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Whether you are an Uber or Lyft driver, have an Etsy or Freelancer.com profile, or just browse relevant Craigslist sections daily, you are part of the gig economy. A 2018 Gallup poll found that 36% of American workers are part of the gig economy, a term that was popularized during the Great Recession. While many do gigs as side hustles, Gen-X members (people in their 40s and early 50s) are the most likely to rely on gigs as their full-time jobs.
Downsizing has become the trend du jour in both home and office settings. Data compiled by Trulia in 2017 found that 60% of homeowners living in houses 2,000 square feet or larger said they will find a smaller house if/when they move from the current dwelling. Small business owners are downsizing their office spaces as well not only to save money on rental and energy costs, but also to accommodate the concurrent trend of more workers telecommuting.
Time is money in the business world. Every moment your office is in flux due to an impending or actual move from one space to another is lowering profit margins and productivity. Relocating an office is a multifaceted process that not only involves the physical movement of furniture and equipment, but also potential reorganization and adjustments to keep employees happy.
The typical office worker today has more distractions than their counterparts in any other time in history. A 2016 Express Employment Professionals survey found that 38% of business leaders cited constant emails and interruptions from co-workers and others as the biggest sources of wasted time in the office. But “general disorganization” was cited by 9% of business leaders as the primary time waster. Best-selling author Stephanie Winston wrote in her book The Organized Executive that the average executive loses about an hour per day in productivity due to clutter and disorganization.
Linus Van Pelt of the Peanuts once said that there are three things you never talk about at the dinner table: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin. Granted Linus was saying its best to not ruffle feathers when family travels from long distances for holidays. But this general maxim holds true in the office as well. Keep your opinions about the President, Congress, and other political figures to yourself. Office politics, however, are inevitably going to be part of your daily routines.
The average U.S. household spends $11,666 per year on daycare, according to the National Association of Child Care Resources & Referral Agencies. That is more than a lot of people pay for rent, and more than the average in-state tuition for a year in college. But we cannot put a price on our children's safety and well-being.
The American Institute of Stress found that 65% of American workers experience stress that causes difficulties not only at the workplace, but at home as well when the workday is over. Many U.S. firms have embraced 21st century trends like extending work-from-home opportunities, paid time off, and flexible scheduling to combat the realities of stress. But smaller companies may not have the resources to grant these types of benefits.
The U.S. experienced a decline in employer hiring in February after two very strong months of job activity, according to New Jersey-based software firm iCims. The company’s Monthly Hiring Indicator (MHI) showed hiring dipped 8.5%, while new job opening were down 7.4% after seasonal adjustments.
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