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The fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving) has been a federal holiday since 1863. That means many Americans get the day off from work. A 2016 Bloomberg BNA survey found that 99% of employers gave workers paid time off on Turkey Day. Another 80% said workers also get paid time off the Friday after Thanksgiving. The respondents were mostly froimn the white collar sector. This article is being written on Thanksgiving, at a Starbucks in San Jose. Thus at least myself and three baristas behind the counter are working.
The 21st century is the age of meetings in the workplace. A 2014 Wall Street Journal report found that time spent in meetings increased by 10% every year from 2000 to 2014. Part of that is due to technology providing multiple platforms that facilitate meetings with personnel in multiple locations. The same WSJ report found that 73% of meetings involve fewer than four people.
The Monday preceding Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. This period spans about five weeks, culminating in Bay Area residents rooting for Stanford, Cal-Berkeley and San Jose State in college bowl games. Unfortunately only Cal is bowl eligible as of publishing. Meanwhile Human Resources and other managers are grappling with the realities that comes with the annual festivities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosted the second annual EPA Recycling Summit today to honor America Recycles Day. The organization brought together leaders from green energy and recycling sectors, along with individuals from the highest levels of government, to continue the dialogue it commenced at the first summit last year.
The Golden State unemployment rate has reached record lows, with the Bay Area job outlook providing even more positive news. The California unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in October, according to data released today by the state’s Employment Development Division. The state added 23,600 non-farm jobs, and continued it's record expansion. California has added 3.37 million jobs since 2010, accounting for 15% of the 22.2 million jobs added across the country in that time.
The 21st century Bay Area office worker has a pretty consistent routine across the board. Wake up at 6 a.m., shower, have a bagel and a cup of coffee before getting on your bike and heading to the BART station. Those with cars get up at 6:30 and brave rush hour traffic for 45 minutes to travel 10-15 miles. You arrive at the office, check for any paper memos at your desk, check your email, and yes, check Slack.
Office furniture and design is unique to a company's brand and culture. It's never a good idea to incorporate a specific style for the sake of being trendy. These circumstances played out at one of the world's largest corporations, headquartered right here in the Bay Area.
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