Computerworld Names Zebra Technologies to 2020 Best Places to Work in IT List

Zebra ranked #3 among top 25 midsize employers nationwide

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, has been selected as one of IDG's Insider Pro and Computerworld's 2020 Best Places to Work in IT.

The Best Places to Work in IT list is an annual ranking of the top 100 work environments for technology professionals. The list is compiled based on a comprehensive questionnaire regarding company offerings in categories such as benefits, career development, training and retention. In addition, IDG conducts extensive surveys of IT workers, whose responses factor heavily in determining the rankings. zebra.com

Zebra will be hosting a webinar on July 15 titled 'Using Data to Identify Extremely Subtle Internal Retail Fraud' - Learn more in today's Vendor Spotlight below.
 

Making News Outlets Nationwide Today

"Shopping While Black"
CNBC Focusing on Retail Racial Profiling
'As Black buying power grows, racial profiling by retailers remains persistent problem'

For more than two decades, Black Americans have been most likely to report unfair treatment while shopping, according to a Gallup poll.

Industry watchers and activists say that racial profiling remains persistent and retailers must do more to examine how they treat and cater to Black customers.

The killing of George Floyd, which began with a retailer's 911 call, has inspired protests and a push for police reform. It's prompted a closer look at the everyday places where Black Americans face discrimination - not only in interactions with police, but at the workplace, grocery stores and shopping malls.

A persistent problem - Code names and locked shelves - A growing consumer base - Read full article

Heading Off Employee Disruption in Light of COVID-19 and Social Unrest
The COVID-19 pandemic, the death of George Floyd and the subsequent social unrest have triggered fears, resentments and anxieties in many U.S. workplaces. Wearing a mask, meant to be a health care guideline to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, has become a social indicator of allegiance to a particular political party in pockets of the country. And in just a few months, we will witness a historic election battle for the presidency.

Where does this leave the leaders of your organization as they attempt to manage staff conflict that may, at times, appear to be unreasonable and unwavering? How do you, as an operational leader responsible for a team of employees, find ways to cut through the noise, to harmonize the team and heal the division, and to refocus your staff on the work at hand and on their responsibilities to perform rather than vex their peers who have different beliefs or philosophies?

Getting Ahead of the Problem-Verbally - Getting Ahead of the Problem-In Writing - If Someone Refuses to Sign shrm.org

The Pandemic Economy Impact
Curbside Pickup to Grow 60% - Brick & Mortar to Drop 14%
'US Ecommerce Will Rise 18% in 2020 amid the Pandemic'

As a result, we now expect there to be a 10.5% decline in total US retail sales this year, with a 14.0% drop in brick-and-mortar sales.

The news isn't dire for all retail channels. Ecommerce is poised to grow 18.0% following a 14.9% gain in 2019, further evidence of the digital shift.

Ecommerce sales have been driven by a surge in click-and-collect, specifically curbside pickup, allowing US consumers to make immediate purchases while minimizing human contact. We now expect US click-and-collect ecommerce sales to grow to $58.52 billion, up 60.4% from our initial forecast of 38.6% growth. emarketer.com
 

COVID Update

US: Over 3M Cases - 132K Dead - 1.3M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 11.6M Cases - 538K Dead - 6.6M Recovered

Fallen Officers From the COVID-19 Pandemic: 51 |
NYPD Deaths: 45
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 150+
First Los Angeles police officer dies from COVID-19

Seven-day average case total in the U.S. sets record for 27th straight day
Officials in states with surging coronavirus cases issued dire warnings and blamed outbreaks on early reopenings Sunday as the seven-day average for daily new cases in the United States reached a record high for the 27th straight day.

Thirteen states reported new highs in their seven-day case averages, with Montana, Delaware and Alaska experiencing the biggest percentage change from their past records. West Virginia also set a record number of daily cases, with 130.

South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and California reported record numbers of current covid-19 hospitalizations. The country's seven-day average of new deaths fell to 485, down from 562 on June 28, but health experts cautioned that the count of infections would soon drive the number back up.

In Florida, new coronavirus cases exceeded 10,000 in a day on Sunday for the third time in the past week, after the state posted a record high of 11,458 the previous day. The new infections pushed the state's total caseload past 200,000, a mark passed by just two other states, New York and California.

Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who served under Trump, voiced doubts about the country's ability to slow the pandemic, saying waves of infection would probably persist through the rest of the year. The situation was at least as bad as it was during the height of the outbreak in New York earlier this year, he said, except that the country was not dealing with multiple centers of infection.  washingtonpost.com

Most Americans Not Very Comfortable Returning to Restaurants, Retail Stores & Hotels for Next Three Months, Survey Shows
SafetyCulture, the world's leading platform for workplace safety and efficiency, today debuted findings from a timely new national survey with partner YouGov, of 1198 U.S. consumer respondents. The survey assessed consumer comfort levels interacting with businesses over the next three months, and asked which actions they feel businesses must take to earn both employee and consumer trust and confidence. The survey clearly shows many consumers are uncomfortable visiting retailers, restaurants and hotels, and also that there are specific actions businesses can take now to earn both worker and consumer trust and confidence.

● Nearly 3/4 of American consumers (71%) would not feel "very comfortable" shopping in a physical retail store over the next 3 months.

● Nearly 2/3 of U.S. workers (63%) would not be "very comfortable" returning to the workplace over the next 3 months.

● More than half of Americans (53%) said that a publicly displayed list of daily safety procedures being undertaken by a business for public areas, with completion status publicly shown, would increase trust and confidence in that business (i.e. rated either 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5, with 5 as increasing trust and confidence the most).

● More than half of consumers (57%) say that businesses making public a real-time list of cleaning and disinfecting activities completed hourly throughout the day would increase trust and confidence in that business, with the same scale as noted above.

"The nationwide survey results clearly show many consumers are not yet comfortable resuming even the most basic of public activities, yet there is a way forward." businesswire.com

Visitors to Chicago from 15 states must quarantine for 14 days
Violators are subject to fines of $100-$500 per day, up to $7,000. Exceptions to the order for personal travel will be permitted for travel for medical care and parental shared custody, and for business travel to Chicago for essential workers. securitymagazine.com

CDC Guidance Reiterates Importance of Cloth Face Masks
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reiterated the importance of wearing cloth face masks to contain the virus, noting that doing so is most likely to be effective when masks are "widely used by people in public settings."

In an update posted June 28, the CDC explained more forcefully than in the past that its face-covering recommendations are based on science and supported by emerging studies. "Cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks or raises their voice. This is called source control," the agency wrote. shrm.org

Last week's #1 article:
CDC map: 30+ states are open despite having 'zero' days of decreasing cases

As the United States struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus, focus has turned to California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, which have seen dramatic spikes in recent days. But a map from an internal document produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention obtained by Yahoo News shows that as many as 32 states are not seeing decreases in COVID-19 cases.

The map is a starkly visual reminder that many of the states have ignored CDC guidance, which recommended not reopening until they had achieved 14 days of declining cases. yahoo.com
 

Gun Violence Across America Continues
Bloodiest Independence Day Weekend Ever?

Hundreds of July 4th Weekend Shootings
Across the Nation

233 Shootings, 70 Killed, 276 Injured in 30 Cities
See the full list compiled by The Daily here

Sunday Afternoon Report:
Dozens of shootings across US mark bloody July 4th weekend
A spate of shootings throughout the US left more than 150 people wounded and nearly a dozen dead so far this weekend, including 67 gunshot victims in Chicago over a blood-splattered weekend, according to reports.

But other cities throughout the nation, both big and small, saw a spike in gun violence over the weekend, including Atlanta, where authorities said 14 people were wounded - two critically - on Saturday and early Sunday, WSB-TV reported.

Seven people were shot and one stabbed in Cleveland, WOIO-TV reported, while two people were killed and six wounded in three separate shootings in Baton Rouge, according to a report in The Advocate.

Not even smaller cities were spared. Police in Omaha, Nebraska, reported eight people wounded in six separate shootings, KPTM-TV said, and Memphis, Tennessee, saw at least seven shootings over a 24-hour period, WREG-TV reported.

In one of the weekend's bloodiest single incidents, eight people were wounded and two killed at a Greenville, South Carolina, nightclub during a rap concert early Sunday morning. nypost.com

Shootings soar 205% after NYPD disbands anti-crime unit
Gun violence exploded across the city after the NYPD disbanded its anti-crime unit of plainclothes cops on June 15, with three times as many shootings in the last two weeks of the month over the same period in 2019, police stats show.

And the shocking rise in gunfire - to 116 incidents from 38 between June 15 and June 2, a 205 percent increase - meant scores more victims were hurt or killed by bullets this year over last year.

Gunshot injuries skyrocketed to 157 from 47 in 2019, a 238 percent increase.

The NYPD has blamed the shooting spike on everything but the disbanding of the anti-crime unit. nypost.com

Bloodiest June in 24 Years
NYC: Over Two Dozen Shot - 2 Killed on Violent July 4th

Nearly 30 people were shot overnight in the city - 14 of them in northern Manhattan

The NYPD wasn't able to immediately provide the number of shootings, but confirmed that at least 10 people had been shot - two fatally - overnight. The July shootings come on the heels of a violent June in the city. With a total of 205 shootings during the month, it was the bloodiest June in 24 years - going back to 1996, when the NYPD logged 236 incidents, the NYPD said. nypost.com

End of Watch Report June 2020
44% Increase in Law Enforcement Deaths in June 2020 vs. June 2019
In June 2020, fifteen officers died in the line of duty in the United States. This brings the year-to-date total to 114 officers, a 44% increase over this time last year. This increase is largely due to the 51 officers who have died as a result of COVID-19 in the past few months.

In June, five officers died as a result of gunfire, five died as a result of COVID-19, four died in auto-related incidents (two automobile crashes, one motorcycle crash, one vehicular assault), and one officer died as a result of a different duty-related illness. odmp.org
 

Protests, Arrests Continue

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Blames Rioting & Looting On Local Elected Officials on Fox & Friends
"I think any city that is having increases in violence is burning, is having the rioting and looting, it's by choice at this point. Those local elected officials are making a choice to keep their cities very unsafe and dangerous. The President has been very clear we are here to support, we are here to provide resources and we'll do that at their request."

What we saw in Portland over the weekend is also very, very disturbing. We had about 700 to 750 individuals targeting and assaulting law enforcement there in Portland. DHS along with the U.S. Marshal Service was able to repel them and we made a number of arrests there as well, but yes, it's very, very disturbing. We will continue to protect federal facilities, federal monuments, federal statues but, again, we need that help and assistance from the state and local officials. If they are not going to protect their cities the president has been very clear, we will and we will step in."

From my perspective this is no longer about peaceful protesting, this is about angry, violent criminal mobs taking over certain cities and again, I go back to Portland where you have over five weeks every night of violent clashing and protesting, targeting law enforcement officials and it's very disturbing, it's a lack of political leadership in that city and again, if you want to know what defund the police looks like, Portland is a great example, they have voted to take $50 million from the Portland police department's budget. That 86 different positions and the violence is going to continue and continue there until the political leadership steps in and restores law and order and the federal government is there to support them." govdelivery.com

Saturday Marked 38th Consecutive Day of Protests in Portland
Twice on July Fourth, police declare riot in downtown Portland
For the second time in less than 24 hours, Portland Police declared a downtown demonstration a riot during Fourth of July protests. More than a dozen were arrested, and police used tear gas to drive the crowd away.

Mayor Ted Wheeler expressed concerns about Portland being "on edge," heading into Fourth of July weekend. A riot was declared around 4 a.m. Saturday in downtown Portland after overnight demonstrations, but events through the day remained generally peaceful until late Saturday, when police again declared a riot. oregonlive.com

Second Catskills resident arrested in Molotov cocktail attack on NYPD
A Catskills man has been arrested for providing supplies to a woman who attacked the NYPD with a Molotov cocktail during the height of the George Floyd protests, authorities said. nypost.com
 

Going Virtual

Virtual Fitting Rooms Coming Fast
Going to the Mall... To Try on Clothing Virtually
Consumers are demanding and embracing several contactless elements throughout the shopping journey, from ordering to payment and delivery. It is therefore not surprising that they are also seeking out contactless options for trying on apparel. If technology can provide an effective virtual alternative to the physical trying-on experience, this would remove the need for sanitizing and restocking tried-on items, as well as reducing the significant expense to the retailer of receiving and processing items returned due to sizing issues.

Real-estate company Brookfield Properties recently announced the nationwide rollout of fitting technology through FIT:MATCH studios across the US, which will have begun in three cities - Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles - by mid-September. The two companies began testing the technology in a Houston mall in late 2019: 80% of shoppers entering the studio participated in the virtual experience, totaling 4,000 over a three-month period. According to the companies, feedback was generally positive, generating a high net promoter score.

In a FIT:MATCH studio, each consumer is asked a couple of questions about fit preferences before being scanned; the technology captures 150 data points from the user's body in about 10 seconds. This data is then processed using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the best clothing fit for the individual. coresight.com

Virtual Shows Aren't Working For Fashion
'Digital Fashion Shows Have Mostly Been Duds So Far'

The Digital Fashion Week Experiment Continues

Will this week's haute couture and men's presentations in Paris prove any different? If designers like Iris van Herpen and Pierpaolo Piccioli can't figure out how to make the format work, then it will only increase pressure to hold live shows with audiences in September, despite the health risks.

The Bottom Line: If the upcoming digital shows in Paris and Milan flop, brands like Off-White and Saint Laurent that opted to stay off the schedule entirely will look smart. Assuming a coronavirus vaccine is developed this winter and there's no second wave - two big ifs - the best strategy may be to simply pretend this digital interlude never happened. businessoffashion.com

Nobody is Supposed to Say That
The Pandemic's Economic Second Wave Arrives

Nordstrom is laying off thousands of workers as the pandemic depresses sales

Harrods, Macy's, Nordstrom and Fossil are among the brands and retailers announcing layoffs recently.

An initial burst of economic activity after lockdowns lifted is sputtering, particularly in the US where new Covid-19 cases are surging.

A spike in coronavirus cases has forced many states to backtrack on reopening, and foot traffic has begun to slip at retailers like Macy's and T.J. Maxx, after climbing steadily for weeks, according to Placer.ai. 

Retailers have also begun making painful adjustments to prepare for a protracted economic downturn. The first wave of layoffs in March was a knee-jerk response to store closings, and many of those workers are among the 4.8 million who found jobs in June when lockdowns lifted. The cuts happening now are more permanent, including both corporate employees and workers in stores that may never reopen. Macy's announced layoffs after reporting a $3.6 billion loss in the first quarter. But even Nike, a relative winner during the pandemic, says it will cut jobs as it invests in a more digital approach. 

The Bottom Line: The layoffs, store closures and other cuts announced in the coming weeks will help determine the shape of the economic recovery. businessoffashion.com

Being Polite - Why?
With Department Stores Disappearing, Malls Could Be Next

Analysts say as much as a quarter of America's malls may close in the next five years.

Malls were already facing pressure from online shopping, but analysts now say that hundreds are at risk of closing in the next five years. That has the potential to reshape the suburbs, with many communities already debating whether abandoned malls can be turned into local markets or office space, even affordable housing.

"More companies have gone bankrupt than any of us have ever expected, and I do believe that will accelerate as we move through 2020, unfortunately," said Deborah Weinswig, founder of Coresight Research, she anticipated that about 25 percent of the country's nearly 1,200 malls were in danger.

Green Street forecast in April that more than half of all mall-based department stores would close by the end of 2021. "The reality is there are going to be dark boxes for some time," he said.

"If there's a perception out there that people are safer outside and less safe inside, that's not great." nytimes.com

Hiring 'Disease Detectives'
Companies Hiring epidemiologists -to help deal with the pandemic
In a sign of just how complicated it has become to navigate the pandemic, companies are rushing to hire disease detectives such as Trivedi to help guide their efforts to reopen and stay open - especially when state and federal safety guidelines are sometimes short on specific advice and are viewed by some as watered-down by political influence.

Some companies have taken the unusual step of promoting the hiring of independent epidemiologists to reassure a nervous public.

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America has seen such a surge in requests for help that it recently published tips for members launching new consulting practices. And the clients are no longer just health care companies: Hotel and restaurant chains, city utilities, food processors, film studios and universities have all hired epidemiologists since the pandemic began in earnest in March. So have professional sports leagues and teams. washingtonpost.com

The Fairy Tale (Working From Home) is Coming to an End
McKinsey & Company:
How US companies are planning for a safe return to the workplace
In a new survey of 100 executives, respondents expect most employees to be working on-site by December. To do so, they are implementing a range of interventions that could transform how people work.

To gain insight into the potential steps US companies are taking, we surveyed 100 executives at firms across the country and across industries. These executives expect 80 percent of their workforce, on average, to be back on-site by September and that 88 percent will be back by December (Exhibit 1). The results also suggest that for these companies, working from home won't be the next normal for all. Four in ten respondents say that permanent remote working is possible for less than one-quarter of their desk employees, while two-thirds say that no field employees will be able to work from home indefinitely. mckinsey.com

The Age of Webinars - Going Virtual:

How COVID-19 Changed Webinars: A Comparison of March 2020 to 2019 Benchmarks

Three Reassuring Tips About Running Webinars During a Crisis

The Ultimate Guide to Webinars: 37 Tips for Successful Webinars
 

NYC grocers adopt new technology to enhance social distancing
Two supermarkets in Manhattan are using a solution that combines indoor GPS with mobile checkout to minimize shopping time and reduce social interactions.

Westside Market (Broadway and 98th St.) and Fairway Market (240 East 86th St) have implemented SIRL's ("Search in Real Life") technology, which navigates shoppers to within inches of their desired products. The tool has been combined with FutureProof Retail, which enables customers to scan items and checkout on their mobile phones.

The partnership will help protect individuals and their communities by enabling customers to speed through the grocery store during these uncertain times, through a socially distanced and contactless consumer experience, according to SIRL. chainstoreage.com

Belk furloughs end in unspecified number of layoffs, mostly at HQ

Lucky Brand & G-Straw Files Chapter 11

NPC International - Largest Owner of 1,200 Pizza Hut Franchise's Files Chapter 11

U.S. Treasury Lends $700M to Troubled YRC Trucking Company - Critical to Nation's Security