Chris Brablc

The APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system categorizes cleanliness into five distinct levels, ranging from Level 1 (Orderly Spotlessness) to Level 5 (Unkempt Neglect). Each level represents a different degree of cleanliness and condition of surfaces within a facility. Here's a brief overview of each level: Level 1: Orderly Spotlessness: This level signifies the highest standard of cleanliness. Surfaces are free of dirt, dust, and debris, with an overall pristine appearance. Level 2: Ordinary Tidiness: While not as impeccable as Level 1, Level 2 indicates a well-maintained environment with minor signs of dust or dirt, which are promptly addressed through routine cleaning. Level 3: Casual Inattention: At this level, cleanliness standards may vary slightly. Some areas may exhibit dust or dirt accumulation, but overall, the facility is reasonably clean and presentable. Level 4: Moderate Dinginess: Facilities classified at Level 4 show noticeable signs of neglect. Dust, dirt, and stains are more prevalent, requiring thorough cleaning and restoration efforts. Level 5: Unkempt Neglect: This level represents the lowest standard of cleanliness, where surfaces are significantly soiled, damaged, or neglected. Immediate action is needed to address sanitation issues and restore a safe and hygienic environment.

Business leaders' interest in the technology parallels that of the public, with 80% of business leaders in a Deloitte CEO survey from summer 2023 agreeing that generative AI will increase efficiencies in their organization. 

In Gartner’s October 2022 survey of 351 Gen Z employees, 65% said whether or not they can work flexibly would impact whether they stay at their organization, and 53% cited it as a reason they were looking for a new job. Across all generations, work-life balance currently ranks as the third most important attribute employees are looking for in a job.

This year’s theme was Global Interdependency and the sessions proved to be full of interesting insights and information. I was able to attend many sessions and here are my condensed notes on the sessions I was able to attend.

Robbins says his team coined the phrase “what’s your return on commute?”—a worthy question in a congested city like Atlanta. While there are not Cisco-wide mandates for employees to be in office, individual teams set guidelines for days teams are expected to work onsite together, Robbins says. “Seventy-plus percent of our first-line managers have at least one remote employee already,” he says. “It’s not as black and white or as cut and dry” as other companies. “We’re trying to be a little more flexible.”

Midsize and regional banks like Signature and First Republic not only provide the bulk of commercial real estate loans to businesses, they are also part of a far bigger market. Banks typically package the loans they make into complex financial products and sell them to investors, allowing the banks to raise more money to make new loans. For much of last year, commercial real estate lending had begun rebounding from the depths of the Covid-19 lockdowns, when new loan applications almost came to a standstill in the fourth quarter of 2020. By comparison, the annual rate of commercial real estate loan origination by dollar volume grew 18 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Trepp.

One interesting development with the remote work movement is the impact on corporate office space in large cities and municipalities and the tax breaks they get to occupy high traffic space. With less traffic and reduced revenue from commuters, it will be interesting how these local governments tackle tax breaks for employers whose spaces are not occupied. Another initiative created in New Jersey during the pandemic, the Emerge Program, hints at what future incentives might look: Rather than commit to a certain percentage of time spent in office, applicants have to prove that 80% of eligible employees’ work time is spent in the state — and that they have enough space to accommodate at least half of their workforce on site, “without packing people in like a sardine can,” Sullivan said.