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Research paints a positive picture for telecommuting and companies that fully embrace it. A 2014 study by Stanford University found that call center workers were 13% more productive when they worked from home. Researchers at the University of Texas found that remote workers stayed on the clock upwards of seven hours longer than their in-office counterparts at call centers. Software firm PGi found in a 2014 survey that 82% of telecommuters reported less stress. The survey also found that 80% reported improved morale and 70% were more productive.
The Bay Area is once again showing positive signs of emerging from a weeks-long pattern of COVID-19 abyss. Hospitalizations in the nine-county metro area dropped from 963 on July 31 to 706 on August 30, according to state data. That's a 27% decrease in a month.
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. The U.S. Small Business Association estimated that there were 30.7 million business with under 500 employees in the country in 2019. But businesses with fewer than 100 employees account for over 98% of all U.S. companies. Small businesses account for 64% of all new jobs created annually in the U.S. The coronavirus pandemic has unfortunately forced dramatic change on many of the foregoing statistics.
The 51st annual World Series of Poker is normally held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this time of year. The $10,000 buy-in Main Event was scheduled for July 1 - 3, with several other events on the venue from May 26 to July 11. But organizers announced on April 20 that the event would be postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are hoping the event can still take place this fall. Nevada, however, is one of several states with a mandatory mask mandate right now. Unless something changes quickly, it does not appear the event will take place at all this year. Poker players in Nevada and New Jersey have the opportunity to play online events this month at WSOP.com. They can win championship bracelets and large purses in these events, but nothing close to the $10 million first prize in last year's Main Event.
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses in the Bay Area and across the country. An April survey by insurance firm Main Street America concluded that 3.5 million U.S. small businesses would close permanently by mid-June; and a total of 7.5 million would close by the fall. The government allocated $349 billion in forgivable loans for small businesses in the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill. But several reports found that large corporations with over $100 million in revenues, including Shake Shack Inc. and Potbelly Corp., received funds from the package meant for small businesses.
California is once again making headlines related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide mandate, requiring all Californians to wear masks outside their home. The only exceptions are people engaged in outdoor recreation, children younger than 2 years old, and those sitting down to eat in restaurants. The mandate comes one week after Orange County lifted its mask mandate. Newsom cited rising numbers in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state.
The Bay Area is slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy as the novel coronavirus still looms in the background. Several California counties gave the green light for numerous businesses to reopen with certain restrictions on Friday, June 12. The Stage 3 plans allow bars, gyms, movie theaters and a few other industries to operate across the state. But all of them will look different from pre-lockdown days.
Bay Area check cashing companies have always utilized tempered glass barriers as a means of separating customers from the employees. Most banks utilize ballistic glass barriers. Both of these setups had security in mind when first developed. The idea was to deter would-be robbers and give employees a few extra seconds to take the necessary actions. But now these barriers are serving a new purpose in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Coronavirus has changed life for just about everyone in the country. The U.S. Department of Labor reported 30.3 million unemployment claims in the last six weeks. That smashed all previous weekly and monthly jobless claim number since the Labor Departmenr began keeping records in 1948. The restaurant, hospitality and entertainment industries have been hit the hardest.
Social distancing, lockdown and shelter-in-place were unfamiliar terms to most Americans just six weeks ago. But it appears all three will be frequent fliers on the U.S. vernacular plane for the foreseeable future.
The terms introvert and extrovert came about after World War I. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung first described extroversion as an "outward" libido, and introversion an "inward" libido. Jung's definition of libido is quite different than that of Sigmund Freud's. The latter's theories centered around sexual gratification, whereas Jung's "libido" referred to any and all factors that motivated people to do things.
You cannot browse social media or watch television news for more than a few minutes without reading or hearing about coronavirus. San Francisco Mayor London Breed is the latest government official across the globe to take drastic measures in response to the disease. She declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, as confirmed cases of the diseases now exceed 83,000 globally. It's starting to hit close to home as well.
We did it! The San Francisco 49ers are in Miami for Super Bowl LIV. The NFC Championship against Green Bay was supposed to be quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's biggest test of the year. He was going against future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a red-hot Packers team that had won six straight games. The last time the Packers lost was in Week 12 - a 37-8 shellacking by the 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The NFC title was essentially a rerun.
E-cigarettes took the United States by storm around the same time Facebook and smartphones were becoming ubiquitous. The first generation of "ECIGS" hit the European market in 2006, and came to America the following year, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Respiratory Research. The handheld, battery-operated devices were marketed as healthier alternatives to smoking that help people ween off cigarettes. But a 2016 report by the U.S. Surgeon General indicated that vaping is a gateway product to cigarettes.
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.
You arrive downtown after your daily morning commute via BART and Muni. The 10-minute walk through crowded San Francisco sidewalks provides time to devise your morning schedule. But you walk into the office at 7:45 a.m., fire up the laptop, and immediately see an email calling for an 8 a.m. meeting. The departmental meeting is at 10:30 a.m., followed by the company-wide Monday morning meeting at 11:30 a.m.
Frank Lee Morris was sent to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in the San Francisco Bay on January 20, 1960. He had escaped from another prison and was recaptured. John Anglin was sent to Alcatraz on October 24, 1960. He had attempted escaping several federal prisons. His brother Clarence Anglin arrived at Alcatraz on January 10, 1961. All three men were serving 10-15 year sentences for robbery and burglary. But all of them served their last night in Alcatraz on June 12, 1962. They swam, with the help of a makeshift raft, 1.5 miles from Alcatraz to Angel Island. The story from there is anybody's guess.
California is the nationwide trendsetter in the ongoing saga of flame retardants in office furniture. It began in the early 1970s when state regulators pressured tobacco companies to manufacturer self-extinguishing cigarettes. The goal was to reduce the risk of fires in homes, offices and elsewhere caused by negligent smokers. Tobacco companies did not want to change their products, so they changed the narrative instead.
Humans are animals at the core. That’s why nature is so fascinating to us all. A hot spring in Wyoming, the seasonal migration of bison in Tanzania, a beautiful sunset, the smell of rain…all these things invoke some combination of awe, relaxation and joy in everyone.
The Eco Office team works hard refurbishing office furniture, devising office layouts and meeting with Bay Area clients throughout the week. But everyone needs time off to rest, relax and replenish. Living in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area means you are within three hours of virtually every ecosystem and climate the planet has to offer.
It’s no secret that the Bay Area is one of the most pricey cities to live and work in the United States. San Francisco is second only to Manhattan on Kiplinger’s 2019 list of most expensive cities to live in the United States. The median home value in the city is $927,400, and average rent for apartments is a cool $3,821. Oakland is seventh on the list, with a cost of living nearly 55% higher than the U.S. average.
The Bay Area is known for its disruptive technology and trend-setting inventions. Tech startups set up shop in Silicon Valley and beyond due to the networking opportunities, favorable intellectual property laws, and the large pools of investors eager to bet on opportunistic ideas. San Francisco was ground zero for electric scooter rentals, and even produced the Twitter hashtag #Scootergate after city officials seized dozens of them last year for blocking sidewalks. Smart glasses, subscription car services and virtual reality were all born, or at least nurtured, here in the Bay Area.
The saying is oft-repeated: time is a human construct. And depending which surveys you choose to believe, most U.S. workers are counting the minutes until 5 0'clock on Friday.
Money doesn’t necessarily buy happiness and that cliche played itself out in the annual Best Company Culture survey by Comparably.
Costco earned the top spot on the list of large companies (over 500 employees) despite workers reporting that pay is “not spectacular,” but still above average. The company received 86% positive reviews, with employees citing several perks, including paid company picnics, stock options and free memberships for themselves and all immediate family. Work-life balance is also a contributing factor, with 70% of workers saying they are not overwhelmed and/or overworked.
Bay Area office space has always been pricey. But premiums today have reached levels not seen since the dot-com boom at the turn of the millennium. Renting office space in San Francisco’s central business district will set you back $81.25 per square foot as of Q3 2018, according to data compiled by brokerage house Cushman & Wakefield. That number surpassed the previous record high of $80.16 per square foot in Q4 2000.
July 12, 2019
July 12, 2019
It’s likely you’re one of those office managers or business owners who have clicked through hundreds of Pinterest photos showing some really cool office spaces. Granted most of these photos are doing to exceed the budgets of most companies. But there are numerous used office furniture options that can greatly mitigate costs, while helping you create the office perfect for your brand and culture.
The concept of spring cleaning is said to originate from a tradition related to the Iranian New Year, which is the first day of spring. Everything in the home is thoroughly cleaned, from the curtains to the carpet. Spring has also traditionally been the season for businesses to renovate, redecorate, and move to completely different spaces as the weather warms up and the days get longer.
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 global office furniture market is expected to reach unprecedented heights by 2027, fueled by increased demand for modular furniture in the corporate sector, according to a report released by MarketResearch.biz. Another report by IndustryResearch.biz predicts that the office furniture market will experience a 4.7% compound annual growth rate due again to corporate demand, with the industry exceeding $94 billion by 2025.
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