Return to office spurs backlash

The number of companies demanding remote workers return to the office is growing, but new surveys indicate enforced attendance is causing unforeseen problems.

Forty-two percent of companies that ordered employees to return to the office saw more workers quit than they anticipated, according to a survey by workplace efficiency consultant Unispace. While employers believed the commute was the top reason for employee dissatisfaction, workers said their No. 1 complaint was the lack of privacy they enjoyed at home. Overall, 72% of companies said they mandated a return to the office.

Meanwhile, a survey from employee management tools provider Scoop Technologies found that a hybrid approach where employees are not forced to work from the office more than three days a week kept workers from quitting.

X files

TikTok has X in its crosshairs. The short-form video platform announced an expansion into text-only posts, the main lure of X, the app formerly known as Twitter. X, which has been the center of attention and controversy since it was bought by Elon Musk in October, is also fending off a challenge from Threads, the app from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms.

Vroom with a view

Head-up displays on the windshields of cars that give drivers an abundance of information are common. And now the technology is being adapted for motorcycles. BMW is rolling out ConnectedRide Smartglasses for its cycles. BMW says the high-tech goggles project an assortment of data, including speed and navigation information, “directly into the rider’s field of vision in real-time.”

Cyberattack cripples hospitals

A cyberattack affected computers at hospitals in multiple states, forcing some emergency rooms to close and ambulances to be diverted. The early-August attack disrupted facilities operated by Prospect Medical Holdings, which has hospitals and clinics in California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The attack forced emergency departments and primary care services to close and caused the cancellation of elective surgeries and outpatient appointments. — AP