The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in just-in-time supply chain models, and many companies are changing their supply chain processes to foster greater resilience, writes Rob McRae, vice president of transportation at Univar Solutions. Separately, German chemicals distributor Brenntag said Monday that it was no longer attempting to acquire Univar.

Although IT job listings fell to a two-year low in November, some chief information officers are still trying to fill specialized positions, and Cardinal Health CIO Michelle Greene says her company is raising pay for employees in cybersecurity and other critical areas to keep them on board. Greene says it's crucial to provide additional perks in addition to pay increases, such as ongoing training, engagement and the opportunity to attend conferences and network with peers from various fields.

Security experts offer bold cybersecurity predictions for 2023, from automation ending middle management to accounts being hacked with synthetic identities. Also, artificial intelligence will play a big role with threat-hunting bots fighting attacker bots and everyday users of sophisticated chatbots being able to create malware and communicate with users in global supply chains.

Among the predictions by 17 transportation experts surveyed by The Verge are that car prices will go down, electric bikes will have their moment in the spotlight and autonomous vehicle technology will cautiously advance. "I, for one, am very bullish on the viability and appeal of advanced autonomy (as opposed to full autonomy, which will still take time)," says Raj Rajkumar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.

Megan Thudium, founder of MTC | The Content Agency, explains how business-to-business marketers can benefit from low levels of competition on TikTok and use the platform to stand out in their niche. Thudium describes strategies for lead gen, brand awareness and networking and offers advice on creating the most effective content for the platform.

Solution selling refers to learning about a potential customer's pain points, devising solutions, then selling them that strategy, PandaDoc enterprise account executive Quincy Berg writes. Berg shares how solution selling adds value for customers and offers five tips for closing the sale.

Disputes in the office may arise from a disagreement over rules, the behavior of others or feeling slighted by a leader or teammate, writes Christina Lattimer, who suggests that leaders create clear rules and boundaries and inspire teams to work together for a common, higher goal. "When you place your higher self in charge, you approach conflict from a place of kindness, respect and care for everyone involved," Lattimer writes.

Employers can use five training techniques to deliver the purposeful, trusting and empathetic work experiences that today's employees want, writes Interaction Associates' Chris Williams. These include encouraging curiosity, training leaders on how to involve individuals in decision-making processes and fostering an open culture by making transparency a priority.