As the employee perks offered by companies become even more outlandish – from unlimited holiday to in-house saunas – many companies are moving away from traditional hierarchies and workspaces. But union membership is rising, particularly among the under 35s. So are these trendy bosses and their happiness officers getting it wrong?

Levis Jeans has opened a flagship store in New York that heavily leans on aspects of aspirational shopping and the brand's role within American history. With conspicuous consumption down, the denim label is attempting to play on its heritage to bring people back to the brand.

Although work is at the core of the American identity and way of life, research has found that almost nine employees in ten feel disengaged at work. As they continue to experience work-related stress, people are seeking flexible life arrangements, without monopolizing their time.

For all the benefits of e-commerce, retailers recognise that people still value brick-and-mortar, leading some to craft unique in-store experiences. Canvas8 spoke to Steffen Jahn, assistant professor at the University of Goettingen, to learn how experiential retail impacts brand perceptions.