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Tag: Work-Life Balance

  • Remote workers are flexing their muscle, and the best-run companies won’t fight them

    Remote workers are flexing their muscle, and the best-run companies won’t fight them

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    When COVID-19 struck, companies had little choice but to adapt swiftly. Office spaces were replaced by living rooms and in-person meetings transitioned to virtual calls — a temporary solution, or so it was thought.

    But months have turned into years, and now it’s clear this is not just a fleeting phase but a profound transformation in work dynamics.

    The…

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  • Stingy Paid Holidays Exacerbate U.S. Work-Life Imbalance | Entrepreneur

    Stingy Paid Holidays Exacerbate U.S. Work-Life Imbalance | Entrepreneur

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    The U.S. comes in second on the list of 10 countries offering the least amount of paid vacation time, according to a report from career-resource platform Resume.io. In the private sector, American employees receive 10 days of PTO on average, not including holidays and sick days — a shockingly low number compared to those in other developed nations.

    In many countries around the world, particularly those in Europe, it’s not uncommon for employees to take vacations for months at a time, in many cases due to the European Union Working Time Directive, which requires a minimum of 20 working days of paid vacation in all EU countries, CNBC reported.

    Related: How to Determine Your PTO Policy

    “In the U.S., it is estimated that less than 50% of workers who get paid vacation time use their full allotment each year.”

    “[The disparity] has largely been driven by American business resisting any kind of mandate to provide paid time off for workers,” Joe Mull, a 20-year HR veteran and author of the new book Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work, tells Entrepreneur. “For more than 100 years, all proposed national laws guaranteeing paid leave to workers have failed to pass. In nearly every other developed nation on earth, workers are guaranteed paid time off.”

    Thanksgiving is around the corner in the U.S., and although 39% of private industry workers nationwide will have the day off, most of them aren’t grateful for the stingy vacation policies their employers subject them to year-round. And even those lucky enough to have more PTO at their disposal are tired of being unable to use it.

    Related: These Are the 10 Countries With the Least Paid Vacation — and Where the U.S. Ranks Might Surprise You

    “In the U.S., it is estimated that less than 50% of workers who get paid vacation time use their full allotment each year,” Mull says. “The most common reason given for not taking vacation time is fear of falling behind at work.” And many other workers feel they must reserve paid vacation time for when “life happens,” including issues surrounding childcare and elder care, sickness, transportation and more, he adds.

    “A functioning society with optimal mental health requires periods of rest and restoration.”

    What’s at stake if the U.S. doesn’t catch up? According to Mull, a lot: American employers can expect continuing high levels of burnout (77% of U.S. professionals have experienced burnout at their current job, per a Deloitte survey) and will struggle to attract and retain top talent.

    “Much of the turmoil in the labor market in recent years has been driven by employees changing jobs in pursuit of better quality of life,” Mull says. “So the business case here is that employers reduce employee churn and deliver better products and services to customers when they have a full complement of healthy, engaged employees.”

    Related: 3 Truths About Unlimited PTO — Why Employees Are Worse Off With Endless Vacation Days

    But there’s an even bigger issue at play, Mull warns: “A functioning society with optimal mental health requires periods of rest and restoration, and our current culture around work and paid time off doesn’t support this.”

    “It’s a symptom of several larger issues related to rising workloads, childcare deficiencies and more.”

    Mull compares the plight of U.S. workers to an engine that’s been racing at maximum RPMs for long periods of time — “eventually, it gives out.” That’s why time away from work, and the restoration it provides, actually makes for more productive employees and better work outcomes, he says.

    “What’s important to note here is that it’s not just about offering more vacation time,” Mull adds. “Employers must create the conditions that allow employees to actually use it. In many ways, the rate at which we take vacation time isn’t the problem — it’s a symptom of several larger issues related to rising workloads, childcare deficiencies and more.”

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Boost Employee Success with These 3 Proven Strategies | Entrepreneur

    Boost Employee Success with These 3 Proven Strategies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com

    When your employees experience success, your company experiences success. This makes it imperative for you to help your workers so they can succeed. However, you can’t relegate your support to their professional lives but their personal ones as well. That way, they’ll be more poised to apply themselves when they’re working — and that’s good for them and for your business.

    Employees who are unencumbered by burdens and stress have more time and energy to devote to their occupations. They can dive into projects and harness the creativity and problem-solving so necessary for innovation. This encourages them to find meaning in their output. As a recent Paychex survey showed, having meaningful work is a key reason many people stay with their employers. Workers who are succeeding are, therefore, not just more likely to share their talents but are apt to stick around. That’s good for any company, especially on the heels of the Great Resignation.

    Related: Are You Taking Care of Your Employee’s Mental Health?

    How do you set the stage to boost your workers’ success? Aside from being respectful and offering fair compensation, try these strategies.

    1. Provide mental health and well-being support.

    Research from Pathways indicates that mood disorders like depression will affect one out of six American adults. Like any condition, depression doesn’t just affect a person’s home life. It affects everything they do, including their career. Yet, it can be difficult for employees who are suffering to feel comfortable or confident starting a treatment plan or even rehab. What they need is a psychologically safe workplace environment that gives them room to improve their mental health.

    If you haven’t done so already, revisit your benefits package. See if there is a mental health component. For example, you may want to ensure your health insurance options include mental health coverage. Additionally, make certain your managers are watchful for signs of burnout and depression in their direct reports. These signs can include difficulty concentrating, anger, or any unusual, uncharacteristic behaviors, according to Pathways.

    Of course, not all employees who are irritable are dealing with depression. Nevertheless, those who are struggling may be more willing to get treated if their supervisors facilitate genuinely caring conversations. And without the cloud of depression and mental illness, they can better hone their talents and show off their skills.

    2. Remove your employees’ nagging obstacles and friction points.

    It’s impossible to be successful when employees aren’t given the right tools or resources. For instance, if you expect your people to optimize their workflows, you’ll need to invest in more tech. Similarly, you may have to be flexible in letting team members have autonomy in terms of their working arrangements. This can include allowing remote-capable employees to work from home or another location at least some of the time.

    Currently, around half of the organizations with remote-capable workers are operating in a hybrid fashion per Gallup. Not only is this strategy working, but it’s allowing employees to better structure their days. The result has been a surge in self-reported productivity levels. More productivity naturally leads to more on-the-job success.

    Related: Out-Talent the Competition With 7 Tips to Help Your Employees Self-Actualize

    Not sure what roadblocks could be holding back your workers? Ask them. They’ll be able to tell you where their biggest friction points are. With that knowledge, you can make changes to address those pains and give them the freedom to move ahead faster.

    3. Offer constant, relevant upskilling and retraining opportunities.

    A full 68% of workers surveyed by the University of Phoenix said they’d stay for the long haul with an employer that upskilled them. Why, then, aren’t more companies offering professional development? The answer is that many are, but their training may be lacking the relevance and depth that it needs to have to make a lasting difference. A good example of this would be one-and-done training on a new software program. Some people might find the training interesting but not pertinent. Consequently, though they technically were trained, they weren’t trained on something fitting for their positions.

    Ideally, each worker should be able to engage in personalized upskilling that leverages core strengths, aptitudes, and future goals. Again, this is where some employee feedback and surveys can be invaluable. These vehicles can show what kinds of training are “nice to have” and which are “need to have.” After every employee training experience, managers can serve in mentoring roles to guide their direct reports from milestone to milestone. In time, this process will improve not just workers’ abilities but their confidence.

    Remember, though, that training doesn’t always have to be formal to have a serious impact. Professional development can take place informally. Let’s say you have a budding sales leader who needs more exposure to the broader sales field. You might want to send her to an annual industry convention. That way, she can get more knowledge as well as network with peers. More exposure to experts in her desired career path can help her achieve her occupational objectives.

    Related: Motivation is the Secret to a Successful Team — Are Your Employees Motivated? 4 Tips for Empowering New Hires

    Your employees want to feel like they’re doing their best. Now is the chance for you to make it easier for them to be as successful as possible. To start, you have to put some measures in place to serve as springboards so they can rev up their acumen and accomplishments.

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    Kimberly Zhang

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  • 3. Stop Annoying Your Colleagues: Fix These 6 Behaviors Today | Entrepreneur

    3. Stop Annoying Your Colleagues: Fix These 6 Behaviors Today | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Many of us like to think we’re highly self-aware, but most of us are not. Emotional intelligence is hailed as one of the hallmarks of a great leader. It’s a hot topic in the workplace, and numerous research organizations have produced studies that say emotional intelligence comes down to a handful of factors — including self-awareness, emotional regulation and empathy.

    But why do we think we are more aware than we are? It’s because we don’t get enough feedback on how we come across to others. This leaves us with blind spots when it comes to understanding how others view us. You might think you’re a star employee and desirable peer, but you could make others more uncomfortable. As a mentor and leadership coach, I’ve identified six behaviors that you should address and fix if you want to maintain and grow a better workplace relationship with your peers.

    More from the author: 6 Habits of Powerful People

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    Amy M Chambers

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  • ‘I don’t have time for anything’: A Gen Zer’s horror at the 10-hour day required to commute to an office for her first job goes viral

    ‘I don’t have time for anything’: A Gen Zer’s horror at the 10-hour day required to commute to an office for her first job goes viral

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    A TikTok video of a young woman complaining about her work-life balance after getting her first 9-to-5 position after college—described as “Gen Z girl finds out what a real job is like” in an X post— has gone viral. But while many have perceived her rant to be about having to work, a closer listen shows it’s really about having to commute to and from the office—and what little time there is left in her day after that. 

    The TikTok video has racked up 228,000 likes since being posted on Oct. 19, with many viewers sympathetic to the poster, identified on the platform as Brielle. The X post mentioned above, from the account @TTEcclesBrown, has racked up 47 million views since being posted on Wednesday, with many responses deriding her.

    In the video, the woman notes that remote work would solve her problem, as would affordable rent closer to her office.

    “If I was able to walk to work, it’d be fine,” she says, adding later, “Nothing to do with my job at all…Being in the office 9-to-5, like, if it was remote, you’d get off at 5, and you’re home and everything’s fine.”

    Instead, she says, “I get on the train at 7:30 and I don’t get home till like 6:15 earliest.” She complains that after her commute she doesn’t have the time or energy to cook dinner or work out. She also wonders, “How do you have friends? How do you have time for, like, dating? Like I don’t have time for anything, and I’m like so stressed out.” 

    As for why she doesn’t live closer to work, she notes, “There’s no way I’m gonna be able to afford living in the city right now, so that’s off the table.”

    Jason Calacanis, an angel investor and serial entrepreneur, mocked the woman for her complaints, writing on X: “Oh princess… I’m sorry you had to commute and work and have a job and everything — it’s like so extra!”

    Many criticized Calacanis for his post, which itself has garnered 7.8 million views. But he was hardly alone in ridiculing the young woman.

    “Recent college grad has breakdown over working a job. We’re doomed,” posted the Libs of TikTok account on X.

    Others suggested ways in which the woman could improve her situation. On the site Ricochet, which bills itself as a “community for smart, civil conversation on the center right,” a contributor with the handle “Seawriter” wrote:

    “You cannot have everything — not at once and not straight out of college. Decide what is most important to you and determine what you have to do — and what you have to sacrifice — to get it. Want to live in the city? Look for ways to make it affordable. Find a roommate or two roommates to split the cost of an apartment — live two or three to a room. Don’t want a long commute and don’t want to share a room? Get a job in the suburbs.”

    The woman is hardly alone, however, in being frustrated with commuting. With more CEOs demanding workers return to the office, many Americans are asking why the routine is necessary, especially given that remote work sufficed during the pandemic. 

    In a recent survey of over 8,400 U.S. workers by FlexJobs, 63% of respondents said remote work was still the most important part of a job to them, ahead of salary and a good boss. 

    “The tightly closed Pandora’s box of ‘work from anywhere’ has burst open, and will never be resealed,” Expensify CEO David Barrett wrote in a blog post this week after running a return-to-office experiment involving a upscale lounge for employees. “No amount of begging or coercion is going to work in the long run: The businesses that demand it are fighting a losing war of attrition.”

    Office attendance in large cities, meanwhile, is still only about half the level seen in 2019, as the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. That’s despite a slight uptick in attendance recently coupled with tough talk from high-profile CEOs about enforcing return-to-office policies.

    In an email to Insider, Brielle wrote that while she’s grateful to have her corporate job in the New York area after five months of post-college searching, “it is discouraging and understandable why Americans are burnt out and mental illness levels are high.” She also worries about office workers not finding enough time to enjoy “sunlight, exercise, adequate sleep, healthy eating, and forming connections with other people.”

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    Steve Mollman

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  • Unraveling TikTok Trends in the Workplace | Entrepreneur

    Unraveling TikTok Trends in the Workplace | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com

    With numerous work-related TikTok trends gaining traction, the social media platform has highlighted a growing sense of dissatisfaction and discontent among employees and employers alike. An evaluation by Workamajig, a project management software firm, revealed the top five workplace-centered TikTok trends, showcasing the underlying issues that challenge today’s workplace environment, first reported by Inc.com.

    Top seven work-related TikTok trends

    1. Discreet Departures (746.7 million views)
    2. Silent Switch (528.3 million views)
    3. Gradual Goodbyes (413.8 million views)
    4. Perform According to Pay (438.7 million views)
    5. Subtle Terminations (19.9 million views)
    6. Exasperation-Driven Applications (6 million views)
    7. Stealthy Recruitment (5.3 million views)

    Each of these trends sheds light on an aspect of the increasingly complex and often troubled nature of employer-employee relationships. These phenomena compel organizations to reassess their employee retention strategies, work-life balance, and equitable pay considerations.

    Discreet departures and gradual goodbyes: unplanned resignations and turnover rates

    The first three trends on the list — Discreet Departures, Silent Switch, and Gradual Goodbyes — represent growing instances of employees viewing their jobs as mere means to an end, rather than sources of personal satisfaction. This perspective often prompts workers to leave their positions in search of better opportunities without discussing their plans openly or seeking advice from their peers or supervisors. The result is a surge in unplanned resignations and turnover rates, which can significantly impact a company’s productivity, reputation, and ability to attract and retain talent.

    Related: The Hidden Dangers of ‘Rage Applying’ and How to Spot the Warning Signs, According to a Veteran Career Coach

    Perform according to pay: the growing dialogue on work-life balance and equitable pay

    The Perform According to Pay trend, which has garnered over 438.7 million views, highlights the increasing importance of fair compensation and work-life balance in contemporary workplaces. Employees are being encouraged to align their work ethic and contributions with their wages, spurring widespread discussions on the need for better work-life balance and equity in compensation packages.

    Subtle terminations: the downside of covertly firing employees

    Some employers are resorting to covert strategies such as making the work environment unbearable or depriving workers of growth opportunities as a subtle way of terminating them. However, this trend indicates poor management and a flawed approach, leading to high employee turnover rates and damage to a company’s reputation. Embracing transparency and open communication is crucial for promoting a healthy work environment that fosters employee retention and satisfaction.

    Related: ‘That Job Was Hell’: 7 Founders Share Their Worst Boss Horror Stories, and What They Learned From the Lunatics

    Exasperation-driven applications: an indication of workplace dissatisfaction

    As a coping mechanism, many employees frustrated with their current jobs have resorted to applying for multiple positions, reflecting the mounting dissatisfaction and mental strain within modern workplaces. Prioritizing a healthy work culture that supports employee well-being and satisfaction can help reduce the occurrence of such behavior and improve overall retention rates.

    Stealthy recruitment: The potential pitfalls of overburdening employees

    During uncertain economic times, some organizations choose to maximize productivity without hiring new personnel by demanding more from their existing workforce. While this may generate short-term advantages, it could contribute to employee burnout and decreased satisfaction in the long term, ultimately hurting the company’s overall performance.

    Fostering open communication and equitable work environments

    The popularity of these work-related TikTok trends underscores the importance of addressing employer-employee conflicts and improving workplace well-being. Encouraging open dialogue and fostering a culture of honesty can significantly enhance job satisfaction, employee retention, and overall productivity.

    By implementing fair and transparent workplace policies, businesses can pave the way for greater collaboration and teamwork, aligning personal and organizational goals and fostering sustainable success. Open dialogues can also help managers tailor their support strategies and bridge skill gaps, ensuring a thriving, well-balanced work environment that benefits all stakeholders involved

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    Erin Nickle

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  • Do ‘Unplug Days’ Actually Work? Research Says They Might Be the Key to Ending Burnout. | Entrepreneur

    Do ‘Unplug Days’ Actually Work? Research Says They Might Be the Key to Ending Burnout. | Entrepreneur

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    This emerging trend is designed to combat burnout and promote work-life balance, and thus boost productivity.

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    Gleb Tsipursky

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  • Young Workers Don’t Want to Become Managers — and This Study Uncovers the Reason Why. | Entrepreneur

    Young Workers Don’t Want to Become Managers — and This Study Uncovers the Reason Why. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a young computer developer, I never had any aspirations of being a manager, let alone a CEO.

    When I started my career some 30 years ago, everybody in my field seemed to be following the so-called IBM model of climbing the corporate ladder — starting at the entry level for a few years and then hopping from rung to rung into more senior managerial roles. It wasn’t for me.

    Luckily for me, I worked for a progressive company that understood the need to create dual career paths. You could remain an individual contributor, sometimes leading technical projects, or you could be a manager. I chose the technical track, rising through my field until there was nowhere left to go but the C-suite. Now that I’m here, I see a huge problem.

    The average person has no interest in being a manager anymore.

    My company recently ran a survey of 1,000 full-time employees across the U.S. who are not already in a managerial position. A meager 38% said they were interested in becoming a people manager at their current company. This problem crosses industries and borders. We’re seeing clients in all lines of work struggling to fill frontline management positions.

    It’s becoming clear that companies have to adapt to fill these gaping voids, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Picture a Jenga tower — there are only so many blocks you can remove from the middle before the top comes crashing down.

    Related: Some People Aren’t Cut Out to Be Managers — And That’s Okay. Here’s What You Can Do Instead.

    Why management roles have grown less attractive

    There was a time when the title manager meant prestige, respect, maybe even admiration — a chance to lead, a pathway to the top. But that dynamic has been shifting for decades and can now feel out-of-touch and out-of-date.

    This management backlash has roots in several places. For one, trust in leadership has eroded sharply. Only 21% of workers strongly agree that they trust the leadership in their company, and the number has been on the decline since the pandemic.

    At the same time, the “individual contributor” has enjoyed increasing status in many circles, especially in the tech community. A talented developer, for instance, can rise through the ranks of a company without managing people. Ultimately, their pay and perks may end up being comparable with senior people leaders, without ever having to wrestle with the challenges that go along with management.

    Meanwhile, the pressures on managers are only growing. Familiar challenges with delivering results and bottom-line value have been augmented in recent decades with mounting HR responsibilities. For many, the stress and time commitment of management simply outweigh any added benefits.

    Indeed, of all the insights gleaned from this survey, one stood out to me more than any other — people see managerial responsibilities as a non-starter for work-life balance. Among those we surveyed, 40% said their biggest worry with becoming a manager was increased stress, pressure and hours. When we asked people to identify their top ambition, 67% said spending more time with their friends and families and 64% said being more physically and mentally. The lowest priorities were becoming a C-suite executive (4%) and becoming a people manager (9%).

    Related: 10 Myths About Work-Life Balance and What to Do Instead

    How to fill the ‘missing middle’

    This management gap couldn’t come at a worse time. As companies struggle with disruptions from AI, increasing automation and a tight labor market, clear leadership is needed more than ever, but it’s getting hard to find.

    So how can companies fill the “missing middle” — and make management aspirational again?

    One important step is to redefine the meaning of manager. Partly, this is about reconceptualizing the role. The tech industry, for instance, has popularized “player-coaches:” employees who continue to contribute as individuals, while also leading small teams of trusted colleagues. While this balance can be challenging to strike, the upside is sustained engagement with your field and growth of new management skills.

    At the same time, companies are finding new ways to valorize management. When McKinsey asked middle managers what they wanted more of, the obvious answer was bonuses. In a competitive market, many companies are dishing out signing bonuses to attract talent into the pipeline. According to a 2021 survey, 43% of hiring managers were offering more paid time off and 40% were offering better job titles to win the war for talent. It’s not all about perks, however. Middle managers also said they wanted to be rewarded with increased autonomy and more responsibility.

    An equally critical step is to help managers handle those increased responsibilities with better technology — enabling them to extend spans of control while diminishing toil and grunt work. Take the challenge of handing out raises. Traditionally, this process required a manager to manually evaluate every employee and come up with a number and a rationale for each one. But new tools are taking the guesswork and paperwork out of the equation. We use a smart compensation tool to evaluate performance metrics and create a clear picture of what a person is paid relative to their peers, and relative to industry standards. This not only removes risk of bias but also cuts down on time. There are similar tools for goal-setting and skills-mapping, lessening the burden of regular performance reviews while making them more meaningful.

    Related: Here’s How Managers Can Role Model A Good Work-Life Balance For Their Teams

    Behind all these efforts lie advances in collecting and sharing people data. The better we can arm frontline managers with insights about their teams, the faster they can make the right decisions.

    In a world with fewer managers, these steps mean companies can increase spans of control while maintaining productivity, reducing stress and saving people time. In the end, it’s not just for retaining current managers, but recruiting new ones. Consider this: Deloitte found 73% of managers said they should be a model of well-being for their employees, but only 35% of employees could see that in their manager. Until we give them the time and resources to do their jobs effectively and happily, people will continue to have reservations about moving up in the ranks. The Jenga tower will continue to sway — if not collapse.

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    Ryan Wong

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  • Hanna Interpreting Services Awarded Comparably’s Best Company for Work-Life Balance

    Hanna Interpreting Services Awarded Comparably’s Best Company for Work-Life Balance

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    SAN DIEGO, September 22, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Hanna Interpreting Services, a premier language services provider, is proud to announce its recognition by Comparably as one of the best companies for work-life balance. This honor is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to employee well-being and its innovative approach to fostering a harmonious work environment.

    Comparably’s accolade assesses factors such as employee satisfaction with work-life balance, average hours worked per day, lunch break lengths, and overall feelings of burnout. Hanna Interpreting Services’ dedication to creating an environment that melds productivity with personal time has made it stand out in this evaluation.

    A significant contributor to this balance is the company’s hybrid working model, where employees merge the best of both worlds by working remotely for three weeks and in the office for one week every month. This flexibility allows team members to maintain their personal lives while still fostering in-person collaboration. Hanna also ranked among the top 35% of companies for diversity and in the top 40% for gender balance.

    “It’s a balance we’ve been striving to achieve, especially in these dynamic times,” says President Tom Elias Hanna. “We understand the challenges presented by both remote work and the need to be in-office.”

    September is a monumental month for Hanna Interpreting Services. In addition to the Comparably award, the company celebrated its 13th anniversary on September 9, marking over a decade of industry leadership and commitment to bridging linguistic barriers. The month also saw the inauguration of a brand-new office space, showcasing the company’s dedication to growth and serving as a hub for innovation and team collaboration.

    As Hanna Interpreting Services continues to evolve and set benchmarks in the industry, the core values remain consistent: a commitment to bridging language barriers, a dedication to employee well-being, and a vision to be the most trusted name in language services.

    Founded in 2010 by mother and son duo Jennifer Hanna and Tom Elias Hanna in their garage, Hanna has grown to more than 70 employees, served 1.1 million clients to date in 250+ languages, and has sponsored countless outreach events to serve the local community.

    For more information about Hanna Interpreting Services or to schedule an interview, please contact Sean Spicer, Revenue Operations Manager, at Sean.Spicer@HannaIS.com
     

    Source: Hanna Interpreting Services

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  • 10 Things to Consider When Shopping for a Coworking Space | Entrepreneur

    10 Things to Consider When Shopping for a Coworking Space | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com

    There are many benefits to having a coworking space, whether you’re shopping as an individual or on behalf of your business. But if you want to make the right decision, you’ll need to make sure you’re comparing spaces logically and methodically.

    That decision is more difficult than ever, considering the number of coworking spaces in major cities around the country. But if you reduce your decision to a few primary factors, it becomes much easier.

    The diversity of coworking spaces

    Coworking spaces were once a rare novelty — but now that remote and hybrid working has become more popular, the number of available coworking spaces has exploded.

    Related: AI Is Making Market Insights Accessible to Businesses of Any Size — Not Just the Big Names. Here’s How You Can Use It.

    There’s a coworking space out there for everyone. If you want a budget space, it’s there. If you want all the amenities, you can get them. Some spaces try to give their members a little bit of everything, but because everyone has different wants and needs, there’s really no such thing as a perfect coworking space.

    You’re probably not going to find a coworking space that’s perfect, but with the right criteria, you can find one that’s ideal for your set of priorities.

    Things to consider when shopping for a coworking space

    For most people, these are the most important things to consider when shopping for a coworking space.

    1. Location

    First, you’ll need to think about the location. Most people don’t want a lengthy commute, nor do they want to work in a location that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Generally, people want a coworking space that’s as close to them as possible, though you may also want a space that’s closer to a city center if you want to be where all the action is happening. Lucas Seyhun, creator of coworking space TheFarmSoHo, says, “Our clients often choose our space because it’s close to them – and being close to some of the best restaurants in the city doesn’t hurt,” according to Under30CEO.com.

    2. Parking

    If you currently drive as a primary form of travel, you’ll need to make sure there are parking spaces available for this coworking space. Otherwise, you’ll want to look for a coworking space that has convenient access to public transportation. It’s a little thing, but the right dynamics here can save you at least several minutes a day – and several hours every year.

    Related: Successful People Have 2 Types of Goals, a Stanford-Trained Mindset Expert Says. Without Both, You Won’t Reach Your Potential.

    3. The view

    When you look out the windows, what do you see? Do you get to look at a broad, beautiful forest? Do you get to people-watch as thousands of people walk the sidewalks? Or, do you have an amazing view of the city skyline? A good view can help you destress during the day and generally beautify the space.

    4. The atmosphere

    You should also consider the overall atmosphere of the coworking space, which you’ll only be able to fully absorb by visiting it in person. Does this space seem more formal or more casual? Is there a lot of background noise, or is it relatively quiet? Are people friendly and outgoing, or do they mostly keep to themselves? There’s no true ideal in any of these categories; what matters is that you find a space with an atmosphere that’s going to be conducive to your work.

    5. Available amenities

    There are countless potential amenities you could enjoy in a coworking space; it all depends on what’s offered by the owners. You might have access to meeting rooms, free coffee, high-speed internet, break room luxuries, or in rare cases, even an in-house production team. Keep in mind that the more amenities there are, the higher the price is likely to be.

    6. Accessible space

    How much space is available and is this always accessible? For example, are there large meeting rooms that you can take advantage of? And if so, are you required to submit reservation requests in advance of your need? If you wanted to take a break and walk around the office, could you do so effectively?

    7. Flexibility and accessibility

    Some coworking spaces are functionally open 24/7, giving you a key card that can grant you access at your discretion. Others are only open during business hours, and only during weekdays. If you work conventional hours, this factor may not matter much to you. Otherwise, you’ll need to find a space that accommodates your most productive hours.

    8. Privacy potential

    Some coworking spaces are very open, enabling people to converse and collaborate freely. Others are more private, giving people isolated individual space. It’s up to you which one you prefer.

    9. Security

    Location has an impact on your safety and security, but you should also consider additional security measures, such as the presence of a security guard or active security cameras. Safety-conscious spaces can be highly advantageous.

    10. The price

    The cost for a single desk in a coworking space is usually somewhere between $200 and $700 per month, but this varies heavily depending on where the space is and what it offers. You might be able to find limited accommodations for less, and incredibly luxurious accommodations for much more. Your budget may be a highly constraining factor, so the price of a coworking space bears heavy weight.

    What are your most important priorities? How do you envision using a coworking space for your business or career? No matter what, there are probably options available to you. Do your due diligence, see what’s out there, and pull the trigger when everything seems right.

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    Under30CEO Staff

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  • Labor Day is just a ‘milestone’ in the marathon to get workers back to the office

    Labor Day is just a ‘milestone’ in the marathon to get workers back to the office

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    The U.S. Labor Day holiday will mark another milestone in the marathon to bring workers back to the office, but it won’t be a quick fix for landlords, according to Thomas LaSalvia, head of commercial real estate economics at Moody’s Analytics.

    Employers from Facebook parent Meta
    META,
    +0.27%
    to Goldman Sachs
    GS,
    -0.26%
    recently laid out mandates for staff to return to the office more frequently, starting this fall, including the big one — the federal government.

    “A lot of companies are saying that after Labor Day, ‘We expect more out of you,” LaSalvia said, referring to days in the office. Still, office attendance, he argues, likely only stages a fuller comeback if a job or promotion is on the line.

    Amazon.com Inc.’s
    AMZN,
    +2.18%
    Chief Executive Andy Jassy has been trying to drive home the point by warning staff to return at least three days a week, or face the consequences.

    That could prove difficult, with Friday’s U.S. jobs report for August expected to show U.S. unemployment at a scant 3.5%, near the lowest levels since the late 1960s, even if hiring has been slowing. The labor market, so far, appears unfazed by the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate reaching a 22-year high.

    It has been a different story for landlords facing a roughly 19% vacancy rate nationally and piles of debt coming due, especially for owners of older Class B and C office buildings with a bleak outlook or properties in cities with wobbling business centers.

    See: San Francisco’s office market erases all gains since 2017 as prices sag nationally

    As with shopping malls, LaSalvia said it’s largely a problem of oversupply, with many office properties at risk of becoming obsolete as tenants flock to better buildings and locations staging a rebirth. The trend can be traced in leasing data since 2021, with Class A properties in central business districts (blue line) showing a big advantage over less desirable buildings in the heart of cities (orange line).

    Return to office isn’t going to save the entire office property market


    Moody’s Analytics

    “Little by little, we are finding the office isn’t dead,” LaSalvia said, but he also sees more promise in neighborhoods with a new purpose, those catering to hybrid work and communities that bring people together.

    Another way to look at the trend is through rents. Manhattan’s Penn Station submarket, with its estimated $13 billion overhaul and neighboring Hudson Yards development, has seen asking rents jump 32% to $74.87 a square foot in the second quarter since the fourth quarter of 2019, according to Moody’s Analytics. That compares with a 2% bump in asking rents in downtown New York City to $61.39 a square foot for the same period.

    The push for a return to the office also doesn’t mean a repeat of prepandemic ways. Goldman Sachs analysts estimate that part-time remote work in the U.S. has stabilized around 20%-25%, in a late August report, but that’s still up from 2.6% before the 2020 lockdowns.

    Furthermore, the persistence of remote work will likely add another 171 million square feet of vacant U.S. office space through 2029, a period that also will see tenants’ long-term leases expire and many companies opting for less space. The additional vacancies would roughly translate to 57% of Los Angeles roughly 300 million square feet of office space sitting empty.

    “The fundamental reason why we had offices in the first place have not completely disintegrated,” LaSalvia said. “But for some of those Class B and C offices, the writing was on the wall before the pandemic.”

    U.S. stocks were mixed Thursday, but headed for losses in a tough August for stocks, with the S&P 500 index
    SPX
    off about 1.5% for the month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA
    2.1% lower and the Nasdaq Composite
    COMP
    down 2% in August, according to FactSet.

    Related: Some employers mandate etiquette classes as returning office workers walk barefoot, burp loudly and microwave fish

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  • You’re Not Lazy — You’re Burnt Out. Here Are The 5 Warning Signs. | Entrepreneur

    You’re Not Lazy — You’re Burnt Out. Here Are The 5 Warning Signs. | Entrepreneur

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    Entrepreneur burnout can land you in the emergency ward. Learn how to spot the signs now before it’s too late.

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    Ben Angel

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  • How Employers Can Help Working Parents Navigate Back-to-School Season | Entrepreneur

    How Employers Can Help Working Parents Navigate Back-to-School Season | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Picture this: It’s the end of summer, and the scent of freshly sharpened pencils fills the air. Parents across the nation are bracing themselves for the annual back-to-school whirlwind. It’s a time of excitement for children, but for working parents, it’s a different story. They’re juggling work commitments with school orientations, homework help, and the dreaded school run. It’s no wonder that so many parents declare this the most stressful time of the year.

    A new survey from Kiddie Academy, an educational child care center, found that when all members of the family are polled, 63% say it’s Mom who has the hardest time with the first day of school. That’s compared to only 27% who identified the child as being the one who struggles most.

    The back-to-school season is akin to a roller coaster ride. It’s filled with the highs of seeing your child’s excitement for the new school year, but also the lows of trying to balance work and family life. The stress of managing both can feel like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope. It’s a precarious balancing act that leaves many parents feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin.

    Related: Add These 11 Back-to-School Musts to Your Online Calendar

    The role of employers

    But what if I told you that employers hold the key to alleviating this stress? Yes, you heard it right. Employers can play a pivotal role in helping working parents navigate the back-to-school season. It’s not just about being understanding; it’s about taking proactive steps to support your employees during this challenging time.

    Employers are like the conductors of an orchestra. They have the power to set the tempo and create harmony among the various sections. When they step up and take responsibility for helping their employees, they can turn the cacophony of the back-to-school season into a symphony of productivity and satisfaction.

    Embrace flexibility

    First and foremost, flexibility is the name of the game. Offering flexible working hours or the option to work from home can be a game-changer for working parents, as I tell companies who I advise on figuring out their hybrid work policies. Imagine the relief of a parent who can adjust their schedule to drop off or pick up their child from school without the fear of repercussions at work. It’s not just about reducing stress; it’s about increasing productivity. A happy employee is a productive employee, after all.

    Think of it as a dance. When employers and employees move in sync, adjusting to each other’s rhythms and steps, they create a beautiful performance. Flexibility allows this dance to flow smoothly, preventing missteps and stumbles that can lead to stress and dissatisfaction.

    Provide resources

    Next, consider providing resources to help parents manage this transition. This could be as simple as sharing information about local after-school programs or offering a seminar on time management strategies. Knowledge is power, and arming your employees with the tools they need to succeed is a win-win situation.

    Imagine equipping your employees with a Swiss Army knife of resources. Each tool, whether it’s information about childcare services or tips on managing stress, can help them navigate the challenges of the back-to-school season. The more tools they have at their disposal, the better equipped they are to handle whatever comes their way.

    Foster a supportive culture

    Fostering a supportive culture is crucial. Encourage open communication and make it clear that it’s okay to ask for help. Whether it’s adjusting a deadline or delegating a task, small changes can make a big difference. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child, and the workplace can be part of that village.

    Creating a supportive culture is like building a safety net. It provides a sense of security for employees, knowing that they can take risks and ask for help without fear of judgment or punishment. This safety net can catch them when they stumble, allowing them to bounce back quickly and continue performing at their best.

    The power of employee resource groups

    In the quest to support working parents during the back-to-school season, one tool stands out for its effectiveness and impact: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are groups within a company where employees connect over shared characteristics or life experiences. They provide a sense of community, a platform for advocacy, and a resource for personal and professional development.

    Imagine ERGs as a bustling farmers market. Each stall, or group, offers something unique, catering to different needs and tastes. There’s a sense of community, a shared understanding, and a wealth of resources to tap into. For working parents, a Parents ERG can be the stall that provides the support and resources they need to navigate the back-to-school season.

    A Parents ERG can be a lifeline for working parents. It provides a space where they can share experiences, exchange tips, and support each other. It’s like a virtual village, a community that understands the unique challenges of juggling work and family responsibilities.

    During the back-to-school season, this support can be invaluable. Parents can share advice on everything from managing school runs to finding after-school programs. They can also advocate for policies that support working parents, such as flexible working hours or childcare benefits.

    Moreover, a parent’s ERG can provide emotional support. Knowing that others are facing the same challenges can reduce feelings of stress and isolation. It’s a reminder that they’re not alone, that it’s okay to ask for help, and that they have a community that understands and supports them.

    Employers play a crucial role in establishing and supporting ERGs. They can provide resources, such as meeting spaces or communication platforms. They can also promote ERGs to ensure that employees are aware of them and understand the benefits of joining.

    Establishing a Parents ERG sends a powerful message to employees. It shows that the company values its employees’ whole selves, not just their work selves. It demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and to supporting employees in all aspects of their lives.

    In the context of the back-to-school season, a Parents ERG can be a powerful tool for supporting working parents. It can reduce stress, increase engagement, and contribute to a positive, supportive company culture. So, as the school bells start to ring, let’s remember the power of ERGs. Let’s create communities within our companies where working parents can find the support and resources they need to navigate the back-to-school season with confidence and ease.

    Related: 9 Work-Life Balance Tips for Busy Working Parents (Infographic)

    Conclusion

    The back-to-school season doesn’t have to be a source of stress for working parents. With a little flexibility, the right resources, and a supportive culture, employers can help their employees navigate this challenging time with ease. It’s not just good for the parents; it’s good for business. So, as the school bells start to ring, remember: your role as an employer doesn’t end at the office door. It extends into the lives of your employees, and your support can make all the difference.

    Remember, as the great humorist Erma Bombeck once said, “The only difference between an ordeal and an adventure is attitude.” Let’s turn the back-to-school season from an ordeal into an adventure, both for working parents and employers.

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    Gleb Tsipursky

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  • 3 Solutions That Help Alleviate Everyday Pressures Small Business Owners Face | Entrepreneur

    3 Solutions That Help Alleviate Everyday Pressures Small Business Owners Face | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Running a small business is no easy feat. While the concepts of flexibility, financial independence and personal fulfillment create a glamorized perception of what it’s like to be a small business owner, the role usually isn’t always rainbows and butterflies – particularly given often-rocky economic climates.

    Small business entrepreneurs often wear several hats, operating as the sales, marketing, finance and product development leads all at once. On top of juggling multiple roles, the global pandemic, followed by a turbulent economic environment, has further exacerbated existing challenges small business owners face by creating an even more unpredictable future.

    Decade-high inflation, rising interest rates and labor shortages have also played a substantial role in fueling concerns about a potential recession. These factors bring into question whether small businesses are resilient enough to weather the storm. And small businesses may be small individually, but they account for two out of every three jobs added in the past 25 years and constitute 99.9% of all businesses in the U.S. It’s safe to say their role in the economy is meaningful.

    If you run a small business, all of this likely resonates with you. We live in a world with increasing pressures from stakeholders, constantly changing customer expectations and volatile financial conditions — which for many, especially business owners — can make it hard to create clear distinctions between professional and personal emotions.

    However, despite current conditions, small business owners don’t need to forgo their personal lives to experience professional success. Knowing the emotional impacts of running a small business, identifying solutions to help lessen the burden and learning how to create (and enforce) a healthy work-life balance can help to alleviate pain points and allow entrepreneurs to forge a clear path forward.

    Related: 7 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Deal With Stress and Pressure

    1. Utilize business advisors and technology solutions to supercharge business growth

    Let’s face it — as small businesses grow, the likelihood of being able to manage all operations as a one-person show doesn’t seem feasible. Trying to juggle product development, various social media accounts, balance sheets and operations all in one as the business grows will eventually prove to be impossible.

    Leaning on external solutions and support is one way to expand a business and alleviate the added – and often unnecessary – pressures felt as a small business owner. These solutions can come in the form of either a trusted business advisor, an efficient technology solution or both. Leveraging external support often means getting the job done better, faster and more efficiently than you could on your own.

    Some examples of technology solutions business owners can utilize to help streamline the growth of their business include tapping into a CRM platform like HubSpot, which can automate follow-up reminders for current and prospective customers, manage a small business’s pipeline, and effectively generate new streams of revenue. Additionally, cloud accounting platforms like Xero can provide the financial tools necessary to run a business and help automate tedious tasks, freeing up time for business owners to put towards other business operations. For more efficient marketing and social media management, platforms like Hootsuite can help to streamline social media accounts and allow users to preemptively schedule content. Canva, an online design platform, helps business owners (even those who aren’t experts in design) create graphics with ease to utilize for social media, their website and more. Platforms like Shopify and Etsy are great for small business owners as well, as they allow merchants to create an online storefront to market and sell their products.

    According to recent data, a whopping 30% of small business owners still use spreadsheets to manage their accounting books, rather than utilizing software or an outside advisor. Research suggests that small businesses spend, on average, 30 days — an entire month — per year on accounting and administrative-related tasks. By digitizing the accounting function, business owners will not only free up more time to devote to business and personal ventures but there are benefits to the overall business as well, including minimizing room for error and providing more accurate and detailed reports. Additionally, working with a trusted outside advisor can help identify weaknesses in current processes that may not be obvious to the business. From there, business owners can work with their advisors to implement solutions in order to strengthen the foundation of their business.

    While it might seem intimidating for business owners to completely lean into technology solutions to help manage business functions, it’s beneficial to adopt in order to get ahead of competitors and best position your brand business in continuous economic volatility. The predictability of these solutions allows for a black-and-white picture of what’s to come and encourages the removal of emotions from important financial decisions.

    2. Establish mental, emotional and physical boundaries to achieve a healthy work-life balance

    While adopting technology solutions and trusting in business advisors can help to free up some of your time, it’s important to be mindful of how that time is used. Countless studies show that working long hours can inflict serious physical and emotional consequences. Despite this, many business owners still struggle to overcome pressures and neglect to create healthy habits that separate professional and personal interests.

    In order to create a healthy work-life balance, it’s important to create a sense of flexibility in your schedule that allows you to get things done in your professional life while still having the time and motivation to enjoy your personal life. Set work boundaries that allow for time spent with loved ones and create a setup that truly enables you to unplug from work-related tasks. There are different types of boundaries small business owners can set, including physical, mental and emotional.

    Physical boundaries pertain to your physical workspace. Creating a separate space that’s dedicated to solely work-related tasks can help to clearly define times dedicated to work priorities versus personal priorities and can make it easier to unplug at the end of the workday when you step out of your workspace. For those who work in an office, the same concepts apply, but it’s also important to establish boundaries with colleagues when you are focused on work. To establish this, individuals can put in place designated “office hours” that serves as a time for colleagues to pop by your desk with questions, proposals, etc. By creating this boundary, ideally, your time will be better allocated for individual-focused work time, versus collaboration time in the office, which can help free up some additional personal time at the end of the day.

    Setting mental and emotional boundaries as a business leader is essential to maintaining your wellbeing and preventing burnout – which are two important components of overall business success. As a business owner, there are a handful of tactics to incorporate into your business strategy to achieve this, both as an owner and for your employees. One way is by designating key roles, responsibilities and expectations for all employees. This can be achieved through tactical planning and reviewing both the short-and long-term goals of the business. On a regular basis (at least once a month), it’s important to assess how each employee is contributing to the company’s goals. By doing so, business owners will have a better sense of how they can adjust staffing to ensure these goals are being met. It also gives business owners the opportunity to assess the workload of other members of staff, which may require some staffing adjustments. From there, business owners should communicate expectations, responsibilities and feedback to employees, allowing for an open line of communication with any questions or concerns.

    By establishing these solutions across a business model, entrepreneurs can foster an environment for themselves and their employees that prioritizes well-being and work-life balance.

    Related: 7 Savings Strategies for Small Businesses in Uncertain Economic Climates

    3. Conduct periodic audits on business performance

    Conducting an audit to evaluate how each component of your business is contributing to the long-term goals of the company can provide valuable insight into where more focus is needed versus where to lean out. There are a few priority areas to assess within a business audit, including financials and operations. To conduct a financial audit, businesses should review their financial statements and balance sheets to ensure compliance, evaluate for any discrepancies and determine if there are areas to cut back on spend. Operational audits analyze the internal departments and processes that make up a business’s operations to identify if there are opportunities to finetune internal controls. To run this type of audit, business owners will need to define their operational audit objectives based on the goals of the business. From there, they can either hire an external company to perform an internal operational audit or plan to manage operations in-house by hosting internal interviews with key stakeholders and reviewing how the business is tracking against its short- and long-term goals.

    Additionally, identifying the core competencies where your skills and expertise are best utilized for your business to be successful is a helpful way to potentially weed out some tasks that may not require your energy. From there, you can adjust which areas of the business your contribution is needed, and which areas you could potentially reallocate your work to other team members. By assessing and adjusting your current workflow periodically, you’ll be able to maximize efficiency and productivity, freeing up time previously spent on less crucial activities. Conducting these sorts of assessments periodically is also important, as it allows you to make necessary shifts as business priorities may change. Always being heavily involved in the details makes it hard to step back and see the wood from the trees. Carving out time to work on the business, rather than in the business, is critical.

    Conclusion

    Regardless of the external factors impacting the health of a small business, owners need to remember that their emotional health should be of greater priority. Without taking the necessary steps to meaningfully address the emotional impacts of running a small business, it’ll prove difficult to succeed and take your business to the next level. Working with the right partners, adopting new technology and creating a healthy work-life balance can help to alleviate some of the everyday pressures that business owners face.

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    Ben Richmond

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  • Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian Challenges Work-Life Balance | Entrepreneur

    Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian Challenges Work-Life Balance | Entrepreneur

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    Technology entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian has a lot going on.

    In addition to building venture capital firm Seven Seven Six with a focus on software and empathy, the co-founder and former executive chairman of Reddit is raising daughter Olympia with tennis legend Serena Williams — and recently partnered with permanent-ink icon Sharpie.

    Life’s about to get even busier for Ohanian soon, as he’s expecting his second child with Williams at the end of this year.

    So how does he manage it all and strike a healthy work-life balance?

    Ohanian tells Entrepreneur he’d like to reframe the question.

    “I don’t think it’s about work-life balance,” he explains. “I don’t think anyone can really accomplish that. It’s not about balancing. If you’re chasing balance, you’re implying, like Thanos, [that] you’d be able to create something perfectly balanced. And the reality is work-life [is] never 50/50. You’ll never achieve anywhere close to that — nor should you.”

    But that doesn’t mean one area should be constantly prioritized over the other either.

    “There are times in your life where you will need to focus on the career, the work,” Ohanian says. “There are times in your life when you need to focus on life. It’s on a spectrum that’s ever-flowing back and forth.”

    Ohanian likens that ebb and flow to a relationship, noting that a partnership is never exactly 50/50. Sometimes you’ll come home from work with just 20% to give while your partner has 80%, he explains, but the key is keeping communication open amid the constant flux.

    Related: Work-Life Balance Is Simple. To Succeed at Work, Get a Life.

    Rituals, routine — and the “surprise and delight” factor

    Before getting married, Ohanian says he was perpetually in “CEO Mode” and “terrible” at finding any semblance of equilibrium between his work and personal life. He recalls pushing himself in his 20s, not thinking about what he ate or how often he exercised.

    That changed when he entered his 30s and became a father. “I was like, I need to change everything so that I can be around for as long as possible for this little one,” Ohanian recalls. “And that’s been one of the superpowers, frankly, of becoming a dad.”

    Today, Ohanian relies on the “discipline of routines” to keep himself grounded, even when it’s more difficult on the road. Right now, that looks like starting his morning off with a cold plunge; he spends 10 minutes in an ice tank before working out, taking a shower and having his first cup of coffee.

    He also takes some time to write down his daily goals in those early hours. Those might be personal or professional, Ohanian says.

    When he is at home, Ohanian sits down for dinner with his family at 6 p.m. every night — “without exception.” He also harnesses the power of “surprise and delight,” a tactic that can be just as effective during family time as it is in business.

    “It’s much more memorable when you break a pattern of someone’s expectations,” Ohanian explains. “These things we advise our founders to do, I also do for my daughter and my wife — that’s the other side of the routine of the discipline. If your default state has this kind of routine and expectations to it, then you also create the opportunity to do stuff that feels out of the ordinary and different.”

    Related: 3 Ways to Surprise and Delight Your Ecommerce Customers

    Take breaks and find activities that help you de-stress

    Ohanian also relies on a few helpful strategies when it comes to managing stress levels. He likes taking walks during the work day, sometimes making a phone call or two while he strolls his South Florida property, “a decent amount of space” complete with chickens and “a little farm action going on.”

    He’s also returned to drawing, a hobby he picked up as a child. Over the years, Ohanian’s used the skill to create several company logos, including Reddit’s. But today, the activity helps him “de-stress” (his preferred implement is the Sharpie S-Gel pen). And he’s been “thrilled” to see Olympia take to drawing as well.

    “Even before the Sharpie partnership, we were doing these drawing classes where I’d fire up YouTube — this was during Covid — [and go to the channel] Art for Kids,” Ohanian says. “It’s this whole family where they do drawing tutorials — the dad, kids, wife, and they draw together. I would do these with Olympia. Olympia gets so fired up [by this] drawing class, and I bring [Serena] into it, or if we have grandparents over at the house, they’ll do it too.”

    Related: 8 Ways to De-stress Yourself at Work in a Minute | Entrepreneur

    Ohanian acknowledges how many resources he has and how difficult reaching a healthy flow state can be for other entrepreneurs and professionals juggling their responsibilities at work and home. That’s why he’s a big advocate for paid family leave; Ohanian wants all American families to have access to it.

    With the right support, some people might even find that having a family unlocks new levels of professional ambition and success. Ohanian certainly found that to be the case for himself.

    “There’s this little human who you care more about than anything else in the world,” Ohanian says. “You actually don’t care about anything else in the world other than this kid’s perception of you. Another gear unlocks once you have that dose of humility, and it’s great. Like I said, ironically, I think it’s made me so much better. I think this chapter of my career as a dad is going to make the previous one look like amateur hour.”

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    Amanda Breen

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  • What Are Summer Hours? | Entrepreneur

    What Are Summer Hours? | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story was originally reported on ReadWrite and Calendar.

    In an effort to attract and retain workers, employers offer nontraditional perks across various industries. It is not uncommon for companies to implement summer office hours, such as Fridays off or reduced work hours, in order to give their employees a break.

    The history of Summer Fridays isn’t clear. However, some sources say it began in New York City during the 1960s when advertising executives would drive early on Friday morning to the Hamptons, a rich, rural area on Long Island.

    By the 21st century, 55% of employers offered summer Fridays. There are more summer hours schedule components than just Summer Fridays.

    You can offer your employees flexibility during the summer

    During the summer, staying productive at work can be challenging — to say the least. It’s a popular time of year to take vacations, visit family, and otherwise stay away from work. As a result of these factors, as well as the temptation to skip work to enjoy nice weather, summers are less productive.

    Related: Some People Aren’t Cut Out to Be Managers — And That’s Okay. Here’s What You Can Do Instead.

    If you offer summer hours, your employees can plan their work around vacations and holidays. When productivity dips, and projects take longer to complete, employees are more likely to complete them if they are provided incentives. In addition, employees are more likely to front-load their work week during summer hours.

    Increased productivity during the summer

    Continuing from the previous point, weather-based timetables make employees happier and more productive. Are you aware that happy people are also 12% more productive? This is a win-win situation for both your employees and your company.

    As a result of the increased focus, employees can accomplish more tasks. The assumption is often made that remote work on Fridays or on days off will negatively impact productivity. The opposite is true, according to Opinion Research Corporation. In the study, 66% of employees who enjoy summer hour benefits are more productive.

    Further, the 4 Day Week Global Foundation undertook a study in 2022 to determine the implications of a four-day work week, similar to the schedules of some businesses during the summer. The study found that businesses with reduced work hours were more productive and performed better. In some cases, revenue increased for these organizations.

    There is an upswing in morale among employees

    When the weather outside is nice, your employees might feel demotivated. However, when morale is low during the middle of the year, summer hours are a great way to boost it. This gives them something to look forward to at the end of the week.

    Related: Want To Make Money As a Freelancer? Avoid This Mistake That Can Cost You Clients.

    It is through all of these things that employee satisfaction can be improved. When there is a high level of employee morale, teammates work together more closely and are more self-confident.

    A higher level of employee satisfaction

    In order to increase employee satisfaction, companies can emphasize work-life balance and summer hours. This leads to more loyal employees and fewer employee departures.

    Absenteeism decreases

    Employees are allowed to take vacations or other obligations during summer hours, reducing absenteeism. Therefore, it is possible to run the workplace smoothly, and the costs of replacing absent employees are reduced.

    As stated by Circadian in their ‘Absenteeism: The Bottom-Line Killer,’ unscheduled absences cost hourly workers roughly $3,600 per year. For salaried employees, it costs roughly $2,650 per year.

    A greater level of creativity among employees

    Taking time off for vacations or sick leave encourages employees to be more creative, according to research. By doing so, new ideas and innovations can be generated.

    An increase in employee health and well-being

    It is also beneficial to your health to have summer hours. When your employees constantly work without time to play, their health can quickly deteriorate. In your role as an employer, you must promote a healthy work environment.

    In the words of the Families and Work Institution’s Senior Director of Research, Ken Matos, “The simple reality is that work, both mental and physical, results in fatigue that limit the cognitive and bodily resources people have to put towards their work.”

    Furthermore, your employees will benefit from summer schedules after working a 4 or 4.5-day week in hot weather. Employees with Fridays off can also take a 3-day vacation to relieve stress and prevent burnout.

    You can also reap long-term benefits from providing your employees with sick days or mental health days. As well as increasing employee engagement, corporate healthcare costs will likely decrease.

    An improved company culture

    Additionally, summer hours can contribute to a more relaxed, fun work environment. The result is an increase in employee engagement and productivity.

    As Patrick Whitesell, Co-CEO of WME, puts it bluntly, “You can have all the right strategy in the world; if you don’t have the right culture, you’re dead.”

    Trust and respect are demonstrated

    Offering flexible summer work hours is one of the most important benefits of showing respect to your employees. By providing this key benefit, employers signal to workers that they can trust them to take care of their responsibilities to the fullest extent possible on Fridays.

    Typically, these gestures of trust increase employee engagement and loyalty.

    Retention, sustainability, and cost savings are improved

    Again, summer hours are becoming increasingly important when recruiting and retaining top talent in an increasingly competitive job market. Because of this, companies are becoming increasingly dependent on flexible working arrangements. One way to demonstrate that your business is flexible is by offering summer hours to your employees.

    Also, by shutting down the entire office every week, businesses will save on electricity and other operational costs. In addition, your sustainable business model can contribute to the conservation of natural resources.

    Costs associated with turnover were reduced

    It can be expensive to hire, train, and replace an employee. However, turnover costs can be reduced by summer hours.

    According to some studies, it costs a business on average, 6 to 9 months’ salary to replace a salaried employee. For example, recruiting and training expenses typically amount to $30k to $45,000 for an employee earning $60k a year.

    Enhanced customer service

    When employees are happier and more productive, they are more likely to provide good customer service. Customer satisfaction and loyalty can increase, boosting the company’s profitability.

    Conclusion

    When offering summer hours to your employees, there are a few things to consider. The first step is ensuring that your company can handle the reduced hours without sacrificing productivity. Additionally, it would be best to inform your employees well before the change so they can plan accordingly. Lastly, it would be best if you were flexible and willing to adjust your schedule as needed.

    Summer hours can boost employee morale, productivity, and loyalty. With summer hours, your company can attract top talent and improve profits.

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    John Hall

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  • The Best (And Worst) Places to Start a Career in 2023 | Entrepreneur

    The Best (And Worst) Places to Start a Career in 2023 | Entrepreneur

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    Despite big cities like New York and Los Angeles historically serving as epicenters for new grads and individuals launching careers, when it comes to affordability and quality of life, there might be better options if you’re entering the workforce in 2023.

    According to a new report by Bankrate, Austin, TX is the best city in the U.S. to start a career in 2023, based on factors of affordability, job market, and quality of life. The city has become a viable option for young professionals as tech giants like Tesla, Meta, and IBM have arrived and continue to boom. Austin also boasts a lively music scene with a slew of outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking.

    Following Austin, Seattle, WA, and Salt Lake City, UT came in second and third, respectively, as the best places to start a career in 2023 for their affordability, breadth of employment options, and quality of life. Seattle in particular ranked No. 1 for employment opportunities, as the Washington city is home to big companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Microsoft.

    “The pandemic caused people to reevaluate what’s important to them versus what has been pushed, because the narrative before was that you graduate and you go to one of the major cities, and you make it work with roommates,” said Raquel Cid, career coach and founder of Coached by Cid, in the report.

    Related: These 15 U.S. States Have the Highest Employment Levels, According to a New Report

    Individuals entering the workforce may have a tougher time in their new surroundings in places such as San Bernardino, CA, Birmingham, AL, and Sacramento, CA — which ranked in the bottom three of the report. Despite the near-perfect weather of California and the Southern charm of Alabama, the areas lack employment opportunities and affordability, making them suboptimal places to launch one’s career.

    As far as the tired and true post-grad routes of Los Angeles and New York, those cities both ranked near the bottom, coming in at No. 40 and No. 43, respectively.

    See below for the top five best and worst places to launch a career in 2023, according to Bankrate.

    Top 5 best places to start a career:

    1. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX

    • Affordability rank: 12
    • Employment opportunity rank: 3
    • Quality of life rank: 1

    2. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

    • Affordability rank: 20
    • Employment opportunity rank: 1
    • Quality of life rank: 4

    3. Salt Lake City, UT

    • Affordability rank: 29
    • Employment opportunity rank: 2
    • Quality of life rank: 9

    4. Raleigh-Cary, NC

    • Affordability rank: 4
    • Employment opportunity rank: 6
    • Quality of life rank: 2

    5. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN

    • Affordability rank: 17
    • Employment opportunity rank: 8
    • Quality of life rank: 6

    Top 5 worst places to start a career:

    1. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

    • Affordability rank: 47
    • Employment opportunity rank: 50
    • Quality of life rank: 33

    2. Birmingham, AL

    • Affordability rank: 14
    • Employment opportunity rank: 44
    • Quality of life rank: 50

    3. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA

    • Affordability rank: 44
    • Employment opportunity rank: 36
    • Quality of life rank: 17

    4. Memphis, TN

    • Affordability rank: 22
    • Employment opportunity rank: 48
    • Quality of life rank: 49

    5. New Orleans-Metairie, LA

    • Affordability rank: 42
    • Employment opportunity rank: 41
    • Quality of life rank: 48

    You can see the full list here.

    Related: 7 of the 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in the U.S. Are in One State

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    Madeline Garfinkle

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  • Remote Employees Are Taking Secret ‘Hush Trips’: Study | Entrepreneur

    Remote Employees Are Taking Secret ‘Hush Trips’: Study | Entrepreneur

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    Have you joined the growing number of people taking “hush trips”? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.)

    A hush trip is a vacation that you take without telling your bosses — or using any precious PTO days. And it is an under-the-radar practice in today’s work-from-home and hybrid landscape.

    Related: Here’s Why Every Employee Should Have Unlimited Vacation Days

    The hush trip trend was illuminated by a recent study conducted by Price4Limo.com, which surveyed 1,010 full-time employees working in America to find out their vacation habits, favorite destinations and time spent getting away from it all.

    The most interesting part is that last bit. “Getting away from it all” has taken on a new meaning these days. Forty-five percent of those surveyed said they have recently been on a “workcation,” which means they left home for a sunnier destination but sat on the beach building spreadsheets rather than sandcastles. Sounds fun, right?

    The top three reasons respondents gave for taking a workcation were:

    • Visiting family or friends
    • Needed a change of scenery
    • Wanted an off-hours vacation while maintaining productivity at work

    These reasons, the study writers say, “underscore Americans’ desire for a better work-life balance.” (Working through vacation days doesn’t sound very balanced to us, but we’re not here to tell anyone how to live their lives.)

    Related: 3 Steps to That Unplugged, Peace-of-Mind Vacation People Talk About

    These workcations come with an agreement between employers and employees (“Yes, I will be away and yes, you can pester me with emails all day long.”) But hush trips? That’s a whole different deal.

    Hush vacations involve pretending to work from home while you are actually swimming up to the pool bar instead.

    Experts that Price4Limo.com consulted say that hush trips are problematic for many reasons, primarily the possibility of losing trust or getting canned if your superiors find out. Is it worth the stress knowing you could easily get busted if a volleyball game breaks out behind you during a Zoom call? We have to believe that if you are taking a hush trip, you’re probably not very invested in keeping your job, so stress might not factor in too much.

    Related: I Worked From Vegas Without Telling My Boss. It Was Perfect — Until I Had a Surprise Zoom Call in a Casino.

    Whether respondents were taking a workcation or a hush trip, Price4Limo.com asked them where they liked to go. The top five cities:

    1. Minneapolis
    2. Miami
    3. Tampa
    4. Atlanta
    5. Oakland

    Take that South Beach, Minneapolis is where it’s at! Read the entire list and other findings from the survey here. Just maybe ask your boss first if you plan to read it on company time.

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    Dan Bova

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  • ‘The war on remote work is not over.’ But one group in particular is heading back to the office.

    ‘The war on remote work is not over.’ But one group in particular is heading back to the office.

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    As the fight between bosses and workers over returning to the office keeps entering new rounds, new data show how much in-office attendance ramped up last year — especially for white-collar workers with high levels of education.

    But even still, the return to the office has been two different stories for men and women. From 2021 to 2022, men spent more time at the workplace while women spent the same amount of time working from home year-over-year.

    Last year, 34% of workers said they worked from home at least part of the time, according to the annual Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of how Americans spend their time.

    That was down from the 38% of employed people who said the same in 2021 — and a deeper look into Thursday’s data reveals an even more pronounced, but uneven, reduction in the number of people who are working remotely.

    More than one quarter of men in 2022 said they spend at least some of their working time at home, while 41% of women said they had work-from-home in their job schedule. One year earlier, it was a different story for men, but not for women. Over one-third of men, 35%, said working from home was part of their routine while 42% of women said the same.

    It may be a reminder of the juggle that women face between their personal and professional lives. For example, in homes with children under age 6, women spent just over an hour each day caring for their children while men in those households spent half that amount. That breakdown was unchanged between 2022 and 2021, the data showed.

    Meanwhile, the return-to-office trend accelerated for more educated workers from 2021 to 2022. In 2021, 60% of people with at least a bachelor’s degree said they did some of their work from home. In 2022, the share fell to 54% doing some work from home.

    When the pandemic shut down offices and other workplaces, people with higher levels of education often had greater chances of being able to stay home while they worked.

    That dynamic is still at play now, although the differences between groups are becoming less stark. Last year and in 2021, the share of people with no college degree who said they worked from home at least some of the time stayed below 20%.

    It’s unclear what was driving highly-educated workers to spend more time in the office between 2021 and 2022, said Stephan Meier, a Columbia Business School professor who chairs the school’s management division. Some of it could be attributed to return-to-office policies, but it might also be due to growing comfort with vaccination and public-health measures as the pandemic continued, he said.

    “What I would care about is who goes to the office and who doesn’t want to go to the office,” he said.

    The overall change in numbers is not “a major shift,” said Meier, who teaches students and executives about the future of work. “What those numbers show to me is that the war on remote work is not over.”

    The year-over-year decline fits with the trends that Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford University, is seeing in his own research analyzing where people say they are working these days. Even if there’s less remote work happening, Bloom said, his research shows the “rate of decline is itself declining.”

    Bloom thinks the rate of remote work may bottom out next year. “I predict longer-run, from 2025 onwards, this will start to rise again as remote-work technology — hardware, software, [virtual reality, augmented reality], etc. — gets better and continues the long-run rise of [working from home].”

    Between May and December 2020, Bureau of Labor Statistics research showed, 42% of employed people said they spent least some of their time working from home as COVID-19 upended daily life.

    As a whole, the BLS survey on how Americans use their time paints a picture of a slow return to the office — but not necessarily a return to the way things were before COVID-19.

    Before the pandemic, 24% of workers said they spent some of their time working from home, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    This year, office foot traffic has edged higher, but the rise is incremental and uneven. Earlier in June, average weekly office occupancy surpassed 50% for the first time in three months, according to an ongoing gauge from Kastle Systems, a security-technology provider.

    One week later, the company’s barometer of average occupancy across 10 major cities dropped back below 50%. In the data from early June, Tuesdays tended to be the busiest days for offices, and Fridays were the slowest.

    Meier said he wouldn’t be surprised if next year’s time-use survey reveals even less time spent working from home. But this is a transitional moment in which businesses are figuring out the particular version of hybrid work duties and office setups that work for them, he said.

    “Personally, I do think there is something magical about being in person,” Meier said. “Does it need to be five days a week? Absolutely not.”

    See also: Salesforce is trying a ‘cute gimmick’ to get workers back to the office, but it may fall flat

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  • How to Disrupt Hustle Culture and Build a Business That Supports Your Life | Entrepreneur

    How to Disrupt Hustle Culture and Build a Business That Supports Your Life | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    I grew up immersed in hustle culture. As a girl, I watched my Dad scarf his food and rush out the door, leaving us at the table. Mom explained, “Sabrina, your Dad never ate a relaxed meal as a family. They always ate on the go, usually out of the concession stand: popcorn, hot dogs and soda pop.”

    In my Dad’s childhood, everything revolved around the family businesses. My grandpa, “Slim” Starling, owned a service station. To sell more gasoline, he put a big screen on the roof of his filling station and gave purchasers of five gallons of gas a free ticket to the show. Cars came in droves. Gas sales boomed!

    There was work to do. Now, not only are they in the service station business, but they are in the drive-in movie theater business. It was tough to find good help. The family ran the businesses. Everyone worked, even my father, a child at the time. The businesses, as successful as they were, took over their lives.

    Related: 5 Traits and Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs in 2023

    Growing up, I saw my Dad always on the go, never taking a break. Work always came first, and there was always more to do. This mentality was harmful. In graduate school, I juggled teaching, a practicum, a full courseload and writing my dissertation. My mind buzzed with what I needed to do. I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. I turned down my friends’ invitations because there was always work to do.

    In my 30’s, I was a hot mess of anxiety. I signed up for a yoga class and learned there were spaces between breaths. I realized it’s possible to pause in life. To this point, I have filled the pauses, rushing through the breaths and life because there is work to do.

    When pregnant with my first daughter, I was determined to get a handle on this. I quit my job to start my coaching business and control my time. You likely are picking up on the flaw in my thinking. Simultaneously having a baby and starting a business made it challenging to manage my time.

    A few months after my daughter is born, I rocked her to sleep in a dark room with just enough light from the moon shining through the window for me to read The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. Like most of us, I realized I was doing it all wrong. Hard work does not lead to success as an entrepreneur. Grinding it out grinds us up.

    Related: Health Is Wealth: How to Move Away From Hustle Culture

    When I met Michael Gerber a few years later, I asked the question I carried with me, “I coach business owners and help them have a better life. Yet, I am doing it all. How do I build a team and a repeatable business model?” He replied, “My dear, I own a coaching company, and I have never coached a day in my life!”

    That answer ticked me off. He told me nothing — Yet, he told me everything. He is telling me to think differently about my role. If I continue doing my work, I will get a similar result. Not only do I have to think differently, but I also have to show up differently. My very being had to shift.

    I started asking myself a different question: “What’s possible?” and I became clear on what I wanted — a business to support my life. I wanted to work no more than 25 hours weekly to be present with my family. That’s one of the best decisions I ever made.

    Related: Hustle Culture Is Killing Your Greatness

    Limits force innovation. A 25-hour workweek over the last 18 years forced me to be effective, not busy. I paid attention to what worked and did more of it. I focus on my $ 10,000-an-hour activities daily and let the rest go. My business continued to grow; I cared for my health and was present with my family.

    I have made mistakes, experienced setbacks and learned from the school of hard knocks. I’ve also been privileged to coach thousands of entrepreneurs. We start with the question: “What are your wins and successes?” I’ve tracked the answers, focusing on what works to get the best results — a profitable business and a good quality of life at the same time.

    I study successful entrepreneurs, collecting data from over 400 with our Better Business, Better Life Assessment. Clear patterns distinguish successful entrepreneurs with profitable businesses and a high quality of life from those burning out. The majority, 9 out of ten entrepreneurs, are burning out. One out of 10 is not burning out. I am excited to share what we are doing differently in future articles.

    I’m on a mission to disrupt hustle culture in entrepreneurship. Hustle culture reinforces the notion that you must sacrifice your life to have a successful business. Hustle culture would make us believe that’s just how it is.

    Related: Why Hustle Culture Might Be Toxic to Your Business

    I believe in a different possibility for entrepreneurship. I believe work supports life, not the other way around. You don’t have to sacrifice your health, well-being and important relationships for the sake of the business. I invite you to declare that your business will support your life. You will be better for it, and so will your business.

    I did not let my clients know I worked 25 hours per week for years. They were working 60 or more hours per week. I feared they would judge me for not having a “real” business. When a team member said, “Dr. Sabrina, not only do you have a real business, you have a really cool business,” I knew it was time to share what’s possible.

    Limits force innovation. Limits force you to put systems in place and train your team. You can leave work at 5, or earlier, each day. You can turn off your phone in the evenings. You can take weekends off. You can exercise. You can be fully present with your family. You will be better for it, and so will your business.

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    Dr. Sabrina Starling

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