That is the question.

 

Yesterday I asked some of our employers what they were planning. There’s no consistent answer, even now that that the governor expects the state to be fully vaccinated by July.

 

Some can’t wait to be back at full staff. Others wondered if they needed an office at all. Many are leaning towards a hybrid model.

 

One employer said hiring decisions may force them to decide sooner than they might have otherwise. You can’t blame an applicant for wanting to know where they're expected to be working before accepting an offer.
 

 

Companies that are bringing back their teams have other decisions to make. Are you changing your office layout? Does everyone need their own desk, only further apart? Hot desks vs. hoteling?

 

Or, writes Joanne Stern at the Wall Street Journal, no desk at all just meeting areas since you’ll do your desk work from home.

 

Best yet, give everyone one of these and they can do work, dentist visits, haircuts and naps all at the same socially distanced space.

 

 

A new study shows that the typical professional worked 80 more minutes a day this January than they did in January 2020. 

 

Productivity jumped nearly 200% but employers need to be wary of employee burnout from all the extra hours, notes the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

 

In January 2020, the typical white-collar workday started at 8:24 a.m. and ended at 5:31 p.m. This year the day was more likely to last from 7:46 a.m. to 6:12 p.m.,

 

And here’s where the study gets interesting...

 

Workers are now spending two hours each day you know where. That’s equal to 24 full days per year. (Unless perhaps if you use this.)

 

But that’s actually less than the three hours a day the average office worker used to spend in conference rooms.

 

 

Did you catch the great story on Boston 25 yesterday about our program that helps support local restaurants while feeding those in need?

 

We’ve been running the Newton component of this initiative for a few weeks. The effort in Wellesley kicked off last week and has so far delivered close to 200 meals to Wellesley residents in need purchased from local independent restaurants including Fiorella’s, Old School Pizza, North End Pizza, Riceberg and Express Gourmet.

 

Thanks to Allen Katzoff and his team of volunteers for assisting with deliveries and to Maura Renzella with the town for coordinating Nourishing Wellesley.

 

The program -- part of a state earmark secured by Sen. Cindy Creem -- is also running in Brookline with a goal of buying and delivering a combined 10,000 meals between now and June.

 

We’re still looking for additional Wellesley restaurants who would like to participate: find more information and an application form here.

 

 

The Baker administration has loosened the state’s travel rules. The new travel advisory urges all persons entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival if they’ve been out of the state for 24 hours or more. 

 

The advisory does not apply to anyone in the following categories:

 

 

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts told members yesterday that they expects to see a revision of the Sector specific protocols governing retail and restaurant operations early next week. RAM believes the revision will include a reopening of food court seating in malls. 

 

 

 

The state has been reporting COVID cases and deaths by municipality for a while. As of last night you can see how many people in each community have been vaccinated on this map.

 

Frontline workers on this list and those 60-plus are eligible to schedule a vaccine Monday. Here’s the full timeline. Go here for more state vaccine related info.

 

 

 

The state Senate agreed yesterday to freeze unemployment insurance rates to prevent a 60 percent increase; exempt pass through businesses from paying state taxes on the PPP; and give workers paid time off for COVID reasons, reports Jon Chesto at the Globe.

 

They gave a thumbs down to a proposal to help restaurants by extending a 15 percent rate cap on third-party delivery fees and extend permission to sell “cocktails to go” after the state of emergency.

 

The approved measures still need to be rectified by conference committee and signed by the governor.

 

 

 

The Baker administration announced another $31 million in awards for 710 additional businesses in the tenth round of COVID relief grants administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation.

 

The program has now provided awarded over $633 million in direct financial support to 14,056 businesses across the state.

 

MGCC will soon be announcing the availability of funding to support small business technical assistance and community development financial institutions, presumably using funds that are part of the federal COVID relief package approved last week. 

 

 

Now that Newton’s special city council election is over, maneuvering for the fall election has begun.

 

All 24 council seats, as well as school committee will be on the ballot. But the big contest on Nov. 2 will be the mayor’s race.

 

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller is running for a second term. No opponents have stepped forward yet. (Politico reported earlier this month that she has a 71% job approval rating, according to a poll commissioned by her campaign.)

 

Fuller’s decision comes in a year when nearly a fifth of the state's mayors are stepping down, including some who’ve said the stress and strain of managing COVID-19 was a contributing factor, writes Bruce Mohl at Commonwealth.

 

In Newton's special election on Tuesday, the two candidates endorsed by a PAC that was the focus of a critical Boston Globe op-ed prevailed. 

 

That's it for this week. Happy first day of spring (tomorrow). Mask up. And tip generously.

 

 

President, Newton-Needham Regional Chamber

617-244-1688

Your chamber is here when you need us.