Colorado business – I know that I should stay on topic.  I know I should have the DISCIPLINE to stay on brand, or at least on a business theme. 

But, I just can’t help myself.  It’s the holidays and I’ve been flipping through catalogs.  I feel an irresistible urge to share this gift idea for that special someone in your life who has everything, including all their fingers.  I left the 800 number in the image for your convenience so please, let me know how it works!   

Happy holidays! 

I know why I’ve never been involved in a business focused on world-class hospitality: it’s just too hard.  

I was fortunate to spend two nights at The Broadmoor last week and noted this worker, putting a fresh coat of black paint on a post that would have been considered “black enough” at just about any property in the world.  I mentioned this to the CEO, Jack Damioli, who responded that “it’s an endless loop – when we finish, we start again.”   

I’ve always appreciated great customer service and have strived to deliver it.  But at The Broadmoor, service is about EVERYTHING, every signpost.  That takes fanatical and relentless commitment.  I’m not making a point here really, I’m marveling.  So proud that The Broadmoor is in Colorado! 

I’m trying to satisfy a burning curiosity about where remote work will land.  In each of 100 conversations with C-level leaders of Colorado companies over the last year, startups to $ multi-billion public enterprises, I’ve asked about remote work for workers for whom that’s possible – and I’ve read lots of articles presenting a broad range of points of view.  

Over the last few weeks, ideas have been gelling, and… 

I’m ready to predict the future of remote work. 

Within 1 year (if there’s not another pandemic wave), most companies that prioritize a collaborative work environment will expect workers to be mostly in the office.  That will be OK because workers who find that despite what they’d come to accept as a better life, want to be working together again.   

Employers will do three things to attract and keep the people they want: 

First, employers will remain highly flexible where they were much less so before… need to manage a contractor at your house, take a parent to the doctor, coach your kid’s soccer team?  That’s fine, and if that activity makes it so that working from home makes sense, that’s OK, work from home.  In the past, people hid these decisions – now they will talk about them openly.    

Second, employers will adapt their spaces.  Josh Freed, CEO of Proximity, in the most recent ProCO360 podcast said that, “people gravitate to, and are most productive in, spaces that match their identity.”  Smart employers will ensure that workspaces are such that people feel drawn to them and productive in them. 

Third, the best employers will maintain a culture of trust.  Any employer that gives a whiff of indication that return to office is about regaining control for control’s sake will lose the best talent who won’t stand for it. 

Regarding jobs that don’t need as much collaboration (perhaps order entry, billing, customer service reps, analytics…), lots of fully remote tech-facilitated opportunities will remain. 

And people who just don’t want to go back into an office very much?  They’ll find employers whose business is a fit for that.  Don’t want to ever have to go to an office?  Depending on experience and job, in the next couple of years many will be settled into a role which is accepted as a “low collaboration” job, or transition to contract work.   

What about co-working?  I think it will thrive based on demand from freelancers, traveling workers and small business owners wanting communal energy not found in their homes or hotels, perhaps even as suburban satellite office options for large companies.  

Finally, the 1% “rarified air” tech talent will do whatever they want. 

That’s my prediction.  What’s yours? 

The most important rule for building a podcast audience:  CONSISTENCY.  Tuesday I was up against a deadline to get my most recent podcast edited so it could be released on schedule Thursday morning, 8AM.  Colorado-based Mike, my go to guy, had a family commitment for a couple of days.  My steady “Plan B” guy – tied up.   

I had to get the work done fast so I posted on Upwork… and I didn’t wait for people to reply – I invited seemingly qualified candidates in the U.S. and around the world to the job.  Al in Portugal raised his hand within 10 minutes, and he delivered great work in 24 hours.  The world is full of talented people eager to earn some money doing good work!