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Would you take a pay cut to keep working remotely?

Almost half of people would and nearly two-thirds would forego a promotion, according to the results of a new survey.

The study by automation platform Ivanti finds 63 percent of respondents would rather work remotely than be promoted, and 48 percent say they would take a pay cut in exchange to be able to work from anywhere. Just 12 percent say they want to return to the office full time in future.

The attractions of working remotely include a flexible work schedule (47 percent), less commuting stress (43 percent), saving money (40 percent), and a better work/life balance (35 percent). On the other hand, the biggest concerns have been less physical movement throughout the day (40 percent), lack of interaction with colleagues (39 percent), screen fatigue (31 percent), and not being able to collaborate or communicate effectively (31 percent). But despite this 52 percent say their moral had a positive boost from working away from the office.

Fitbit preparing snore and noise detection, and ‘Your sleep animal’

The latest update to the Fitbit app contains the beginnings of nighttime snoring and noise detection, along with a cute way to think about your sleeping habits.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

輸入木材が「かつてない価格高騰」、新築物件への影響は

中国の需要増・米国の新築ブームで木材不足が深刻化、「ウッドショック」の声も

住宅用の輸入木材不足が深刻化している。中国の木材需要の急増や、コロナ禍で大規模な金融緩和策が取られたことなどから、米国を中心に新築住宅の建設需要が急増、供給がひっ迫した形だ。さらには新型コロナウイルスの影響による輸送費の上昇なども相まって、現在、住宅用木材は一部で「かつてないような価格高騰」（市場関係者）に直面している。一部では「オイルショックならぬウッドショックだ」との声も聞かれる。

不動産投資家の中には、木造アパートの新築を予定している人もいるだろう。木材不足や価格の高騰は建築費のアップにもつながり、利回りが低下する恐れがある。また木材不足により工期が延びれば、賃貸経営の計画が大きく狂う可能性も考えられる。現在、新築物件に影響は出ているのだろうか。そしてこの先の見通しはどうなっているのか。

Outdoor Space Is the Hottest New Office Feature

We are about to witness the most legendary game of tug-of-war this side of your local firehouse fundraiser. On one side, we have the workplace, with its spaces designed for optimal efficiency, concentration of coworkers allowing for easy collaboration and opportunities for socialization. On the other hand, we have the remote work arrangement, with its flexibility, tech industry new car smell, and promise of employees working from Bali or Cancun or, more likely, their beds.

Of course, for every true digital nomad sharing photos of the “view from their office,” you have a remote worker who for whatever reason just can’t make the working part of work from home work for them. And for every remote worker who wished he had an office to go to, there’s an office-bound employee who wishes she could see the sky while typing into Excel.

Unlike most tug of war games, there probably won’t be a clear resolution to the question of which side will win. Instead, we will have to find hybridized methods to bring the fun loving “work-from-anywhere” atmosphere to the professional setting. The best way to do this may be by creating more usable outdoor space. Why not? We already have recaptured the outdoors for almost every other kind of activity. The first outdoor music festival took place in the U.K. yesterday, for whatever that is worth. I have even seen a gym in my home town that has completely relocated its equipment onto the parking lot. Before you roll your eyes and tell me “big deal, I have that in my town too,” I should say that I live in Tuscon, Arizona, and as I write this I am looking at my thermometer as it breaks the 110° mark. But, you know, it’s a dry heat and all that.

The office of the future is outdoors

Landlords and designers are adding more outdoor space to office buildings, so employees can actually work outside.

Office life is about to move outdoors.

In buildings across the country, new and renovated offices are being designed to include more options for workers to get away from their desks and go outside. According to designers, developers, and landlords, it’s an emerging trend that could shake up the way workplaces look and feel for years to come.

“Access to daylight, good fresh air—those kinds of things are really tangible to the tenants,” says Marc Fairbrother, vice president of the architecture firm CallisonRTKL. “We are headed in those directions where it’s more about the user experience than efficiency and the cost of the product.” …