“Where” may not be as important as “how” people work. First, let’s acknowledge that the U.S. labor market is still a complete disaster. U.S. employers added 49,000 jobs in January, after a revised drop of 227,000 the month before. Unemployment fell to 6.3%, from 6.7% in December, as hundreds of thousands of people left the … Continue reading Considering the Future of the Workplace
Is The Future In-Office, Remote or Both?
Where people work will influence what jobs are available. Back in March, the assumption seemed to be that most white collar workers being sent home because of the coronavirus outbreak would be able to return later in the year. Many made statements about September or maybe December at the latest being feasible for offices to … Continue reading Is The Future In-Office, Remote or Both?
Remote Learning Is Prepping Kids For Lack of Work Privacy
[Extreme Dr. Forrester voice] I know who you are and I saw what you did.] Stories like this have been coming out with some regularity since late March as schools across the country invest in some mix of digital tools to monitor students during online classes and physical equipment to track them and take their … Continue reading Remote Learning Is Prepping Kids For Lack of Work Privacy
Making a Bad Situation Worse
Going in the wrong direction. It’s nearly impossible to explain or quantify how bad the job situation in the United States is at the moment. As of this writing, the country has seen 20 straight weeks of more than 1 million new unemployment claims, a number that’s almost certainly low given it fails to count … Continue reading Making a Bad Situation Worse
Rethinking Office Perks
People’s needs and expectations are - and are going to be - very different. You’d be hard-pressed to offer a single, cohesive and comprehensive definition of “office perks.” In practice that term can be used to describe anything from free coffee to ping-pong tables in the break room to artisan baguettes served in the commissary. … Continue reading Rethinking Office Perks
The Workplace May Change, But By Whom?
The same people who created a broken system are being asked to imagine a new one. We are in the middle of a massive, unplanned experiment. While 30-some states this week are starting down their plans to “reopen” their economic engines, those plans seem to be mostly about retail and manufacturing operations. White collar, information-economy … Continue reading The Workplace May Change, But By Whom?
When “Stay At Home” Orders Don’t Change Much
For a lot of people, the last two months have been a big change. Not being able to go out whenever you want, not being able to buy whatever was needed or wanted, not having the usual cacophony of activities that keep everyone bustling and hustling. All of that was, understandably, a series of major … Continue reading When “Stay At Home” Orders Don’t Change Much
Work From Home? Wear Whatever You Want
A recent WSJ story set off a bit of backlash by suggesting that people working from home should eschew wearing sweatpants while doing so and instead choose stylish outfits that, when put together, can cost upwards of $1,000. That advice is of a feather with the general, long-lived suggestion that those who work from home … Continue reading Work From Home? Wear Whatever You Want
Transporation Realities and Productivity Go Hand In Hand
Distractions of some sort or another are a major issue when it comes to productivity. There’s so much going on in modern life that it’s almost inevitable. Social media beckons with its siren song offering you the latest conversations and updates, whether you’re seeking the solace of puppy pics on Facebook or the outrage engine … Continue reading Transporation Realities and Productivity Go Hand In Hand
When Paranoia Takes Over
Let me tell you, all the terrible assumptions identified as potentially impacting your career are not only true, but they’re often felt even more keenly by remote workers. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I applied the worst possible option to the communication - or lack thereof - from someone I … Continue reading When Paranoia Takes Over