Crisis reference

Macmillan trade told employees the company is “delaying the official reopening of the office until no earlier than January 10, 2022, while also adding a soft opening of the office beginning in October 2021.” Previously, they had planned on reopening the New York office on October 18 for those who want to work in the office. In line with that, business travel continues to be suspended through the end of 2021. The notice indicates, “As we look to reopen the office, we are keenly aware of everyone’s unique situations. We continue to prioritize flexibility and the creation of a safe environment, […]

Hachette UK, which had hoped to fully implement its hybrid work policy by September 1, is extending that completion date to October 4. While they are “encouraging staff to move to the 3:2 hybrid working model now if they are ready,” they have added “an optional extension to the transition period,” working one day a week in the office during September. Bloomsbury UK was looking to have employees back in the office two days a week starting September 7, but has delayed that plan to October 18.

With uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant, Hachette Book Group ceo Michael Pietsch told staff that, “We have decided to postpone the reopening of our offices, which had been set for September. We have not set a new reopening schedule at this time. When we decide it is safe to proceed with reopening, we will provide a minimum of four weeks’ notice before we proceed.” Pietsch notes they have also experienced “ongoing changes to regulations in some of the cities and states where HBG has offices.” The offices “remain open for people who want or need to use them, within our […]

For companies still reckoning with how to implement newly-flexible work schedules given that most employees do not want to be in the office five days a week, this HBR piece by Stanford economics professor Nicholas Bloom may be of interest. Bloom’s research confirms that “about 70% of firms, from tiny companies to massive multinationals like Google, Citi, and HSBC, plan to move to some form of hybrid working.” Significantly, however, “It turns out that who wants to work from home after the pandemic is not random. In our research we find, for example, that among college graduates with young children […]

Penguin Random House US ceo Madeline McIntosh wrote to staff on Wednesday morning about the company’s extensive thinking on “planning for the next normal,” which includes hopes for a modest reopening of offices later this year, along with a commitment to support work from home on an ongoing basis. She wrote, “The current thinking is that we will begin to expand access to our various offices—for those who need to use them—in September,” though that “is very much subject to change” based on public health guidance. “Even once the building opens, we’ll need to be cautious in how we inhabit […]

The Book Industry Charity Foundation has raised $1 million for a new bookstore grant program that will quickly provide grants to independent bookstores and comic shops facing financial challenges due to COVID-19. Binc’s Survive to Thrive initiative was funded with a leading gift of $500,000, jointly from Ingram Charities and Ingram Content Group; $250,000 from Bookshop.org; and an additional $250,000 total from Hachette, Harper Collins, Macmillan Publishers, and Penguin Random House, and seeks to raise an addition $1 million. Meeting that $2 million funding goal would support grants of up to $10,000 to 200 independent bookstores and comic shops. (Link […]