COVID-19 Resources: Leadership, Data, Employment Info., and Fun Stuff

Welcome to this week's Retail Resources blog post, a curated list of the best content and resources I've seen over the past week that I hope will help you navigate through the coronavirus pandemic. This week I offer information about leadership, interesting data, employment information, and fun stuff that will hopefully help improve your spirits! If there's anything you would like me to share in a future blog post, please let me know by dropping me a line at mcampanelli@napco.com.

Leadership 

• Jennifer Thornton, CEO of 304 Coaching, is hosting a free virtual workshop series called Leading Edge that offers advanced leadership training for executives. Thornton, formerly a top retail executive, is offering the series completely free of charge to give back to the community. The workshops taking place this week include "Creating Better Relationships Through Conversation"(Tues., May 5 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT) and "The Golden Ladder Network with Guest Speaker Susan Collins" (Thurs., May 7 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT). You can register here. You’ll receive all the details, along with a link to a workbook you can use to follow along, in your inbox.
• Harvard Business Publishing has created an online portal that includes information and resources specifically for business leaders to help manage their teams and communicate effectively during these challenging and uncertain times. The portal features advice on how to maintain productivity, collaboration, and learning among teams that may need to work remotely during this crisis.

Interesting Data

• NPD, a market research firm that monitors consumer purchase data from more than 290,000 retail stores and e-commerce and mobile platforms, has created a COVID-19 hub that offers up-to-the -minute information about how the virus is affecting consumer spending. NPD's partner, Civic Science, also has launched a blog that is regularly updated with interesting findings on consumers and how COVID-19 is impacting their behavior. Finally, register here for NPD's weekly on-demand webcast that discusses important shifts in retail and consumer spending based on NPD's sales data and expert commentary.
• Affiliate marketing solutions provider Pepperjam has created several assets designed to help the online marketing community at large navigate the uncertainty that COVID-19 is bringing. For example, its Pepperjam Affiliate Marketing Sales Index offers trend information on the daily gross merchandise sales performance for same-store sales across verticals year-over-year; its How to Optimize with Affiliate Partners Amid COVID-19 e-book offers information on opportunities available with Pepperjam’s publisher partners; and its Customer Spend Strategy Survey E-Book offers data on the ramifications of COVID-19 on affiliate marketing spend, strategy and prominence in the marketing mix.

Job and Hiring Info.

• LinkedIn is continuing to do a great job of updating a list of companies that are currently hiring. The social platform also recently launched a "Coronavirus Resource Hub" that helps readers find jobs, find critical talent to join your team, or receive advice to help you navigate the changing world of work. Lastly, LinkedIn features a list of volunteering opportunities at organizations on the front lines of the global coronavirus pandemic.
• I've mentioned this here before but thought I would revisit: Well-known e-commerce recruiter Adam Rose has created a Google Sheet with names of e-commerce professionals who have lost their jobs as a result of the current crisis. The idea is to have a running spreadsheet of those who have been impacted that can be distributed on LinkedIn as well as in front of people currently hiring. You can access the list here. If you would like to be added to the list, reach out to Adam on LinkedIn. Some good news here: Adam said the list is being routed to the right people and many of the folks on the list have already found employment!

Fun Stuff

• Looking for something to do on your own or perhaps with a group of friends or colleagues? Check out Airbnb's Online Experiences website, which enables people who are practicing social distancing and staying at home to find activities to do remotely. The site offers activities like bartending and cooking classes, virtual bike tours, Korean makeup tutorials, fortune reading, comedy shows, and drawing lessons.
• Now that the weather is getting warmer, Kids in Parks' e-Adventures online activities program may be just what any family with kids needs. The program enables families to use smartphones or tablets to complete a series of scavenger hunt-style activities in yards, neighborhoods, or green spaces they feel safe exploring. Children can log their participation to earn prizes such as a nature journal, patch, backpack, or magnifying lens. Sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday!