Morning Brew - 🔮 Gaze into the future

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Clear up your clutter drawer and become the office MacGyver with this 5-in-1 tool pen.

🚙 Next time you need a place to park, don’t test your luck in a tow zone or promise your youth to a thousand-year-old witch in exchange for a safe, close, and affordable parking spot. Use SpotHero to find cheap, convenient parking in your area. No ancient curses necessary!

Stay productive by blackmailing yourself. That’s the idea behind Beeminder’s commitment contracts. The stakes get high when blowing a deadline means shelling out cash.

Do you ever feel like solving problems at work would be easier if you could see into the future? It helps to break down the problems into specific questions. For example:

1. What do our customers want?
2. What price should our product be?
3. Which feature should we build next?
4. How can we grow our revenue?
5. What will provide the most positive customer experience?

Stressed yet? Understandable! Answering these types of questions without the benefit of a fully functional crystal ball is hard!

Here are three things you can do to predict the future with a bit more accuracy and make better decisions in the moment:

1. Run small tests. Need to know what your customers want? You can ask them, of course. But you can also run an online A/B test to see what they prefer in real time. In some industries, you may be able to launch a limited-time product or service for immediate feedback.
2. Make small bets (at first). Once you get traction from small tests, make a few small(ish) bets. You might build a minimum viable product (MVP) or redirect resources toward a new geographic area to see if you can gain traction over 6 months. These bets enable you to go from paper to practice and gauge the response to new ideas or solutions while mitigating your risk.
3. Measure the right metrics. Don’t chase shiny objects. For example, if you see a drop in sales, don’t immediately assume it’s the result of the most recent thing you changed. Look at trends, and seek feedback directly from customers before you take action.

So how do you build a crystal ball? Use small tests, small bets, and the right metrics to conjure a picture of what’s coming, how it might affect you, and how to stay ahead of it.—Karen Hebert-Maccaro, Morning Brew’s Queen of the Eduverse

Tech tips and tricks.

In the 21st century, you shouldn’t have to rely on a bulky printer or a fax machine to sign documents, so take advantage of the greatest technological leap since Al Gore invented the internet, and sign your PDF digitally using Adobe Acrobat Reader. After you’ve opened your document in the app, click Fill & Sign. Click Sign yourself and Add signature. Type in your name and select the style font you’d like.

P.S. (and this is important) You can do this in Preview on Mac, too. Open the doc and click the pen, then select the signature icon. Use the trackpad to create a signature and drag it to the desired location. Your wallet will thank you for the money you just saved on ink cartridges.—SS

Burning questions of our time.

Your thoughts on commute compensation:

For me, the clock starts when I log into my employer’s website. I don’t think the commute counts as work, per se. I listen to audiobooks in my car, so I’m not thinking about work when I drive. Do I mind the long commute? Yes, but it was my choice to take the job, and it makes sense to take the commute into consideration when you’re job hunting. That said, my current employer expects us to work 8:30–5, with half an hour for lunch, so you better believe I log out at 5pm and no later. If I’m going to be held to such an exact schedule, I’m not working a minute longer.—Sandy

I’ve been working in accounting consulting for about two years now. While the majority of that time has been fully remote due to Covid-19, I’ve made a point to discuss with clients our expectations surrounding remote vs. on-site work. Most times I’ll work from the office two days per week, but for additional days, I’ll be billing my commuting time at my regular hourly rate, and they are generally receptive to it. My time is my time, and if the initial expectation is that I am working from the office two days a week, I fully expect to be paid for the additional days I commute roughly 45 minutes each way.—Stacy

Cocktails in the conference room

Office happy hour: that special time of day when corporate employees loosen their collective tie and toast capitalism. New member joined the team? Let’s go out for happy hour. Landed a new account? Drinks on the company credit card. Team bonding? That calls for shots! Now, the tradition has spilled into the hybrid work dynamic, with companies hosting happy hours as an incentive for employees to come back into the office. Office happy hours have normalized imbibing liquor and beer in the office, but does alcohol really belong at the center of colleague interactions? Is drinking in the office a good idea? What are the repercussions of mixing business and alcohol? Is there a healthy balance between loving the office happy hour and dreading the next day’s trip to HR? Hit Reply and leave your best arguments in the Inbox!—SS

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: Do some deep soul-searching via one (or all) of the five lesser-known personality tests featured in this Shondaland article. From discovering your “apology language” to exploring your “Dark Triad,” you’re bound to learn something new about yourself.

Listen: ICYMI, your summer soundtrack has arrived. And because we famously can’t stop, won’t stop, we’re adding songs all season long to Sidekick’s summer playlist.

Watch: For office attire that doesn’t scream “I bought this button-down at H&M and it kinda doesn’t fit,” check out @yesconnieishere’s video on three cool but office-appropriate outfit ideas.

Apply: Time is running out to apply for Morning Brew Leadership’s founding cohort. This 8-week virtual program, which kicks off June 13, is unlike any other leadership course out there. You’ll grow as a leader, build authentic relationships, and gain access to alumni benefits, so your professional growth won’t stop at graduation. Apply now before it fills up!

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