• Coronavirus-prompted social distancing is testing the limits of businesses' workplace continuity and remote work plans. 
• Sundar Nagarajan, JLL Americas head of consulting; and Peter Miscovich, JLL's managing director of strategy and innovation, explained the decisions businesses will have to make about processes and their employee's health and well-being in a webinar on Thursday. 
• The health crisis puts additional stress on the long-term decisions that businesses make, they added. 
• Nagarajan said that this could trigger a "paradigm shift" towards more digital and remote work, accelerating the adoption and development of new technologies and remote business processes.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

US office workers are working from home, trading conference rooms for Zoom, and replacing morning commutes with mid-day walks.

The novel coronavirus — and the social distancing that's being implemented to prevent its spread — has been a huge test for businesses' workplace continuity and remote work plans.

It could also fast-forward businesses' plans to do more work remotely and to find tech solutions to make working from home as productive as working in the office, according to real-estate services giant JLL.

On Thursday, Sundar Nagarajan, JLL Americas head of consulting, and Peter Miscovich, JLL's managing director of strategy and innovation, held a webinar on the topic of workplace continuity and remote work. They characterized this current situation as a unique challenge for businesses, and one that could lead to unintended, lasting changes.

"There is a greater opportunity for a paradigm shift to happen," Nagarajan said.

Workplace continuity decisions

Three factors make this crisis unlike any other, even compared to era-defining moments like 9/11: the disease has no geographical center, so there's no way to move operations away from it; it is transmitted between people, so work has to be done remotely; and it is not a singular event, but instead a pandemic that could last 18 months.

As a result, workplace continuity plans need to be able to run for much longer than they may have been previously designed to.

"It's fine if we have to do this for a week, it's fine if we have to do this for two weeks maybe, but what are the long-term implications, and how do you keep the employee engaged, involved, and productive?" Nagarajan said.

In the webinar, Nagarajan and Miscovich laid out the timing and impact of workplace continuity decisions into four quadrants, labeled by two variables: short term versus long term, and business impact versus employee/work process impact.

Short-term WFH challenges

The most important short-term decision is the health, well-being, and purpose of employees — and especially the leaders who will make workplace continuity decisions, Nagarajan said. This can range from the decision to close offices to slow the spread of the coronavirus to finding ways to accommodate working parents who can no longer rely on school or daycare to watch their children.

Employee and executive's health determines the success of a company's remote-work technological infrastructure, its communication to employees, vendors, and clients about the crisis, and the business processes that need to change to meet this prolonged workplace continuity challenge. 

As workplace continuity plans are developed with a longer horizon in mind, businesses are beginning to lay the groundwork for the "paradigm shift" that Nagarajan mentioned.

On the employee side, firms need to find ways to maintain, or even improve, its employee culture and morale remotely. Both Nagarajan and Miscovich noted that 9/11 actually solidified and strengthened some bonds between employees, but the remote nature of this crisis presents new challenges. 

Firms also need to plan for the physical health of their employees. Office workplaces are covered by OSHA regulations, which sets standards that employers must use to protect their employees from hazards,  but the couches and kitchen tables where employees are dialing into meetings present different ergonomic challenges. 

An 'ecosystem' approach

Miscovich advocated for an "ecosystem" approach to real-estate continuity that provides a range of work options: working from home, replacing city-center offices with more distributed coworking and satellite centers, and using non-traditional workplaces like hotels and conference centers.

While social distancing measures only allow working from home at this moment, Miscovich referenced research that the pandemic may come in "waves over time," which would lend itself to a workplace continuity plan that sits between the traditional office and a totally work from home environment.

If transmission of the virus slows but does not stop, businesses could find a middle ground between full density and remote work by clustering employees in different, geographically scattered locations. 

The longer-term response is also fertile ground for the development and adoption of technology. Video-conferencing company Zoom has seen its stock climb as meetings, and even happy hours and team lunches, are conducted remotely. More novel technology, such as virtual and augmented reality, may see a similar boost as social distancing continues. Miscovich said that we may even see "ways of working we haven't imagined today."

This workplace paradigm shift is beginning to become apparent already: data and analytics giant Refinitiv's CRO told Business Insider that the firm may continue to meet with clients digitally and encourage work from home after the crisis has passed. 

"We've all been put in this accelerated timeline over the last three-four weeks, where we're looking at distributed work and remote work in a very accelerated manner" Miscovich said.

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SEE ALSO: The CRO of $27 billion data giant Refinitiv says the coronavirus could permanently alter how it employs staff and serves clients

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• Congress rolled out a new law that guarantees paid sick leave for workers affected by the coronavirus. It was the first time the US federal government has enacted any form of paid sick leave.
• But the law didn't cover independent contractors, which companies don't classify as permanent employees. 
• James Parrott, the director of economic and fiscal policies at The New School's Center for New York City Affairs, said workers forced out of their jobs for public health reasons should be a priority in Congress' newest stimulus package. 
• Click here for more BI Prime content.

Until this week, 32 million Americans didn't have access to paid sick leave. As a global health crisis unfurled across Asia, this was a bleak statistic.

Within weeks, the number of coronavirus cases has grown to more than 18,000 across all 50 states and Washington, DC. And the speed of the pandemic has brought the kind of progressive legislation that the American labor movement has long advocated, from paid sick leave to healthcare reform to insurance assistance. But the pandemic is only worsening and tipping the US economy into recession, begging the question not only of how much more progressive emergency legislation will get, but will any of it become permanent after the emergency subsides?

President Trump on Wednesday signed a law that guarantees paid sick leave for employees and benefits for families affected by the coronavirus. The bill guarantees free coronavirus testing and covers the cost of emergency-room visits and doctor fees. It also supplements food assistance, paid sick leave, and unemployment insurance, among other provisions.

James Parrott, the director of economic and fiscal policies at The New School's Center for New York City Affairs, is following job displacement throughout the crisis, particularly in the state of New York. He told Business Insider that the magnitude of worker displacement will be greater than in the 1930s or during the Great Recession. "It exposes the weaknesses in our labor protections for most workers, so it would be appropriate for legislation at the national and state levels to fix that."  

One giant leap for progressives

This is the first time the US federal government has enacted any form of paid sick leave. US labor laws around unpaid leave haven't changed much since the 1990s, when The Family and Medical Leave Act granted workers unpaid job-protected leave to take care of themselves, their children, and immediate family. 

The new law is temporary, though, only effective through the end of the calendar year. It still represents a major step forward for worker's rights, and stands as an example that Congress is perfectly capable of enacting this kind of legislation, and President Donald Trump will sign it, when they want to. And it may not be the last progressive step forward to come from this crisis.

Part of Congress' $1 trillion stimulus package would include "direct payments" to every American as financial assistance to get through the crisis, also called "helicopter money" since Milton Friedman coined the term in the 1960s. Basically, the government will send you a check to help you pay your bills.

This plan bears a close resemblance to universal basic income (UBI), which entrepreneur Andrew Yang made the basis of his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Yang had argued that UBI would be necessary as automation replaced a large percentage of jobs in the workforce, not that it would be needed when a pandemic made going to work unsafe. His version of UBI foresaw sending every American $1,000 per month, every month, which does not appear to be what current legislators intend.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah became the first Republican to endorse a variation of UBI as helicopter money to fight the economic results of the pandemic earlier this week, an indication of how fast events are moving, and how quickly political winds are shifting.

But a small step for the gig economy 

Though the new law elevates paid sick leave to the federal level for the first time in national history, it has one glaring flaw: it doesn't change anything for individual contractors or self-employed workers, like Uber drivers and freelancers. Parrott said that's a major loophole, adding that many workers are "forced to be self-employed because the businesses that hire them aren't hiring them as employees." It also didn't come in time for the millions of workers who had already been laid off as a result of nationwide closures and social distancing measures. 

Parrott estimates that 20% to 30% of the national total of unemployed workers will be individual contractors. And as Business Insider previously reported, the unemployment rate could conceivably hit 20% in the recession brought on by the pandemic, so 20% to 30% of that would be millions of people. US initial unemployment claims could spike to a record 2.25 million this week, according to Goldman Sachs, a new record.

Even under the new law, these workers don't benefit from company leave policies, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation, or the FMLA. "There should be national requirements for things like paid sick days, which would apply to employees as well as independent contractors," Parrott said.

That conversation is heading to Congress as Senate Republicans rolled out a $1 trillion stimulus package to aid businesses and citizens hit by the economic fallout. Robert Reffkin, CEO of real estate company Compass, has urged Congress to include individual contractors such as real estate agents, according to the Real Deal. 

Parrott said the government is misguided if it believes handing out checks will be an adequate response to the coronavirus fallout. "Workers were forced out of their jobs for public health reasons. That should be the focus of any massive stimulus," he said. 

MUST READ: The White House may hand out checks to Americans to soften the blow of coronavirus. Here's how the Silicon Valley dream became a policy plank for Andrew Yang and now Donald Trump.

SEE ALSO: America's fractured policies on paid sick leave are changing amid coronavirus. Here's how the potential new laws could affect you.

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NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has changed the way the world works. "Social distancing" has been recommended to reduce the virus' spread, causing many companies to turn to work-from-home policies.

Although it's not a new concept, working from home may not be the norm for your team, and the transition for some may be tough. Many successful businesses have been working remotely for years, thanks to an increase in tools that facilitate easy virtual communication, such as video calling, workflow management tools, and online social apps.

Here is what executives who lead companies with remote employees use to keep productivity high and happiness abound.

Subscribe here to read our feature: 6 CEOs and executives who've been managing remote teams for years share the tools they use to keep their employees motivated and happy

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NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

• Nicole Roder is a freelance writer who works from home.
• She's also a homeschooling mother who teaches 5th and 6th grade to her two oldest daughters. Her younger two children attend public school. 
• She writes that it is actually possible, albeit more frustrating, to do one's  job with the kids home from school.
• Explain the situation to your kids, create a "busy box," and get creative with when and where you're willing to put in work time. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
  
  

I'm writing this from the toilet. (Don't worry, the lid is closed and I'm fully dressed. I'm just hiding from my children.)

I'm a freelance writer who works from home. I'm also a homeschooling mother. I teach 5th and 6th grade to my two oldest daughters. Additionally, I have an 8-year-old son who attends public school five days a week, and a 4-year-old son who attends pre-K three days a week. So my house is a little chaotic. 

I've been working from home for three years, and in that time I've completed some feats that are weird at best — and hair-pulling madness at worst. I've typed an article one-handed with a nursing baby on my breast. I've conducted interviews on speaker phone while driving my kids to appointments and admonishing them to please, for the love of God, not say anything about poop, butts, or penises while mommy is on the phone. 

(A couple of years ago, I interviewed a remarkable woman about a very serious subject. When the interview was over, I left my phone sitting on the table. Big mistake. A few hours later, I picked up my phone to discover that my middle two kids, ages 8 and 6 at the time, had texted my interviewee over 70 times. The texts were almost entirely about poop. I tried to contact her to apologize, but I was too late. She'd already blocked my number. To tell you the truth, I'd have done the same thing.)

When news began to spread of the novel coronavirus washing ashore in the US, my first thought was, "Good thing I homeschool and work from home. We can all hunker down if it comes to our neighborhood." 

Now that schools are beginning to shut down as a result of the outbreak, many fellow work-from-homers might be joining the ranks of parents who now have to work with kids in tow. 

Yes, it can be done

Yes, I know that your world is being disrupted. Just a few weeks ago you had it made. The cozy home office. The cup of tea. The black lab snuggled at your feet as you typed away, uninterrupted, for all those hours that your kids were at school. I've fantasized about this lifestyle myself many times.

Not to worry. While I won't lie — it won't be easy — I'm here to tell you that it is actually possible, albeit more frustrating, to do your job with the kids home from school. I've been doing it for three years. This is how I make it work.

SEE ALSO: Here's how I stay productive working from home in a tiny NYC apartment with my husband and 2 kids just a few feet away

1. Explain the situation to your kids.

I'm sure you remember being a kid and finding out that school was closed for the day. Score! A free day to watch TV and do whatever I want! That may work for the occasional snow day, but if your kids are off school for a prolonged period of time, they'll need to understand that it's not going to be an endless free-for-all. Tell them that you are going to have to get some work done during the day, and they are going to have to do some self-entertaining. 

2. Make a schedule of "office hours."

Let your kids know when you will be working, and when you will have time to spend with them. Think about your expectations for them while you are working, and clearly communicate that to them. Promise that if they keep their end of the deal, you'll be able to stop working at the designated time and do something fun with them later.

3. If you have any big kids, assign one at a time to be "on duty" with the littles.

 The days when my 4-year-old is home from school are by far the most hectic. I have to teach school and work at the same time, and the little one doesn't like being ignored. Those days, my two daughters and I rotate between work and entertaining their little brother. 

4. Switch your working hours to the evening when your kids are asleep.

The best part of working from home is the flexibility to choose your own hours. If you can't work during the day, you may have to temporarily put in some hours at night, after bedtime, or early in the morning before anyone is up. 

5. Keep a "busy box" handy with games and toys to occupy the kids while you work.

Fill a bin with puzzles, MadLibs, coloring books, and quiet toys. If your kids interrupt you during your office hours, try sending them to the busy box to choose an activity.

6. Even if you don't homeschool, you can still assign schoolwork.

I do spend hands-on time each day teaching my kids, but a lot of their school assignments are independent. They usually involve reading something and then answering questions. While they're doing their independent work, I work too. Many traditionally-schooled kids will balk at this idea. But face it, if school is closed for more than a few days, they can't just do nothing to exercise their brains. 

Most homeschoolers buy at least some of their curricula, but there are plenty of free or cheap resources online for homeschool worksheets and assignments. Try Khan Academy or just Google "free homeschool worksheets." If you don't mind spending a small amount of money, Teachers Pay Teachers and Education.com have a lot of resources, most of which cost between a few cents and a few dollars. 

7. Bring your phone to the bathroom and answer emails from there.

Just wash your hands and wipe your phone down when you're done! 

8. Play a mindfulness meditation from YouTube.

There are hundreds of free meditation videos available on YouTube. Try searching the site for "5 minute meditations for focus,""mindfulness for kids," or "calming meditations for kids." Just get everyone in a comfortable spot, play the video, and follow the instructions. Do this at the start of the day, and maybe right after lunch too. It will both focus your mind so you can concentrate through the chaos, and calm the kids down.  

9. When all else fails, give them some extra screen time.

Personally, I don't like my kids to have more than 30 minutes of screen time per day. I've even gone so far as to put my kids on screen detoxes in the past, as screens inspire addictive behavior in my children. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that for children 6 and older, parents can safely make screen time plans that are individualized to your family's needs. Just be sure that you place consistent limits on screen time, and don't allow it to take the place of physical activity, sleep, or spending time with the family. And remember, this is a temporary situation brought upon you by an unusual global health situation — your kids won't be TV zombies forever. 

10. Use leave, if you have it.

It is absolutely possible to work from home with kids, but it might be difficult to sustain a full time schedule for more than a few weeks. Personally, I work about 25 hours a week. I could work more if I worked longer days and gave up weekends. I've done that before when I've been on a tight deadline or had an unusually big workload. But if I had to do it all the time, I'd be exhausted. If your financial situation allows it, and your kids' school is going to be closed for more than a few weeks, you might want to cut back to part-time. And if you are an employer asking your staff to work from home due to COVID-19 concerns, please consider the feasibility of working without child care and give extra leave if you can. 

Nicole Roder is a freelance writer and mother of four. She specializes in health, mental health, and parenting. Her work has been published in Today's Parent, Parents, Cancer Wellness, the Baltimore Sun, and more. Find her online at http://well-parenting.com.

• Distraction can stimulate innovative thinking, even more so than deliberately trying to be creative.
• Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin have used distraction to spur more creative thinking.
• Bruce Daisley, a former Twitter executive who now writes about the science of work, recommends that employees carve out time to let their mind wander. All it takes is a quick walk — or shower.
• Click here for more BI Prime content.

Twitter was conceived at a daylong brainstorming session. Apple's late cofounder and CEO Steve Jobs deliberately procrastinated when he needed to think creatively. The screenwriter behind "The Social Network" reportedly comes up with his best ideas in the shower. 

The common theme here: Allowing yourself to be distracted can spur creative thinking. 

In today's economy, creativity and innovation are a job candidate's competitive edge— even more so than specific technical skills. Which means it's more important than ever to carve out time to let your mind wander, and to let those novel ideas surface.

Bruce Daisley, a former Twitter executive who now writes about the science of work, said the best way to cultivate innovative thinking is not to work so hard at it.

"When you look at people who are creative, inventive, original, they often don't spend their time trying to be productive all the time," Daisley told Business Insider.

Sometimes a quick walk is all it takes.

It's not so hard to incorporate distraction into your own workday

Daisley was Twitter's vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa before stepping down in January. Now he's the host of the podcast "Eat Sleep Work Repeat" and the author of a book by the same name.

Based on his research, Daisley said there are some simple ways to increase your own creativity at work. And you don't always need permission from your boss.

Consider a survey from The O.C. Tanner Institute, an HR research firm. Of the 3,500 employees surveyed, from companies across the globe, the majority agreed that innovation is everyone's responsibility, but they lack the time and support from management to think about or execute new ideas.

Take a tip from Jobs instead. The former Apple CEO relied on so-called procrastination, and taking breaks from his work, to generate his best product ideas, like the iPod.

"The time Steve Jobs was putting things off and noodling on possibilities was time well spent in letting more divergent ideas come to the table," Wharton professor Adam Grant previously told Business Insider. That's in contrast to "diving right in with the most conventional, the most obvious, the most familiar."

Award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the 2010 film "The Social Network," on the origins of Facebook, is a prime example of the benefits of mind-wandering. According to Men's Health, Sorkin takes up to six showers a day to overcome writer's block. Sorkin isn't alone: Studies show that at least 72% of people get their best ideas in the shower, Business Insider's Jacquelyn Smith reported.

In his book, Daisley writes that another way to trigger divergent thinking is to go for a walk.

"To be creative we need to let our minds wander and imagine," Daisley writes. That's considerably harder when we're bouncing from emails to meetings to an Excel spreadsheet, he added, when "our executive attention network is fully fired up."

Science suggests that mind-wandering can facilitate creativity

Anecdotal evidence about the benefits of indulging in distractions is backed by research.

Harvard University psychologist Shelley H. Carson, the author of "Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life," told Fast Company that being distracted can facilitate creativity.

"In some ways, distractions are a form of mindfulness — being mindful of your environment and noticing more new things," Carson told Fast Company. That might be the arc of a branch outside your office or the fabric of the chair you're sitting on. "Being open to them allows for the ability to take bits of information and combine them in novel ways that are useful or adaptive."

That ability to combine different pieces of information in novel ways is also called divergent thinking, and it underpins creativity.

Managers can help their team make time for innovation

If you're a manager, it pays to consider how you can make time for innovative thinking on your team.

Daisley cited his former employer as an example of something novel that came out of designated distraction time. Before Twitter was a public company worth $30 billion, its founders were running a podcasting platform called Odeo. In 2005, Apple launched iTunes podcasting and Odeo execs realized their big idea was going to be crowded out of the market. They needed to find a new one.

That year, Twitter's former CEO, Evan Williams, advised the company to start holding hackathons — all-day or all-night coding sessions, popular in the tech industry — at which employees would brainstorm new ideas.

During the hackathon, Jack Dorsey, Twitter's current CEO, came up with an idea for a product that would allow people to post updates on their "status," or whatever they were doing at a given time, Business Insider's Nicholas Carlson reported.

Ultimately, it's important for both managers and employees to find ways to alleviate daily stress and anxiety. Daisley said the "hurry sickness" that many professionals live in — rushing from one task to the next — may be inhibiting their ability to innovate, in turn making them less successful.

"The simple way to say it," Daisley added, "is that stress kills creativity."

SEE ALSO: A Twitter exec quit his job, wrote a book, and is now fighting climate change. Here's his best advice for anyone who's ready to start something new.

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NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

• Former Facebook executive Monica Poindexter joined Lyft in 2018 as the company's diversity and inclusion leader. 
• In an interview with Business Insider, Poindexter shared her unique approach to creating an inclusive workplace.
• One of the executive's strategies is training for unconscious biases. She converted in-person meetings into virtual workshops, which she says resulted in a higher completion rate.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Like many companies across Silicon Valley, ride-sharing powerhouse Lyft is making sure "diversity efforts" are more than just buzz words in 2020 — and one woman is at the center of their strategy.

Monica Poindexter, a former Facebook diversity executive, joined Lyft as its diversity and inclusion head in 2018. Poindexter spent nearly 10 years in similar roles at four different companies and often talked about taking a "holistic" approach as a philosophy throughout her career (i.e., just implementing  policies won't change the root causes of inequality).

In an interview with Business Insider, the executive shared how she prioritized anti-biasing training at Lyft. When Poindexter joined, the company was rapidly growing its workforce, bringing in about 3,500 new employees, a spokesperson said. And as the volume of new hires boomed, Poindexter knew she had to step up Lyft's training efforts and programs.

"We're really starting to build out a lot more programming," Poindexter said. "That's so that we can ensure we're hitting on real, relevant, and timely workplace issues to the point where it becomes a day-to-day muscle that people are building and exercising on."

One of her priorities was stepping up the way employees were taught about unconscious biases, or stereotypes about certain groups of people that you don't realize you have. The company previously had in-person meetings for unconscious bias training, but those had a dismal 20% completion rate among employees.

Poindexter saw the retention numbers and decided to take a different approach. She converted training into one-hour virtual videos. 

"I'm actually featured in the video, when we're actually taking some real scenarios and case studies that can happen in any workplace and we bring those to life," she said. "It's so that we can help humanize the unconscious bias experiences that occur on a day-to-day basis in any organization." 

Poindexter's videos had a high turnaround, and about 60% of employees completes the training now, the company shared with Business Insider. This tweak has been emblematic of her approach to diversity efforts, as she's comfortable with experimenting and reconfiguring outdated policies when needed. 

Her efforts have already seen gains. According to Lyft's 2019 diversity report, the company increased in overall representation since 2018, the year Poindexter joined. About 26.3% of employees are Asian, and the report noted a high number of women and Latino workers getting promoted to leadership roles.

Plus, Lyft's 10 resource groups, or community groups where workers can bond and build a network, not only cater to minorities, but also working parents and veterans. Recently, the company introduced self-identifying pronouns to support transgender and nonbinary workers and drivers. 

"We're ensuring that when we're looking at our guide — all the programs, all of the retention initiatives we're rolling out to the organization — that we are embedding inclusion and diversity into those programs on the front end and it's not an after effect," Poindexter said.

Lyft's overall onboarding process introduces Poindexter's diversity efforts from the start. Lyft brings in roughly 40 new full-time employees each week, and it focuses on aligning these new workers with company values from day one. For example, the new-employee orientation kicks off with a presentation describing the company's expectations, Business Insider previously reported. One of the slides includes an immediate reference to Poindexter's 10 resource groups, including Lyft for women and Lyft for veterans.

The company also stepped up its efforts with 15 new safety features in the wake of several sexual harassment lawsuits filed against the company. Lyft partnered with RAINN, an anti-sexual-violence organization, to roll out prevention education. It established mandatory feedback for low-rated rides to track problematic behavior, as well as daily criminal background monitoring.

"We recognize these risks, which is why we are relentless in our work to build safety into every aspect of our work," a Lyft spokesperson said in response to the sexual harassment lawsuits. 

Poindexter explained that her job extends far beyond providing support for office employees — Lyft's diversity efforts should reflect its riders and drivers as well.

"It's important we're ensuring that we are supporting our drivers and riders, and that their experiences reflect that they are valued and that they're cared for," she said.

SEE ALSO: Read the presentation Lyft shows its new hires during their first day at work

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• The coronavirus pandemic is altering the fitness influencer industry as more people seek workouts they can do at home.
• Kelli and Daniel Segars of 6-million subscriber YouTube channel Fitness Blender told Business Insider they saw their daily new subscriber counts double in the first five days after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic.
• In addition to the free videos on their YouTube channel, the couple also runs a website that offers a tiered membership program, Fitness Blender Plus, at a range of prices.
• They said they've seen an uptick in viewership of no-equipment workouts.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The coronavirus pandemic may be hurting the travel influencer industry, but it might be a different story for fitness influencers.

Kelli and Daniel Segars are the couple behind home workout YouTube channel Fitness Blender, which has nearly 6 million subscribers. They told Business Insider that they saw their daily new subscriber counts double in the first five days after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic on March 11.

That day, they received around 1,200 new YouTube subscribers, according to analytics the couple provided to Business Insider. That was already slightly above the 800 to 1,000 new daily subscribers analytics show they had been averaging since the beginning of February. Less than a week later, on March 16, the daily number of new subscribers jumped up to 2,400.

Kelli and Daniel founded Fitness Blender as a side project for extra income in 2008 during the Great Recession, according to The Seattle Times. Today, they have a total of 886 videos on their YouTube channel. Their videos run from five to 90 minutes in length — typically around 30 minutes — and feature one or the other of them leading viewers through a variety of exercises. Among their most popular videos are a 10-minute ab workout featuring Kelli, which has gotten 68 million views since it was posted in January 2012, and a 37-minute cardio workout, also featuring Kelli, which has gotten 58 million views since it was posted in April 2013.

In addition to these videos, Fitness Blender offers two- to eight-week workout programs for purchase for those who prefer a schedule rather than a single workout. It also offers a paid membership, Fitness Blender Plus, which includes extra features, such as exclusive workouts and access to personal health and fitness statistics.

The membership program also saw a spike in new subscribers under each paid subscription option — one month ($11.99 for pay-as-you-go), monthly recurring ($8.99), and yearly recurring ($79.99) — according to internal analytics that Business Insider viewed. Kelli and Daniel declined to comment on specific subscription numbers for Fitness Blender Plus.

The increase in people looking for access to both free and paid workouts says a lot about quarantine life right now. As social distancing becomes the norm in many places, fitness junkies are trying to make the best of their gym game at home.

More viewers are seeking bodyweight and HIIT workouts

Daniel and Kelli said there isn't a need for them to change much of their production strategy to cater to this increased demand. "We're always locked into what we can do to make fitness as accessible to everyone as we can," Daniel told Business Insider.

They already have a vast range of at-home workout content to fulfill the desires of any exerciser. According to analytics site Social Blade, Fitness Blender's daily video views increased from 287,163 to 448,999 in the same five-day time period after the WHO's announcement. By March 19, just over a week after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, those daily views more than doubled to 613,482.

Kelli said that on YouTube, they've seen the biggest viewership jump among their no-equipment workout videos, specifically for strength training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Considering that many people may not have weights or machines in their homes, these bodyweight workouts and cardio alternatives are a natural alternative to hitting the gym.

The one adjustment Kelli and Daniel said they are making is to remove the barrier of cost on some videos. To make fitness more financially accessible, they're putting some of their home workout programs on sale. Several four-week $14.99 programs have been cut to $4.50. "Our goal is to kind of hopefully use this as a positive thing, to help provide a sense of normalcy for people," Daniel said.

On social media, talk from the Fitness Blender community has shifted to trying to figure out how to cope and sustain through the pandemic, he added. It's about "focusing on what's within your control and doing what you can where you can," he said.

SEE ALSO: Bill Gates has been warning of a global health threat for years. Here are 11 people who seemingly predicted the coronavirus pandemic.

DON'T MISS: 'We're not worried about it:' Photos show the coronavirus pandemic isn't stopping spring breakers from crowding beaches and partying on booze cruises

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• Mike Farny has always been a tinkerer, but his best upcycling project turned out to be an incredibly lucrative business.
• The Farny family owns and operates Ice Bumper Cars (IBC) International, which supplies ice bumper cars to 25 ice rinks in the country in eight states.
• IBC International had $1 million in gross revenue in 2018; Farny projects sales to hit $1.5 million in 2020 and $2 million in 2021.
• Part of this is a new revenue share program in which IBC International will partner with rinks, providing cars free-of-charge for a share in the revenue that the cars produce at those facilities.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

In December 1920, brothers from Massachusetts patented their bumper cars and created the Dodgem Company. Since then, kids of all ages — and plenty of adults — have reveled in the thrill of driving without a license and bumping into family and friends without fear of recourse. 

Now, a century later, a family-owned company in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has taken these classic cars and put them on ice, creating a product that not only delivers all of the fun of the original bumper car but also provides a new revenue stream for ice rinks around the country. 

Currently, 25 ice rinks in the country in eight states own a fleet of ice bumper cars from Ice Bumper Cars (IBC) International, which is 90% of the company's business. The company also has a fleet of 16 rental cars; this option appeals to holiday popup rinks like the one in Bryant Park, New York City, and at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver. 

In 2018, IBC International had $1 million in gross revenue; sales in 2019 are expected to be around $700,000, but since the company paused sales in the first quarter of 2019 to execute the redesign, that's not unexpected. Farny is projecting sales to hit $1.5 million in 2020 and $2 million in 2021. 

SEE ALSO: 'We went to every bank in Tulsa, and they all laughed at us and told us no': The story of how 2 friends raised funding on their own to launch a vodka bar that would go on to make millions

A new version of an old favorite is born

In 2017, Mike Farny was working at Howelsen Ice Arena in Steamboat Springs when he found a few old bumper cars destined for the trash heap. Tinkerer that he is, Mike made it his mission to resurrect them. He restored 10 cars and was surprised at how much guests enjoyed them. But the machinery and product weren't quite where they needed to be to be a viable offering at the ice rink. 

"That was the point that I got involved," said Luke Farny, CEO and cofounder of IBC International and Mike's son. "My background is in mechanical engineering as well as business, so he and I worked together to redesign the cars."

Howelsen Ice Arena bought the first fleet of cars (there was already a demand), but Farny said it wasn't clear as to whether or not the idea would catch on.

A pet project becomes a sellable product

"Luckily enough, within like a week of them being there, someone was on vacation and they owned a rink out East and they said, 'These things are awesome. Can we get some?' .... And then it grew out there and then it just kind of spread like wildfire," explained Andrew Farny, Mike's other son, who serves as operations manager at IBC International.  

Having those first few rinks that embraced the bumper cars was key to the business's success, Farny said. With no marketing, the Farnys relied on word-of-mouth and potential customers seeing the cars in action to make sales. 

It worked. The cars went from being a pet project to a viable, sellable product. 

The learning curve was short to get the business off the ground. The Farnys spent about a year finding out what worked well, what didn't, and tweaking the first generation of cars. 

One of the biggest challenges came with sourcing parts. Originally, the Farnys sourced parts from China. However, after experiencing issues with quality, availability, and extended lead times (the imposed tariffs also contributed to the hassle), they started working to find partners in the United States who could offer similar products at a comparable price point.

Some connections were lucky: Finding a world-class fiberglass company in nearby Golden, Colorado was the result of chasing leads and word-of-mouth referrals. Other vendors were the result of determining the need with the engineers and finding US-based parts using good, old-fashioned internet searches. It was difficult, but now the parts are predominantly from Colorado.

"We made the decision to spend more on parts, but with the increased quality, it's more than worth it," Farny said. 

When designing the new on-board computer system that regulates the cars — like starting them up and monitoring battery life — Farny said they started from scratch. An off-the-shelf product wasn't going to work after they added in the comments, suggestions, and ideas from current customers, such as being able to track rides taken on individual cars and the ability to remotely monitor metrics for both individual cars and the fleet as a whole. 

Though there were budget and timeline overruns (Farny said the budget was over by approximately $50,000 in engineering for the upgrade and they were two months behind where they wanted to be on the timeline), the resulting system is uniquely designed for both operator and guest satisfaction. 

The next generation of ice bumper cars are designed for accessibility and efficiency

In 2019, IBC International completed the redesign. The new cars, which are what you'll see spinning, sliding, and bumping in ice rinks across the country, include high-tech updates such as two proportional joysticks that control the specially designed Ice Motor Wheels. This makes it easier to navigate and also creates the ability to spin, one of the highlights of the cars. 

Other updates are helpful for the rinks that own or rent the cars, including quick recharge batteries that can run from three to eight hours without a charge (depending on the model) and an on-board computer that allows ride attendants to view battery life, set ride duration, and observe other metrics from a wireless, touch-screen device.  

Keeping things simple and valuing customer service

Farny attributes several things to their success. One reason is the fact that ice bumper cars give ice rinks an additional revenue stream. The cars are designed to be operated on one third of the ice surface — this leaves the remaining two thirds for public skating. Farny said their top-performing rink reports sales of more than $70,000 per month from the cars. 

"All of our clients pretty much pay off their cars (earn the cost of the cars) in the first year," Farny said. "This client paid them off in the first 50 days."

Dobson Ice Arena in Vail, Colorado, is home to 12 IBC International cars — they debuted in December 2019."We're always looking to find alternative ways to maximize our ice," said Jared Biniecki, director of the arena."We're a tourist destination and I just thought it would work in Vail. It's a little different and exciting and new and we're just trying to keep it fresh."

Another key is embracing the KISS (an acronym for "keep it simple, stupid" or "keep it stupid simple") method.

"We've developed a product that requires very little maintenance," Farny said. "When there is maintenance needed, it's on a very, almost like elementary level — you know, plug and play, try this, replace that. You're back up and running."

The quality of the product also contributes to the low maintenance aspect. With the abuse that the cars take, Farny said that the Farnys spent a lot of time and money on the parts and design to ensure that they were providing a product that would work for any facility.

"One of the biggest pain points for rinks (which is what we've attributed a lot of our success to) is they're busy and they're set in their ways, so they don't want to bring in a new attraction ride that is just going [to] require them to have more manpower or someone always maintaining the cars," Farny said. "Our clients don't need to have a full-time maintenance technician on hand to be repairing cars on a daily basis." 

They also pride themselves on great customer service. "When people have issues, they call us and we can get them back up and running in minutes," Farny added. 

Looking ahead with a new revenue model

IBC International is rolling out something new in 2020: a revenue-share program in which IBC International will partner with rinks, providing cars free-of-charge for a share in the revenue that the cars produce at those facilities.

"It's another way for us to get the cars out in more locations," Farny said. "We're really doubling down on the success that we know that these cars have and it's a way for us to partner with people and provide an even higher level of service."

Ice Bumper Cars are hot items for year-round fun and it doesn't seem like the demand will slow down anytime soon. But Farny said that you don't have to have a brilliant idea like ice bumper cars to be successful — it's more important to seize opportunities when they present themselves. 

"None of us set out to be amusement ride manufacturers," Farny said. "But we saw this opportunity and we really were able to evaluate the longevity quickly and efficiently at different stages of the process. We didn't set out necessarily with the idea to make ice bumper cars, but we were open to starting a business. So when that opportunity came our way, we really leaned into that and gave it what it needed to grow."

• Dan Schawbel is a bestselling author, speaker, entrepreneur, and host of the "5 Questions with Dan Schawbel" podcast, where he interviews world-class humans by asking them just five questions in under 10 minutes. 
• He recently interviewed Ben Horowitz, the cofounder and general partner of Andreessen Horowitz and author of "What You Do Is Who You Are."
• Horowitz said that all successful entrepreneurs have two things in common: They are original thinkers and have leadership skills.
• When asked for his best career advice, Horowitz said, "Don't listen to your friend."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Born in London, England, Ben Horowitz was raised in California. He graduated from Columbia University with a BA in computer science, then got his master's in computer science from UCLA.

From there, Horowitz got his first job at Silicon Graphics before joining Netscape founder Marc Andreessen as a product manager. When Netscape was acquired by AOL, Horowitz became AOL's vice president of ecommerce. He and Andreessen left Netscape to cofound Loudcloud, eventually taking it public and transforming it into enterprise software company Opsware.

Horowitz grew the company to over $100 million in annual revenue before selling it to HP for $1.6 billion. Once he left, he joined forces again with Andreessen to create venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which has invested in Box, Facebook, Slack, Instagram, and Airbnb. Ben's latest book is called "What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture."

In our conversation, Horowitz shares how entrepreneurs should prepare for pitch meetings, what all successful entrepreneurs have in common, what he's learned about leadership from historical figures, how to find the right career, and his best career advice.

Dan Schawbel: What should entrepreneurs do to prepare for a pitch meeting with you, and what is your criteria for which companies you invest in?

Ben Horowitz: I think they should have their business articulated as clearly as they can. I wouldn't overprepare. Their job is to come in and describe what they're doing. If you over present it, you end up presenting not what you're actually doing but what you think we want to hear, which is always a mistake. Our criteria vary a lot. Our main criteria is: Is it an original breakthrough idea, and can the entrepreneur build the company? Those are our primary criteria.

DS: What qualities do you find consistent across all successful entrepreneurs?

BH: It's not very consistent in general. Entrepreneurs come in lots of different shapes and sizes. The one thing that they all have in common is they have to be original thinkers. They have to be able to come up with their own brand-new take on the world and how they're going to improve it and that's a pretty rare thing.

One of my favorite questions is Peter Thiel's question, "What do you believe that nobody else does?" because it's a very difficult question to prepare for because, whatever you say, by definition the person asking it isn't going to like the answer. Nobody believes what you're about to say unless you say something unoriginal. I would say by far that's the one thing that you have to have.

The other thing is leadership skills, which all come in many different styles. But at the end of the day, people have to want to work for you and be motivated to do so. And without that you're not really going to build anything interesting.

DS: What have you learned from studying successful leaders of the past and present on how to create a highly engaging and productive organization that lasts?

BH: I've learned a lot from the leaders of the past and it's one of the big topics of my new book. The most interesting leader that I've learned from is Toussaint Louverture, the leader of the Haitian revolution, who was able to reprogram slave culture into a military culture and win the only successful slave revolt in human history. Many of the ways that he did it are one very innovative but are very relevant to today. One of the techniques that he used was to create a rule that was so kind of shocking and absurd that it changed behaviors.

For example, one of the things that he needed to do was build trust in the army because trust is probably the most important cultural element in a military operation. If you don't trust the order, you kind of degenerate into the Byzantine Generals Problem and you can't function.

Coming out of slave culture where there isn't a lot of long-term planning because you don't even own your future; you don't own tomorrow. That ends up being a very fragmented trust kind of culture. So he had to convert that and one of the things he did is made it required that officers don't cheat on their wives. It was very absurd in the very extremely rough raping and pillaging kind of era of French colonialism and the European Paris, the French army, the British army, and the Spanish army vying for control of the colony. But that rule change or that rule let everybody know in his organization that your commitments, your word are the most important thing.

Toussaint famously said, "I'd rather relinquish my command than break my word," and that kind of role can really change a culture and it did for him. He ended up not only the winning army delivering more casualties to Napoleon then he had at Waterloo, but also kind of what was done as the most discipline and cohesive outfit on the colony.

DS: How do you align what you do and who you are with the right company?

BH: I think that part is pretty easy to figure out. If you're the company, I think it's pretty important to communicate clearly your work style, your culture, and your values upfront to candidates so that they know what that is and what they're getting into.

And then as a candidate, there are some questions that are pretty easy to ask that will enable you to figure out whether it's a fit for you. You know, like, "Hey, you know, if I get an email on a Friday night, do you want that thing turned around Friday night or Monday morning?" is a pretty easy question to get at what we were just talking about. You want to go someplace where you're going to fit. There's a lot more opportunities for entrepreneurship and to own yourself and your own business as well.

DS: What's your best piece of career advice?  

BH: Don't listen to your friends. That's my best career advice. Particularly for young people who want to know what their friends are doing who are graduating from the same school as they are or their friends that they're hanging out with. Your friends might be able to figure out what they want to do with their life, but they're not going to be able to figure out what you want to do with your life. And so when you ask people for career advice, they give you the advice for them, but you need the advice for you and the advice for you has to come from you ultimately, so don't listen to your friends.

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SEE ALSO: The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea shares how his rocky, 'unconventional' childhood shaped his career

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• Brian Gaultier is the director of cultivation at Curaleaf.
• He says that while nurturing the actual plants is one of the main aspects of the business, his job is also to nurture the people he works with.
• The people are what make a place thrive, and they should be given the opportunity to provide feedback, set goals, and healthily dissent.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Believe it or not, cannabis cultivation has been around for over 10,000 years. Yet those of us in the burgeoning legalized industry have just over a decade of experience to draw upon — from early "Wild West" days to adhering to today's strict state-mandated regulations. The challenges we face in building a productive operation are many, not the least of which is how to best nurture the plant itself. However, one of the biggest factors is how we manage our people. There's no substitute for tangible human relations, no matter how much you've invested in equipment, structures, and technology. At the end of the day, this business is based on the direct relationship between the plant and the people.

People are drawn to the cannabis industry for many reasons. For me, it was the chance to continue to work with a plant I love and to remove my family's fear of me ending up in jail. When I started cultivating in Florida, we faced mandatory minimum sentences. Now, my job as a manager is to nurture the passion and enthusiasm of the people who work here. Here are five things I learned about keeping people excited, motivated, and engaged with what they do while managing a 100,000 square foot cannabis grow facility.

SEE ALSO: How being 'different' helped these 14 female entrepreneurs find their niche and made them more successful

1. Set the standard

The perception people have when entering the industry is mostly based on third-party information. Fact is, most people have never set foot in an actual cannabis production facility. Establishing the "house rules" is a great way to shape their attitude towards the work we do. One of my favorite things I say to new and existing employees is, this facility is a hotel for plants. Every morning they should wake up in a room that looks, smells, and feels clean. We're overpaid janitors — our primary work is to make sure the plants are happy. If your people see themselves as the responsible stewards of your company's product or service, they'll be more engaged, positive, and productive.

2. Sell the dream, and make it happen

We're truly fortunate to be part of a growing industry — and that means there's no shortage of potential opportunities for your people. Instill in your supervisors the practice of having open conversations with their teams. "What is your goal? Where do you want your career to be in 3-5 years?" Then lay out a plan with them to achieve it. Be a resource to help fulfill their dreams and they'll work with passion to exceed the company goals. The sky's the limit in the cannabis industry, so I encourage my teams to take advantage of every opportunity.

3. Overcommunicate

No one should feel their thoughts don't matter, and people at every level deserve to be heard. It's critical to find a balance between maintaining production and being open to ideas from the people who make the actual work happen. When there's an issue, give teams examples of situations which must be addressed immediately and those which can wait. Set aside time to receive feedback from your staff. This creates an environment where the team understands they are part of implementing the process and part of continually improving it. Dedicating specific time to discuss ideas ensures workflow is not interrupted, and that teams remain engaged. Remember that information, both good and bad, is only useful if shared.

4. Encourage healthy dissent

No one has our business completely figured out. There are no perfect facilities; therefore, we must not only encourage the process of continuous improvement, we must demand it. Honest conversation can be uncomfortable, and it's crucial to remind teams that we must critique the process, never the person, and that the common goal is continued growth. Passionate people will have opinions — and that's what you want to encourage. Someone might disagree with our choice to run our humidity below 55% during the flowering cycle. So we explain the reason we do so is to inhibit the potential growth of any type of mold or mildew. While their protocols might work in their personal garden, that's not an acceptable risk for a production facility which is being counted on to provide clean product to hundreds of thousands of people. The goals of the company must be thoroughly defined and conveyed. Only then can we begin the discussion about how to get there.

5. Foster the people

The people make the place. They fill the hallways with their energy. Make an effort to acknowledge all of the staff members and to introduce them to senior management when they visit. Those moments mean a lot to the people that put their passion into our products/services. Every company has a distinct culture. Direct the culture's narrative and work every day to actively define it. Invite your people to help shape their workplace. As a manager, you bridge the gap between investors, the leadership, and the staff. It's your responsibility to make decisions with the interest of the company in mind. If the company is successful, then you will be in a position to reward your staff. Issues will inevitably arise between upper management and those in the field doing the work. It's important to address negativity and conflict and mitigate the damage to the culture. It's equally as important to work with upper management so that they are aware of the impact their decisions can have on morale at every level and ultimately, their bottom line.

If you want the company's future to be green, start with the people who make it happen, plant by plant, every day.

• Alexa Shoen is a career coach for entry-level jobseekers and the author of #ENTRYLEVELBOSS: How To Get Any Job You Want. 
• For those graduating into the "coronavirus economy," it's a strange time for job searching — but while it's tempting to just sit and wait out when it's over, we don't know when that will be.
• To get a headstart, start networking online, get creative and create your own internship, and use your social media to show what you're working on.
• Research which companies are booming during this time, and reach out to people with similar jobs for virtual coffees — they may have more time on their hands.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's an extremely weird time to be a college senior.

The graduating class of 2020 will go down in the history books for their FaceTime commencement ceremonies, for their online final exams, and for their (just assuming) epic virtual underground frat parties.

But, soon, it will be an extremely weird time to be a recent college graduate who's looking for their first job during a rather … unprecedented moment in time.

While it's still too soon to know how the coronavirus pandemic is going to impact the economy in the long-term, it's probably fair to say the graduate career fairs will be few and far between this spring. There will be no in-person employer events. The campus career center might not have all the answers. Long story short, the post-grad job search is likely to feel like more of a minefield than usual this year. And it's likely to feel a lot lonelier, too.

I graduated just as the economy was getting back on its feet after the global financial crisis — and I still stumbled, rather inelegantly, into the land of grown-up employment. Scoring my first real job took months on end. Joining the working world basically felt like I was at the bottom of Everest, staring up into the clouds, unclear on how to take my first step toward the summit. I'm almost a decade past my own graduation, but I never forgot that feeling. Instead, I got obsessed with making it feel less scary for the next wave of college graduates, and wound up becoming an entry-level career coach when I was only 25 myself.

If you're about to graduate into this season of lockdowns and virtual socializing, it might feel tempting to cocoon and cross your fingers and wait until it's all over — but we don't know when exactly when "over" is coming yet. Instead, I have a couple of ideas for how to put yourself out there and stand out during these crazy times.

SEE ALSO: I work at a Trader Joe's in New York City. Here's what it's like to work in the beloved grocery store during a pandemic.

Start online networking, now

Studies show that 70-80% of jobs never get posted online— they get filled directly through personal referrals instead. Networking is key to any successful job search, and it doesn't have to stop just because you can't meet someone in person.

Instead of submitting hundreds of resumes online: use this time to shoot your shot, introduce yourself over email, and ask out a professional hero of yours on a virtual coffee date. (You might be even more successful booking these dates than you would have been before, considering everybody's stuck at home just like you are!)

Create your own internship

Internships can be a key differentiator for graduates looking to stand out in the market, with employers saying internship experience is often the deciding factor for otherwise equal candidates. But what on earth are you supposed to do if your intern offer gets rescinded or you can't find an internship right away?

Look for alternative ways to get the experience you need over these next few months. You could join a volunteer campaign or offer to help out a local small business. You could organize a virtual effort of some kind for your neighbors or for people across the globe.

You could pitch your own internship, too. Plenty of companies will use this down time to do some administrative "spring cleaning" they've been meaning to get to for years, for example. Propose the idea, offer your services, and you might just get the job.

Get a handle on your social media presence

More than ever, people will be turning to your online presence to get a better understanding of who you are and what you're about. Make sure that your virtual first impression is as pristine and professional as you'd like it to be.

The key is to go a step beyond just "hiding" your personal life from the world. Think, instead, about how you can impress them with your online presence. What if you did a series of interviews with senior people in your field and wrote about what you learned on LinkedIn?

Target the companies that do well during recessions

Not every company goes through hard times when the economy hits a bump in the road. Make a list of businesses that do well – that maybe even do better – if people are stuck at home: delivery companies, video streaming services, home exercise equipment manufacturers, online dating sites, and many more.

Take a big interest in how remote work works

Across the world right now, senior executives are working from home for the first time ever. This is a totally unprecedented situation and very few people are experts at virtual work. That, in itself, presents an opportunity.

How do teams keep their spirits up when everybody is at home? What's the best way to flag issues to your manager? How do people get their work equipment set up at home? What are the pros and cons of the various software systems people are using in order to stay in touch?

Set out to educate yourself on a specific aspect of remote work (team culture, technical set up, meeting etiquette, you name it) so that you can add value to your new team from day one.

In every situation — yes, even in pandemics — there are little opportunities to reach out and make yourself useful. By focusing in on what you can bring to the table, and communicating that value clearly, you'll find a way to get through this job search with grace. (And you may never even have to leave the safety of your own living room, to boot.)

Alexa Shoen is a career coach for entry-level jobseekers and the author of #ENTRYLEVELBOSS: How To Get Any Job You Want. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter.

• Paul Constant is a writer at Civic Ventures, a cofounder of the Seattle Review of Books, and a frequent cohost of the "Pitchfork Economics" podcast with Nick Hanauer.
• He says that while many Americans were "horrified" to learn that President Trump shuttered the pandemic response team, the administration has made its priorities clear in their annual budgets.
• Bob Greenstein, the founder and president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said that Trump's new budget would wipe out the floor under those most impacted by coronavirus.
• A better budget would not only help those suffering, but offer opportunities for everyone to create and build.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread across the nation, many Americans were horrified to learn that President Trump's administration shuttered the National Security Council's pandemic response team in 2018. But in fairness to the Administration, it's not like the pandemic team was disbanded in secret, or singled out for special mistreatment — the Trump administration has always been very clear about its priorities. They've advertised them every single year in a public document — their annual budget.

The truth is, if you want to see what a society prioritizes, a budget will give you more concrete evidence about what truly matters most to its leaders than any promise-filled political speeches or aspirational party platforms ever will. 

You can learn more about the president's approach to coronavirus by ignoring his ever-changing public statements about COVID-19 — it's gone from a "hoax" to a pandemic in roughly a month — and instead paying close attention to the priorities he has consistently identified in his budgets. The Trump administration has continually proposed massive budget cuts to public health agencies like the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, and the National Institutes of Health. It has underfunded the Affordable Care Act at every turn.

Everybody knew that America would one day again face a global pandemic. Trump dismantled the pandemic response team in the face of such warnings — and he did it exactly 100 years after his own grandfather succumbed to the Spanish flu. We might hear from Trump administration officials that they're deeply concerned about those suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, but their budget puts the lie to those concerns — those same officials quite literally refused to put money where their mouth is.

So what can we learn about the way the Trump administration plans to help America recover from the economic collapse that the coronavirus has caused? At nearly five trillion dollars, Trump's 2021 budget prioritizes corporations and the wealthy over middle-class and impoverished Americans at every single turn. It cuts SNAP and affordable housing benefits for the poorest Americans, strips funds from Medicaid for the Americans most in need of assistance, and slashes student debt to the bone. 

In the latest episode of "Pitchfork Economics," Nick Hanauer and Jasmin Weaver talk with Bob Greenstein, the founder and president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Greenstein is a celebrated expert on the federal budget, anti-poverty programs, and the intersection of tax and healthcare policy, and he is sounding the alarm that Trump's new budget would wipe out the floor for Americans most in need of relief from the coronavirus.

In virtually every aspect of post-coronavirus recovery — from the cost of healthcare to small-business support, from unemployment insurance to debt relief — the Trump budget would quantifiably make things worse. It would be an unmitigated disaster, offering less support for unhoused Americans, poor families, and seniors.

But in order to properly formulate a budget of their own, progressives need to understand exactly why Trump's budget is a disaster for everyone. When Democrats are in power, they too often treat budgets solely as a way to help people — focusing money on relief efforts and the mitigation of misery — when in fact they should be telling a different story.

Michael Linden, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, made probably the clearest definition I've ever read for the kind of values a good budget should reflect:

"When workers have the support and investment they need to do their best work, they innovate, create, and do more with less time and fewer resources. When consumers have money in their pockets, they drive demand for goods and services and induce businesses to invest in the future. They all need public support and strong foundations to ensure that private concentrations of wealth and power don't distort the economy to the advantage of the ultra-wealthy, and to broaden the economic base by bringing more people into full participation."

Make no mistake: A progressive budget would provide plenty of SNAP benefits and affordable housing allowances and emergency care measures for those suffering from the impact of the pandemic. Every functioning society needs a strong safety net. 

But strong budgets recognize the fact that economies are built (and rebuilt) from the bottom up. We can't just hand people a check and tell them to go back to work just like they did in January 2020. It's only by encouraging people to start businesses and go back to school and take big chances with their lives that we will build an economy that truly works for everyone. Rather than handing money to corporations under the guise of recovery, we should be creating the kind of security that encourages everyone to make and do and build: investments in green technology and rural internet and student loan relief and healthcare for everyone.

The Trump budget is a blueprint for one of the biggest transfers of America's wealth in our history, a heist that steals from the bottom of the economy and gives to the top. But it would be better for everyone — the wealthiest Americans included — if our budget was instead an inclusive investment in the future.

SEE ALSO: Coronavirus is breaking our economy. A stimulus package that puts individual Americans first can fix it.

Join the conversation about this story »

• While major corporations and small businesses are suffering from economic setbacks caused by the coronavirus, a roster of startups are capitalizing on the increased remote workforce demand. 
• Virtual collaboration startups — including Zoom and Slack — specialize in making remote meetings, conference calls, and digital communication run smoothly.
• Business Insider compiled a list of startups that have experienced product booms since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and how they can help make your remote team more productive. 
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

More people around the world are working remotely — and the need for virtual conferencing platforms is at an all-time high. 

In the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, remote work has become the new normal. Wall Street analysts at Bernstein Research said there has been an increase in demand for virtual conferencing companies. The cloud-based conferencing market will likely exceed its market valuation of $3 billion as platforms like Zoom and Slack report rapid increases of usage in a mere few weeks, according to data from global research advisory firm Gartner, reported by CIO Dive. 

Employers are now dependent on conferencing tech not only because it helps them communicate with coworkers, but it also allows them to interact face-to-face. 

Business Insider compiled a list of startups that have experienced product booms since the coronavirus outbreak. 

Here are seven companies that are the changing face of remote work.

SEE ALSO: If you're working from home, here's exactly how to collaborate across teams and improve your remote meetings

Online events platform Hopin came out of stealth mode three weeks ago and raised $6.5 million in funding.

Hopin, a London-based startup, is an online event platform that's capable of hosting company gatherings and global conferences as big as the Mobile World Congress, the company previously told Business Insider.

Founded in 2019, the virtual venue came out of stealth mode in February, after securing $6.5 million of funding from Accel, Northzone, Seedcamp, and a number of angel investors. Moreover, the startup reported a spike from 10,000 wait-listers to 18,000 in three weeks as more workers go remote. 

"Hopin is the only platform that can truly replicate an offline event online, no matter the size," said Luciana Lixandru, partner at investing company Accel, previously told Business Insider. 

Around raised $5.2 million in seed funding and just came out of stealth mode on March 18.

This week, video-conferencing platform Around came out of stealth mode after securing $5.2 million in seed funding. The company shared that it's expecting up to 10,000 sign-ups by March 20, three days after launch, as the coronavirus pandemic is increasing the demand for conferencing tools. 

Instead of taking over the screen like a traditional video call, Around's floating video layer makes room for computer apps. Users appear in circular icons that crop out background clutter, while Around's video-processing AI keeps the camera focused on the callers' faces, even as they move around, the company said. 

Zoom has already brought in more users in three months than last year combined, according to Wall Street researchers.

Zoom is one of the most popular video-conferencing platforms, according to Owl Labs Research. In fact, company has added an estimated 2.22 million monthly active users so far in 2020 due to the coronavirus, while in all of 2019 it added 1.99 million users, the research firm noted. 

Wall Street firm Bernstein Research estimates that the company has already brought in more new active users this year than last year due to coronavirus, CNBC reported.

Eric Yuan, CEO and Zoom, announced that the company lifted its 40-minute limit for callers using the free version of the software in China, as he wanted to help those impacted by the pandemic, Business Insider previously reported.

Online events platform Run the World raised $4.3 million in seed funding in less than a year and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz.

Run the World, a startup founded by two former Facebook employees, allows users to run online lectures, conferences, and festivals. Though it's only a couple of months old, the company already raised $4.3 million seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz last year, Business Insider previously reported.

Moreover, Run the World came out of stealth mode last week and announced that it would waive set-up fees for companies impacted by the spread of coronavirus. 

FreeConferenceCall saw a 3442% increase in account creations in Italy.

FreeConferenceCall is really as on the nose as it sounds. Founded in 2001, the company is one of the largest providers for online calls. As of March 12, the platform saw a surge in global usage — account sign-ups increased 42% in the UK, 3442% in Italy, 68% France, 83% in South Korea, 121% in Spain, 94% in Germany, and 393% in Japan since January 2020, according to Markets Insider. 

In response to this, the company launched the Stay Connected campaign that allows US users to access secure group chats with their numbers, Markets Insider reported. That way, you can have up to 1,000 people on the line. 

Slack added 7,000 new paid customers since the beginning of February and rolled out new features to support remote teams.

Slack added 7,000 new paid customers since the beginning of February, saw a 19% stock increase, and rolled out major updates in nearly two months time, Business Insider previously reported. The company further reported skyrocketing earnings and a spike in new users due to the coronavirus. Nevertheless, it's too soon to tell whether the usage will increase revenue, the company shared in its reported quarterly earnings last week.

Known as one of the most prominent workplace collaboration platforms, Slack introduced a web and desktop redesign— you can now have navigation bars, customizable tabs, and draft options. The company also gave free upgrades to teams that are helping solve the pandemic. 

Office decorating startup GroWrk has seen a surge in customers.

GroWrk is a subscription service that customizes home workspaces. It offers "remote assessments" and sends remote work essentials for your new home office. You can either rent out a home desk or a chair for a certain amount of time, or you can subscribe for supplies in bulk. A remote office set can range from $26 to $79. 

Though it launched only six months ago, the startup saw a 10 times surge in customers, as more employees are being asked to work from home. 

• Tens of thousands of layoffs are potentially on the horizon for H&M workers.
• H&M said it experienced a "significant negative impact on sales" because of the coronavirus and is looking for ways to cut costs.
• H&M temporarily shut down 3,441 of its 5,062 locations. The company has temporarily shuttered all stores in the US, Germany, and the UK.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

H&M, one of the world's largest fashion retailers, is discussing temporary or permanent job cuts for workers at all levels because of financial setbacks caused by the coronavirus, the company announced Monday.

Sweden-based H&M has stores in over 74 markets, all of which are currently closed in the US, Germany, and as of last week, the UK. H&M temporarily shut down 3,441 of its 5,062 locations because of the virus but is still offering online sales in 50 of its markets.

Workers are likely to bear a significant brunt of the economic hardship caused by the coronavirus as H&M shutters stores worldwide in an attempt to lessen the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. H&M said it is experiencing "significant negative impact on sales" and temporary layoffs are being discussed as a way to mitigate losses.

While the company doesn't know the exact scope of the layoffs, tens of thousands are possible, and the company warned there could also be permanent layoffs. H&M said it's considering "the potential need to terminate employment" because of the scope of the COVID-19's impact.

The company is reviewing other ways to cut costs beyond staffing and said it was re-examining buying, investments, and rent. H&M also canceled its dividend proposal.

"We are doing everything in our power in the H&M group to manage the situation related to the coronavirus," H&M CEO Helena Helmersson said in a press release. "My hope is that we will be able to get operations up and running again as soon as possible."

But as soon as possible might not be soon enough for jobless workers, considering some projections estimate the spread of the virus could last for months.

H&M announced over the weekend it would use its supply chain to help provide protective equipment to hospitals and health care workers.

CNBC first reported on the possible layoffs.

SEE ALSO: Restaurant owners and employees across the country are raising tens of thousands of dollars online for laid-off workers amid the coronavirus shutdowns

READ MORE: The biggest mall operator in the US is closing all locations for 12 days to slow the spread of COVID-19

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We talked to Kevin Plank right before he stepped down as CEO of Under Armour, and he hinted at why the company may be ready for the change

• Getting an MBA online can be a great way to get a master's degree while also maintaining a full-time job or raising a family.
• U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon's online MBA as No. 3 in the country in their 2020 list.
• Business Insider spoke to two former students and two directors of admissions at Tepper to understand what makes their program unique and what the school looks for in MBA candidates.
• Because Tepper offers plenty of opportunities to get hands-on experience and network, the school looks for students who are "curious, motivated, and inclusive" as well as innovative.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

If you're looking for a top-tier online MBA program that'll boost your resume, help you pick up new skills, or allow you to change careers without having to quit your day job or sacrifice family time, you might want to consider The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon.

While there are plenty of great remote options out there (just check out U.S. News & World Report's annual listing of the Best Online MBA Programs, Poets & Quants' popular guide to the Top Online MBA Programs, and The Princeton Review's "Top 25" ranking, among other reputable sites like Grad School Hub and the Financial Times), Tepper seems to stand out among the pack.

A recent list released by education specialists Quacquarelli Symonds ranking 240 of the best business schools in the world put Tepper at position 39. And U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 3 in terms of top online MBA schools in 2020 (out of 285 online MBA programs), while Poets & Quants ranked it number one in 2018 and number four in 2019 — looking at things like academic and career support, admissions standards, and student surveys.

To understand what makes Tepper so special and how you can put yourself in the running to get accepted into this prestigious program, Business Insider spoke with two alumni and two admissions directors of the school.

A look inside Tepper's online MBA program, complete with built-in networking experiences and curriculum that mimics the school's top-notch, full-time MBA program

Andrew Adrian-Karlin earned his MBA online from the Tepper School of Business in 2019. The newly minted business school grad noted that he had originally struggled with choosing between applying to a highly ranked full-time program and having the traditional MBA experience, or participating in a part-time online program while simultaneously being able to take advantage of a work opportunity. 

"I must have called half the people in my professional network for advice," Adrian-Karlin remembered. "What pushed me over the edge was believing in the promise of what Access Weekends would be." Access Weekends are a unique opportunity that the Tepper School offers to its remote students, which are designed to create an intensely focused, in-person experience that's generally lacking in online programs. "For those few days, you and your cohort are focused on being together, learning, and bonding," said Adrian-Karlin. "It's something that builds bonds in a way I don't think traditional part-time formats excel at." 

Adrian-Karlin lists this cohort of classmates as "a massive part of the benefit" of attending Tepper's online program. "My peers are all outstanding and a massively diverse group," said Adrian-Karlin. "I had peers who were across geographies, industries, and career levels." 

He pointed out that his Tepper peers were high achievers who "weren't just 'from' somewhere; they 'are' somewhere." 

"I had classmates enmeshed in the day-to-day problems of running a South Dakota oil field, building a new product at Google, or teaching a class at the Naval Academy," he recalled. "These experiences and problems get brought into the classroom, into Access Weekend discussions, and into group chats. You also take those relationships, that collective knowledge, and unique perspective on problems with you." 

As an example, Adrian-Karlin shared that he recently switched industries — from financial services into healthcare — and was able to effectively tap his Tepper network for help in his job search. "I probably had easily a dozen calls with immediate classmates or their contacts to bring me up to speed," he said. "It helped me successfully interview and land my new position." 

The Tepper grad also highlighted a point that's a common benefit to many online MBA programs: the flexibility that the courses allowed. "I personally attended class while on business trips in Washington, DC, London, Tel Aviv, Bangalore, Bristol, and New York," he said. "In a traditional part-time MBA program, I would have had to turn down those opportunities or lost out on class experiences. That list doesn't count being able to attend class with a sleeping newborn on your shoulder, being able to stay with your parent while they recover from surgery, or just taking a vacation somewhere with a beach."

In addition to the Access Weekends, Adrian-Karlin pointed to other details that made his experience at the Tepper School "cool and special," including getting a tour of Google from a current Googler and having a classmate graduate via robot. "I'm talking full-on crossing the stage via telepresence," he said.

Sreekar Gadde, who also graduated in 2019 from Tepper's online MBA program, said that even though he was living in Pittsburgh where the university is based, he chose to join Tepper's online program not just because of the location. 

He emphasized that Tepper gave him "access to world-class faculty in multiple different areas including business, engineering, science, and the fine arts, and access to classmates who were middle- to senior-level managers that could bring our training in focus with real world examples." 

He added that another reason he chose Tepper's online MBA program was "the integration of synchronous and asynchronous training"— in other words, weekly lectures were pre-recorded so that students could listen to them on their own schedule and matched with weekly live sessions to address questions and create a sense of community.  

"I got ... the ability to tailor my classroom experience to my needs and abilities, all the while having access to all of the resources on campus as well," said Gadde. "Through this experience, I not only was able to open doors into industries that I had no access to before like venture capital, but also [into] a cohort of amazing fellow students that I can turn to whenever I am confronted with issues that are outside my area of expertise." 

Cindy McCauley, executive director of the online masters programs at Tepper, also emphasized several aspects of the Tepper School's part-time online hybrid that help differentiate it.

First, McCauley highlighted that because the online program shares the same curriculum as the full-time MBA, "[O]ur online students receive the same quality education and resources as students on campus."  

The executive director also noted the point that had been Adrian-Karlin's deciding factor in selecting the online program: the school's special networking opportunities for their remote MBA students, which open the door to connections that can otherwise be very difficult for online students to make.

She concluded that the online MBA at Tepper offers students "the best of both worlds": "Our online program offers students the ability to obtain a top-ranked MBA no matter where they're based, coupled with in-person experiences that create the tight-knit community and alumni network that are critical to an MBA experience."

What the Tepper School of Business' admissions looks for in online MBA candidates

Kelly Wilson, executive director of masters admissions at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business, explained that because technology has had a fundamental impact on the business world, the Tepper MBA program is uniquely positioned to address this new landscape — and this affects the types of candidates that admissions seeks. This includes the school's online MBA program, which has the same curriculum, faculty, career services, and leadership training as Tepper's full-time MBA program. Admissions shared with Business Insider that the school considers applications to the MBA program the same across the board, whether you're applying to the full-time MBA or the online MBA.

"We particularly value candidates who have a forward-thinking approach to their career, who have a strong desire to make an impact in both their organization and the greater world, and look to Tepper as the partner to get them there," said Wilson. 

She added that the ideal Tepper MBA student is "curious, motivated, and inclusive," noting that two areas of the Tepper application that are important are quantitative aptitude and willingness to receive feedback. "These align directly with our approach to teach our students in-depth analytical tools that will serve them throughout their career, and the leadership development work that our students undertake while enrolled in the MBA program," said Wilson.

Wilson also explained that Tepper MBAs will gain a unique set of analytical skills that will help them to make better business decisions based on data. "They will learn tools and techniques to perform sophisticated analysis and use this for the basis for decision-making." She concluded that ultimately, Tepper MBAs can expect to learn about their own leadership skills and improve their ability to lead within an organization.

This article was originally published on Business Insider September 26, 2019.

SEE ALSO: BUSINESS SCHOOL PREP: The ultimate guides to getting into the top MBA programs in the US

READ MORE: Harvard Business School offers online classes that run parallel to its MBA program — for a fraction of the cost. 3 career-changers who took the courses explain why they don't regret skipping out on a degree.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Taylor Swift is the world's highest-paid celebrity. Here's how she makes and spends her $360 million.

• Four million US hotel industry jobs could be eliminated in the coming weeks as hotels experience unprecedented booking cancellations due to the coronavirus, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. 
• Hotels employ a variety of workers, such as concierges, housekeepers, accountants, and event planners.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides data on wages and employment in the hotel industry.
• Servers earn a median of $23,100 a year, while housekeeping cleaners earn a median of $23,310 a year.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Nearly four million US hotel industry jobs could be eliminated in the coming weeks, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. It comes as hotels across the country experience unprecedented booking cancellations due to the coronavirus.

Marriott, the largest hotel company in the world, has already begun furloughing tens of thousands of employees amid global hotel closings, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Hotels employ a wide variety of workers, and salaries range from well below the median wage to very high paying, so some workers will be better poised than others to handle layoffs.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program offers data on employment and wages across different occupations and industries, including the traveler accommodation industry.

Hotel jobs tend to be lower paying than average. The median annual wage for an employee in the traveler accommodation industry was just $32,420, below the overall median wage of $38,640, in 2018 (the most recent data). Housekeepers, for example, earned just $23,310 per year in 2018.

Here are all the occupations for which at least 4% of hotel-industry establishments reported having employees, ranked from lowest to highest wage, along with their median annual pay and the number of people in that job:

37. Non-restaurant food servers earn a median of $22,460 a year, and there are 28,560 employed in the hotel industry.

36. Servers earn a median of $23,100 a year, and 156,740 are employed in the hotel industry.

35. Maids and housekeeping cleaners earn a median of $23,310 a year, and there are 466,660 employed in the hotel industry.

34. Combined food preparation and serving workers earn a median of $23,330, and there are 14,080 employed in the hotel industry.

33. Dining room and cafeteria attendants, as well as bartender helpers, earn a median of $23,390, and 57,510 are employed in the hotel industry.

32. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers earn a median of $23,400 a year, and 36,200 are employed in the hotel industry.

31. Desk clerks earn a median of $23,640 a year, and 242,660 are employed in the hotel industry.

30. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs earn a median of $23,730 a year and 8,700 are employed in the hotel industry.

29. Bartenders earn a median of $23,770 a year, and 42,700 are employed in the hotel industry.

28. Restaurant hosts and hostesses earn a median of $24,150 a year, and 18,710 are employed in the hotel industry.

27. Baggage porters and bellhops earn a median of $24,390 a year, and 23,440 are employed in the hotel industry.

26. Dishwashers earn a median of $24,410 a year, and 30,340 are employed in the hotel industry.

25. Food preparation workers earn a median of $26,760 a year, and 13,880 are employed in the hotel industry.

24. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $27,870 a year, and 11,500 are employed in the hotel industry.

23. Janitors and cleaners (except maids) earn a median of $28,520 a year, and 44,660 are employed in the hotel industry.

22. Office clerks earn a median of $28,780 a year, and 9,110 are employed in the hotel industry.

21. Restaurant cooks earn a median of $29,780 a year, and 80,440 are employed in the hotel industry.

20. Security guards earn a median of $29,890 a year, and 29,930 are employed in the hotel industry.

19. Concierges earn a median of $31,240 a year, and 13,420 are employed in the hotel industry.

18. Maintenance and repair workers earn a median of $31,690 a year, and 88,550 are employed in the hotel industry.

17. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks earn a median of $33,090 a year, and 21,040 are employed in the hotel industry.

16. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers earn a median of $35,730 a year, and 34,440 are employed in the hotel industry.

15. Secretaries and administrative assistants earn a median salary of $37,190, and 8,740 are employed in the hotel industry.

14. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers earn a median of $38,860 a year, and 28,900 are employed in the hotel industry.

13. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers earn a median of $42,270 a year, and 33,210 are employed in the hotel industry.

12. Meeting, convention, and event planners earn a median of $47,230 a year, and 8,830 are employed in the hotel industry.

11. Sales representatives earn a median of $50,100, and 23,570 are employed in the hotel industry.

10. Lodging managers earn a median of $52,850 a year, and 32,650 are employed in the hotel industry.

9. Human resources specialists earn a median of $54,480 a year, and 4,300 are employed in the hotel industry.

8. Chefs and head cooks earn a median of $56,690 a year, and 13,730 are employed in the hotel industry.

7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers earn a median of $56,840 a year, and 7,870 are employed in the hotel industry.

6. Accountants and auditors earn a median of $56,980 a year, and 8,300 are employed in the hotel industry

5. Food service managers earn a median of $63,950 a year, and 8,240 are employed in the hotel industry.

4. General and operations managers earn a median of $77,260 a year, and 15,780 are employed in the hotel industry.

3. Administrative services managers earn a median of $82,210 a year, and 3,480 are employed in the hotel industry.

2. Sales managers earn a median of $90,820 a year, and 5,730 are employed in the hotel industry.

1. Financial managers earn a median of $103,170 a year, and 3,820 are employed in the hotel industry.

• Billionaires including Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett have shared how they are passing the time as authorities ask more Americans to stay home amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• Tesla CEO Elon Musk, however, has said that he is still going to work.
• The novel coronavirus has infected more than 360,000 people and killed over 15,400 worldwide, including 479 people in America.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The ultrawealthy may have better access to testing for the novel coronavirus than ordinary Americans, but how they're passing the time as authorities urge people to social distance doesn't look all that different.

Authorities are asking Americans to stay in their homes as a respiratory illness caused by the virus has killed over 15,000 across the globe, including 479 in the United States. More than 360,000 people have been diagnosed with a respiratory illness caused by the virus, which is believed to have jumped from animals to people in a wet market in Wuhan, China.

Keep reading to see how some of the wealthiest people in the world are handling the coronavirus outbreak.

SEE ALSO: The US has a shortage of coronavirus tests, so the ultra-wealthy are paying concierge doctors to do their own

DON'T MISS: A pharmaceutical company just announced a rapid-result coronavirus test — and its billionaire owner made $100 million

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is still going to the office — but told his employees that they don't have to.

"I will personally be at work, but that's just me," Musk wrote in a leaked email to Tesla employees. "Totally ok if you want to stay home for any reason."

Musk also wrote in the email that he believes that the public is overreacting to the pandemic. "My frank opinion remains that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself,"Musk wrote. "If there is a massive redirection of medical resources out of proportion to the danger, it will result in less available care to those with critical medical needs, which does not serve the greater good."

Bill Gates announced his retirement from the boards of Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway to focus on philanthropy after calling the coronavirus a "once-in-a-century pathogen."

"I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve – Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway – to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change," Gates posted on LinkedIn on March 13. "The leadership at the Berkshire companies and Microsoft has never been stronger, so the time is right to take this step."

Gates has previously warned that the world was not prepared for a pandemic. "I view the threat of deadly pandemics right up there with nuclear war and climate change," in an essay for Business Insider in 2017. "Innovation, cooperation, and careful planning can dramatically mitigate the risks presented by each of these threats."

Meanwhile, his wife Melinda Gates is working from home and enjoying the great outdoors.

"For my part, in between video meetings about our coronavirus response and other foundation issues, I've made a point to get outside (while still following social distancing rules!) to soak in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest," Gates wrote on Instagram.

The Gateses have also pledged to donate $100 million through their foundation to support treatment efforts across the globe, build infrastructure to treat patients in Africa and Southern Asia, and fund the development of a vaccine for the virus, Business Insider reported.

Jeff Bezos has been speaking with the White House and also wants to hire laid-off restaurant workers at Amazon.

Amazon is in the process of hiring 100,000 new employees to help meet rising demand, Bezos said in an open letter to Amazon employees published on his Instagram account Saturday. Bezos also said that the e-commerce giant has raised the wages of its hourly employees, including new hires.

"My own time now is wholly focused on COVID-19 and how Amazon can best play its role,"Bezos wrote. "I want you to know that Amazon will continue to do its part, and we won't stop looking for new opportunities to help."

Warren Buffett joked on Yahoo Finance that he's drinking Coke to protect himself from the coronavirus.

"I'm drinking a little more Coca-Cola actually, that seems to have warded off everything else in life," Buffett said during an appearance on Yahoo Finance on March 15.

The extra Coke hasn't protected Berkshire Hathaway's investment portfolio, however. The company has likely lost $70 billion on its 10 biggest equity investments alone due to the coronavirus, Markets Insider reported.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma is donating millions of tests and masks to affected areas — and got a Twitter account to post about it.

Ma pledged to donate 500,000 coronavirus tests and 1 million face masks to the US on March 12, as shortages mounted. When the first shipment of supplies left China several days later, Ma sent his first-ever tweet to share the news.

Ma has since made a similar pledge to each of the 54 countries in Africa.

• Amazon and Walmart are hiring a combined 250,000 workers as they grapple with surging consumer demand amid the coronavirus. 
• Business Insider has compiled a guide to the new roles offered at each company and how to apply.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon and Walmart are launching immediate hiring sprees to address surging consumer demand stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. 

Amazon has said it plans to hire 100,000 US warehouse and delivery workers, while Walmart aims to add 150,000 new employees through the end of May to work in stores, clubs, distribution centers, and fulfillment centers. The Walmart roles will initially be temporary, but many will convert to permanent roles over time, the company said.

Here's what you need to know about the new roles and hiring processes at each company.

SEE ALSO: 'Don't come out to greet me': Some Amazon drivers beg customers to stay inside during deliveries as they are pushed to the front lines of the coronavirus crisis

Amazon is staffing up in three main categories: warehouses, shoppers, and delivery drivers.

Here's a breakdown of the three categories where Amazon is focusing its hiring:

• Warehouses: These positions are stationed at Amazon fulfillment centers, sort centers, and delivery stations. The roles service regular Amazon orders, as well as Prime Now, Prime Pantry, and Amazon Fresh. Employees in these roles are generally responsible for selecting, packing, and sorting customer orders. The roles will pay at least $17 per hour through April.
• Shoppers: These employees work flexible hours picking and packing grocery orders at Whole Foods. The roles will pay at least $17 per hour through April.
• Delivery drivers: These workers deliver packages to homes and businesses. No special license is needed for this work. Employees can work full-time for a third-party courier company, or Amazon delivery service partner, and drive a company van. Otherwise, they can work part-time as an Amazon Flex driver and use their own vehicles to make deliveries. 

Amazon's hiring process, from submitting an application to starting work, can take as little as seven days and involves no resumes or interviews.

Amazon's available positions and online applications can be found on the company's jobs site. Here are the key steps: 

• Online application: Candidates must submit an application, pick an available shift, and schedule a "new hire" appointment. This process takes about an hour, according to the company.
• "New hire" appointment: At the "new hire" appointment, employees must provide proof of their identities and employment eligibility. Once that's done, the hiring process is complete. There is no interview for hourly employees, according to Amazon.
• Orientation: Once the hiring process is done, employees are enrolled in an orientation where they will hear from senior leaders and get a badge photo. 

The entire process, from application to the first day of work, can take as little as seven days, according to Amazon.

"No resume or previous work experience required," the company says on its website.

Delivery driver roles do require interviews, however.

As Walmart ramps up its staff, it plans to speed up hiring for key roles including cashiers and stockers by cutting the application process from an average of two weeks to 24 hours.

Here are some of the roles where Walmart is adding staff:

• Cashiers and front end: These employees primarily scan items and work the cash registers, though they must also be available to help employees across the store as needed. "The pace can be intense," according to Walmart. "There are times when you have to juggle several tasks in a short amount of time while helping customers: scan items, explain a price, bag items properly, count cash back, and keep your area clean."
• Stocker, backroom, and receiving employees: These jobs may involve unloading delivery trucks, sorting goods in the backroom, and stocking shelves while helping customers. "From hot trucks in the summer to filling ice cream in the freezer, this fast paced job can be physically demanding," according to Walmart.
• Fulfillment and distribution warehouses: Duties at these warehouses include loading and unloading trucks and transporting packages in facilities that may be more than one million square feet. Accounting for new pay increases lasting through Memorial Day, roles at distribution centers now start between $17 and $18 per hour and roles at fulfillment centers now start between $15 and $19 per hour. 

Walmart's online application takes about an hour to complete. Stores will call prospective candidates for a pre-screen, and they may provide a verbal job offer by the end of the call.

Walmart lists open roles and online applications on its jobs site. Here are the steps in the hiring process:

• Online application: The company says online applications take roughly 45-60 minutes to complete. Candidates do not need to provide resumes for hourly roles, but will need to share their job history and highlights on the application.
• Interview: Walmart is currently conducting phone interviews to help speed up the hiring process for stores. "Once we have the application, the store calls the candidate for pre-screen, and if the candidate meets the expectations of the store, a verbal job offer is provided during the pre-screen call," a Walmart spokesperson said.
• Offer of employment: If the verbal offer is accepted, Walmart will email the candidate a job offer confirmation and background check details.
• Orientation: The final step before starting work is a new employee orientation, called "Welcome to Walmart."

Walmart said it's looking for candidates with a "team mentality" who are eager to serve the needs of the community.

Walmart and Amazon aren't the only companies adding jobs right now.

Kroger, CVS, Dollar General, Papa John's, 7-Eleven, and many more companies are hiring workers amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Business Insider's Bethany Biron has compiled a full list of these businesses, which will be updated as more hiring announcements are made. 

• The family behind Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers, is one of the richest families in the US, with an estimated $13 billion fortune that came primarily from sales of controversial prescription painkiller OxyContin.
• Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy in September, as part of a tentative settlement agreement in thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing of OxyContin that's been partly responsible for fueling the US opioid crisis.
• While some members of the family own the pharmaceutical company, others have distanced themselves from the company and condemned the OxyContin-based wealth.
• The family is known for its philanthropic endeavors, though many institutions, including museums and universities, have now cut ties with the Sacklers.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories

The pharmaceutical company behind OxyContin spent the past decade in crisis as lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis piled up, but the billionaire family that owns it only got richer.

The Sacklers pulled $10.7 billion out of Purdue Pharma and moved it into a network of trusts and holding companies across the globe, a report commissioned by the drugmaker and cited in The New York Times in December showed. The Sacklers were already one of the wealthiest families in the US, with Forbes estimating that 20 relatives had a combined net worth of $13 billion as of 2016.

The source of the family's wealth is OxyContin, the prescription painkiller made by Purdue Pharma that many say has fueled the US opioid crisis. Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy in September as part of a tentative settlement agreement in thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing of the controversial painkiller. The settlement requires the owners of Purdue Pharma — members of the Sackler family — to pay out $3 billion of their own fortune in cash over the next seven years.

Here's a look at the secretive and controversial family.

SEE ALSO: Nonprofits, museums, and hedge funds: Here are the groups that have cut ties with the Sackler family over the opioid crisis

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The Sackler family is one of the richest families in the US.

In 2016, Forbes estimated their net worth at a "conservative" $14 billion, beating out famously wealthy families such as the Mellons and the Rockefellers. More recent estimates put the figure at $13 billion. They owned Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical company in Connecticut.

The vast majority of the Sackler fortune comes from a well-known prescription painkiller that Purdue Pharma launched in 1996, OxyContin.

By 2001, sales of the drug made up about 80% of Purdue Pharma's revenue.

OxyContin is seen as partly to blame for the opioid crisis sweeping the US.

More than 130 people in the US die each day after overdosing on opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in July indicated that overdose deaths actually dropped 5% from 2017 to 2018, the first year-to-year decline since 1990.

Purdue Pharma, which generated $3 billion in annual sales, has faced thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing about the risks of addiction when taking OxyContin.

The Sackler family still completely owns the company, and the multibillion-dollar fortune is shared among 20 or so family members. As The New York Times has reported, the exact number of the family's fortune is unknown as Purdue Pharma is a private company.

On September 11, the New York Times reported that the owners of Purdue Pharma — including members of the Sackler family — reached a tentative settlement agreement.

The settlement requires the Sacklers to pay $3 billion of their own fortune in cash over the next seven years, The Times reported. 

Just a few days later on September 15, Purdue Pharma had filed for bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 filing came as part of a tentative settlement of more than 2,000 lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company for between $10 billion and $12 billion.

The proposed settlement includes the Sackler family giving up ownership of the company and turning it into a for-profit "public benefit trust" that would provide $4 billion in drugs — some of which are used to save people from overdoses — to cities, counties, and states, according to NBC News.

The deal would also include $3 billion in cash from the Sackler family, Bloomberg reported.

In a statement released on September 16, the Sackler family said:

"It is our hope the bankruptcy reorganization process that is now underway will end our ownership of Purdue and ensure its assets are dedicated for the public benefit ... We are hopeful that in time, those parties who are not yet supportive will ultimately shift their focus to the critical resources that the settlement provides to people and problems that need them."

Despite the tentative settlement, Purdue Pharma continues to deny any wrongdoing. In a statement to Business Insider, the company said: "While Purdue Pharma is prepared to defend itself vigorously in the opioid litigation, the company has made clear that it sees little good coming from years of wasteful litigation and appeals."

The company declined to comment on any further details of the proposed settlement to Business Insider.

In the midst of the court proceedings, members of the family reportedly finalized a deal that earned them about $60 million from the sale of 17 ski resorts in the Northeast and Midwest, The Washington Post reported.

"Many of the ski areas in the transaction sit in places that have been hit hard by prescription narcotic abuse over the past 20 years, including those in New Hampshire, as well as hills in Vermont, the Catskills in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania,"Christopher Rowland reported for the Post.

The deal included the sale of Attitash Mountain Ski Area and Wildcat Mountain Resort, both in New Hampshire.

Members of the Sackler family bought stock in Peak Resorts Inc., the company that sold the ski resorts, in 2015, according to the Post.

Representatives for the Sackler family and for Purdue Pharma did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment regarding the deal. 

But that payout pales in comparison to the $10.7 billion the family moved from Purdue Pharma to a worldwide network of trusts and holding companies between 2008 and 2017, according to an audit commissioned by Purdue.

The value of the transfers increased dramatically after Purdue came under scrutiny for its marketing tactics, according to the report. The Sacklers disbursed $1.32 billion from Purdue between 1995 and 2007, which was considered OxyContin's heyday.

The money transfers were an apparent attempt to shield the money from lawsuits, The New York Times' Jan Hoffman and Danny Hakim reported.

"These distribution numbers were known at the time the proposed settlement was agreed to by two dozen attorneys general and thousands of local governments," the family's attorney, Daniel S. Connolly, said in a statement to Business Insider. "They have been public for months, and this filing reflects the fact that more than half was paid in taxes and reinvested in businesses that will be sold as part of the proposed settlement. The Sackler family hopes to reach a productive resolution where they contribute Purdue for the public benefit and provide at least $3 billion of additional money to help communities and people who need help now, which makes more sense for everyone than continuing litigation that only squander resources."

In a lengthy statement about the report provided to Business Insider, a representative of Purdue Pharma said the company spent months compiling the report as a part of a larger effort to increase transparency. "Purdue is providing this exceedingly rare level of transparency to help ensure that all claimants, including attorneys general and the communities they represent, can support the settlement structure that would transfer more than $10 billion of value to the American public to address the opioid epidemic and save lives," the statement reads, in part.

The Sacklers are far from a tight-knit family.

The Guardian described them in 2018 as "a sprawling and now feuding transatlantic dynasty." According to a 2017 article from The New Yorker, there are 15 Sackler children in the generation following the founders of Purdue.

While some Sacklers previously served as board members of Purdue Pharma, others — notably those descended from the eldest brother, Arthur M. Sackler, who died before OxyContin was invented — have distanced themselves from the company and condemned the OxyContin-based wealth, according to The Guardian. On September 18, a representative for Purdue Pharma told Business Insider that no Sackler family members have served on Purdue Pharma's board since January 2019.

The pharmaceutical empire began when the brothers Mortimer and Raymond Sackler took over a small pharmaceutical company in New York City's Greenwich Village called Purdue Frederick as cochairmen.

It later became Purdue Pharma.

Arthur, the oldest Sackler brother, worked in pharmaceutical marketing and became one of the world's leading collectors of Asian art.

He died in 1987 at age 73, before OxyContin was invented. His descendants split off from the rest of the family years ago and are "mere multimillionaires," according to Esquire.

Arthur's four children, Elizabeth Sackler, Carol Master, Arthur Felix Sackler, and Denise Marica, have said they have not made any money from OxyContin.

Elizabeth, a board member of the Brooklyn Museum, where she endowed the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, has called the OxyContin-based wealth of her family members "morally abhorrent."

A 2018 investigation by The Atlantic found a court document that showed a nearly $20 million payment to Arthur M. Sackler's estate in 1997 from the Purdue family of companies, suggesting his descendants did benefit in some way from OxyContin.

In an email to Business Insider, Janet Wootten, a spokeswoman for Jillian Sackler, widow of Arthur M. Sackler, denied that Jillian, Arthur, or their heirs have financially profited from the sale of OxyContin.

Mortimer Sackler, the middle son who was one of Purdue Pharma's chief executives, died in 2010 at age 93. He was survived by his third wife, Theresa Sackler, and seven children, three of whom were board members of Purdue Pharma, according to The Guardian. A rep for Purdue Pharma told Business Insider that no Sackler family members have served on Purdue's board since January 2019.

Theresa is heavily involved in philanthropic work. In 2011, she received the Prince of Wales Medal for Art Philanthropy.

One of those former board members is his son, also named Mortimer.

The other two are the daughters Kathe Sackler, who is also the founder and president of the Acorn Foundation for the Arts & Sciences, and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, the director of the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child Development.

The elder Mortimer's other four children — Samantha Sophia, Michael, Marissa, and Sophie — are apparently not involved in the company.

Marissa Sackler, who considers herself a "social entrepreneur," is the founder of Beespace, a nonprofit that supports organizations such as the Malala Fund.

Sophie Sackler is married to a British cricket player, with whom she lives in a $40 million house in London, according to The New Yorker.

Raymond Sackler, Purdue Pharma's other former chief executive, died in 2017 at age 97. He had two children: Jonathan and Richard.

Both were board members at Purdue Pharma, The Guardian reported in February 2018.

Richard's son and Raymond's grandson, David, was also a board member.

Richard Sackler reportedly lives in a six-bedroom home in Austin, Texas.

The home in the Westlake neighborhood of Austin comes with a pool and views of Lake Austin.

His son, David Sackler, paid cash for a $22.5 million home in Los Angeles in 2018, according to Curbed.

The 10,000-square-foot estate sits on four acres in the Bel Air neighborhood, according to Curbed, and includes a tennis court and a pool.

David is married to Joss Sackler, the founder of a private social club and clothing company for women.

Joss is the founder of LBV, a private social club that charges $2,500 a year in dues to be a core member. The club also recently launched its own fashion line.

Raymond's granddaughter, Madeleine Sackler, is an award-winning filmmaker.

In response to criticism related to her family background, she said she had"never worked at the company or had any influence in it."

"The Sacklers have hidden their connection to their product," Keith Humphreys, a psychiatry professor at Stanford University who has written extensively about the opioid crisis, told Esquire.

"They don't call it 'Sackler Pharma,'" Humphreys said. "They don't call their pills 'Sackler pills.' And when they're questioned, they say, 'Well, it's a privately held firm, we're a family, we like to keep our privacy, you understand.'"

But the family is well-known for their philanthropic endeavors, with their names visibly emblazoned on hospital wings and museum galleries.

In a 2017 New Yorker article about the Sacklers titled "The Family That Built an Empire of Pain," Patrick Radden Keefe noted the Sacklers were well-known for their philanthropy.

The Sacklers reportedly donated $3.5 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1974 to create the Sackler Wing, where the Ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur sits.

On May 15, 2019, however, the Met announced it would stop taking gifts from the Sacklers.

Many other institutions including nonprofits, museums, and universities have recently cut ties with the Sackler family over the opioid crisis.

There's a Sackler Center at the Guggenheim in New York City, as well as a Sackler Educational Lab at the American Museum of Natural History.

Source: Esquire

The family's influence on art extends beyond New York City. There's a Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

According to Esquire, at Yale University, there's a Raymond and Beverly Sackler Institute for Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences and a Richard Sackler and Jonathan Sackler Professorship of Internal Medicine.

And in London, there's the Serpentine Sackler Gallery.

There's even a type of rose named after a Sackler.

Some have suggested the Sacklers should instead put their money toward helping those affected by opioid addiction, The New Yorker's Patrick Radden Keefe reported.

• Skillshare is an online platform that provides access to more than 25,000 adult learning courses — many taught by well-known contemporaries in their respective fields.
• The courses are curated for both lifelong learning and building new career skills. I once bought a membership because one of my favorite authors was offering a course, and you can read about the experience below.
• If you're a new user, you can get started with a free month or get two months of the Premium version for $1 here.
• After the trial, Premium is $15 billed monthly, or $99 upfront for the year ($8.25 per month). There are also volume discounts for teams that sign up together.
• Check out edX, Udemy, Coursera, MasterClass, and CreativeLive for more online classes. Get a quick rundown on each here. 

As college tuitions skyrocket to the most expensive they've ever been, online learning resources are popping up to fill a widening chasm.

Whether it's picking up a hard or soft skill needed to catch a hiring manager's eye, jump-starting your recreational creativity, or actually earning a master's degree from one of the top universities in the US, online platforms are helping democratize higher learning for a fraction of the cost required to enroll in universities. 

Of those many online resources, Skillshare is one of the most popular. 

Like a ClassPass for e-learning, a Skillshare membership gives you unlimited access to over 25,000 adult learning courses across thousands of disciplines — which is convenient if your objective is advancing your career or learning new hobbies. Classes range from beginner to expert and fall into categories like design, illustration, business, technology, photo and film, entrepreneurship, and writing — and you can sign up for multiple without any extra charge. 

Classes are comprised of short lessons and a hands-on project, and you can share the project with your class to get feedback from peers or collaborate with the community. 

Popular Skillshare classes:

• Fundamentals of DSLR Photography
• Productivity Masterclass: Create a Custom System that Works
• iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Photos On Your iPhone
• Intro to Procreate: Illustrating on the iPad Pro
• Investing 101: Understanding the Stock Market

How much does Skillshare cost?

The basic membership is free for the first month and the Premium version is $1 for your first two months.

After the trial, Premium is $15 billed monthly, or $99 upfront for the year ($8.25 per month). There are also volume discounts for teams that sign up together, and, in line with the mission of making learning accessible, students can get 50% off a Premium Membership with a valid .edu email address. And for every annual Premium Membership purchased, the site donates one to someone in financial need.

I started my own Skillshare membership because one of my all-time favorite authors, Roxane Gay (best known for "Bad Feminist" and "Hunger"), publicized that she was hosting a Personal Essays with Impact class on the site. If I had completed Gay's course in the month-long span of the free trial, then I hypothetically could have taken a class curated by a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts completely for free. In actuality, I defaulted to a slower pace and eventually committed to a full year.

Skillshare itself makes ongoing, high-level learning easier with affordable access, good material, and variety. But, unexpectedly, the trial process also helped me figure out if, post-grad, I actually wanted to commit to courses again. In theory, it sounded great. But, I wasn't certain of it being put into practice until I tried it with the free trial, focused on a subject I was truly interested in. 

The downsides to Skillshare to note are that, unlike pay-per-class learning communities like Udemy, you won't have lifetime access to the courses you take while you're a member. Once you cancel your membership, you lose access to your class videos and any downloadable material provided by teachers at the end of your current pay period. So, that means you have to make the most of the time you do plan to pay for the service.

The bottom line

All in all, it's a good tool for lifelong learners who want variety, expertise, and flexibility, as well as professionals looking for an affordable way to sharpen their career skills or hone their craft — or a blend of the two. For $15 per month, or $99 per year (and even less for those with a .edu email) you can take multiple classes across thousands of disciplines. It cuts out the fees and time restrictions of finding and enrolling in a community college course and gives you more variety than most pay-per-class online learning platforms. If that sounds appealing, I recommend trying it free for the first month or doing Premium for $1 for two months to see if you can fit it into your lifestyle too. 

Browse Skillshare classes here.

Sign up for a free two months of Skillshare here for $1.

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