From Day One

If the Boss Wants You Back in the Office Five Days a Week, They Should Think Twice

In its heyday as the proto–Silicon Valley tech company, Hewlett-Packard innovated by what became known as the “next bench” syndrome. H-P was a company founded by engineers (Bill and Dave) for engineers and new products happened when one engineer asked a fellow practitioner sitting nearby if there might be something else the company could make that could be useful to him.While this ask-your-office buddy ideation might seem quaint—after all, innovation can and does come from anywhere—corporate America is now demanding a return of sorts to the days of white shirts and pocket protectors. After a long, pandemic-induced experiment with remote and then hybrid work, the people in the C-Suites are apparently lonely.More and more of them want your butt back in the office five days a week, and they are going to get their way, leaving some very unhappy employees to stew about it. According to a recent poll by KPMG, 79% of CEOs see all the professionals back at their office posts in the next three years–that’s up from 34% last year. This will be distressing news to people who moved away from corporate cities like Seattle to places such as Omaha, which tried to position itself as a low-cost haven for remote employees. At least companies are providing some perks for your five-day-a week return: unlimited amounts of hand sanitizer, for instance, and cleaning wipes. Maybe some more free food.Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is among the latest to announce that sitting in front of your laptop at home with your dog and your three year old no longer qualifies as getting it done. Some Amazon employees voiced outrage, even threatening to quit. “Go right ahead,” seems to be the response from HQ in what some have labeled a layoff by another name. Long before that, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon decreed that bankers and traders, who tend to operate in packs anyway, had to decamp from their Manhattan apartments and Manhasset manses to reoccupy the company’s pricey office buildings, especially its new HQ. Dimon’s argument is basically, “I’m not spending $100 a square foot to look at empty desks.” Nor does he believe that managers can lead effectively from home.Other financial industry bosses apparently concur. In Manhattan, where I work, office “busyness” rates reached 73.4% in August, a figure that compares occupancy to pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Nationwide, the rate is 60.4%, according to Avison Young, a real-estate advisory firm.What the Research ShowsFrom a productivity viewpoint, there doesn’t seem to be a compelling reason to mandate a return to the office, at least not based on academic research. The data, for the most part, points the other way. In the largest study yet of working-from-home professionals, Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom found that employees who work from home two days a week are “just as productive, likely to get promoted, and far less prone to quit.” According to the job-finding site FlexJobs, employees who work at home at least part-time can save up to $6,000 annually on commuting and other costs—a back-door raise they are loath to give up.True, Bloom’s study was limited to an experiment on 1,600 employees at Trip.com, a Chinese travel agency. And an earlier study, of which Bloom was a co-author, determined that fully remote employees were 10% less productive than their office-dwelling counterparts. Meanwhile, yet another study from the University of Essex in England notes that, while remote workers there put in more hours–including 18% more after normal business hours—their average output didn’t change much. “Therefore,” the study concluded “productivity fell by about 20%.”What Most Workers WantAny survey of employees, however, will deliver the consensus that, while they enjoy being with their colleagues, they love a workplace that can be molded to their needs. Parents with kids need the hybrid flexibility, and Gen Z kids may need the socialization of the office. They both want a little of both.The kind of CEOs who get driven to work and have large private offices don’t necessarily see it that way. Nor do they seem particularly interested in the workplace data that supports the benefits of hybrid work. They’re focused on another data set: current economic data, which is now turning in management’s favor. That data shows that layoffs are up, quits are down, and the unemployment rate is ticking up, if ever so slightly. (Recent hurricanes will boost unemployment, temporarily.) The pending election might also be causing people to lower their appetite for risk and stay put.There could be more than executive ego at work here, too. If you’re the big boss, you want to be able to see and hear, in person, all the people you are bossing, even if you recede to your office sanctuary for most of the day.Which means that job holders and job seekers are no longer calling the shots the way they did in the roll-your-own days of the pandemic. In my shop, our CEO just upped the ante to three days a week in the office from two, citing the need for enhanced collaboration to tackle these particularly perilous times in the publishing industry. I get that need for collaborating on site, having worked as a print magazine editor for a couple of decades. But surrendering the now comfy confines of my home office for an additional day at the office feels like a loss.And for the germaphobically inclined, it’s not as though the pandemic is in the past; companies have just chosen to treat it that way. When I pointed out to a colleague that Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly nationwide, the response was on the order of: Yeah, but the latest wave isn’t as severe as past versions and there are now vaccines and remedies such as Paxlovid. In other words, suck it up, cowboy.The 13 million Americans employed in manufacturing might find all this contretemps about office work a bit amusing. It might be possible to say, build a transmission in your living room, but the machining noise tends to be loud. Likewise for the people working in service industries from restaurants to retail to healthcare. Sure, you can consult with a teledoc, but that’s not going to help you when you need to be pried out of your wrecked car by firefighters and EMTs. You want a first responder, not a chatbot. Nor will your garbage be picking itself up anytime soon.The Upsides of the OfficePart of me sides with the bosses. What the productivity studies can’t measure is that a significant benefit of going to the office is being at the office. Being social. Being part of a company’s culture, which is a living breathing thing, as opposed to being merely part of its labor pool. Sharing not just the work but the human interaction that attaches. Going to lunch with office friends. And yes, the water cooler gossip, even if water coolers have been displaced by kombucha or cold-brew coffee dispensers. Need we mention, too, that office romances can hardly be undertaken sans office?(One thing that isn’t coming back to the office is any semblance of a dress code. Want to show up for that meeting in shorts, a T-shirt and Crocs? Go right ahead, and I’ll try to take you seriously.)As for the office work itself, we’ve all experienced those moments when a bunch of people thrown together suddenly connect on a breakthrough idea or solve a vexing operational problem. Indeed, the power of in-person collaboration has been likened to having a free electron floating around the room, just waiting to give the particle of a fabulous idea the positive charge that gives it energy. That spark could come from a sideways glance, a brief, post-meeting chat, or simply by running into a colleague in the elevator or parking lot.There’s also a reason why companies brag about being a great place to work. Yes, you can be employed remotely, but that’s not remotely the same experience.Why We Need to Find a Creative SolutionThis current faceoff leaves office managers and HR in a bit of a quandary when top management demands to see butts in seats. Perhaps looking at the question from an either/or perspective is the wrong way to do it. What the studies on office vs. remote work can’t control for is an individual’s performance. A high-performing employee is likely to be high performing whether they are working from home, at the office or at the beach. The most successful employers will figure out the geography that suits them best.Some companies, such as the HR platform Workday, have tried to appease bosses and workers with a sort of hybrid-hybrid. The company’s “work from anywhere” approach allows workers to spend 30 calendar days in a 12-month period working from just about anywhere. They may be on to something. Think about benefits. In most firms, there’s a benefits “menu” that allows employees to select from, say, several health insurers and within those insurers a variety of plans.Maybe we need to offer menu options with remote and hybrid work–a variety of packages to people in different life stages. The parent package could offer maximum flexibility in return for extended work hours. Take your kid to soccer, but give us those two hours back when we need them. The Gen Z package could include an exercise program near the office or lunch at Chipotle; the older workers package could include a more private workspace or a wellness program. Or something called chronowork, based on a person’s’ own body rhythms, which suits someone like me, attuned to working vampire hours. Running through all of them is the option to demand that all of the people show up at the office some of the time—on demand, even.People worked in offices for centuries because a central location was the best way to organize and run a business. The advent of computer networks altered that universe, making a central location less relevant; the pandemic then completely severed the historic relationship between work and geography. Some CEOs are now trying to redraw the management map to match the 1985 version. It’s sort of like going back to fax machines. Yes, they still function, but new technology has rendered them obsolete. The hybrid model, which is inclusive of the vast variety of people and work styles today, is the new tech of business organization. It’s work that can work for everyone.Bill Saporito is an editor at large at Inc. magazine whose work has also appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post. Previously, he worked as an assistant managing editor at Time magazine and as a senior editor at Fortune. He has written for From Day One on the power gap among labor unions, the myth of the “woke” corporation, and the perils of getting technology and people misaligned.(Photo by Sam Edwards/iStock by Getty Images)

By Katie Chambers | October 22, 2024

Understanding Perimenopause: Key Symptoms, Treatments, and Workplace Solutions

Most of us, regardless of gender, have heard whispers about “the change.” It’s the time of life when a woman’s reproductive years end, her ovaries stop releasing eggs, and she can no longer get pregnant. For many years it was a taboo topic, even though it impacts 51% of the population. Despite being both natural and inevitable, it was considered shameful. Fortunately, there are new pathways for conversation about menopause, its effects on women, and possible methods to alleviate symptoms.However, part of the reproductive cycle remains somewhat of an enigma to many people today: perimenopause. This transitional phase that precedes menopause usually begins in a woman’s 40s, but can start even earlier. The fluctuating hormone levels of perimenopause can cause a variety of symptoms including irregular periods, which can be particularly daunting to women who are trying to conceive. The perimenopause stage can last several years before a woman reaches menopause, which is defined by the 12 consecutive months without a period.Medical experts like Dr. Leslie Saltzman, chief medical officer at Ovia Health, are working to remove the mystery around perimenopause to ensure more women are informed, prepared, and supported during this transitional phase. “While this is a natural and normal process, some of the symptoms can be disruptive or uncomfortable,” Dr. Saltzman said in a recent interview. On the employer side, engaging with a vendor like Ovia Health can help leaders provide crucial access to information and services for those who need it.Identifying the Symptoms of PerimenopauseBecause there is little conversation about perimenopause, many women are blindsided by its arrival. It begins as a woman’s reproductive stage starts to conclude but before it fully comes to a close. Women can still get pregnant during perimenopause, though it can be more challenging, as estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate wildly and periods, and therefore ovulation, may become irregular. “What used to be a predictable, EKG-like ebb and flow becomes chaotic,” Dr. Mary Claire Haver, an OB-GYN who specializes in menopause care recently told TIME.A recent study suggested a genetic component to the onset and symptoms of reproductive aging, so women may want to consult female relatives for insight and guidance. A study by the University of Michigan also suggested race may be a factor, with Black women tending to experience the shift earlier and with more severe symptoms.Unfortunately, there is no single test for perimenopause, so doctors will usually do blood work to rule out other causes like autoimmune disease or thyroid issues, then arrive at perimenopause by process of elimination. While the transitional phase can appear differently in each person, there are a few key symptoms to look out for:Irregular periods – Previously regular cycles may start to vary by as many as seven days, making it harder to get pregnant. Periods may be shorter or longer and flow can be lighter or heavier. Hot flashes – While strongly associated with menopause, about 75% of women experience night sweats and hot flashes during perimenopause too.Vaginal dryness – Sex may become painful due to changing hormone levels. Joint pain – Recent research found that more than 70% of perimenopausal women experienced joint pain, and of those, 25% of them found it debilitating . Weight gain – Unexplained belly fat may be the result of lower levels of estrogen, which causes body fat in the midsection, rather than in the hips or thighs.Mood changes – PMS symptoms can become extreme. Those who experienced postpartum depression may be at greater risk for anxiety and depression during this period as well. Warped sense of identity – For many women, due to societal pressures their sense of self is linked to their reproductive ability or simply their youth. The onset of perimenopause may bring on a grieving process for some. Smaller changes like itchy skin, dry mouth, itchy ears, leaky bladder, frozen shoulder, and breast tenderness have also been reported, proving how perimenopause can show up in a wide variety of ways. Brain fog – Recall of names and words may become trickier, due either to hormonal changes or the fatigue caused by hot flashes, which disrupt the sleep cycle.Brain fog shows why a holistic approach to treating perimenopause is key. “We know that estrogen withdrawal can clearly have a cognitive impact,” Dr. Mindy Goldman, chief clinical officer at Midi Health, told TIME. “There’s data that says when you’re tired, you don’t exercise as much, and you don’t make healthy food choices,” she said, which can affect cognitive health. “It’s all tied together.”Treating PerimenopauseDr. Leslie Saltzman is the chief medical officer at Ovia Health (company photo)Treatment options for perimenopause vary from person to person, just as the symptoms do, though there are some mainstays. “Treatment is typically aimed at managing symptoms,” Dr. Saltzman said. “Hormone therapy can help relieve the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Hormone therapy can be given in different formats including pills, patches, creams, and vaginal inserts. Antidepressants can help with night sweats, mood swings, and emotional issues. It’s best to speak with your provider and track your symptoms carefully to figure out the best management plan.”Dr. Saltzman says that cholesterol changes that occur as a result of the menopausal transition are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. For women who are looking to get pregnant and have started to notice perimenopausal symptoms, Dr. Saltzman suggests consulting with a reproductive endocrinologist about options.Employer Healthcare SolutionsProviding support for perimenopausal women is an investment in your workforce. “Women constitute about half of the workforce, and many are grappling with health conditions like perimenopause and menopause,” Saltzman said. “A recent study found that three out of five women have faced challenging symptoms while at work, with one in three actively hiding these symptoms from colleagues and managers. Additionally, another study revealed that nearly 20% of those experiencing menopause in the U.S. have either quit or considered leaving their jobs due to their symptoms.”Employers can explore a variety of digital options to supplement their standard healthcare plan with additional support geared toward women’s health. One of these is Ovia Health. “We offer a perimenopause program within the Ovia app. Members can choose ‘Menopause preparation’ from the available programs listed under the Health tab. This provides them with access to relevant perimenopause articles and educational resources. They can use this information as a guide when tracking their health and monitoring day-to-day symptoms. Additionally, they can connect with a member of our Care Team, to assist in managing symptoms and finding the appropriate care and treatments,” Dr. Saltzman said.Ovia also offers an even more expanded resource for women when they hit menopause, which includes tracking medications, mental health, and recognizing risk factors and patterns. “With a personalized, proactive approach, we want to help members understand their bodies and find relief across all life stages.” Offering these types of benefits can lead to a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce. In turn, this can help control medical costs, boost overall satisfaction, and improve productivity,” Dr. Saltzman said.Reframing the ConversationBy being open and flexible with healthcare solutions, employers can help reframe the conversation around perimenopause and start to eliminate some of the stigma. “Data shows that the long-standing silence around women’s health has had serious consequences. Many individuals have been forced to manage overwhelming stress due to shame or fear of discrimination, with some even leaving their jobs when the burden became too great,” Dr. Saltzman said. “However, organizations have the opportunity to create a significant positive change – normalize conversations about menopause, provide accessible education so people understand what to expect and how to seek treatment, and build workplaces that support individuals through these major life transitions.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Ovia Health, for supporting this sponsor spotlight.Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

Building Cultures of Connection

Company culture plays a major role in key outcomes of any organization. It is part of a central nervous system that plays an important role in the health of a company. A healthy company culture fosters coordination, teamwork, engagement, and resilience.Theodore M. and Catherine C. Alfred Professor in Management, and Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University, John Paul (J.P.) Stephens studies company culture. More specifically, he studies work relationships and coordination in groups. During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s September virtual conference, Stephens shared several key areas of his research to equip organizations with the tools to build cultures of high quality connection.The Value of High Quality ConnectionsStephens cites Jane Dutton and Emily Heaphy, two researchers who developed the concept of high quality connections “during the early days of the field of positive organizational scholarship.” In a paper from the early 2000s, Dutton and Heaphy describe high quality connections in the workplace as ones that “compose the fabric of daily life.” More specifically, “a connection is the dynamic, living tissue that exists between two people when there is some contact between them involving mutual awareness and social interaction.” They add that this connection means “the individuals have affected each other in some way.”“This concept is rooted in the idea that human development and growth occurs within connections with each other. Rather than in terms of developing independence or coming apart,” added Stephens. And while high quality connections are built over time, Stephens says they could manifest simply talking to a stranger where there’s “mutual experience in the moment of being seen, of feeling cared for, and physically and emotionally enlivened.”High quality connections were originally conceptualized as having three sets of markers: the physical experience (also includes what happens in our brains and vascular systems), the subjective experience, and structural features of a connection, says Stephens. “I often think of these structural features kind of like the characteristics of a blood vessel. So, is that blood vessel healthy? Are resources flowing back and forth? Is it flexible?”In his research, Stephens focuses on the structural features that deal with connection health, or emotional carrying capacity. To frame this feature, Stephens asks three questions: How much overall emotion can we express with each other? Can we express both positive and negative emotions? And, how much do we express those emotions constructively?“It can't just be that I feel free to express a broad range of emotions, but my connection partner also has to feel like that. They get to express freely and constructively what’s going on in their heads and in their hearts,” Stephens said.High quality connections go beyond simply feeling good in the company of your coworkers, though. In a study Stephens conducted on emotional carrying capacity, or the ability to express emotion in a constructive way, he found positive performance metrics followed in the wake of high quality connections. “From staff to top management, being enmeshed in a set of high quality connections, where you could share positive and negative emotions in a constructive way, seemed to predict resilience – a sense of being able to bounce back from adversity.”In another study with product development teams, he found teams that were able to constructively express negative emotions could “better access crucial knowledge and then integrate that knowledge in ways that enhance[d] both the project outcomes, in terms of performance, and budget adherence.”Promoting Relational Significance“I do think that leader role modeling of constructive emotional expression is really important. [But] Leaders matter, both for good and for bad,” Stephens said.Stephens praised Pixar for its community-driven approach, where trust, respect, and strong relationships are key. He said Pixar's leadership cultivates an environment where employees feel valued and part of a talented, collaborative team. “The sense is that it's a community, right? They think that lasting relationships matter. They share some basic beliefs. They want to get talented people to work together and engender trust and respect,” he said.Moving on from big tech, Stephens and his team pointed their lens to construction sites. “Folks from different roles have to coordinate their collective performance. So they need to continuously work on developing a mutual sense of understanding, and that’s really hard to come by. The [construction] industry as a whole is typified by not having a shared sense of understanding, or poor communication.”When studying high performing sites, Stephens looked at how different team members created a connected environment. “One practice that I found is what I'm calling [a] cultural tool transfer. A cultural tool could be a set of values or frames, and they're embedded in one culture, and they can be transferred to another culture.”Stephens spoke about cultural tools during his presentation (photo courtesy of Stephens) One of the high-performing sites, The Cleveland Clinic, applied its patient-centered team approach to its construction projects by encouraging hired contractors to adopt the same mindset as the healthcare workers. They facilitated this through large meetings, where project progress was linked directly to the goal of improving patient care.So, how do you know you're building cultural connections? “Look at the current practices you have in mind and use what you already have, rather than reinvent the wheel,” he said. “Are you talking to the people that are involved in that practice and asking them what they value from the practice? What is it that gets in the way from them participating? What can we do to redesign it so that it's more engaging and compelling?” he asked.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Case Western Reserve University, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Matthew Koehler is a freelance journalist and licensed real estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in Greater Greater Washington, The Washington Post, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others.

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