Going back to work after a long weekend is already rough. Your inbox is full, your brain is still buffering, and your motivation didn’t make the trip back with you.
BUT… going back to work after an extra-long Christmas break is a whole different level of pain. We’re truly sorry for all the customer service workers who were back to work on Boxing Day. Yikes.
If Christopher Walken isn’t your reaction than you most likely have a suitable boss and office that understands work ain’t getting done from Dec 22nd to the first Monday of the new year… at least!
With CEOs increasingly issuing return-to-office mandates and remote work advocates saying not so fast, managers can be forgiven for feeling confused.
Many bosses feel that their younger employees, in order to grow and absorb the company culture, need in-person guidance and a chance to connect with other workers. Meanwhile many senior employees, especially ones with kids, feel that working from home is actually more effective in their case.
One problem with today’s return-to-office debates is that they often lump these two very different types of employees together, believes Hung Lee, the writer and founder of the Recruiting Brainfood newsletter.
“We’ve treated things monolithically, and sometimes we need to make generalizations, of course, in order to have a conversation,” he said in an a16z podcast episode published this week. “But we’re probably at the point now where we need to bring in the nuance because what is positive for one group of people is negative for another.”
He pointed to an iCIMS report’s survey showing that, among university seniors entering the workforce, fully remote work held little appeal. Only 2% of them said they wanted such an arrangement. Nearly 60% said they don’t have all the equipment they need at home, and a third said they lack a dedicated workspace. Nearly 90% said they wanted to frequently meet in person with coworkers to build relationships and network.
If you look at companies that were already successfully remote-first before the pandemic, they tended to avoid such employees and instead focused on senior workers with plenty of experience, Lee noted. Today, “the people who are most pro-remote—the remote evangelists, so to speak—they are all of that demographic,” he said. “They are individual contributors who have established a level of expertise.”
Such workers have typically already built up social capital and have an effective workspace at home, he noted, and often have children they want to be near: “They don’t feel they need to come to the office in order to make friends.”
By contrast, younger workers might live with roommates or their parents or perhaps feel isolated in a small apartment and crave the opportunity to connect face-to-face with colleagues. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz, believes remote work has “detonated” the way we connect, with younger workers suffering the most. “You get to sit in your studio apartment in front of your laptop and good luck—you’re cut off from everything else,” he said at a summit last November.
Return-to-office backlash
Many companies are settling on a hybrid schedule, with employees asked (or required) to work in the office three or four days a week. It isn’t always going smoothly. Amazon recently saw an employee walkout over its return-to-office mandate, and last month workers at Googlelet their displeasure be known.
“There is a bit of a tension at this point where some companies are rolling back the remote policies, or at least they’re starting to put additional conditions upon it, which you can see it’s kind of a mission creep back to the office,” said Lee.
He believes that power is swinging back toward employers, who are seeing “an opportunity to claw back some of what they may have always perceived to be an overly permissive position when it comes down to working remote.”
Either way, when “building a company or designing an organization,” employee demographics have to be kept in mind, Lee says. “If we are absolutely a remote-first company, we are probably optimized as an employer for a senior individual contributor that has already achieved a certain degree of material comfort.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Office buildings make up the heart of midtown Manhattan in New York City. Some … [+] companies are asking employees to return to the office. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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There’s no doubt been a change in the way people work post-Covid, and many firms are embracing hybrid schedules. In certain sectors, this shift from remote to in-person has stirred demand for work areas. As WeWork’s Chief Revenue Officer Ben Samuels mentioned in a Yahoo!Finance interview, there’s been a real scramble for space in some of their markets.
Taking a closer look at these fluctuations, we can identify several factors that are impacting the return to office trends. The level of demand for workplaces is largely dependent on the industry, city, submarket, and building type, based on the findings in my company Avison Young’s State of the Market Q1 2023 report. Let’s review each of these as we consider how some office markets have performed better than others.
1. Some Industries Have Higher In-Person Work Rates
In Manhattan, in-person office visits at the end of 2022 were 90.9% of their 2019 levels for biotech, life sciences, pharma and healthcare sectors, per Avison Young’s report. Other industries had strong turnouts as well, with the media reaching an in-person rate of 71.6% compared to pre-pandemic levels, and banking and finance hitting 60.2%. These were all above the average for Manhattan’s overall office visitor showings, which was 55.7% at the end of 2022 relative to end of year 2019.
That figure has continued to climb in recent months. Visitation rates for all building classes and markets in Manhattan averaged 61% in Quarter 1 2023 compared to pre-pandemic 2019 baseline levels, according to the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). With CEOs like Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan & Chase Co calling workers back to the office, it’s possible that in-person rates for certain sectors like banking and finance will increase in the coming months.
While some industries such as healthcare and real estate lean toward in-person work, others have been slower to return to the office. In Manhattan, the segments of consulting and public relations had lower levels of in-person work during the end of 2022, perhaps due to digital channels and connections. Technology trailed the average rate, with just 47.4% of in-person visits in December of last year relative to 2019 levels, according to Avison Young data.
2. Cities Have Different Drivers
Manhattan, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Nashville all held higher in-person rates at the end of 2022 than the national average relative to the week of December 9, 2019, per Avison Young’s report. Places with lower return-to-office showings included Seattle and Chicago.
These percentages largely coincide with the labor pool in these areas and the type of work being carried out. In markets with low unemployment rates, companies may seek ways to attract and retain talent. For industries like technology, this could mean more relaxed stances on back-to-work policies. In segments where the unemployment rate rises, employers may be able to be stronger about their expectations on returning to the office.
3. Submarkets Matter Too
Within a city, different neighborhoods may lean more heavily into in-person work, while others remain remote. Taking a close lens to Manhattan reveals higher back-to-work percentages for Greenwich Village, Tribeca, and Chelsea, based on data presented by Avison Young. This tells us people want to live and work in these areas and are happy to come into the office. Job growth and neighborhood amenities, along with the type of office environment, will all play a role in submarket office performance.
4. Higher Quality Office Buildings Perform Well
Class A+ properties continue to outperform Class B properties, as well as A and A- buildings, according to data from REBNY. In New York City, Trophy and Class A properties have an inventory share of just 10%. However, these classes accounted for 71.8% of leasing activity in 2022. In 2023, their share increased to 73.6%, per Avison Young’s findings. Location visits were up for Class A+, A/A-, B, and C buildings during the first quarter of 2023, compared to 2019 levels, as reported by REBNY. Class A+ had the highest increase at 68%, followed by A/A- with 60%, and then B&C which had 57%.
Clearly, there’s a strong increase in demand for higher quality buildings. The data reflects a shift by companies looking to upgrade their work environments. ESG-compliant buildings that promote healthy conditions could be seen as a draw, especially in areas with tight labor pools.
If you’re an investor looking to get into the office market, you’ll have to be very specific about where you want to be and what type of product you buy. As you study a neighborhood, check the industries that operate there, along with the city and submarket drivers. Remember that return to office decisions are largely influenced by the type of building. Owners may opt for higher quality properties with better accommodations, outdoor spaces, and green environments to motivate workers to come back to the office.
Integrated Viral Protection (IVP) air filtration technology that catches and kills actual Sars-CoV-2 (virus causing COVID-19) instantaneously; installing in facilities throughout Texas this week
Press Release –
updated: Mar 17, 2021
HOUSTON, March 17, 2021 (Newswire.com)
– On the heels of Governor Abbott’s call to fully reopen Texas, Houston based, Integrated Viral Protection (IVP) is helping businesses do so safely, with the installation of the IVP Biodefense Indoor Air SystemTM – the only existing air filter system which can instantaneously catch and kill airborne COVID-19 (99.999%), other RNA viruses, and anthrax spores (99.98%) in a single pass. IVP’s core technology is a specialized heated filtration system, invented by Monzer Hourani, which meets ASHRAE standards and has been granted emergency use authorization by the FDA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IVP is playing an integral role in reopening businesses and keeping children in schools across Texas with deployments in over one hundred Texas school campuses to include Galveston ISD, Slidell ISD, Comal ISD, Banquete ISD and Houston ISD. The medical devices have been installed at schools across the US, including hot zones in Florida.
Current installations include the Intercontinental Houston Medical Center, Baytown City Government, Fulton City Government, University of Houston, Texas A&M University, T-Mobile tower, St. Joseph’s Medical Center a Steward Health Care Facility, HotWorx gyms, the San Antonio Riverwalk, Texas Department of Emergency Management and Department of Public Safety, Rosewood Hotels, Hilton Hotels and more. The Texas Restaurant Association has endorsed IVP for use in Texas restaurants to get hospitality businesses back to work safely as well. IVP is installed in health care settings across the US to include over 100 hospitals and healthcare facilities, including COVID-19 specialty hospitals, neuro-psych facilities, rehabilitation hospitals and tertiary centers including University Hospital System. The device was recently installed to incarceration facilities in Michigan.
IVP has deployed units to help keep Texans safe while returning to work and schools:
George R Brown Convention Center, Houston
American Airlines Integrated Operations Center, Dallas
Texas Capital Bank Building, Richardson
And Agency, San Antonio
St. Paul Lutheran Child Development Center, San Antonio
T-Mobile Building, Houston
Moores Opera House, University of Houston
St. Joseph Medical Center, Houston
Wortham Center Theater, Houston
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
“IVP is helping Texas safely reopen their economy with proven solutions that raise the quality of indoor air,” said Dr. Garrett Peel, IVP co-founder. “By following the CDC guidelines and providing clean, pathogen-free air in buildings, we are using science to engineer our way out of this public health crisis.”
The system was designed by IVP founder and inventor, Monzer Hourani, who has a background in physics, science and engineering. The game changing technology works by forcing air through a heated filter that captures and kills contaminants, including airborne pathogens, instantaneously, without changing the ambient air temperature significantly. IVP has been endorsed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as one of five top technologies in the world to combat COVID-19, and was recently named a top 25 Newsmaker of the Year by the Engineering News Record. The prestigious Newsmaker of the Year award will be announced April 8 at the ENR virtual conference.
The research was a collaborative effort led by Monzer Hourani, dating back to April 2020 with Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston, Galveston National Laboratory and Texas A&M University Engineering Experiment Station.
About Integrated Viral Protection (IVP)
Integrated Viral Protection Solutions, LP (IVP) was created by Monzer Hourani in April 2020, to respond to the COVID-19 global pandemic and to foster research, development, and deployment of technologies that offer biodefense solutions to mitigate transmission of biological threats in indoor environments. At the heart of this award-winning biodefense design is a proprietary heated mesh that works in conjunction with legacy air filtration found in HVAC systems. The resulting suite of products will offer proven in-line mitigation for the airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors. This technology has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a top innovation of 2020 for fighting COVID-19, and Hourani is recognized by Engineering News-Record as a top newsmaker.
The Biodefense Indoor Air Protection System is first line prevention technology against environmentally (airborne) mediated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The heated biodefense filter can be retrofitted into commercial and home HVAC systems and/or deployed as a mobile unit equipped with powerful filtration capability. For more information, please visit www.ivpair.com.
BALTIMORE, September 1, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– Pinpoint builds upon its virtual wellness screening and monitoring platform, which both aligns with CDC guidelines and is HIPAA-compliant, to help schools safely reopen nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. With some states requiring schoolwide-screening programs in order to reopen, administrators are seeking technological solutions to keep students and faculty healthy.
“We must all remain cautious as schools begin to reopen, as safety and wellness are the top priority for staff and students,” said Chris Nickerson, Managing Director. “Our data-centered approach is designed to screen, monitor, and track the health of organizations, and mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19.”
Pinpoint works with all schools including K-12 and higher education. Their web-based application uses SMS (email and text) to screen staff or students who may be experiencing symptoms, had contact with a diagnosed COVID-19 individual, travel restrictions, etc. Designed with adaptive algorithms and dynamically generated resources, administrators will be able to view aggregate wellness data of their campus population in real-time.
The inexpensive, simple-to-use platform is implemented quickly with nothing to download. Along with tracking wellness, administrators are finding new ways to use the software. Schools are using as a tool to change attendance tracking, curbside drop-off and pickup, emergency drills, and access control.
Pinpoint is currently focusing on helping schools across the country in states like New York with early reopening plans. Assisting them with vital personalized screening solutions to help staff and households to screen themselves remotely.
“Pinpoint’s screening tool will make it possible for our District to screen all staff and students as we return to in-person learning this fall. The company has been very easy to work with, quick to respond, and helped us seamlessly implement this key piece of our reopening plan. We’re thankful for their partnership during these stressful times.” — Kristine Orr, Superintendent of Schools, South Glens Falls Central School District, New York
Pinpoint has its roots in schools and education as it was initially developed inside a school as a software for active shooter and compliance technology in 2016.
Founded in 2016, the Pinpoint technology was developed and launched at a Baltimore school to provide instant accountability for students and teachers in active shooter and emergency situations. Utilizing innovative technology for the safety and security of our communities, schools, and businesses has been the organization’s mission from the beginning.
In 2020, Pinpoint launched its wellness check pathway, which is being used by employers to perform remote wellness screening and return-to-work procedures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization leverages technology solutions to increase efficiency and reach for symptom monitoring for COVID-19+ residents, screening of those at risk for COVID-19, identification mood disturbances associated and identification of domestic violence/intimate partner violence during times of increased health and economic stress.
