Continued uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit negotiations is not helping. Unemployment in the UK now stands at its lowest level in four decades. Gross domestic product growth at the start of the third quarter of 2018 also shows an economy in decent shape, having grown faster than in the prior two quarters.

Nearly half of Americans believe CEOs can influence the government, although that doesn't necessarily mean the country thinks CEOs should speak out about social issues. Americans are split on whether company leaders should try to use their influence in the public domain, but doing so could benefit the business, since nearly half of the country would be more likely to purchase from a company whose CEO has taken a stance on an issue that they agree with.

Recognizing and appreciating the positive influence of great bosses can help you understand what you value in your career. Great bosses know how to cultivate loyalty for life from the people who work for them. They treat you as a trusted partner, make you feel smart, give you great work, serve as a mentor, and do the unexpected. But working for a great boss can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so it’s important for employees to notice when it’s happening and show some gratitude.

With, among other things, the embrace of corporate purpose, ESG, and long-term investment strategy by BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard; the adoption and promotion by the World Economic Forum of The New Paradigm; and the introduction of legislation by Senator Warren to achieve stakeholder corporate governance by way of mandatory federal incorporation, it is clear that we are at a new inflection point in the development of corporate governance.

Build your community disaster-response strategy around your company’s core competencies. Your company has already developed strengths and knowledge in a specific area. Support a disaster-response strategy that aligns with that expertise to potentially save lives or lighten the burden of a disaster. Case in point: Airbnb is offering free lodging to people fleeing Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas.

Early and enduring investment by companies is critical to reconstruction and redevelopment of areas hit by disaster. Thirteen years after Hurricane Katrina struck, communities, nonprofits, and companies can now draw on the lessons of long-term engagement in disaster response. For example, collaboration and knowledge sharing are important to developing a comprehensive long-term response to redevelopment.

Digital transformation has created a faster-paced environment for business, compelling companies to improve quality throughout the organization. As a result, marketers and communicators need to consider their role in enhancing quality in the areas they shape. For instance, given the constant distraction of the digitally connected era, marketers and communicators should be advocating for quality in often overlooked areas that affect customer experience, like distribution or follow up.

Following a volatile year in which threats to federal funding for the arts dissipated, businesses have shown a steadfast commitment to contributing financial and in-kind resources to support the sector. This is one of the key findings from the forthcoming Business Contributions to the Arts report, published by The Conference Board and Americans for the Arts. Join us on October 10 to hear more from the report and examples in practice from Charity Boutte, head of multicultural marketing at Aetna.

Cybersecurity governance and the broader issues around digital governance are emergent competencies in the corporate boardroom. Being proactive and building a coordinated enterprise approach to these issues is a good starting point and GR has a key role to play.