against the first of these 2 limits besides the preparation and study that are the obvious prerequisites. In contrast, the second one can be tackled from different angles and the beginning since it implies...

    Women-led SMEs are more reliable in repaying loans compared to those led by men. Businesses with higher female representation in leadership positions are considered to predict better long-term value creation. More diverse managerial teams generate better financial performances. Moreover, venture capitals that fund women's businesses are as likely as men-funded ones to succeed. Still, today women entrepreneurs face many more obstacles in expanding their companies than male ones. Additionally, men tend to invest in other men, in a spiral that makes the environment for female-led businesses even grimmer. No matter the...

    You may need to reconsider if you think solo travelling was a no-go after years of imposed social distancing and isolation. As the numbers show, you may be in the wrong. With fewer restrictions and more freedom to explore, the last months have seen a sharp increase of excited travellers who book, pack and leave for trips alone. The data collected by Booking.com confirm the trend. Pre-pandemic, only 14% of travellers were booking for one. By mid-2021, that number reached 23%. Meanwhile, the figures from Google trend show a massive increase of 761,15% (in the UK) of solo travellers. Moreover, companies that organize group...