USDA Forest Service’s Post

📊 New insights on the remote work landscape: Fort Worth ranks among the top cities in Texas for remote working, with 15.3% of its workforce embracing flexibility. This positions our city uniquely within the national context, offering valuable perspectives for businesses and professionals navigating the remote work economy. Discover how Fort Worth compares and what it means for our future work culture ⤵️ Read More: https://lnkd.in/gPh-_vwY #RemoteWork #FortWorth #BusinessInsight

Why Cats Reign as the Most Annoying Work-from-Home Companions Working from home presents its own unique set of challenges, and for many remote workers, the charming yet notorious antics of our feline friends top the list. From the moment you settle into your makeshift home office, it becomes apparent that your cat has embarked on a personal mission to test your concentration. The dream of a quiet and undisturbed workspace is shattered as your cat, with a knack for interrupting just when you least expect it, turns the tranquility of remote work into a daily cat-and-mouse game. Attempting to type out an email or meet a tight deadline becomes a Herculean task when your cat assumes center stage on your keyboard. Even your once-cozy lap, a refuge during work hours, transforms into a battleground for territorial disputes. In virtual meetings, your feline companion may strategically choose the perfect time to stroll across your desk or make a surprise appearance on a Zoom call, leaving colleagues bemused and you slightly flustered. Despite their adorable demeanor, cats seem to possess a sixth sense for disrupting the flow of a productive workday. Consequently, they've rightfully earned the title of the most entertainingly exasperating work-from-home companions, turning our once-serene remote offices into delightful chaos.

Charlotte ranked in the Top 15. Wish more businesses throughout the US were as progressive. Better quality of life for the employees, less traffic and pollution, the list goes on. What are your thoughts on remote work? #workfromhome #remote #raleighnc #durhamnc #charlottenc #genesisbusinessadvisors

You often see posts about the pros and cons of remote working, but I wanted to share my unique perspective on why remote working has been essential from a rural community in the northwest Highlands. The Highlands face ongoing challenges: a main one being housing shortages due to properties being converted to holiday homes, driving up costs. This, coupled with a lack of high-paying jobs, forces young people to move away, reinforcing a self-perpetuating cycle. It's always been my dream to be part of these special communities in the Highlands and contribute to their unique way of life. Remote working has made this possible for my partner and I. We can live and work in these rural areas without compromising on our career aspirations or financial needs. Our home isn't another seasonal holiday house but a year-round residence contributing to the local economy. We're spending money locally, supporting businesses, and enhancing job security for others. We volunteer with local initiatives like the community hub and cinema, giving back through events like film festivals, enriching the lives of the young people who still live here. First-hand experience has shown me that remote working is a crucial element in maintaining the balance of these important rural communities in the modern age. When companies choose to support remote work, they're not just supporting their employees but also entire ecosystems and rural communities worldwide. #RemoteWork #RuralCommunities #Highlands

I've re-written an earlier post on remote work since this comes up often in my search for work, and I'm considering writing anything new on medium from now on, rather than directly on linked in. #RemoteWork #WorkLifeBalance #SustainableLiving #UrbanPlanning #EmployeeWellbeing #EnvironmentalImpact #FutureOfWork #HousingCrisisSolutions #CorporateResponsibility #InnovationInWorkplace

My 2 cents on return to office mandates and remote work... This week my employer announced a full-time return to office for all employees. I know they have their reasons and respect that. They've provided me with generous options and I'm grateful for that, as well as the year I was able to continue working remotely since joining the company. That being said, this decision is disappointing. There are studies on this type of thing, you can look them up, I'm not going to get into all that. What I will tell you about is my own experience. Working remote... * I workout regularly with gym equipment in my office, I'm in the best shape of my life * I eat healthier lunches and snacks, stay more hydrated and alert * I'm present for my wife and we're more connected * my life is less stressful and I get better sleep, making me more focused during work * I stop working when I get stuck and do something else to clear my head * I regularly get fresh air and sunshine, adding to overall health * I dive into work whenever I feel inspired, at a moment's notice, and achieve perfect flow * I can speak with colleagues and set up collaborative sessions in minutes * I was able to work from a different location to spend time with extended family (without using vacation time and being unavailable) Working in office... * I'm in a noisy, distracting, open office layout unable to fully focus * Even when I'm colocated with my team, we don't have available conference rooms to use for collaboration unless we reserve them weeks in advance and we get kicked out before we're done * I give up hours commuting, leading to more stress and less sleep * I can't manage my time as effectively, it's by the day instead of the minute * I'm breathing toxic chemicals all day as the rubbers, plastics, adhesives, and paint in the shiny new corporate office off-gases (for years) * If I do get away for a break, I'm walking on streets filled with noise and car exhaust * I'm drinking more coffee and eating more sugar and just generally in worse health I don't know what I'll do yet, so many companies have opted for this approach, the job market is crazy, and for me to keep my job I have to move to a different city. Whatever happens, I'll make the best of it and find a way to thrive and provide value for my employer, because I have ethics and that's what I do. But I do wish companies would consider these aspects in their decision-making and be more innovative in their approach. I whole-heartedly believe doing things that are good for your employees is going to be good for your business. #returntooffice #rto #remotework

Remote work. I currently work hybrid - 2 days at home and 3 in the office. When COVID counts were at their worst in LA County I was working 4 days at home, 1 day in the office. Technically, you could say I've never truly been remote. I've always been hybrid. That doesn't stop the message - I love the days I work from home. I don't spend up to 2 hours commuting (3 hours if it's raining). I get more work done at home because I don't listen to the office chit-chat that happens all day long. (Even if the talking doesn't involve me - the office noise can be a disturbance). On one of the days I work from home I'm able to take my child to her music lesson. This is after my work day. However, if I was in the office I would not have enough time to zig-zag all over Los Angeles trying to get her to her music lesson. It doesn't surprise me that 2 old white men started this legislation. They have other people to do the work in and for their families. They are claiming it's a "waste of tax pay dollars" regarding unused office rent. I can think of A LOT more waste happening with tax payer dollars... #remotework #remote #hybrid #federalgovernment #commuting #riveterchallenge #Senate

New from Localogy Insider: Will the ‘Envy Office’ Break the Remote Work Logjam? The envy office resides on the continuum of carrots and sticks that bosses have deployed to get employees to RTO. At least on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Click to Read the Full Story Now! https://bit.ly/3R8IFVb #EnvyOffice #HybridOffice #RemoteWork #Localogy

Remote work vs commuting to work https://lnkd.in/eBaCXbeH I have spent 6 years of my life in commuting. I sat in NJ Transit (trains/bus) and Seastreak/NY Waterways boats commuting from Monmouth County to Lower Manhatten from 1992 through 2020. One spends anywhere from 4 to 6 hours commuting back and forth. Driving a car does not always reduce the number of hours. Pandemic opened our minds to think about working remotely. One must rethink why we as a species started working from one location. How much of lack of communication capabilities played into that decision? Now that we have superb telecommunication capabilities, is that reason still valid? Some decision makers think lack of process visibility is a bigger concern. A MD at BoA managing a decent headcount does not have any insight into what a java developer wrote on a given day. Only metric is whether a given task is completed and automation took effort. There is no need for on-prem code development. Calls (marketing/sales)-- why do we care where from such calls are made? These were necessary pre-zoom, pre-cellphone network. Do we need them still? We built large buildings and they are empty -- to fill them back we need staff to be on-prem is not a thoughtful reason. Why should I spend 1/6th of my day so some short-sighted managerial decision continues to look good? That space must be repurposed. Convert them into residential areas and modern schools and flex-hospitals. In the interest of the planet and species, any thoughtful leader will seek to reduce carbon emission and enhance quality of life for employees by revisiting nature of work and finding the best ways to go 100% remote. Public officials including Mayors have to think hard (not lazy calling everyone to come into office recreating old traffic congestions and zillions of unhealthy food joints) to repurpose such beautiful engineering marvels. How about renting 70th floor as a tourist visiting center to take in the views? Indoor sports -- squash/tennis/swimming pools on the 39th floor? Different kind of telescopes from 100th floor? Vertical transportation hubs -- where flying personal rapid transits (PRT -- see prt.wvu.edu ) pickup and drop passengers off? We need creative and bold minds who can challenge status quo. Clear the pedestrian paths and move those commercial operations into empty buildings. With time back in their hands, people can live sensible lives instead of spending 6 years in commuting. Remote work ought to be the norm. Individuals should not be asked to commute 4 to 6 hours just so that poor decisions appear golden or lunch-time eateries are busy again, subways and public transportation run at capacity again or tax revenue targets are met. These are problems but let us solve them differently. All these things exist to make life better. If so, why not give 6 hours back to the person each day. Would that not be a better day?

Remote work changed the world for the better, and I know no better advocate on behalf of its benefits than Dr. Andreas Ditsche. The post-pandemic period was always going to be tense. A model which saved so many companies from going bust no longer seems required for many. In the process, people got used to owning their lives - can you blame them? Some businesses appreciated the downsizing of their logistic needs, leading to heftier balance sheets. Productivity levels were either maintained or raised. Honestly, can you blame most people for preferring a 100% remote job? If its nature allows for it, it's best to capitalize on its many advantages. If it can't, companies could try to compensate employees by creating an environment where they can thrive and feel valued - getting the basics right from the start and building such a culture from the ground could create a true sense of belonging. On a final note, I can surely drag myself out of bed two hours earlier. I can drive for miles and make my contribution to a chaotic, polluting society. I can arrive at the office on time feeling miserable and stressed. And I shall, if I am given no alternative. On that flip of a switch, I abdicated having my breakfast with my children and partner. I no longer drive my son to school. The time from bed to the office went up from 15 minutes to 2 hours. I also spent thousands of euros a year in mobility, office clothing, meals, and arrived home defeated every so often. Believing you have the loyalty of employees forced to return on such terms? I have second thoughts on that. I'm sure the tangible victory for micromanagers and productivity incentivizers at physical offices is totally worth it. For some. Not for all. _________________________ I write about #iGaming and #contenmanagement in a #remotework universe. Follow me for a crying shoulder - you're not alone!