A city that seems so far gone, it’s almost hard to fathom where it went. A mayor that seems so out of tune with the populace. A mayor that has big corporations handling him like a puppet on strings. A mayor that has only proven that money and the bottom line are the only things that big cities care about. The life and livelihood of the workers is extremely low priority over the financial growth of the city. What grinds my gears is the fact that crime is at an all time high, yet for the sake of the NYC economy, they want to resume sticking us all in tight spaces forgetting that covid is STILL a lingering threat. I find it hard to understand how the masses can voice their opinions, yet those in power just don’t care with those dollar signs in their eyes. It grinds my gears how a city with so much potential can’t seem to get with the program and changing times.
Why exactly would Mayor Adams tell businesses to start bringing employees back into the office? Are you so out of touch with changing times? Productivity has not fallen among workers who work remotely. The industries that can allow remote work have begun to evolve and establish many different policies that are forward facing. Completely remote, 4 day work weeks, hybrid schedules. There are so many compromises that can made to accommodate employees, but some employers just don’t care. Those employers are just begging to be left behind in the changing work climate. The pandemic has shifted how we look at remote work and the world has come to realize that work still gets done remotely. Business profits haven’t stagnated and some companies have even increased productivity. Work can be started earlier when working remotely due to the elimination of a time consuming commute. Collaboration efforts haven’t stagnated due to the many different applications that allow workers to communicate and keep in touch (Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx). There is no excuse for the industries that primarily have workers using a computer to force people back into working conditions that do not serve them.
NYC isn’t the best place to live and work, contrary to all the glitz and glam. You’re paying ridiculously high prices for virtually everything just to be stuffed up on your work commute, both taking public transit or driving. Homeless people litter the streets and the city can just feel oppressive at times. Manhattan has the best potential for financial growth, but the commute into the city is, for better or worse, dreadful. It’s not a commute that no one wants to have to make five days a week. It was a drag before it’s necessity was questioned by the pandemic. Having to do it just to help out the economy undermines the positive effects it has had on the workers; the human beings doing the job.
Workers, especially those working in the city, contribute to the economy by dining at the restaurants and taking in what the city has to offer. Office space was bought to facilitate these workers and the landlords that lease these offices don’t want to lose the money from these leases. Just because we was workers contribute to society doesn’t mean we need to be victims of discomfort. We can happily contribute to the shops and dine at the places near our homes and save more money to do so by not trekking on public transit everyday. The workforce has the chance to fight for a more comfortable, convenient work/life balance that can only be a good thing for us.
Workers everywhere are realizing that a better work/life balance actually helps with productivity. Especially in New York City, where everything is stuffed up moving so fast, a way to continue to work while easing the burden on our souls and wallets is a no brainer. Offering your employees flexible options within the limits of your respective industries shows that you care about the employee. Employees that feel cared about produce more deliverables. They actually want to work. The businesses will adapt to the changes in working schedules in order to continue to make profit. A healthier, happier workplace and the positive effects it will have on society are going to speak for themselves.
Tyrone's Mental Health Blog 