Austin employer predicts work-from-home is permanent and more stories - CultureMap Austin

Hot Headlines

Michael Dell predicted this week that corporate culture will shift to work-from-home. Photo by PeopleImages

Editor's note: It's that time again — time to check in with our top stories. We are continuing to cover Austin amid the COVID-19 crisis and share stories of how this is changing lives across the region. Here are the stories that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Massive Austin employer predicts permanent shift to work-from-home for most workers. In an interview this week, Michael Dell predicted the shift towards working from home that began during the pandemic will continue. A spokesperson for Dell, the founder's namesake multibillion-dollar company, weighed in, saying that more that 50 percent of its own workforce will likely be permanently telecommuting after lockdown lifts.

2. Popular Austin pizza joint closes another location after employees contract COVID-19. After closing its North Loop location last week due to COVID-19, Home Slice announced it was temporarily shuttering its South Congress flagship after two employees tested positive for the virus. Pizza fans can still get their fix; the restaurant's East 53rd Street locale is back open.

3. Air Force Thunderbirds to fly over Austin in tribute to healthcare workers. The Thunderbirds zoomed into town on Wednesday, offering a blink-and-you-will-miss-it tribute to area healthcare workers. 

4. Austin leaders extend stay home order and tackle confusion about governor's plan. It wouldn't be a pandemic version of our most popular stories without an update to our local stay-at-home order. The most recent was issued on May 8, and it extends through mid-June.

5. Retro-cool Airstream resort rolls into Texas for social distance vacations. We're all suffering from wanderlust right now, so why not do something about it? This new resort offers guests a personal retro Airstream, plenty of outdoor activities — and space away from other guests. 

').find("#ruler"); $(document).scroll(function() { $('#ruler').attr("style", "position:absolute;top:"+$(document).scrollTop()+"px;right:0;border:1px solid red;background-color:white;padding:1em;").text($(document).scrollTop()); }); }); jwplayer('player_ad').setup({ file: 'https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/ptSzRrnW-y0GJejcI.mp4', image: 'https://content.jwplatform.com/thumbs/ptSzRrnW-480.jpg', title: '', stretching: "bestfit", skin: 'five', ga: '{}', primary: 'html5', aspectratio: "480:270" }).onReady(function(){ var $sel, _selectors; if (Ads.is_mobile()) { _selectors = [ '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > p:nth-child(1)', '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > p:nth-child(2)', '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > :nth-child(1)']; }else { _selectors = [ '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > p:nth-child(3)', '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > p:nth-child(4)', '.body[itemprop=articleBody] > :nth-child(3)']; } $(_selectors).each(function (i) { $sel = $(_selectors[i]); if ($sel.length > 0) { console.log('winner:' + _selectors[i]); return false; } }); function onComplete(){ $('#player_ad').off('mouseenter mouseleave'); jwplayer('player_ad').setControls(true).setMute(false); jwp_ui_action = true; } //setup hover mutes $('#player_ad').hover( function(){jwplayer('player_ad').setMute(false).play(true)}, function(){jwplayer('player_ad').setMute(true)} ); jwplayer('player_ad') //setup onComplete and interaction events //if ther user interacts with the player; stop all auto-play/pause efforts .onComplete(onComplete) .onDisplayClick(function(){ if(jwplayer('player_ad').getState() == 'PLAYING'){ jwplayer('player_ad').pause(true); var a = document.createElement('a'); a.href = 'https://bit.ly/2SmJP1X'; a.target = '_blank'; a.click(); } }); //move video into position $('.video_ad').insertAfter($sel); //control video playback based on scroll position $(document).scroll(function() { if(!jwp_ui_action){ if (!$('.video_ad').is(':visible')){ //When the 2nd .body > p tag comes within 1/2 from the top of the window, activate video if ( ($(document).scrollTop() + $(window).height() / 2) >= $sel.offset().top ){ if(jwp_debug) console.log('PLAY: '+ ($(document).scrollTop() + $(window).height() / 2) +" >= "+ $sel.offset().top ); $('.video_ad').slideDown(function(){ jwplayer('player_ad').setControls(false).setMute(true).play(); }); } }else{ if( $(document).scrollTop() > ($('.video_ad').offset().top + $('.video_ad').height() / 4) ){ if(jwp_debug) console.log('SCROLLED TOO FAR DOWN. PAUSE: '+$(document).scrollTop()+" > "+ ($('.video_ad').offset().top + $('.video_ad').height() / 4)); jwplayer('player_ad').pause(true); }else if ( $(document).scrollTop() + $(window).height()