Tech:NYC Digest: October 25

Tech:NYC Digest: October 25

October 25, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Monday, October 25, 2021

In today’s digest, vax for kids may come in early Nov., thousands of city workers protest vax mandates, and tips for hiring and retaining talent in the pandemic. 

  • ⛈ In case you didn’t hear: a flash flood watch is in effect for the NYC area. We’re expecting heavy rains and storms beginning tonight and through Tuesday. Stay safe out there!

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By the numbers:

  • New positive cases statewide: 3,054

    • New positive cases, NYC: 699

  • Statewide Fatalities: 28 (-4)

  • NYC Positivity Rate: 1.1 percent (no change)

  • Statewide Vaccine Progress:

    • Percentage of adults (18+) with at least one dose: 86.7 percent 

    • Percentage of total population with at least one dose: 73.6 percent

Today’s latest: 

  • COVID-19 vaccines could be approved and available for children ages five to 11 as early as November. (New York Times) 

    • Dr. Fauci said he feels optimistic that children could be fully immunized by the holidays, if an advisory panel to the FDA endorses Pfizer’s application for vaccine use in that age group on Tuesday.

    • Federal regulators have concluded the benefits of staving off COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine generally outweighed the risks of the most worrisome possible side effects in that age group. (New York Times)

    • Additionally, Moderna announced today that its coronavirus vaccine is safe and produces a powerful immune response in children six through 11. (New York Times)

  • With the rollout of COVID-19 booster shots, the US may need to update its definition of what it means to be “fully vaccinated,” according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. (Axios)

    • The CDC’s current definition is that “fully vaccinated persons are those who are more than 14 days post-completion of the primary series of an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine."

  • New York City is inching toward COVID-19 becoming endemic. High rates of vaccination and prior infection have bolstered protection, epidemiologists say, helping the city transition toward treating the coronavirus for the long-term. (Wall Street Journal)

  • Most New York City workers have a little less than a week to get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But many continue to push back and refuse to do so. Municipal workers protested against the city’s vaccine mandate on Staten Island on Sunday and thousands marched across the Brooklyn Bridge today. 

In other reading:

  • What 5 health experts advise for holiday travel this year (Washington Post)

  • What Previous Covid-19 Waves Tell Us About the Virus Now (New York Times)

  • Experts predict an easier COVID winter this year (Axios)

We’ve heard a lot about the “Great Resignation” and the shakeup it has caused for hiring managers at tech companies and other sectors. But with so many leaving their jobs, it begs the obvious next question: how do people start the next one? (TIME)

  • The way a new employee interacts with company culture — especially during the hiring process — is a major determining factor in their potential for success. Onboarding systems in place before the pandemic are simply antiquated and inadequate now.

But with company cultures in flux — due to hybrid work changes, concerns over a lack of inclusion, fears of burnout, and a need to maintain business continuity or, in many cases, meet increased demand — it’s hard to prioritize hiring success. 

So here’s a few tips from workplace experts — aimed at hiring managers looking for better onboarding practices — that workers can also use to manage expectations after receiving a job offer:

  • Hire differently to meet this moment: Hybrid and remote work require different recruitment strategies. Asking candidates how WFH has changed their career aspirations and how they stay focused and connected with their teams is a must-have conversation right now.

  • Technology and documentation are key: Employees must have the tools they need to do their work. It may seem basic, but getting new staff the right technology sends a signal of your commitment to the employee.

  • Onboard early, and then keep onboarding: The more new hires can do before they start makes for an easier first official week, and when onboarding continues beyond that, it shows the company cares about their long-term satisfaction.

  • Give them a person or two: Besides the direct manager of the new hire, many companies mention creating a buddy system. Mentoring programs or “peer circles” help acclimation move along faster.

  • Recap early and often: New hires have a lot being thrown at them in the early days, and procedures others have internalized might take some time to sink in — especially when it’s all happening on Zoom. It’s important not to take for granted how much harder that is, and too many tools and information is just the right amount.

The takeaway: Much of the reason onboarding has felt so rocky through the pandemic is because we’re in rocky times — companies themselves have been adjusting to new, unfamiliar modes of working. The companies that recognize that and give new employees the tools and support to keep pace are the ones that will have the most success retaining them.   

In other reading:

  • Yes, you can only work 5 hours and call it a day. Here’s how to make it productive (Fast Company)

  • The new wave of post-pandemic jobs (Protocol)

  • Will Covid Really Change the Way We Work? (New York Times)

  • Creating Flex Work Policies … When Everyone Has Different Needs (Harvard Business Review)

  • Button Finance, a New York City-based mortgage lender focused on home equity, raised $2 million in seed funding. Hildene Capital Management led the round and was joined by L&L Capital Partners and angel investors. (FinSMEs)

  • Click Therapeutics, a New York-based digital therapeutics startup focused on depression and chronic pain, raised $52 million in Series B funding. H.I.G. BioHealth Partners and Accelmed Partners co-led the round and were joined by Sanofi Ventures, Health Catalyst Capital, Revelation Partners, and K2 HealthVentures. (Pitchbook)

  • October 28: In-person: NYC: Reborn Summit, with Tech:NYC executive director Julie Samuels, Common founder and CEO Brad Hargreaves, MTA acting chair and CEO Janno Lieber, and others. Hosted by the Manhattan Institute. Register here.

  • November 4: Virtual: Frontier Tech Spotlight: Deep Tech Investment, with Seeqc CEO John Levy, Quantum Daily CEO Alex Challans, and Newlab chief product officer Satish Rao. Hosted by Newlab. Register here.

  • November 8: In-person and virtual: TechDay Founders Summit, with The Fund general partner Jenny Fielding, Eniac Ventures co-founder Nihal Mehta, The Muse founder and CEO Kathryn Minshew, and others. Admission is for founders and C-suite executives by short application. Register here.

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