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☆ Offices are more than 50% filled for the first time since the pandemic started
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Nearly three years after the pandemic began, American offices are finally more than halfway filled again as workers have gradually returned to the office. Office occupancy across 10 major US cities crossed 50.4% of pre-pandemic levels for the first time since early 2020, according to security swipe tracker Kastle Systems. That marks the first time occupancy has crossed the 50% mark since March 2020, when many offices sent workers home because of Covid. Disney is ordering corporate employees to return to offices four days a week beginning March 1. The protest involves more than 40 contractors for YouTube Music, according to the Alphabet Workers Union, which is backing the strike.

☆ Taking a secret 'hush trip' could help with burnout — but might land your company a surprise tax bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

More remote workers are traveling without their employer's permission, also known as "hush trips." "Anybody loves the opportunity to be productive in paradise rather than in their home office," Pokora told Insider. "I think as long as remote work stays an option and working from home in general we're going to see more of this." Hush trips are the most recent addition to the growing lexicon at the intersection of work and travel, joining longtime favorites "bleisure," "workation" and "digital nomad." On the employer's side, hush trips can cause tax and legal headaches if they go on for too long, Courtney Leyes, a partner at the law firm Fisher Phillips, told Insider.

☆ Remote work hasn't actually saved Americans much time — they're mainly just working more
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Not having to commute could mean getting to partake in leisure activities — or more time to get work done. A working paper looked at how people working from home are using their time saved by not commuting. In the US, 23 minutes of this time saved goes to jobs, 19 minutes on leisure, and four minutes on caregiving. Looking at just the results for these wealthy democracies, the US stands out for its lack of minutes saved. This isn't just the case for remote workers in the US; other countries like France also saw workers using most of their saved time on work.

☆ A couple who moved from the US to Costa Rica and saves $1,500 a month thinks more Americans should move abroad
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Zach Gerth recently moved to Costa Rica, a small country in Central America with many English speakers. Zach Gerth and Anna Sosdian's Costa Rican home. Courtesy of Zach Gerth. Courtesy of Zach Gerth. Courtesy of Zach Gerth.

☆ I've worked remotely from 15 different countries. Here's what I've learned and what I'd never do again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In addition to Italy, over the last five years, Cook has worked in Kenya, Thailand, and 12 other countries. At the time, startups were the only type of company I found that were open to fully remote work. When I started doing this in 2018, remote working like this wasn't as common as it is now. Now, since more people have access to this life because of remote work, a number of companies have cropped up for this exact kind of thing. Cook serving another participant in the Italy program during dinner.

☆ The economy, funding, and 3 other small-business challenges entrepreneurs will face in 2023, according to founders
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Marketing and customer acquisitionBeatrice Dixon, a cofounder and the CEO of the Honey Pot Company. Beatrice DixonBeatrice Dixon, a cofounder and the CEO of the feminine-care brand Honey Pot Company"Continued market saturation. I think there will be dilutive market saturation, and the challenge then becomes the ability to actively communicate your 'why' through undeveloped tactics or channels." After IOS14 privacy updates, social ads do not work like they used to, so founders need to get creative in how they are acquiring new customers." Consumers can also agree that we don't need more content, ideas, or strategies.

☆ Starbucks is inviting social workers to assist homeless people at some of its cafés
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But as homeless people seek refuge in cafés, Starbucks has invited outreach workers to talk them. Starbucks contracts with outreach workers in eight US cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle. Recently, the Seattle-based chain has opted to bring in outreach workers to assist homeless people, The Guardian reported. Starbucks cafés in eight US cities, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Chicago, are part of the two-year-old program, according to the article. The company changed its bathroom policy after a racial-discrimination incident in which a Black customer was denied access to the bathroom.

☆ The Job Market for Remote Workers Is Shrinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Ray A. Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many prospective workers who were determined to get a remote job just a few months ago are hitting a wall as remote listings rapidly dwindle. After remote work surged during the pandemic, fewer employers now feel the need to lure talent with the promise of working from home. Remote jobs made up 13.2% of postings advertised on LinkedIn last month—down from 20.6% in March. Other job sites such as Indeed.com and ZipRecruiter also report declines in remote listings.

Potanin is estimated to be Russia's richest or second richest person thanks to his stake in metals giant Nornickel (GMKN.MM). Maksut Shadaev, the head of Russia's ministry of digital affairs, told parliament in December that around 100,000 IT specialists had left Russia in 2022. Other hawkish politicians have advocated hitting remote workers and emigres with higher taxes and stripping them of their passports and Russian assets. Potanin said Moscow badly needs remote workers including computer programmers to help its battered economy recover. "No-one is convinced these measures will work," said the doctor, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals.

☆ 10 cities where home buyers actually have a chance of scoring an affordable home in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Realtor.com has ranked the top places where homebuyers can still get a good deal in 2023. That wouldn't be surprising considering that US housing affordability fell to a 10-year low, the National Association of Home Builders announced in November. At a time where the typical home is priced near $400,000, a good indicator of a housing market's health is the balance between home sales and price growth. However, just because a city may be relatively affordable compared to others doesn't mean that it's the perfect fit for everyone. When buying a home it's also important to consider the cost of living, as well as access to jobs, schools, healthcare and food.

☆ You need more than a remote job to become a 'digital nomad.' From taxes to visas, here's what you should know before working internationally
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

From visa issues to taxes, becoming a "digital nomad" can be a logistical nightmare. Some digital nomads fed-up with the complicated rulebook for remote work are going incognito. "From a regulatory standpoint, even domestically hopping from state to state is just a massive cluster," Nubern told Insider. More recently, countries have attempted to set up clearer tax rules, travel guidelines, and minimum income requirements through "digital nomad visas." Even if you're a digital nomad and making $100k, the math doesn't really add up," Nubern said.

☆ Floridians can blame vacation homes and 'oppressive' homeowners associations for their high rents, economist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Too many vacation rentals and strict homeowners associations are pushing up housing costs, a study said. According to Johnson, there are too many vacation rentals in the Sunshine State. It's this particular combination of strict HOA rules and the sheer number of vacation rentals is a mixture that is affecting housing affordability negatively, he said. According to Johnson's study, Florida is now home to 9 of the 21 most overpriced rental markets in the US. The number of vacation rentals in the state is only making it harder for people to find affordable places to rent, the study suggests.

☆ Microsoft's reported $10 billion OpenAI bet is a gamble on the future of AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Matt Weinberger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

We're less than two weeks into 2023, and it's already become clear that OpenAI's ChatGPT will be the defining technology of the year. But it just goes to show you how much confidence Microsoft and others have in the future of AI. Still, that $29 billion valuation is rich for a company with limited revenue and the high costs of running advanced AI. Read Insider's list of the top 12 AI tools that are helping content creators do their work, from dubbing to writing copy, according to industry insiders. Read Insider's guide on how to take a Snapchat screenshot without alerting the other party.

☆ Marc Benioff may be right that Salesforce's young, remote employees are hurting the company's productivity. But it's not their fault.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Shana Lebowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Salesforce's CEO said the company's younger, remote workers may be less productive than their peers. It's possible that Salesforce's younger, remote employees are less productive than the rest of the staff. But it's unlikely that the problem is remote work itself, or the work ethic of remote employees, based on the growing body of research on flexible work. The problem isn't remote work — it's how remote workers are managedBut Salesforce's problem probably isn't necessarily that it permits remote work. On the other hand, Neeley wrote, leaders who micromanage their employees' time "are the kiss of death in hybrid work."

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger orders workers to return to the office 4 days a week
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Disney CEO Bob Iger is clamping down on remote workers. Iger, who recently returned to Disney’s helm after a brief hiatus, ordered employees to return to corporate offices four days a week beginning March 1. In an email sent to employees obtained by CNN, he said that employees work better together in-person. Iger returned to Disney in November 2022, replacing predecessor Bob Chapek after a tumultuous, brief tenure. Snapchat’s parent company recently asked workers to return to the office 80% of the time, or the equivalent of four days a week, beginning in February.

☆ Millennials are now the 'roommate generation' after being squeezed out of homeownership by high housing costs, said Redfin CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman warns that millennials could become the 'roommate generation' due to high housing costs. Millennial homebuyers may find reprieve in the Midwest or quickly-deflating markets like Boise or Salt Lake City. "We have a whole group of Americans who can't afford homes, and that's happening right as Millennials are coming of homebuying age," Kelman said. One reason is that homes in these markets are typically selling for under their list price. Meanwhile, 59% of homes in Chicago are selling for under their asking price as of October 2022 compared to 45.5% of homes selling for under ask across the US.

☆ 6 reasons why moving to Florida can be a major disappointment, from surprisingly high tax bills to severe storms that 'should be an eye opener'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The appreciation rates that we've seen in South Florida have been much higher than the national average," Bordenaro said. Newcomers moving to Florida have also been shocked at property tax bills that are higher than they expected, Insider's Kelsey Neubauer reported. Because of rising sea levels, many homes in South Florida are at a higher risk for disaster, which makes it more expensive to insure them. According to Bordenaro, Miami is attempting to alleviate the traffic issue by constructing more lanes and new exits, but the going road work only leads to more traffic. "Depending on where you come from, it can be tough to make friends with the locals," Bordenaro said.

☆ Salesforce's Marc Benioff defends his statements that new employees — and possibly younger remote workers — are not as productive, in leaked all-hands meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ellen Thomas | Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In leaked all-hands audio, he doubled down, then questioned if younger remote workers were less productive, too. And this time, he made a new suggestion — that younger employees not coming into the office may be less productive as well, according to leaked audio of the meeting shared with Insider. "When we look at some percentage of the employees, especially some of the folks that are new employees, are just not as productive." "Are we not managing our remote employees well enough? Employees who heard their CEO repeat these allegations on the productivity of new employees, younger employees, remote employees — particularly in sales — were less than pleased.

☆ HomeToGo is hiring its first-ever Professional Nomad
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The vacation rental marketplace HomeToGo is searching for its first-ever professional nomad. A remote worker will receive up to three months of free vacation rental stays valued at €10,000 (around $10,600) from the company's international marketplace. According to the terms and conditions, the winner must book at least three different accommodations in different locations using the prize money over the course of 60 to 90 days. The winner will be able to pick when they travel, where they stay, and with who they'd like to go, "with one key responsibility: experience the ultimate workstation with HomeToGo," the press release states. HomeToGo is accepting applicants of age 18 and up until January 15, 2023.

☆ It's official: Remote work is going to make it easier to buy a home
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Remote work pushed housing trends into warp speedIn some ways, the pandemic's housing shifts were a long time coming. The shift to remote work also hastened many people's desire for more space. Across the country, remote workers chose to part ways with roommates or seek out larger homes. Elon Musk asserted his authority at Twitter by putting an end to remote work. On the other hand, as my colleague Aki Ito previously argued, a recession could further ingrain remote work as employers look to cut spending on real estate.

☆ A 44-year-old who moved from California to Indiana saves $3,210 a month and thinks more people should consider living in the Midwest: 'LA is the glitz and glamour, but when you take that aside, are yo
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Vanessa Hughes recently moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, a city of 45,000 and a major university. In West Lafayette, she's paying half the amount for a significantly bigger space with a yard for their two dogs. In 2023, the search for affordable housing could pull more homebuyers towards Midwestern spots like West Lafayette. Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesBy the end of November, they had made the move to West Lafayette. West Lafayette is just one place that offers people incentives to move there.

☆ I tried out Meta's $1,500 virtual reality headset to attend a meeting in the metaverse. The tech was undeniably cool, but after 20 minutes I was relieved to take it off.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I was invited to try Meta's $1,500 virtual reality headset at its Kings Cross office in London. I used the device to attend a meeting in Horizon Workrooms — Meta's collaborative work tool in VR. The device gives users access to Horizon Worlds, a social universe in Meta's metaverse. Breakout rooms in Meta's Horizon Workrooms. Gaskell pointed out that VR "doesn't address" some of the primary concerns about remote work including proximity bias and networking.

☆ How to live a digital nomad life in 2023, from 3 people who did it save money and see the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly 17 million Americans describe themselves as digital nomads. Insider previously spoke with three people who have embraced the digital nomad lifestyle. Nearly 17 million Americans describe themselves as digital nomads, a 9% increase from 2021 and 131% from 2019, according to a MBO Partners' 2022 State of Independence study of more than 6,000 US adults, including 901 current digital nomads. Driving this trend is the growth of remote work, which has provided many workers the flexibility to work outside their homes. The digital nomad life isn't without its challenges, but Insider previously spoke with three people who are making it work for them.

☆ Dreaming of a fresh start? These 25 towns and cities will pay you as much as $20,000 to move there.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Places across the US offer cash, homes, and other perks to lure remote workers and other relocators. Insider rounded up 25 states, cities, and towns that will reward you to move there in some way. "When I look back, that grant was the tipping point that made it a little easier for me, my husband, and our five children to choose this particular path," Milliman told Insider in September. "We're definitely on the right path," Quincy mayor Mike Troup told Insider. Insider rounded up 25 places across the US that are dishing out perks to anyone who moves there.

☆ See the pitch deck a startup used to raise $4 million to buy, sell, and manage short-term-rental properties
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Investors love short-term rentals, but they face pitfalls with property management and regulation. Rove, a marketplace and property-management startup, helps investors underwrite short-term rentals. Jonah Hanig, the CEO of Rove, walked Insider through the pitch deck Rove used to raise $4 million. "In Park City, Utah, there are roughly 500 properties for sale, but only approximately 100 are in areas where you can use them as short-term rentals," Hanig told Insider. The ultimate goal is to create "Zillow" for short-term rentals with the added feature of underwritng and valuing properties based on their potential incomes.

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