Co-working spaces can be productive places to complete tasks while socializing and networking with like-minded people, writes Nicholas Hune-Brown. But don't let the coffee on tap, artwork on the walls and bustling music distract you from getting your work done.

Being able to influence people is a valuable skill, one that doesn't require a formal title. Here are tips on how to become more influential within your organization.

Proper communication is everything in the workplace and in life, writes Robert Chen, executive coach at Exec|Comm. Chen offers three strategies to improve leaders' communication skills, including adjusting body language to match verbal messaging and not losing the main point when speaking.

Half of women who work in science, technology, engineering and math say they have experienced discrimination, including being paid less than men and being treated as if they are inept, according to a Pew Research Center study. Women who face the most discrimination include those with postgraduate degrees and those working in male-majority settings, the study finds.

Take in your surroundings when you attend an interview, and assess whether it's a place you'd like to work, writes Gwen Moran. Be wary if you're asked personal questions that seem inappropriate, she writes.

You're not obligated to tie up every loose end before moving on in your career to a new company, Joseph Liu writes. "Accepting that you have to let go of what you started allows you to make room for other endeavors," he writes.

A chicken shortage has caused KFC to close hundreds of its locations in the UK. The shortage was tied to KFC's decision to move its delivery business to DHL, which acknowledged "operational issues" have delayed chicken deliveries.