Employers say 'Get back to office, then please go'

Companies that end remote work and demand a return to the office often cite improved productivity and the positive effects of workplace collaboration as reasons for the policy change. But employees who have a sneaky suspicion that some companies have an ulterior motive may be correct.

A survey by ResumeTemplates found that 8% of employers said one of the goals of ending remote work was to get underperforming, less dedicated and “lazy” employees to quit. The companies hoped the strategy would help them avoid layoffs and also reduce costs.

More companies are pulling the plug on remote and hybrid work. A separate survey from KPMG found that 79% of CEOs expected to end all remote work policies, up from 34% earlier this year.

Power play

To feed the hunger for the electricity needed to fuel artificial intelligence programs and high-power cloud computing, the number of giant data centers under construction has surged 70% from a year ago, according to CBRE. The new data centers are concentrated in eight U.S. markets, including our tristate area where plants are under construction in upstate New York and New Jersey.

Shaking up meal delivery

Customers in Los Angeles who order from Shake Shack may get their meals delivered by a robot. The burger chain is teaming with Uber Eats and autonomous robot maker Serve Robotics on the test project. The vehicles, which travel on sidewalks, are designed to keep the burgers and fries hot and the shakes cold. The companies hope to have a fleet of 2,000 delivery robots by next year.

Federal watchdog eyes Meta

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering legal action against Meta over allegations it improperly used financial data obtained from third parties in its highly lucrative advertising business. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it disagreed with the claims. The CFPB has recently issued tough penalties against major tech companies — including a $25 million fine against Apple and a $45 million penalty against Goldman Sachs. — THE WASHINGTON POST