#Remote and Hybrid Work Environment

[dei360]

Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Remote and Hybrid Work Environments

In today's evolving work landscape, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is crucial for fostering a thriving workplace culture. As organizations increasingly adopt remote and hybrid work setups, it's essential to understand how DEI principles can be applied effectively in these new contexts.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift toward remote and hybrid work models, presenting both opportunities and challenges for DEI initiatives. While remote work offers flexibility and access to a broader talent pool, it also introduces barriers to inclusion and collaboration. Additionally, hybrid work setups require careful consideration to ensure that all employees feel valued and included, regardless of their location or working arrangement.

To navigate these challenges, organizations must prioritize DEI efforts and implement strategies tailored to remote and hybrid work environments. This includes fostering open communication channels, providing equitable access to resources and opportunities, and promoting a culture of belonging across virtual and physical spaces.

By embracing DEI in remote and hybrid work environments, organizations can create more inclusive and equitable workplaces where all employees can thrive.

[codezix]

How Salesforce Supports Remote and Hybrid Work Environments: Insights from Salesforce Consultants in New York

In recent years, the traditional 9-to-5 office setup has evolved dramatically. Remote and hybrid work environments are no longer temporary solutions—they're now fundamental to how modern businesses operate. From global corporations to local firms in bustling hubs like New York, organizations are increasingly relying on digital platforms to stay connected, productive, and agile.

Among these platforms, Salesforce has emerged as a standout solution. With its cloud-based infrastructure, real-time collaboration tools, and powerful automation features, Salesforce enables businesses to thrive regardless of where their employees are located. This blog explores how Salesforce supports remote and hybrid work and why partnering with a Salesforce consultant in New York can make all the difference.

🚀 The Shift to Remote and Hybrid Work

The global pandemic forced businesses to quickly adopt remote work. While the initial transition was reactive, many companies have since embraced hybrid work models as a long-term strategy. This shift requires tools that support seamless communication, real-time access to data, secure collaboration, and process automation.

Enter Salesforce—a robust, scalable CRM and business operations platform that's tailor-made for decentralized teams. Whether you're a startup or an enterprise in New York City, Salesforce can provide the infrastructure needed to keep your team connected and productive across locations.

🌐 Cloud-Based Accessibility for a Distributed Workforce

One of the greatest strengths of Salesforce is that it’s built in the cloud. That means no on-premise servers, no physical limitations, and 24/7 access from anywhere with an internet connection.

For Sales Teams: Reps can access lead data, update opportunities, and close deals from their mobile devices.

For Customer Support: Agents can resolve cases remotely with all necessary information at their fingertips.

For Management: Executives and managers can view performance dashboards, run reports, and make data-driven decisions from any location.

For companies working with a Salesforce consulting partner in New York, these capabilities can be enhanced through tailored configurations and custom workflows designed for remote operations.

💬 Real-Time Collaboration with Slack Integration

The acquisition of Slack by Salesforce has revolutionized how remote and hybrid teams collaborate. With Slack integrated into the Salesforce ecosystem:

Teams can instantly communicate across departments.

Channels can be connected directly to Salesforce records and customer cases.

Alerts and updates from Salesforce can be pushed to Slack in real time.

By streamlining communication, this integration minimizes back-and-forth emails and ensures everyone stays on the same page—even when they’re not in the same building.

Salesforce consultants in New York have been instrumental in helping companies implement and optimize Slack for hybrid collaboration, creating automated workflows and integrations that improve daily operations.

⚙️ Automating Workflows to Boost Remote Productivity

When employees work from different locations, consistency becomes crucial. Salesforce’s automation tools—especially Salesforce Flow—ensure that business processes run smoothly without manual intervention.

Lead nurturing, case assignment, approval processes, and follow-up reminders can all be automated.

Automated notifications ensure that no task falls through the cracks, even across time zones.

Workflows can be triggered by user actions, system events, or scheduled intervals.

By working with a skilled Salesforce developer in New York, companies can build powerful automation workflows that reduce human error, save time, and allow teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

📊 Advanced Reporting and Dashboards

Managers overseeing remote and hybrid teams need visibility into operations without micromanaging. Salesforce offers powerful analytics tools that provide:

Real-time dashboards tailored to different departments.

Custom reports tracking KPIs, user activity, and performance metrics.

AI-powered insights to help predict trends and identify bottlenecks.

With these tools, leaders can maintain transparency and accountability across a distributed workforce.

A Salesforce consulting firm in New York can help customize these analytics tools to align with your business objectives and reporting needs.

🧩 Integration with Other Business Tools

Salesforce acts as the central nervous system of many remote organizations. Through its vast integration capabilities, Salesforce can be connected to:

Email & Calendar Tools: Gmail, Outlook, Office 365

Project Management Platforms: Trello, Asana, Jira

ERP & Accounting Software: QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP

Marketing Platforms: HubSpot, Mailchimp, Marketo

By consolidating data and workflows into a unified platform, Salesforce eliminates silos and enhances operational efficiency. A certified Salesforce consultant in New York can assess your current tech stack and recommend optimal integration strategies.

🛡️ Security and Compliance for Remote Access

Security is a top concern for remote and hybrid environments. Salesforce offers enterprise-grade security features such as:

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Role-based access control

Field-level security

Data encryption at rest and in transit

With frequent security audits and compliance with major standards (like GDPR and HIPAA), Salesforce ensures your data is safe—even when accessed from home offices or mobile devices.

Salesforce consulting partners in New York often specialize in security audits and compliance configuration, making them invaluable for regulated industries like finance and healthcare.

🧠 Learning and Adoption Support

Remote work means employees need to be self-sufficient. Salesforce provides:

In-app training and guidance (with tools like myTrailhead)

Mobile-friendly user interfaces

Custom help content and knowledge bases

To ensure adoption, Salesforce consultants in New York provide onboarding, user training, and ongoing support tailored to your team’s needs. They can even build custom Lightning apps that match the workflows your employees are already familiar with.

🏙️ Why New York Businesses Choose Local Salesforce Experts

New York’s dynamic business landscape demands rapid adaptation and innovation. Working with a Salesforce consultant in New York provides:

Local market understanding: Knowledge of regional regulations, customer behavior, and competitive landscape.

Real-time support: Same time zone assistance for urgent issues and strategic guidance.

Scalability: Local consultants understand how to scale Salesforce as your team grows or shifts its hybrid work model.

Whether you're a fintech startup in Manhattan, a nonprofit in Brooklyn, or a healthcare provider in the Bronx, partnering with a Salesforce consulting firm in New York means access to personalized service and technical excellence.

✅ Conclusion

The workplace has changed—and Salesforce has changed with it. Whether your team is fully remote, hybrid, or in transition, Salesforce offers the tools needed to collaborate, automate, and grow in any environment.

From cloud accessibility and Slack integration to automation and advanced analytics, Salesforce provides the foundation for productive and secure hybrid operations. But the real key to success lies in implementation. By working with experienced Salesforce consultants in New York, businesses can ensure they’re not just using Salesforce, but truly leveraging it.

So if you're ready to empower your remote workforce and future-proof your business operations, consider connecting with a trusted Salesforce consulting partner in New York. The future of work is here—and Salesforce is ready to lead the way.

[sophiajones3324]

Flexible Coworking Space in Carrollton – Work Smarter, Connect Better

Located at 4116 Hebron Parkway, Carrollton, our coworking space offers flexible office solutions, high-speed internet, private offices, meeting rooms, and a vibrant professional community. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or remote team, find the perfect workspace to enhance productivity and collaboration.

[reasonsforhope]

"In some cities, as many as one in four office spaces are vacant. Some start-ups are giving them a second life – as indoor farms growing crops as varied as kale, cucumber and herbs.

Since its 1967 construction, Canada's "Calgary Tower", a 190m (623ft) concrete-and-steel observation tower in Calgary, Alberta, has been home to an observation deck, panoramic restaurants and souvenir shops. Last year, it welcomed a different kind of business: a fully functioning indoor farm.

Sprawling across 6,000sq m (65,000 sq ft), the farm, which produces dozens of crops including strawberries, kale and cucumber, is a striking example of the search for city-grown food. But it's hardly alone. From Japan to Singapore to Dubai, vertical indoor farms – where crops can be grown in climate-controlled environments with hydroponics, aquaponics or aeroponics techniques – have been popping up around the world.

While indoor farming had been on the rise for years, a watershed moment came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when disruptions to the food supply chain underscored the need for local solutions. In 2021, $6bn (£4.8bn) in vertical farming deals were registered globally – the peak year for vertical farming investment. As the global economy entered its post-pandemic phase, some high-profile startups like Fifth Season went out of business, and others including Planted Detroit and AeroFarms running into a period of financial difficulty. Some commentators questioned whether a "vertical farming bubble" had popped.

But a new, post-pandemic trend may give the sector a boost. In countries including Canada and Australia, landlords are struggling to fill vacant office spaces as companies embrace remote and hybrid work. In the US, the office vacancy rate is more than 20%.

"Vertical farms may prove to be a cost-effective way to fill in vacant office buildings," says Warren Seay, Jr, a real estate finance partner in the Washington DC offices of US law firm ArentFox Schiff, who authored an article on urban farm reconversions. 

There are other reasons for the interest in urban farms, too. Though supply chains have largely recovered post-Covid-19, other global shocks, including climate change, geopolitical turmoil and farmers' strikes, mean that they continue to be vulnerable – driving more cities to look for local food production options...

Thanks to artificial light and controlled temperatures, offices are proving surprisingly good environments for indoor agriculture, spurring some companies to convert part of their facilities into small farms. Since 2022, Australia's start-up Greenspace has worked with clients like Deloitte and Commonwealth Bank to turn "dead zones", like the space between lifts and meeting rooms, into 2m (6ft) tall hydroponic cabinets growing leafy greens.

On top of being adaptable to indoor farm operations, vacant office buildings offer the advantage of proximity to final consumers.

In a former paper storage warehouse in Arlington, about a mile outside of Washington DC, Jacqueline Potter and the team at Area 2 Farms are growing over 180 organic varieties of lettuce, greens, root vegetables, herbs and micro-greens. By serving consumers 10 miles away or less, the company has driven down transport costs and associated greenhouse emissions.

This also frees the team up to grow other types of food that can be hard to find elsewhere – such as edible flower species like buzz buttons and nasturtium. "Most crops are now selected to be grown because of their ability to withstand a 1,500-mile journey," Potter says, referring to the average distance covered by crops in the US before reaching customers. "In our farm, we can select crops for other properties like their nutritional value or taste."

Overall, vertical farms have the potential to outperform regular farms on several environmental sustainability metrics like water usage, says Evan Fraser, professor of geography at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and the director of the Arell Food Institute, a research centre on sustainable food production. Most indoor farms report using a tiny fraction of the water that outdoor farms use. Indoor farms also report greater output per square mile than regular farms.

Energy use, however, is the "Achilles heel" of this sector, says Fraser: vertical farms need a lot of electricity to run lighting and ventilation systems, smart sensors and automated harvesting technologies. But if energy is sourced from renewable sources, they can outperform regular farms on this metric too, he says. 

Because of variations in operational setup, it is hard to make a general assessment of the environmental, social and economic sustainability of indoor farms, says Jiangxiao Qiu, a landscape ecologist at the University of Florida and author of a study on urban agriculture's role in sustainability. Still, he agrees with Fraser: in general, urban indoor farms have higher crop yield per square foot, greater water and nutrient-use efficiency, better resistance to pests and shorter distance to market. Downsides include high energy use due to lighting, ventilation and air conditioning.

They face other challenges, too. As Seay notes, zoning laws often do not allow for agricultural activity within urban areas (although some cities like Arlington, Virginia, and Cincinnati, Ohio, have recently updated zoning to allow indoor farms). And, for now, indoor farms have limited crop range. It is hard to produce staple crops like wheat, corn or rice indoors, says Fraser. Aside from leafy greens, most indoor facilities cannot yet produce other types of crops at scale.

But as long as the post-pandemic trends of remote work and corporate downsizing will last, indoor farms may keep popping up in cities around the world, Seay says. 

"One thing cities dislike more than anything is unused spaces that don't drive economic growth," he says. "If indoor farm conversions in cities like Arlington prove successful, others may follow suit.""

-via BBC, January 27, 2025

[silvermoon424]

There are so many things to hate about the surge of return to office (aka RTO) policies, but I especially hate it because of how it's disproportionately affecting disabled people.

Remote work is a godsend for disabled people. Speaking as a disabled person myself (I have a rare autoimmune disease), my remote job saved me. I started having a really bad flare a few months ago, and I straight-up would have been fired if I had to go into an office every day; I would have called out all the time. Instead I was able to take things easy and recover in a comfortable environment while still getting my work done.

The surge of remote work jobs during the pandemic led to a huge increase in disabled people in the workforce, but now companies- and the federal government- are forcing employees to come in again. Needless to say, disabled workers are the most affected by this.

It just fucking kills me because RTO policies are exclusively being mandated by power-tripping assholes in management or executive positions. There's no actual reason for them, as productivity is higher than ever and employees (both abled and disabled) overwhelmingly prefer remote or hybrid work. But you can't spy on people as effectively when they're not right under your nose so clearly employees just HAVE to come in!!!

Anyway I wish every single asshole who's been pushing RTO policies against the wishes of their workforce a very GET BLOWN UP BY MY LASER EYES

[cyb3rtarot]

Pick a Pile: Your Archetype & Career

Disclaimer: readings are not replacements for professional advice. Take what confirms, not confuses. You make your own life, not a reading. I’ll be looking at what traits you embody when working and what kind of work may fulfill that!

Help a Palestinian family!: 1 2 3 4 5

pile 1 🔗 pile 2 pile 3 🔗 pile 4

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Pile 1

Your archetype [High Priestess, Ace of Pentacles]: hi pile one! You guys do things from an intuitive place, naturally getting ideas of improvement. This is helpful to a group dynamic, the person that invents, creates, or comes up with the next venture. You may not know where this inspiration comes from, but this is your intuition or senses bringing things subconsciously perceived to the forefront of your mind. For example, you may have good pattern recognition with trends, or you may be able to blend many influences from others into an original style. If you’re spiritual, your inspiration may come from your practice. The ideas you come up with can be very fruitful; you know what will work. You could contribute a lot of plans to something you just joined even if you aren’t familiar with it. Whereas some are driven by passion or desire, the quality of what you produce doesn’t necessarily depend on whether you’re “into it” or not, because your intuition helps you rather than conscious thought or emotion. This inspiration may also guide you directly towards opportunities when you need them. You might be much more into the initial thinking process rather than the work itself. You can easily give ideas to others, but you yourself could take a long time or not be interested in implementing your own good thoughts and advice. Like offering others the seeds because you prefer not to grow them yourself. This could manifest as roles where you delegate a lot, give someone a concept to make reality, or provide the beginning material to a project. You may struggle communicating ideas though, whether this is difficulty being understood or a desire to withdraw. A lot of chaos you experience happens once you bring other people into the equation. It’s like you produce these amazing blueprints, but when you've had to share them, have conversations at work, or begun working with others, things have gone awry. You may have a cycle of negative experiences working with others. Something about the whole process keeps you trying to make it work, but still having some kind of burn or crash at the end. So, some of you may job hop or do more eccentric work.

What kind of work might fulfill this part of you?: It’s important for you to rest and not force yourself to be one way or the other. There’s opposite energy, where your ideas provide promising routes to take, but your sensitive & intuitive self suffers when you throw all your energy in. There may be a strong urge to isolate or work at unconventional hours. You may find success in supporting these parts of yourself, such as through remote or hybrid jobs. You could enjoy working at night or in another environment where the amount of people around decreases, including but not necessarily working by yourself. This doesn’t have to be your own home. Working with others through private consultation or in their home may be an option, or being something like a digital nomad. Anything with more intimate, cozy, or peaceful feelings. That doesn’t mean working in an office is out, but struggles in communication or processing ideas may improve in personal settings, or when you speak with consideration to emotion. Work that’s emotionally satisfying or requires a bit of sympathy may be fulfilling. When working with others, you may over-compromise or offer too much which leaves you drained, since you offer things that come from your deeper, intuitive self rather than passing thoughts or emotions. Work that can be done with less contact (for example, less big groups and more individual interaction), or work that can often be done at your own pace both may address this. Many of you may really enjoy physically making things; I see someone making pottery. You’re able to physically create things that are healing, or this process could be healing to you, even as a hobby. In general, jobs that require physical effort versus just mental effort get you out of your head. They allow you to work on tasks that depend on effort rather than navigating mental and social demands or office politics. Even being a healer, especially someone who goes to others’ homes and provides personal care, or working with medical equipment, could be one application of this. Contract work—something with a definite start and end—or something that guarantees work within a specific time may be compatible. This could also be presenting or writing contracts for others. Some of you could find fulfillment working with the government or an organization, especially something that requires you to physically go do work (like working inside and then working in the field or going to meet people), or something with a quiet environment. You may excel in giving others ideas or tasks and supporting them as they work on it, giving ideas for businesses, giving prompts of some kind or ghostwriting. You may also heal outside of the physical; some of you could feel fulfilled in helping people start a new phase of life. This could be coaching, social, or community work; I get personal vibes. If you’re religious, you may enjoy working at a place of worship or religious organization. Even providing religious or spiritual services from your home, bringing these to others, or providing support in a place of worship.

Extra Details: the moon/full moon (Capricorn full moon may be significant), hermit/isolation/shut in, late night, yellow, orange, space interest, gaming, Mercury/ Mars in difficult aspect to Sun/Saturn, natal oppositions, heavy Cancer or Capricorn placements, Earth stellium, 4th & 10th house, social/speech difficulties, cycles of burn out or broken partnerships, worked with (relationship) partners, working in fields you have no passion but no conflict with. If you don’t merge work & interests, you may have success incorporating more emotionally satisfying things into work—you guys should acknowledge emotional whims. You may divorce yourself from pleasure and ignore what you like. Balance is needed. If something like work takes up a lot of time, create reminders or pieces of space/time where you can engage with something that brings you joy/amusement, especially if you sacrifice satisfaction for others. Check in with your logic + emotions more, as intuition is just one part of the picture. Spiritual counseling or business, less traditional medical jobs (again I see something with med equipment such as hospice, or care for conditions that require devices), neurodivergence, sacrificing self to support a partner/ team (burn out!), (potential) catalyst for societal change, mothering tendencies. If you already felt drawn to pile 2, it may resonate

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Pile 2

Your Archetype [7 of cups rx, Queen of Swords rx]: hello pile two! You’re adept at making important & deep judgements. You get to the root of the matter and cut through BS. You have a sharp, investigative mind or are very knowledgeable in your fields of interest, and that allows you to see things others can’t always see, to evaluate, research, and bring clarity. You could excel in teaching or training. Your mental abilities also suit roles with objective judgements, such as a researcher, investigator, lawyer, or a decision maker. You could be someone who always knows things can be far better even when it seems like a far possibility (though some of you struggle with excessive pessimism), and from this you can create a real plan. You may enjoy presenting facts or ideas more than completing the project. These are not just academic or professional roles, but also you as a person. There’s air and water, logic & emotion, but rather than combine them I think you use logic to cut through emotion. You might be the friend who people complain to and you give simple advice on how they can fix their issue, but they just wanted to complain lol. The Queen of Swords is reversed like the 7 of cups, able to see things how the cups figure does, however the figure is still turned towards the many dreams in the cups. She can’t really offer her sword of truth because they can’t see her. You may struggle to communicate what you know or make connections due to finding it difficult to meet people where they are in their emotions or knowledge level. Some of you may have physical difficulties communicating like language barriers or speech disorders. Some of you are also pursuing something but hit a wall, for example, struggling to continue studies, or relationship stagnation, so it’s your own dreams that feel out of reach. There’s energy of being unable to accept something, though ironically you may dislike this trait in others. You have all the knowledge and skill to bring order in whatever role you pursue, but you need to ground yourself mentally. Give yourself space to process emotion in conjunction with thoughts instead of always handling them separately, especially if you know you’re not being honest with yourself. Try to imagine things from others’ perspectives. All the sense, fact, or skill in the world cannot get through a stubborn emotional wall. Many people are looking at things from feelings rather than objectivity, so if you want to communicate with them through the latter, try identifying what may be on their mind or how emotion could impact their judgment. It’s not that you’re invalid when trying to communicate, this just may help you handle emotion more smoothly. And, the same applies for logic. We have to accept when people aren’t ready to face something, grow, or learn; we cannot chase after them forever hoping they’ll change. You may feel yourself to be the one in reality while they’re lost in illusion, but by continuously chasing someone with words when they’re not listening, you have also placed yourself in illusion. Knowing logically something can change or knowing facts does not mean that's what will play out in reality, and reality does not always bend to our sense of what's right.

Your details remind me of pile 1, if you already felt drawn.

What kind of work might fulfill this part of you?: you may excel in working with children, families, married, and vulnerable people. You may find this confusing if you struggle with connecting to others’ emotions, but your mental nature may help you. Because, specifically I see a role where you solve issues. This could be being a teacher like I said, especially someone who teaches fundamentals, like a teacher to young students who helps them get a grasp on the world, or a tutor. You could show people what's possible after issues or stagnation, reintroducing people to life, giving a “new lease on life.” As one example, helping to overcome trauma. You may feel fulfilled in helping to give new starts through government, social work, or especially the adoption/foster care system. Some of you may be really good matchmakers or good at matching children to appropriate homes & schools. You’re capable of showing people a bright future through overcoming, introducing new phases, starting new things, or pointing people to resources. If you're interested in medical work, this also reminds me of rehab (any kind of rehab, including physical), and some of you may enjoy medical work that involves children or fertility. If you’re interested in legal, you could find jobs where you investigate and brings things to a close, such as finding missing people or helping people get away from abuse. There’s an emotional aspect to things that fulfill you, but rather than needing your emotions to make it work, more so you’d find fulfillment where people would appreciate you or you create a lot of hope for them, because these situations would require your intellect. There’s an energy of making promises and this could be contracts, such as a teacher’s contract, or I’m not sure exactly what this is but you may present contracts to people. And this is something I picked up in your archetype—you may drift into roles where you have the power to “let” people into an organization or unit. So, you may decide on others and see what places they’re suited for, whether this is organizing students, children, or some kind of recruiter, evaluator. Essentially, the work that seems fulfilling to you requires problem-solving skills and passing judgements for improvements, especially for those who don’t have anyone else who can do this for them. 

For many of you there’s already something specific that’ll bring you a lot of emotional fulfillment but you're resisting it because of the difficulties I mentioned above, or because your family is trying to turn you away from it, and this seems to be some kind of passion project, hobby, or business you want to run (something about food or nature)? You either need to sit with yourself and separate your thoughts and plans from family, or try to approach it from a new angle, such as taking a non-traditional route rather than what you’ve already tried. It’s okay to decide not to, but it should be your decision. For others, if that doesn’t resonate, you could find success in running your own business, but especially if you incorporate a hobby or passion into it, even if it’s not traditionally how it would be done. This pile may find more success if you allow yourself to go towards things that make you feel good rather than just what logically makes sense.

If you really struggle working closely with others, you may like offering remote services. For example, chatting with people or sending emails—rather than speaking face to face where you may be uncomfortable relating emotionally & spontaneously.

Extra details: internal work like meditation or therapy, hard time mentally accepting something or mental dishonesty, neurodivergent, stubbornness, something about academic dishonesty—I feel you would be able to discern when someone’s work is not authentic or you’d be good test proctors or something. Farming, culinary, cafes. Neurodivergence. Helping people who are separated from reality, or finding yourself in that situation even though you were careful. Uncanny intuition and/or divination. Blueberries and/or the color blue is significant, blue moon?

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Pile 3

Your Archetype [Strength rx, 5 of pentacles]: hello pile 3! You have amazing strength and courage, but it’s hard for you to feel this for what it is. At your healthiest expression, your archetype shows up as no BS. You have the ability to remove yourself from harmful situations even if it means enduring loneliness or hard times. You’re not the one who is going to self-sacrifice constantly hoping to turn the situation around with the power of light and friendship, you’re the one that says I’m out of here lol. “My ride’s comin I’m leavin’ 🤨.” In less healthy expressions, you feel disconnected from your own bravery, feeling weak or cowardly. You may flip extremes, running away from anything a little scary, to clinging onto actually scary things & people for a sense of security.

There’s two different main groups in this pile. Some of you became this way because you had to already endure or leave a messed up situation. For a lot of you, I’m seeing someone played games with your mind or exploited your friendship, or innocence? I get this hopelessly in love energy from a lot of you and I think you learned a hard lesson through relationships, especially some of you mixed work and relationship (which is not always bad but always potentially messy). So, you’re currently in a vulnerable energy and that reflects in how you express yourself in all areas. If some kind of work or passion starts to sting, you may retreat quickly and move to the next thing even if it seemed promising. The other group needs to hear a message about moving on. This is for those of you who know you’re being mistreated or in a harmful situation, even sacrificing material stability and peace to have someone by your side. Of course, that’s going to reflect in the reality you manifest. On the top of the deck I saw the Devil and 6 of pentacles, but the Sun was behind the 6 of pentacles. It’s like you’re purposefully feeding something to hurt you, knowing it will hurt you, and then expecting a different outcome. Why? You’ve seen the result; initiate the choices needed if you truly want something different. Whatever vice or harm you’re allowing towards yourself is very tied to stagnant financial energy or lack of ambition you may be experiencing. The larger message for everyone is to believe in your own strength. Being in 5 of pentacles energy is not all bad; the lights behind the travelers remind us help is closer than we accept. But, you don’t have to take every shiny pentacle that rolls your way; it’s fine to endure a journey to find what’s right for you. Maybe you feel you’re not that strong because you don’t endure things other people do, or you haven’t gone through certain things, made certain choices. Even feeling childish. But there's vibrant strength radiating from you like the Sun. And if you do feel more child-like than your peers, that’s one of the good qualities of The Sun, not a bad one. It takes a lot of courage to choose less convenient paths. And if you have stuff poking holes in your energy, that impacts your life negatively! If only you don’t give your Sun away to things that leech off you; your energy is a lot stronger and more organized than you think. 

What kind of work might fulfill this part of you?: I'm getting a message rather than specific jobs. The work that fulfills you will be more apparent as you do more inner work. This work (that fulfills you) is a marriage of your shadow side with your tranquil side. There’s a need to go deep into your pain & shadow, and to accept or show compassion to these. I’m not sure if there’s a disconnect between your conscious mind or external life and your pain, for example, maybe you have a lot of trauma you’ve not really reflected on or have only scratched the surface of. Maybe you aren’t really sure how to reconcile your agony and hard times with other parts of your life and self. There’s two polarities, and your message is about bringing these in union, meaning not fully merged as one. It’s okay if your shadow side, trauma, agony, pain, or dark emotions don’t fully make sense or can’t be perfectly merged with other parts of yourself right now. When people do shadow work, a lot are trying to eradicate their shadow because it’s associated with pain. We see shadow work as our way to triumph our trauma, to destroy it. When we speak of healing, people usually mean controlling their shadow, to get rid of it through merging it or turning it into light. I believe we’ll all keep running into the same problems collectively until we stop trying to kill the shadow. The shadow is not pain, it forms in response to pain. It’s a proof of existence, of an experience having happened, but not the experience itself. Work that fulfills you will come out of allowing this shadow side to exist with the creative, productive, enlightened etc parts of yourselves. By doing this, things you produce will naturally speak to others, or your impact will be farther reaching. For example, if you worked in the medical field, you’d excel in providing true comfort to patients, especially as some kind of doula or even a death doula. If you created art, your art would really speak to people since you could incorporate your shadow instead of only light & fun. If you did spiritual work, you could relate more or provide more accurate service. Basically, acknowledgement of your own shadow gives a platform for the same to happen in others, and in this process lies something that speaks to your soul.

A lot of you are struggling in mental anguish, or a feeling like never waking up from a bad dream. I understand how you feel, and I wish I had a better answer for you. No matter how much we speak about inner peace or life advice, real life and brain chemistry is not that simple usually. In spiritual communities, I think we’ve regressed in accepting the shadow, partially due to ideologies that rely on never acknowledging what we don’t want to be true. I think you should feel whatever negative emotions you have without self judgment. Even without mental judgment; try not to extrapolate your pain, like saying your life will always be terrible because you’re in pain now and have been. Even if you think that, try to let the emotions pass through without telling them what they must mean or be, like a passing stranger you’re observing. Pain tends to blur clarity, but we think this is not true for mental pain even though that can be the most confusing kind. I’m not saying doing this will fix your life problems, but someone needed to hear that. I always encourage you to take advantage of mental health resources that are accessible if needed.

There’s also a repeating theme about awareness or alertness. Pain is pushing you into an unalert phase? You’re encouraged to not over-analyze your pain or anything else. You may benefit a lot from an activity or routine that forces you to be wholly present or engrossed for an amount of time. Something physically engaging or a sensory experience especially, even just making yourself stand in the Sun for longer than you normally would (and wear sunscreen lol) ((although I’m really talking about something even more engaging, something that fully takes you out of your head like a martial art? Physically crafting something, walking outside, etc. Stuff like standing in the Sun is okay, but the point is to not be in your head or on devices for a set amount of time. Mental activities or devices may keep you too close to your thoughts and not as aware)).

Extra details: work relationship or friends with benefits, relationship or feelings for childhood friend, or a childhood friend going through relationship troubles, love triangle or 3-person relationship. Varied job interests or no specific interest in one field. Bright eyes, beautiful eyes, or intriguing gaze. Need for inner child work or acknowledgment, especially if having issues with peers from childhood. Spiritual art, or the process of exerting effort can be a spiritual experience for you, even exercising, anything you throw yourself into. For some of you, creating art that makes you feel nostalgic or is based in your nostalgia might be rewarding. Dark circles or lines under eyes, tiredness on face, financial struggle.

Thank you for reading!—Tip Link  |  Paid Reading Info in Pinned Post!

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Pile 4

Your Archetype [9 of cups, the Magician]: hi pile 4! Your archetype gives self-assured or self-reliant energy. I’m not saying this is your personality, but these parts of yourself shine through energetically when working towards something meaningful to you, and these are the personalities of the figures in the cards (so, this may be an energy you're developing if you currently feel like the opposite). There’s a sense you hold yourself responsible for your fate, or that by your own hands you can create your success. The Magician is not waiting for someone to come and give him something—in Magician energy, you yourself bring the magic. Maybe it’s been necessary to be self-reliant as there was no one coming to hand you a pentacle or comfort, and the cards on top of the deck suggest this has been a difficult life for many of you (6 of wands rx, Chariot rx..). There’s a sense of taking something within yourself and using that to create more of what you want, though I’m not sure if this is using your talents or just being resourceful. You could be very skilled in emotional alchemy, taking your own struggles and turning it into another situation, though due to lack of support it can be difficult for many of you to reap your just rewards of this effort. I feel intuitively called to say that anything worth having begins in yourself; I feel your life demonstrates this. You’re able to enjoy what you have or what results bloom because of your inner nature, because there’s fullness in you that allows you to project that externally. It’s the opposite energy of someone who can't appreciate or multiply a blessing because of feeling fragmented inside, so they keep getting more things to fill the fragmentation. Rather, you’re able to take what you have inside and make something from scratch. You yourself are enough to make rewards, and you can recognize a blessing when it comes. This pile also loves to have a good time or indulge a bit, so you may be drawn to work where you can keep your fun-loving energy going, for example many of you may enjoy an environment where coworkers regularly go out after work, or you may like mixing social life with work.

What kind of work might fulfill this part of you?: you may find a lot of fulfillment in community work. Rather than being the boss or someone who has control over others, you may enjoy being on the same level as those you’re working with, forming connections directly rather than operating within hierarchy. This pile has very social & communicative energy. That may help you find enjoyment in people-based work, or people will find a lot of enjoyment in you. Earlier when I was pulling my homemade oracle, “spiritual protector” came out. I thought maybe it wasn’t relevant to your reading, but I see you guys are spiritual protectors for the collective. Some of you exude energy that makes people want to run to you or be comforted by you? Or the way you are when socializing is pleasant or life-changing for those in your energy. You guys may particularly find fulfillment in work that deals with messier parts of life. There’s elements of pain, sorrow, hurt, but not from you. I think you may find fulfillment in working with vulnerable people, such as the homeless or people with addictions. I noticed this in other piles too, but for you guys it’s the most direct as your work may find or bring people who are in the midst of that pain. Whereas other piles seemed to offer care after the trauma, your cards suggest not necessarily giving rebuilding material, but meeting them in the storm so they can get to the other side, like a rescue. You may like working with people who just lost everything or were exploited—reaching these people when the hurt is still new may be meaningful to you, or even literally going to them while these situations are taking place such as disaster rescue. What stood out to me is when I read your archetype, the 6 of wands was reversed on the top of the deck. But for this part, the 6 of wands is upright on the bottom of the other deck. You might be motivated to help others directly because of hardships you went through. But also, the support you’ve lacked may be found through those you meet in work, hobbies, or those you help. It reminds me of the typical story we enjoy—the hero is rejected by their origin, but is loved by the community they find and save. I’m not saying you need to save anyone to be loved, but you may find a lot of the social and emotional fulfillment that was withheld from you through your continued efforts or passions. This process may be healing or bring enjoyment—and definitely could be healing to whoever gets to know or support you. You could be a literal protector—you may find fulfillment in work where you help people not make bad decisions, avoid a wrong turn in life, or just offer a helping hand and shoulder to cry on. Even physical protection or aid. You would be that person who shows life is not so bad, and even when it is, it’s not hopeless. You'd be the school counselor that makes a difference in a student’s life. If you did any kind of counseling, your office would be a safe haven. This does not have to be the literal job itself; this is a role you could embody in any environment. Community, social, or volunteer work may just be the most obvious application. I see some of you would enjoy being bartenders or working in a similar environment, one that will listen to patrons and be a kind face. You could have this effect through whatever you create; some of you may enjoy gardening or working with plants? With that example, the effect you had on the environment, or the artistry you create would then create joy and healing in others. Your energy shines through what you produce even if you’re not physically present.

There’s a lot of bold energy, but I pick up on feeling like it’s a facade, or a nagging feeling that you’re of lesser value. The things said throughout your life to oppress and demean you are not a reflection of you, and neither is the nagging voice. Your emotions alone don’t have the means to show you all that you are, so don’t rely on just feelings to measure your self worth.

Extra details: found family, a lot of drinking especially something blue? Or going out with friends a lot, hanging around water like a stream, gin, birds, very chatty personalities! Mercury may be a prominent planet in natal or solar return charts. Bullied in school or by family, or both at the same time. I heard salsa, not sure if the food or dance is significant. Partier. Gardening, farming, working with the natural environment may be significant, including water, some of you could enjoy or benefit from cleaning up locally for example, or spending more time near flowing water and lots of vegetation if you don’t already. You may find some kind of inspiration, or being near flowing water may help you to think through things, have a eureka.

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[fullyunsourced]

The worst vehicle for conquering Antarctica

You're designing a vehicle for use in Antarctica. It needs to be able to withstand extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, and be almost totally self-sufficient due to the lack of parts. If you're the Armour Institute of Technology in 1937, you design the Antarctic Snow Cruiser. If you're the Australian National Antarctic Expedition in 1963... Ehh, just go to a dealership and buy a cheapo Beetle, make sure it has the extra dashboard heater.

The Snow Cruiser was an absolute goliath of a machine purpose-built for Antarctic exploration. The issue with its design was that in 1937, nobody really had the data know what would make a vehicle good for that environment, so they went with their gut. It was kitted out with a lot of tech and ideas that I think really do deserve some credit for being clever, but there were just too many other issues that made it unusable.

The big one was the tires. They were ten feet in diameter and completely smooth. Yes, smooth. It was thought that knobbly tires would become encrusted with snow and lose traction, so they... skipped the step and let them have no traction from the start? I swear someone had this figured out by that point. Even on pavement it couldn't get over maybe 15mph. Its triumphant parade from Chicago to Boston was a disaster.

But how about some of the cooler features, instead. It had massive overhangs at the front and back like a WWI tank, so it could cross crevasses one end at a time. It had a biplane mounted on the roof (yay there's a plane involved here!). It was technically hybrid, powered by both diesel engines and electric motors (powered by diesel generators).

Anyways, after nearly losing it just unloading it from the ship in Antarctica, they found it had more traction driving in reverse, and managed to make a trip of 92 miles inland, mostly in reverse. And then, as far as we know, it was abandoned on an ice shelf. It was found again in 1946 and 1958, and still left there. Nobody's got a clue where it is now. Definitely buried in deep snow, and possibly drifted off to sea on an ice floe.

How about that Beetle though? It worked out great for Antarctica! No coolant system to worry about freezing, and the seals kept out the snow. The dead-simple engineering made servicing in remote Antarctic bases no problem. It did get a little bit of customization. Of course it had the dealer-installed extra heater in the dashboard, standard for northern European sales. It also got an extra battery to deal with cold starts, and a little bit of torsion bar beefing-up.

I know, it's not really a fair fight. The Snow Cruiser was meant to do deep interior exploration, whereas all that was expected of the little Beetle was hauling sleds of supplies from ports and airstrips, as well as being a taxi. Still, I think it deserves the win. And you get one of my favorite photos, of the penguins standing around this confusing little red machine that seems to fit in just fine.

[seokiesprettygirl]

Kind Regards | JHS

Jung Hoseok in a corporate one shot. Inspired by nothing better than recieving an email from the client with the name '정' made me think of Mr Jung as a good one shot. I hope you enjoy! Warnings: +18

Another annoying day in the office. You have received 54 emails over night. Every morning you would open your outlook and whine to your monitor, like it could help you go through your daily torture for you. You went through the majority of them, sorting them neatly into the right folders with clients name. The only ones that you have left out are the ones that needed your attention or action. You have logged into the system and found the right names that were corresponding with the names found in the mail you have received.

You were tempted by a smell of fresh coffee down to look at your desk. Your phone lying next to the mug, occasionally buzzing. But you ignore it. Work was a priority to you, even when sometimes you were really dreading it and wanted to leave it behind and start a brand new life. You grabbed the cup form in front of you, the warmth of it gave you a little bit more life and few sips of the fresh coffee made you smile. Warm coffee swirled around inside your mouth and your body started to wake up.

People started slowly appearing around you, coming to the office and taking their spots at their desks. You smiled politely at them and said hello. You were always first in the office because you were always planning to leave first. Commute from work hasn’t been easy in the early evenings, streets full of traffic. You hated wasting your time sitting in your car for hours. So everyday you would make it to the office earlier, just to leave earlier and avoid all of it. To get home early and rest in your cosy cave. Your safe zone, your safe place.

You wanted to work in a corporate firm since you were little, even though you showed all of the signs of being a creative and artsy little soul you yearned to the routine, to all the people you have seen growing up wearing pretty clothes, organised and in charge of their life. Because of that you stuffed your cute artsy character into an organised box, putting yourself through all of the exams and university degrees just to reach your goal.

And that’s where you ended up. In a very corporate environment of an investment bank. You were never naïve or lacked intelligence but always thought the corporate job was sticky notes, business clothes and lots of coffee. And in some way you were right about it. Your monitor was decorated with colourful sticky notes with various of tasks and information you might need at hand on a daily basis. Pencil skirts, dress trousers and blazers were your everyday. You were thriving in that environment, yet something was still missing. You desperately needed an artistic outlet. In your free time, you painted. You had a spare room in your flat which you were planning on turning into your home office in case there was ever an option on going remote again. You really enjoyed working from home and a chance of going at least hybrid made you rent this flat out, to have a good balance of your work area and sleeping place separated. Your HR department told you that there is no chance for it in the near future so you decided to change the office setting to a relaxing painting studio. You’ve installed multiple lamps that would imitate the night sky or galaxies all around, you bought a sun lamp which would imitate warm sunlight. You wanted different lighting for different pieces to work on. Painting was your secret. You thought of yourself as an average, boring hobby-painter. You were never overly impressed with your own work, so you couldn’t imagine anyone else admiring it. But you kept going because it was fun and it helped you release stress from all those hours in tights and white collars.

As the morning progressed more people showed up around you, including your work best friend. Park Jimin. Pretties boy on the floor and also the funniest. You turned around on your chair when he got to his desk and handed you another cup of coffee, this time your very favourite flat white from the place he always walks past going to the office. He was an angel. You both met during the internship the company runs for university students, to snatch the best talent right after they graduate. The first day in the office had you terrified. You were so shy back then, very reserved and he helped you from the start. He made you feel warm and he kept making you laugh. You have gotten really close when one day he appeared in the office looking like a pile of shit. Pale, huge dark circles around his eyes. That’s when his long term boyfriend left him but he refused to take a day off. You took him for a cigarette outside multiple times that day, even though neither of you smoked and after work he stayed at yours and you both drunk wine and chatted until the very early morning of the next day. He was the one to help you with your car every time it broke down or you needed a spider killed in your flat. He made unbearable days very bearable and you really appreciated his friendship.

‘The queue was huge today but I couldn’t not treat you’ he said with a tiny smirk on his face when handing you your cup. He took his coat off and hung it in the wardrobe on the side of the desks which is where your entire team would leave their outerwear. He sat back down, turned his computer on and grabbed his own drink.

‘Thank you for your sacrifice soldier’ you saluted to him and the both of you burst laughing ‘How was your date?’ you asked for gossip, knowing he had plans the day before.

‘Not really sure, he really reminded me of Yoongi’ Jimin answered and he immediately looked down on his shoes. You could feel the mood changing and him getting back into his head, overthinking and wondering what has he done wrong to be dumped like that.

‘I’m really sorry Jiminah. We will find you someone who will be nothing like Yoongi. I promise’ you patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him. And he did look up, smiling with hope sparkling in his eyes. His computer started and he logged into all of the websites and systems he was supposed to. You watched him and then turned around back to your desk. You dived back into your emails and started slowly working your way through the actions you needed to take, step by step. Very organised, very mindful. Your inbox chimed and another e-mail came through. It was showing as urgent and flagged in all kinds of important markings. You were confused, you checked your calendar and you didn’t miss any important meetings nor did you upset any of the clients you were taking care of.

[Dear Mr Jung,

Please feel free to contact our best colleague - Y/N if you have any further questions or requests. She is our very best and will take care of your business well.

Kind Regards

Kim Namjoon]

Kim Namjoon. Your boss Namjoon emailing a client. That hasn’t happened in a very long time. He was the manager of your team but all of the client contact was actually handled by the relationship managers teams. In this case the e-mail should have come out from your direct work partner, your operational boss, Kim Seokjin. You read the email again. You were the support to Seokjin, you never led businesses on your own. You took another sip of your coffee and turned around to Jimin.

‘Please tell me this is a joke. Look at this’ you said quietly and poked Jimin in his shoulder. He turned around and read the email. Twice. Then he looked at you with an emotionless face. He didn’t last very long because he started laughing immediately.

‘Looks to me like you got stitched up with an annoying client nobody wants to take care of’ and he shook his head and went back to his daily tasks he was trying so desperately complete before your morning team meeting. 10am meetings were a daily occurrence, Namjoon would gather the entire team and get into a small conference room to discuss any issues, daily tasks and goals for the day. You didn’t mind those meetings, they kept you grounded and organised. Those meetings kept your artsy soul in the box that you closed it in years before. Jimin hated those meetings, he felt micromanaged and was bored on each and every meeting.

Namjoon walked out of his office and paraded straight in between your desks row, clearly coming to address the team.

‘Today's meeting is off. Sorry guys, we have a really urgent meeting’ he announced and then turned to you. He leaned over you and saw you reading the email he had just sent to the client.  ‘My office in 10’ he said straight to you and walked back into his glass office and closed the door behind him. His white shirt was a little bit too tight at this point. The man has been working out everyday for the past god knows how many months. He was getting ready to get married so he was working really hard to look his best. And he certainly improved, because you saw the buttons of his white shirt on their last efforts, desperately trying to keep his muscular chest covered.

You gasped. His office in 10 sounded really serious and this email didn’t leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling either. You knew you hadn’t done anything wrong and all of your work was in its best place possible. This time Jimin came to bother you.

‘What have you done this time?’ he whispered teasing you.

‘Nothing, it has to be something to do with Mr Jung or whatever the mans name is’ you answered and finished your cup of coffee that Jimin brough for you earlier. You walked with your office mug to the coffee machine and you saw a guy trying really hard to figure out what kind of coffee does he fancy this morning. You rolled your eyes seeing him huff and puff.

‘Jungkook please, you stare at the machine for 10 minutes every morning and always end up with an americano anyway. Do me a favour and just skip the thinking this time hm? I have a meeting in 6 minutes’ you moaned at the man struggling with his own thoughts.

‘Shut up, maybe one day I will surprise you and decide to experiment huh? Besides I do enjoy our morning conversation that always starts with me trying to figure out what to drink’ he admitted, not so shyly and picked indeed the goddamn americano. He was always so flirtatious and you ignored it each morning. You did think he was really good looking, he had a nice frame and took care of himself. But he just wasn’t it. Besides you promised yourself to not engage in any romantic situationships with any work colleagues at all. By now you were known to be the professional one and everyone really respected your boundaries and that side of you. You waited until he finished getting his coffee and then you got yourself a flat white that had nothing to do with a flat white but you appreciated the company getting a machine that at least imitated good coffee. That was your one thing. You were a coffee snob and everyone knew about it, but whilst being the local coffee snob you also didn’t want to pay for each coffee you consumed every day. It would never end on one. Three sometimes four coffees a day was your norm. It was everything you would have until dinner time. You loved it, it was your comfort. It was your one constant in a busy day that never changed. Your beloved coffee always waiting for you after a meeting or after a call with a client. You got your not flat white, flat white and walked yourself into Namjoons glass office. When you reached the door you saw that he wasn’t alone, Seokjin was sitting on one of the two chairs prepared for the meeting. You didn’t dislike him, it was just he was really odd sometimes. He was really good at what he did, he was also the easiest to work with so being partnered with him wasn’t the worst that could have happened to you but his jokes were really dry and he always wore a weird tie. Like today, he was wearing a burgundy tie with ants on it. Who the hell wears a tie with ants?!

‘Please sit’ Namjoon pointed at the free chair and you sat, right next to Seokjin and in front of Namjoon.

‘Lets skip all the bullshit’ Seokjin started ‘Mr Jung is a really good client of the bank, he was passed from hands to hands by different managers and he got annoyed by the poor quality of the service he was receiving. He was also serviced off shore and he really lost his temper then. He would receive emails with various strange requests, then repeated requests, spelling mistakes in his emails. As much as he understands that everyone is a human and can makes mistakes he asked for a higher quality service and promised bringing few of his friends with their businesses as a thank you’ Seokjin filled you into the backstory of the client and you nodded sipping your coffee slowly.

‘Our ring fence team is currently swamped with the recent merger of two of our biggest clients so there is no way to squeeze him there. I already checked’ Namjoon added and then they both looked at you.

‘Right? Is this why he landed on my desk?’ you asked, looking at them both with a question painted on your face.

‘Seokjin can’t service him by himself, so he will need your full support. We have shifted some clients about to the rest of the team so you will have less work to make sure you are available to pick up any calls or come into meetings when Mr Jung or either of his business friends will ask for a meeting. Whether that would be on or off-site. It’s not permanent. It’s only for a few months, maybe a year. We need to make him happy, he brings a lot of money to the company and well..’ Namjoon stopped and looked at you slightly smiling.

‘Well I am getting a lot of money out of it too to be honest. It’s a huge commission and it will be included in your end of year bonus, we can have it in writing’ Seokjin admitted. This was not a common situation and you never heard of anything like this. You would never be promised a bonus and relationship managers never shared but this commission must be really huge if he needs your help and offered to add bonus. You nodded and took a bigger sip of your coffee analysing the entire story in your head.

‘Do I even have a say? It sounds decided since I have already been included in the email to the client’ you remembered the email you saw earlier.

‘Yeah not really, I mean you can say no of course but we really need your support. I know you were the best during your internship, you have never disappointed me’ Namjoon added to encourage and push you into agreeing, even though the decision was already made for you.

‘Fine, I will handle it. But the bonus better be big. Now one more thing, is there any ‘on call’ period after 5?’ you knew this deal with come with a lot of work and you expected overtime but you needed to know where it is acceptable for you to ignore calls or leave them for the next day.

‘Seven latest. Anything after 7 you can ignore or action the day after. If that’s okay. That will be included in your overtime pay’ Namjoon confirmed what you already suspected but constantly tires to butter you, ensuring you will be treated fairly for your hard work. That was one of the things you couldn’t ever fault Namjoon for. He always looked out for you and made sure you were taken care of at work. He added you to some of his managerial meetings and helped you slowly develop your skills further. Possibly he thought one day you will take his space if he ever gets the promotion he has been killing himself for, for the past three years.

***

[Dear Mr Jung,

Kim Seokjin and I would like to cordially invite you to a on-site meeting to discuss the future of our cooperation. We would love to offer a humble lunch and coffee. Please kindly forward us your weekly schedule so we can arrange a time and date according to your plans.

Kind Regards]

This was a very rare occasion. You would never invite clients for lunch on-site. Relationship managers would have meals with clients, especially the more influential ones but never on-site. This time however the game plan was to establish a more family approach relationship with the client, invite them in, show them where we work and where you would be taking care of their business from. The second meeting would be out and by the third actual meeting, both you and Seokjin were hoping to sign all the contracts with Jungs friends. You were alone in the office, it was past 6 in the evening and you couldn’t wait to get home. You promised yourself that you will wait until 7 to hopefully get an answer about the lunch invite and get that arranged first thing tomorrow morning. So you waited and waited and waited.

[Dear Ms Y/N,

Please be informed that all communication should go through my personal assistant and company secretary Kim Taehyung who is cc’ed in this email. He is in charge of my schedule and I would like to not receive any further emails from yourselves.

Kind Regards,

Jung Hoseok]

What an absolute asshole, you thought to yourself. All he had to do is forward you his outlook or propose a day. His secretary was never even mentioned in the deal, you were supposed to deal with him directly. You knew you will have to discuss this with Seokjin the next morning anyway. So you closed your laptop, packed your bag and grabbed your coat. Muttering to yourself how incredibly rude was the last email you left the building and headed towards the parking lot to get your car. It was really late so you mange to skip the awful traffic and get home sooner than you expected.

***

[Dear Mr Jung,

We are obligated to keep email contact with yourself as per the agreement with your relationship manager. I will be happy to keep Mr Kim in the cc for further planning and meeting arrangements. Any transfer decisions or account issues have to come directly form yourself. This has been listed in our policy which you have kindly signed when entering into the contract with us few years ago.

Kind Regards]

There you go, you’re annoying snob with a lot of money. You have drafted the email after the conversation with Seokjin and contracts team. Jung had to be involved, that was part of the deal and Seokjins strategy to have his friends sign as well. He needed to be engaged and it was your unfortunate role to keep him at it. The meeting was already set for next week but any other communication and requested transfers had to be discussed beforehand. He had deadlines to meet and you were there to kindly assist him.

He didn’t respond to this email. So you focused on all the other tasks that you still had to do. Your other clients didn’t completely disappear and you had to support your team where possible where Jung and Jung INC didn’t need any of your assistance. It wasn’t the actual name of his business but you were joking about it because he felt so bloody important and rich and snobby and snarky and the more emails you exchanged with him the more you imagined him as an old balding snarky man who has a wife that is 20 years younger than him.

***

[Dear Ms Y/N,

Thank you kindly for your email. Please note that I can’t make it to todays meeting. Taehyung will come instead of me.

Deepest apologies.

Jung Hoseok]

He had the audacity to send you this email 5 minutes before the meeting. When all the pastries were already laid out in the conference room and the coffee was already ordered and on the table. You read the email and swore out loud.

Jimin turned around confused.

‘Y/n, you’re at work’ he whispered to you, scared that anyone hear you swear out loud like that.

‘This… this man!’ you boiled, your face boiled and you turned into a tomato. You were so angry because you took so much time to plan this, and rescheduled it a few times because Mr Jung couldn’t make it. You changed your dress four times before heading to the office today, to make sure it’s professional and elegant enough. Seokjin has been wearing an actual, black tie today. And this guy just decided to not show up.

Jimin read the email over your shoulder and giggled a little.

‘At least you will meet his assistant. That’s one bonus right? One step closer to this whole family like approach’ he added and patted your shoulder ‘You got this. Y/n Fighting!’ he added holding two of his thumbs up and smiling widely. The phone rang and you took it out of your pocket. Reception from downstairs.

‘Hi Y/n, your guest is here’ the girl working at the reception said and you only managed to say ‘I will be there asap’ and locked your phone back and grabbed your badge. You got into the lift and walked into the reception. A skinny looking man, dark curly hair and really pretty dark eyes was waiting for you downstairs. He waived politely. He was about your age, maybe few years younger.

‘Ms Y/n, I’m Kim Taehyung. Really nice to meet you. I am really sorry about the inconvenience, Mr Jung had an emergency meeting and couldn’t make it today but he asked me to at least come by as he was aware his cancellation was really last minute'.

‘Really nice to meet you Mr Kim. Please come with me upstairs, we have prepared a humble lunch and it shouldn't go to waste’ you shook his hand and politely guided him towards the lift. You walked him onto your floor, walking past your team and you just saw Jimins sparkly eyes glued at Jungs assistant. You smiled to yourself and opened the door to the conference room where Seokjin was already waiting and invited Mr Kim inside.

The lunch didn’t take too long, Mr Kim didn’t have a lot of knowledge of Jungs business and future plans and he just stuffed himself with croissants and had two coffees. He reminded you of you. The speed at which he drank the coffee was exactly at your pace. And you found it endearing. This small, sweet guy trying his best in this unfair corporate world.

You walked him back after the meeting and as you were walking into the lift you bumped into Jimin, also going down. The two of them smiled at each other politely and bowed delicately. You nearly giggled out loud, because you could tell they were both checking each other out without the other one noticing. It was adorable. The lift made it’s way to the ground floor and right before the door open, Mr Kim has handed a business card to Jimin. You swallowed your lips and nearly squeaked out loud seeing that. Jimins still sparkly eyes glued to Jungs assistant. He took the card from him and went the opposite direction than you and Mr Kim took outside the building.

‘Thank you again for the lunch and I am once again really sorry for Mr Jungs absence’ he smiled shyly at you.

‘Please schedule another meeting for us, we need to meet Mr Jung. It’s key to maintaining the relationship. I will be in big trouble if I fail’ you added honestly. You wouldn’t have been in any trouble, but the assistant instantly felt sorry for you and promised to arrange something soon.

‘I will have him call you tomorrow and schedule something’ he added and disappeared into the busy street.

***

‘Ms Y/N?’ the voice on the phone sounded raspy and low. It was early in the morning, about 8:30 and you were already in the office, holding onto your best friend coffee cup.

‘Yes, Mr Jung? Really nice to meet you’ you put on your best and politest voice you possibly could.

‘I am terribly sorry I couldn’t make it yesterday. My apologies. Please accept my invite for yourself and Mr Kim Seokjin tonight for a dinner. It’s really not in my style to not show up and only give 5 minutes notice. I was actually on the way to your office…’ he didn’t sound old. He sounded young. Young ish. Definitely not old, balding with 20 year younger wife.  

‘We understand and your apology is really appreciated. I would have to consult Mr Kim Seokjin in terms of the dinner later today. Could you please have Mr Kim email us the details at his earliest convenience?’ you responded, trying to be the sales person you never wanted to be. Absolutely trying to hide how angry you were the day before that he cancelled like that.

‘I will send the details personally. Thank you very much and I hope to see the both of you later tonight’ he answered. He didn’t want to go through his secretary all of a sudden? You were sure he requested that before and you tried to cater to his requests but he declined. He must really feel bad.

‘Thank you. I will let you know as soon as I get the hold of Mr Kim Seokjin. Have a lovely rest of your day’ you added sweetly and hung up. His voice was charming. Interesting. You instantly changed your mind about him. You put the phone down and smiled to yourself for a second. You were content, the client felt bad which meant there was a higher chance of you and Seokjin landing the other clients.

‘There is no way I can make it. Me and Grace have anniversary dinner today. There is no way she would let me’ Seokjin whined on the phone. This doesn’t sound good. It’s bad for the business. Really bad to decline ‘You will have to go on your own. You can do this. It’s just a dinner to get to know the client. No biggie’ he added after a second.

‘You are crazy, there is no way I will go to this dinner on my own. Let me try Namjoon’ you were terrified and your voice trembled.

‘Namjoon won’t go. He has less idea on how to make good business with clients than you. You can do it. Just respond that you will be joining him on your own. I’m sure he will understand’ he tried reassuring you but it wasn’t really working.

‘Seokjin I already told him we are both going to see him later. I confirmed via email. I thought… ah’ you sounded really desperate. You neve really fucked up like this before and your pristine reputation was going straight to the bin now.

‘It’s fine. Just email him before you leave the office that I can’t make it. Family affair. Fighting!’ he hung up. He hung up on you. This is insane, at this stage he has been raving about Mr Jung and his business for weeks. He talked about this big commission. Fuck, you had to go on your own.

[Dear Mr Jung,

I am really sorry but Mr Kim Seokjin won’t be able to make it tonight. He has a last-minute family affair to attend. As agreed previously, I will meet you at the Ivy at 7pm tonight.

Kind Regards]

***

You googled what the Ivy looked like inside and what kind of dress code was expected. And you showed up in black dress that was hugging you in the right places, long sleaves and only small decollete, still looking very professional but adequate to the place you were meeting. Black heels, black coat and a small purse. You looked like you were going to a ball but you were sure you will blend in with the crowd. And you were right. You walked inside and you blended in perfectly, you looked like you belonged in that place. At the reception you said you are a guest of Mr Jungs and the waiter raised his eyebrows and looked you up and down. What does that supposed to mean? Is Mr Jung a reuglar customer of this place or will you make a fool out of yourself looking like that in front of him.  The waiter lead you through a crowded restaurant room, filled with tables to a private room. He opened the door and let you go first.

Tall, slender man with wide shoulders and dark, almond eyes got up from the other end of the table. He was wearing white shirt and a black tie, his blazer hung on the chair. When he got up he instantly put it back on. He was fussing about for a second and then looked towards you. The both of you locked eyes. He was young. Well younger than you expected him to be. Probably early 30s. In between you and him was a long table, filled with dainty decoration and candles. He tired to remain composed but a small smile escaped his lips.

‘Ms Y/n!’ he gasped and walked towards you when the both of you stopped staring. He bowed and shook your hand.

‘Mr Jung, really nice to meet you. As I mentioned in my email..’ you started, feeling like this is way too much for a business meeting.

‘Mr Kim couldn’t make it. I got your email’ he smiled whilst looking directly into your eyes. Your body shivered with goosebumps. His smile was warm and kind and it felt like warm blanket on a cold day.

‘I hope the third meeting is the charm and we can all sit down and discuss business’ you answered and walked towards your seat. He followed you and helped you with your chair.

‘I am sure we will be able to. I am so sorry, I have really been swamped with so many projects. It has all caught up to me and needed my attention all at once’ he was really sorry. He was polite, he was a gentleman. He sat back on the other side of the table in his chair and looked at the waiter ‘Champagne please’ he waived and the waiter disappeared, closing the door behind himself.

‘This is a really nice place you have kindly picked’ you smiled looking around the room. It was a little bit awkward, you were trying to appeal confident like you have the business experience but in fact you were miserable and weak and you had no idea what this meeting is supposed to be about apart from a naïve chit chat, food and booze.

‘It’s one of 3 in the city. It has been such a hard work to open this one though…’ wait, he owns this place? What’s even funnier he thought you knew, because he was so nonchalant about it and he just wanted to explain what pain he went through to have the place up and running. And you listened, you let him educate you and tell you all about the struggles he went through to open this branch of the Ivy. He kept going and talking more and more and the atmosphere loosened up, the waiter brought the champagne and you had half of your glass. You had to remind yourself that this is work, this is a business meeting and you can’t let yourself go too far into drinking. He had dazzling personality, he was really kind and humble. A 180 from what you expected and experienced through the emails ‘It’s Taehyung who answers most of my emails, you see. I think he tried to include his email address on cc but I know this usually doesn’t go through, so I gave him access and he responds to the most urgent emails for me’ you were stunned. So it wasn’t actually Mr Jung who you were emailing back and forth with for the past few weeks but his assistant.

‘I had no idea. I am really sorry if we have caused any issues in communication between yourselves and us’ you answered politely.

The longer the conversation went on, the more enchanted you were. He was insanely smart, the things he knew and was telling you about were really interesting. Then he mentioned art and paintings and you got goosebumps again. You were educating yourself on some of the artists you admired the most and with your semi recent interest in paining this conversation has just gotten five times more interesting.

He looked at you with respect and every time you would speak he would appeal interested and listened to every word that came out of your mouth. He smiled slightly, showing a row of beautiful, pearly white teeth every time you said something he liked or impressed him. He nodded, staring you deeply in your eyes when he listened to you talk about your career.

‘Mr Jung, this steak is out of this world!’ you admitted when food was finally served. He chuckled.

‘Surely at this stage you should just call me by my name, don’t you think?’ he smirked whilst cutting his steak on his plate.

‘I’m not really sure if that is appropriate. This is still a business meeting Mr Jung’ and he nodded in agreement. You were right. He completely forgot he isn’t on a date, because of how interesting and flowy the conversation was. How insanely hot you were sitting on the other side of the table. He forgot he invited you and your boss to this meeting. That you work in a bank that he invests through. You both continued on your plates, the conversation settled for a while as both of you were enjoying the exquisite meal. You have never had such a good steak in your life but no wonder. You could never afford a meal in a place like this. And if you could, it would have been once. You finished first and had another sip of champagne.

‘Thank you so much. I hope we can really meet as a team, hopefully next time on site. This was such a pleasure’ you were ready to say your goodbyes and as he was done with his food, he got up from the chair and helped you get up. A gentleman. A businessman. An insanely good-looking man. The closer he was the more you couldn’t stop looking at his perfect features, pointy nose and dreamy eyes.

‘Pleasure was all mine. I apologise again for not showing up the other day’ he was really serious about his image and reputation, and it was definitely not within his regular behaviour. He walked you out through the busy restaurant hall to the door and outside. You were trying to get a taxi and you already said your goodbyes, when he grabbed your wrist so you wouldn’t get into the car. You got out and closed the door.

‘Now that the business meeting has officially ended… I really want to show you the pieces I was telling you about earlier’ he admitted staring you deep into your soul. He tilted his head and smiled charmingly. This isn’t a good idea. This is extremely inappropriate. What if this is a set-up so it would look like I took a bribe or decided to seduce your client?

‘I don’t think this is a good idea…’ you were afraid that this was really the obvious rouse to get you to his place, get you a bit more drunk and then. You shook your head apologetically.

‘I promise to have you home in an hour. I don’t live far away from here I will have my driver take you after. I just really want you to see that one painting’ he was really insisting but also comforting.

‘If this is going to get me in trouble and ruin my career’ you huffed at him and smiled after, showing that you were only joking and you didn’t have bad intentions either.

You walked with him and he wasn’t lying when he said he lived near by. Three buildings down the main road. You both walked into the building and took the lift to the apartment.

The place was spottles, almost like nobody lived there. Few plants alongside the wall on the left and paintings hung on the right. You took your coat off and Hoseok politely took it away from you, hanging it at the entrance wardrobe. The main colour palette dominating in the room was beige and white, very cosy looking but still luxurious and simple.

‘Are those..?’ you walked into the big room and saw all the paintings he was talking about in the restaurant.

‘Yes!’ his eyes instantly turned wide and dark with excitement. He showed you all of the paintings. You slipped a few times and called him Hoseok. And he really didn’t mind but he kept his distance as promised. He didn’t want to cause you any trouble. And you didn’t want to get into any trouble at work. He was an important client, and you also didn’t want to have any regulatory issues or fines. So you decided to be patient. You literally just met the man and he was charming, he had this aura about him that excited you. It was such a nice surprise that he wasn’t the middle-aged grumpy man you thought he was. You looked at each of the paintings he was showing you and telling you about how he managed to get his hands on them. You really enjoyed him talking and every fibre of your body listened to his stories. You didn’t stay long just like you both agreed before and he walked you down to the entrance.

‘I am really glad you have showed up Ms Y/n. I hope to see you again?’ the way he looked at you after expressing his gratitude was different. His eyes were sparkling and his smile was so genuine and honest. Seeing him like this made you feel really soft. You blushed and looked away, trying to keep your own promise and not do anything you might regret. He took your hand and kissed the top of it, still trying to maintain the eye contact you desperately tried to break.

‘I hope so too’ you answered and smiled shyly. He was a gentleman and he promised to not do anything stupid and he kept his promise. You bowed politely and said your goodbye, disappearing into the street.

He couldn’t believe how enchanted he was by you, how you managed to wrap him around your finger in such a short time. Reading your emails always made his eyebrow rise. You were really professional but also very polite and straight to the point. He knew he had to have you, he just wasn’t sure how he could do it when he was a client of the bank you were working at.

***

[Dear Ms Y/n.

Thank you very much for attending the business dinner I have arranged yesterday. I was thinking about the team meeting you have proposed and next week will suit us best.

Kind Regards,

Jung H.]

You giggled seeing an email from him. Your cheeks turned red and your stomach flipped. Jimin noticed and instantly grabbed you from your desks and walked toward the conference room.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ he was concerned and looked really serious.

‘What do you mean?’ you were still smiling, thinking what to respond to Mr Jung.

‘Why are you giggling at the mans email! Did you.. did you sleep with him?!’ he covered his face with both of his palms but you quickly took them off his face.

‘Are you insane? Because I am not. It was a business meeting’ but then you saw something in Jimins eyes. But what was it. Jealousy? Excitement?

‘Wait a second you are deflecting. Did you meet with Mr Kim?’ you whispered and he turned red. A second didn’t even pass and he was a full tomato in front of you. You knew it, you could tell there was something else about him. ‘You totally did! Omg, you..YOU SLEPT WITH HIM!’ you shouted and then covered your mouth quickly, looking left and right ensuring nobody was around. And his face turned even more crimson.

‘You can’t… I didn’t I..’ he tried to defend his innocence but he couldn’t. The tea was spilled ‘He is nothing like Yoongi. Just like you promised..’ his eyes turned teary and he looked so relieved and genuinely happy.

‘I won’t tell anyone. I am so happy for you! Just so you know, he is coming here for work next week’ you hugged him and he held you back. It was a very first act of friendship in public that you showed to Jimin and he was really happy that you were extending your boundaries to comfort him. You were often very friendly and open with him outside of work, but this time you were really excited for him and couldn't wait to show it.

‘Now what happened with Mr Jung?’ he wouldn’t let it go. He told you his secret and now he was willing to go all out to find out yours.

‘Nothing happened. But he, I… I can’t describe it. We just clicked. Right away. And when you see what he looks like..’ you shook your head, disappointed in yourself. You knew nothing could have happened between him and you, yet you yearned for the promise. Yearned to see him again and for his smile and his deep soul-like stare.

[Dear Mr Jung,

We really appreciate your invitation and thank you again for your time yesterday. We are looking forward to the team meeting next week.

Kind Regards]

***

The first team meeting happened the week after the business dinner. You were really excited to see him again, but you knew you had to act professionally and not let yourself think too far into the future. He was a rich businessman and you were servicing his accounts. Conflict of interests, regulatory breach and many other things were on your shoulders. You prepared your favourite skirt, snow white dress shirt and a tie. You already had your black blazer ready hanging at your door and your badge attached to it’s pocket. You looked at yourself in the mirror and took few deep breathes in and out.

‘You got this. Just treat him like any other client’ you said to yourself, looking deep in your own eyes and you broke in hysterical laughter. You must have been crazy to think he would actually want to do anything with you. Two different worlds colliding like that wasn’t even a good idea. You grabbed your things, managed to get full composure of your thoughts and you rushed to work.

You were sitting in the conference room and Seokjin promised to go downstairs and lead your guests upstairs this time. He felt really bad for having you go to that dinner all by yourself and he was really proud of how you handled the business. He was really pleased with you and that him and Namjoon picked you for the task.

Your stomach flipped so you tried to focus on something else. Fixed your make-up and your blazer again, tucked your tie down to your skirt and rearranged the documents and treats on the conference table.

‘Good Morning Ms Y/n’ familiar voice brought you back to the room. You looked up and saw Jung Hoseok walking into the conference room, smiling widely at you. Right behind him Kim Taehyung and Kim Seokjin closing the door behind the two guests. You gulped, hoping nobody would notice and smiled back. God he looked handsome in the daylight. He looked really good in the evening’s shade but this morning he really looked good.

‘Good morning. Really good to see you both. Thank you so much for coming’ you finally managed to respond. You smiled at the both of them and sat back at your chair. Seokjin opened his laptop and started his presentation. You were looking at the screen but you felt a pair of eyes staring at you. You looked around the room and saw Hoseok completely uninterested in what Seokjin had to say and was just daydreaming about something. You saw his smirk and rolled your eyes. Trouble. This man, this room and the meeting were trouble. Taehyung was taking notes and nodding at every word coming out of Seokjins presentation. He kept talking about the transfer and opening accounts for him in different currencies. It was finally lunchtime. You didn’t listen to Seokjin and neither did Hoseok.

‘I need to call Grace, really sorry. We had a plumber coming today to fix our sink’ Seokjin said apologetically and rushed out of the conference room with a phone in his hand, dialling number of his wife.

Jimin appeared out of nowhere and knocked on the door. Taehyung noticed and politely excused himself out of the room and he and Jimin disappeared walking towards the lifts.

So it was just you and Mr Jung left in the room. You looked down at your notes and saw an empty piece of paper. You really didn’t listen to anything that Seokjin said, luckily there were no demands from the client's side either so there was nothing to remember as of now.

‘It’s really good to see you again’ he started, still sitting across the table with one of his leg resting on the other. He smiled at you and his eyes turned into half moons. His smile gave you butterflies and the words coming out of his mouth made you blush.

‘Likewise’ you answered politely, trying to remain calm and keep your internal excitement to yourself. He looked around and check if anyone is passing by.

‘I want to take you out for dinner’ he laid it out on the table. The smile disappeared from your face and your face turned pale. You couldn’t say yes. There was no way you could agree. You wanted to say but it wasn’t possible.

‘I am really sorry Mr Jung, but I can’t really accept this offer’ you answered avoiding his eyes. You couldn’t face him. ‘I will be back in just a minute, I am really sorry. I need a bathroom break’ you got up from your chair and left the conference room, speedily walking towards the bathrooms. And he followed you. Of course, he did. You were standing in front of the door and he just managed to catch up with you.

‘Y/n please, one dinner’ he whispered standing in front of you in his dark suit, fixing his tie.

‘You know `I can’t, we can’t. This…’ you pointed at the both of you ‘this can’t be happening. You are our client, I am the service assistant. The bank can be fined, it’s not just my ass that is on the line’ you whispered back at him and desperately looked left and right to see if anyone is listening. He bit his lip and locked his eyes with yours. And then something cracked between the two of you and you smiled, tiny flames started dancing in your eyes and his eyes started sparkling back at yours. You were just standing there looking and smiling at each other. You felt butterflies trying to escape your body, goosebumps down your spine. It was ecstatic and you just kept staring into his eyes wanting more. There were no words, no physical contact. Just two people looking at each other. Nobody could fault you for that.

You have gotten back to the conference room separately and Seokjin apologised for being late. Taehyung was no where to be found so you carried on without him.

***

A few weeks passed. A month and then another. You kept up your hard work and helped with all the requests Mr Jung or his company required. You had a few team meetings on site and a few lunches off-site with Seokjin. At each meeting, Hoseok would sit there and look at you licking his lips and trying to focus on what you were saying. But half of the time he would switch off and just look at you and think of how much he wanted to have you. Seokjin was really impressed with how much you had grown and stepped up, he barely had to do anything. Because you wouldn’t shut up. You were constantly talking to Hoseok and he was talking back mainly to you. It was like the business relationship was just between the two of you. Like nobody else existed in the room, the restaurant, the conference room.

***

The first time he slammed your back on the cubicle door you didn’t really know what was going on. You were at work, in your office and so was he. He was a client still. He was heavily involved. But he was also involved with you. Currently involved with your round breasts that he was entertaining with his tongue. It was fast and you run out of the bathroom not giving him a chance to explain or discuss. You just left. Ashamed, embarrassed and scared. You loved every second of it but you were terrified of crossing the lines. The anticipation was too much, neither of you could have stopped what happened. You wanted the first time to be special and you take him in slow and enjoy every part of him but both of you were too hungry, the tension had been growing for weeks now, emails, work calls. Insanity.

[Dear Mr Jung

Thank you for your time today. Please see the minutes of today's team meeting attached

Kind Regards]

***

He finally called you, after hours. It was 9pm and you were in your painting cave, covered in paint and starving because you forgot what time it was.

‘I can’t do it like that. We can’t. You are the client for fuck sake!’ you whined to the phone when he asked if he could see you again. And he knew it was wrong and he agreed with you. Yet his yearning for you took over him. He needed you, he wanted to see you.

‘Okay. Please do not take my email tomorrow to heart and forward it to Seokjin’ he mumbled to the phone and hung up. What does that mean? He sounded really off and angry, but you knew he understood your reasons. He understood you so well from the very first time you had a conversation. You were as ambitious as he was, he knew what was driving you and he adored it about you.

***

Seokjin was really pleased. He signed three of Jungs friends few weeks ago and the commission was insane on those. Your bonus was confirmed. But why didn’t it feel right? It felt like you had made a lot of mess and all of this was so inappropriate, yet you weren’t ever able to admit it to anyone.

You have spent your free time daydreaming about Hoseok. How sweet his lips felt, how good he felt inside you, how nice it was to hold his hand even if it was for few minutes. He wasn’t yours but you were his.

[Dear Ms Y/N

Please inform Mr Kim Seokjin that I will be resigning from my contract and I will pay all the fines required to exit the contract early.

Kind Regards,

JH]

Your jaw dropped. He is dropping the company, for you. For the two of you. That wouldn’t make him a client anymore and that meant he could have you, full-time. He could pick you up from work and he could take you to all of the galleries he wanted to. You have silently forwarded the email to Seokjin and you instantly saw his office door open and him walking to your desk.

‘What happened?’ he looked really upset. No emotions on his face, a cold expression.

‘I have no idea, he just sent it. A few days ago everything was going great towards the next product on the account..’ you explained trying to sound as surprised as he was. You lied. You knew what happened. You crossed a line you never should have crossed and now you had a man obsess over you so much that he was ready to spend millions just to be able to be with you. And it made you so giddy inside. A few months ago you thought he wouldn't ever want anything to do with you and now he was already planning all of the cute dates he wanted to take you on.

***

‘I miss you’ the voice in your phone said when you were walking to get your coffee from your beloved/hated coffee machine.

‘I know, but I can’t really leave for lunch today. I’m swamped today’ you answered cryptically, not really wanting anyone to hear your private conversation.

‘I will see you later tonight then?’ the voice in your phone wouldn’t stop pushing for a meeting. You didn’t want to say no either.

‘Yes, fine. I will come by okay?’ you answered and finished the call. You looked up from your phone. All you could see was a pair of dark eyes observing you from a desk. Jungkook just stared and looking what coffee will you pick. No surprises. A flat white/not flat white. Did he hear your conversation? If so, you didn't use any names so if he did hear your talk he could assume it was someone you were seeing.

***

He was tender and sweet and he didn’t rush this time. He looked you deeply in the eyes and murmured

‘Let me take care of you’ as he slowly lowered himself on the bed and slowly spread your legs. One of his hands was slowly traveling from your knee up your thigh and the other was rested on your lower stomach. He leaned in, slowly putting a thumb on your clit and started delicately kissing your folds. He was really gentle at first, almost like he was scared to hurt you. Like he was holding the most previous thing he has ever held. Your hips moved back, so he wrapped arm around one of your leg and slowly put the other one around his shoulder and he started sipping on your sweet arousal.

‘Mr Jung’ you whined and you had no idea where that came from. He froze. He poked one of his eyes above your stomach and looked you in the eye. He held on there for a second and continued. Until you did it again and his eyes turned dark, full of lust.

‘if you say it again, I will have to stop what im doing and walk you into your office and fuck you there’ he growled back at you and you bit your lip. You didn’t know this side of him but it gave you goosebumps. And you were really close to repeating the words he forbided you from using, but last minute held yourself back. You felt him working you down and it felt like he somehow had the map to you. He knew all the spots and it was driving you insane how intense you two were when together. You were getting scarily close to your high and he felt how your body starting to tense. He felt his fingers being clenched by your heat. So he pulled out and planted one last kiss on your clit and crawled over your body back to your face. You squeezed your eyes shut trying to stop the approaching orgasm.

He crawled on top of you, arms propped on each side of your head. He was still wearing his dress trousers, his white shirt and a tie. Although the shirt was partially unbuttoned when you were trying to kiss his neck and mark his shoulders and collarbones with your kisses. You wanted to make sure that whoever sleeps with him next know that you were there. That there was someone before them. Little did you know there wouldn’t be anyone else after you. Because he didn’t want anyone else, he wasn’t seeing anyone else. There was always you in the conference room, looking insanely sweet and hot at the same time. The professional talk had him hard every time and he had to sit back in his chair and buckle his hips back to hide his boner.

He was hovering above you staring you deep into your eyes. ‘I’m going to make you mine’ he whispered into your ear and kissed the side of your head, then your temple, your cheek until he made his way to your lips. You smirked hearing his words and moved your arms around his back, then finished unbuttoning his shirt and you tossed it on the floor. He got up from above you took his tie off his neck and put it around your neck. Whilst being up he pulled his belt off his trousers and placed It on the bed right next to you. You gulped seeing it. He pulled his trousers down and that got you interested. You got up from the bed and crawled on all fours towards the edge of the bed. He smirked down at you and you licked your lips not stopping the eye contact.

‘Would it be okay Mr Jung if I took care of you now?’ you said politely with your professional voice and he lost it. He grabbed your neck and pulled you towards himself.

‘What did I say?!’ he growled back at you. You weren’t scared. Each time he was turning rough you were only feeling yourself drip more. You pulled his hard length out of his underwear and it nearly slapped you in the face. You didn’t waste any time and smeared the bead of precum on his head and then slowly started bobbing your head on it. He moaned the second you put him inside your mouth and slowly put his hand on your head. The more you were working him, the more he started grabbing your hair and wrapping it around his hand. You felt him getting tense so you looked up to him and nodded letting go of the control. That’s when he started fucking your throat, aggressively thrusting in and out of your mouth, bruising the back of your throat. You wouldn’t even gag. You were under his spell, staring him in his eyes with trust and lust. You felt him getting really swollen and tense and he pulled out of your mouth moaning still. You smiled and he pulled you up still holding your hair and smashed his lips on yours. Tasting himself, tasting you. He pushed you onto the bed and followed, eyeing his belt he grabbed it and put both of your arms above our head. He wrapped the belt around your wrists and harshly bound your wrists with it and watched your reaction. You just closed your eyes and waited. Your body was begging for him and at this stage you were literally let him do anything. He smirked, kissed both of your wrists and spread your legs. He planted another kiss on top of your clit and slowly licked a circle around it. And your entire body moved under his touch. He grabbed both of your hips and slid inside you.

‘Hoseok…’ you moaned loudly when he finally gave it to you. Hearing his name made his dick twitch inside you and he started slowly getting deeper inside you. He lowered himself onto you and with one hand grabbed your bonded wrists, the other kept on your hip and waited for a few seconds to let you adjust. He kissed your lips, sliding his tongue in between your lips to help you relax. And it worked magic, because he felt how your muscles relaxed around him.

He started thrusting into you, slowly at first but he couldn’t handle himself going slow for very long. His hips started snapping as he continually rammed into and out of you.

‘You are mine. Nobody else’s. You hear me?’ he groaned into your face, still holding our hip tight. You nodded and kissed him, as you weren’t able to speak. Your bounded wrists were making the entire experience so intense that it was pushing you to the edge with each thrust of his. You were in fact his. The second you walked into that restaurant and saw his radiating aura. You knew you were his then and there it was just a matter of time before he would claim you.

You started seeing stars, and your high was approaching rapidly.

‘I’m going to…’ you started with your shaky voice ‘come..’ your breath was shallow and you couldn’t stop your accidental moans and whines.

‘I’m really close baby’ he answered, feeling you clench around him. And the second you held it there for a while and your juices started slowly flowing down, he thrusted one more time into you and tensed. He pained the inside of you with his seed, and he kept slowly rocking forward and back fucking it into you. You were still dizzy and seeing stars after your high and when he finally came down from his, he released your wrists from the belt and you instinctively wrapped them around him and so did he. He kissed your forehead and slowly pulled out of you, he lay right next to you still panting.

‘You’re not seeing anyone else’ he murmured and kissed the top of your head. You smiled and turned your face to his.

‘I was yours since the Ivy’ you confessed and he smiled widely to himself.

***

Months later, you received your bonus and it was definitely worth all of the overtime and hours you have spent working on the entire project. To celebrate Seokjin and his wife, Grace decided to host a small party as a celebration of another great year in the corporate world. The success and the fact that none of the team has gone crazy with the workload.

Your entire team was invited, including Namjoon and his wife as they got married last week, Jimin with a plus one if he found one (and you knew that he was going to bring Taehyung with him), Jungkook who was involved in the last phase of the project with a plus one but everyone knew he was coming on his own and you, with a plus one if you wanted to bring one. And you did. It’s been months since the deal matured and ended and all of the business with Mr Jung ended. It was enough time.

Seokjins face was priceless when he saw Mr Kim with Jimin walking inside his home.

‘The two of you?! How?!’ he was shocked, Taehyung was the last person he expected to see at Jimins side, but when they explained they met in the lift he didn’t question anything else. He worked with Jimin longer than he worked with you and he knew about his painful break up with Yoongi, so he was happy that he was licking his wounds.

‘You two look adorable together’ Grace mentioned, seeing Taehyung holding tight to Jimins hand.

And then you rang the doorbell. Seokjin opened the door without actually looking at you or your plus one. You were the last missing, so he opened the door and went back to the lounge. He was wearing a blue tie with tuna fish all over it. How typically weird of him.

You slowly walked into the lounge holding your partner's hand. You were really nervous but you couldn’t hide it anymore.

‘Y/n…’ Seokjin started and then he saw you holding someone’s hand, and then his face followed the arm and saw Mr Jung, in his lounge.

Everyone was really surprised. Namjoon had to cover his mouth with both of his hands and Seokjin hid his eyes behind his hand.

‘Ah finally, I thought you would never admit it’ Jungkook chuckled at the sight of you and Hoseok.

‘You knew?!’ the room nearly shouted at him.

‘I’ve heard them bang in our work bathroom, I thought everyone knew’ he answered and grabbed a piece of lettuce sticking out of a bowl.

[ashenquill]

Cub Cub Cub Cub Cub Cub Cub Cub

^ I've been thinking about him, can you tell?

Cub Vex Fanne, (half) brother of Scar Conn Goodtimes, thought the last name "Goodtimes" was stupid and got it changed to something "much more professional" during his angsty teenage phase. Looking back, he thinks that it was an overreaction and wouldn't have changed it, but he does think it's a funny conversation starter. You guys are brothers? "yep." Oh, which one of you is married? "neither of us." Oh... but your last names are different...? "yep." Did... one of you take a different parent's name? "nope." ???????

Cub is a vexian hybrid, and his penchant for mischief is obvious in everything he does. Like, actually everything. He's a very successful and well-known inventor, responsible for devices such as the Cubble Telescope, a device which allows you to spy on the Nether or End, but always leaves a stain on your face after use. He claims this is due to "void overflow from spying across dimensions", but is actually just a design feature that nobody knows how to override. This, among other things, gave him his reputation as a little too smart in the scientific field.

Cub's vex magic is much more flexible than Scar's, as he is a full vex hybrid instead of half. His specialty, however, is the ability to make things function more efficiently. Invention wasn't always his passion, but any sane person with the ability to make basically anything work would consider the field strongly. He loves to get on Scar's nerves with his magic, as well, and often takes the batteries out of the TV remote so that only he can use it. The vex magic usually snitches on him though, allowing Scar to feel when he uses it. (Scar usually carries batteries around now, just in case.)

When Scar was injured as a teenager, Cub made it his mission to help his brother walk again. He spent countless hours designing, testing, and troubleshooting walking braces until he finally came up with a working design. The braces are powered by enchanted crystals containing both his and Scar's magic. They drain Scar's magic while he wears them, as well, often leaving him tired and weak after using them. Cub is still trying to make a more efficient design that won't be so taxing for Scar, but in the meantime, all he can do is encourage Scar to limit his use of the braces, no matter how pointless of a fight it can be.

More little factoids:

Smells clean & sterile (hospital room vibes)

Book smart - Special knowledge of technology

Likes: helping Scar, seeing him happy/healthy, pranks and mischeif

Dislikes: idk man he's just a chill dude

Passions: tech, magic

Habits/other details: Older than Scar but way less social, cleans/fidgets with glasses when he’s nervous or overstimulated

Active-ish in his environment - kinda bossy sometimes but also super laid-back, doesn’t hold grudges but will take revenge if convenient, very chill but not here to deal with idiots, unless it’s funny, if it’s funny he would absolutely lean into someone’s stupidity, he’s based like that

Special, plot-relevant skills: builds good shit, programmer, magic = activation

Good sleep schedule, but always tired

I shall return with more headcanons in the future so oooo you wanna follow me and read them oooo (/nf)

[dei360]

DEI in Remote and Hybrid Work Environments: Navigating the New Norm

The shift toward remote and hybrid work marks a transformative era in workplace dynamics, deeply affecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies. Ensuring inclusive and supportive hybrid and remote work environments requires a nuanced approach, recognizing the diverse needs and experiences of all employees.

The Preference for Hybrid Work

Approximately 66% of employees express a preference for hybrid work models, valuing the flexibility and balance they offer. This preference is even stronger among traditionally underrepresented groups; for instance, employees with disabilities, nonbinary employees, and LGBQ+ individuals show a higher inclination towards hybrid models, underlining their importance in supporting the needs of a diverse workforce​​. Flexible work arrangements serve a critical role in catering to the diverse requirements of the workforce, which is significant in fostering an inclusive work environment.

Leaders play an essential role in this, as seen in Salesforce’s approach led by Marc Benioff. Salesforce actively promotes equity by conducting pay audits to eliminate disparities and supports diverse needs through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), showcasing leadership’s role in advancing DEI in the workplace. ​

Challenges and Considerations for DEI in Remote Work

While remote work offers significant benefits, including access to a more diverse talent pool and enhanced physical and psychological safety, it also presents unique challenges that require careful navigation, especially concerning DEI efforts. For systematically disadvantaged groups, remote work may introduce or exacerbate issues related to visibility, career progression, and the need for specific accommodations. For instance, professionals with disabilities may find remote work beneficial in terms of accessibility but may also have difficulty demonstrating their work contributions or participating in virtual collaboration due to a lack of awareness among colleagues about their needs​​.

Deloitte’s report, “Inclusive or isolated? New DEI considerations when working from anywhere” delves into the complex landscape of remote work and its implications for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Highlighting both the opportunities and concerns presented by the shift to remote and hybrid models, the study underscores the need for intentional leadership to navigate these changes effectively. It points out that while remote work can offer greater accessibility and flexibility, it also risks exacerbating issues like isolation and background bias, particularly affecting disadvantaged groups. Solutions include actionable strategies for organizations to enhance inclusivity, such as offering home-office subsidies and expanding remote learning opportunities.

Strategies for Enhancing DEI in Remote and Hybrid Settings

Given the challenges presented by remote work, it’s crucial to explore effective strategies that can enhance DEI in these evolving work settings, such as below:

Personalized Work Models: Tailoring work arrangements to individuals can help address diverse employee needs, fostering a more inclusive environment. This approach, however, requires careful management to align with organizational goals and ensure equity across the workforce​​. For example, Citigroup employs a 50/50 hybrid model, designating roles as “hybrid,” “remote,” or “resident” to balance in-office and remote work based on job function, showcasing flexibility in accommodating their diverse team members.

Technology and Accessibility: Leveraging technology to enhance accessibility is crucial. This includes ensuring that virtual meetings, communications, and work tools are accessible to employees with disabilities, supporting neurodivergent individuals by mitigating information overload, and providing sensitization training to promote understanding and respect​​. For example, Microsoft has adopted a policy allowing employees to work from home at least 50% of the time, with options for further remote work upon manager approval. This approach emphasizes the use of technology to support diverse working styles and promote accessibility.

Career Progression Support: It’s vital to ensure that remote and hybrid work models do not hinder the career progression of underrepresented groups. This includes transparent communication about performance and contributions, as well as providing equal opportunities for growth and development​​. For example, Lockheed Martin has focused on training managers to lead in a hybrid environment, acknowledging that up to 45% of their workforce will be hybrid. This initiative includes 20 hours of leadership training to ensure managers are equipped to support career progression remotely.

As remote and hybrid work models become more prevalent, it’s imperative for organizations to actively plan for and address DEI concerns. By understanding the diverse needs of their workforce and implementing targeted strategies to support inclusion and equity, companies can fully harness the potential of their talent and foster a truly inclusive work environment.

How does your organization currently support DEI in remote or hybrid settings? Have you or your colleagues faced challenges related to DEI while working remotely? How were they addressed? Leave a comment below, send us an email, or follow us on LinkedIn.

[docgold13]

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Swamp Thing

Doctor Alec Holland was a brilliant botanist and biochemist who worked on a bio-restorative formula he believed could solve the world hunger. He toiled away on this project in a remote laboratory hidden in the Louisiana swamplands.  

The agents of a competitor broke into his lab and set a bomb.  Holland was caught in the explosion, which both drenched him in the bio-restorative formula as well as set his body ablaze.  He ran into the swamp before he died and the bio-restorative chemicals interacted with the plant life of the swamp.  The flora had been somehow imbued with an imprinting of Holland’s consciousness.  Having gained a sentience, the flora formed into a humanoid form and rose up from the bog as the Swamp Thing, the latest in a long line of Earth elementals charged with protecting the planet’s fragile environment.  

Years later, Poison Ivy and The Floronic Man stole the information the government had accrued on how Alec Holland had been changed into the Swamp Thing.  The pair planned on releasing a giant cloud of bio-restorative spores that would cause all organic life on earth to become floral based hybrids; the world would be repopulated with swamp things whom Poison Ivy and The Floronic Man could control and lord over.  

Fortunately, the villains’ scheme was thwarted by Batman and Nigtwing with the invaluable help of Harley Quinn.  The Swamp Thing itself rose up in the climax of the altercation, but chose to do nothing to affect the outcome.  Instead it was Harley’s pleading to her friend Ivy that turned the tied and enabled the heroes to win out.

Actor John DiMaggio provided the voice for The Swamp Thing.  The character initially appeared in the Justice League episode ‘Comfort and Joy’ but featured more prominently in the animated movie, Batman and Harley Quinn.   

[oakridgeford]

2025 Ford Maverick Review, Pricing, and Specs

The 2025 Ford Maverick is a compact truck with a hybrid powertrain and impressive fuel economy. It delivers a towing capacity of up to 4,000 pounds.

Walkthrough Review

The 2025 Ford Maverick offers a versatile, comfortable interior to meet work and leisure needs. Its cabin includes durable materials and user-friendly technology, such as an intuitive 8-inch touchscreen, available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and ample storage options. The Maverick also features customizable space with flexible rear seating and a 6.5-foot bed, providing room for passengers and gear.

The 2025 Ford Maverick boasts a rugged yet stylish exterior designed for both utility and aesthetics. The truck features bold, sculpted lines, a wide stance, and available 17-inch wheels. With available All-Wheel Drive, the Maverick ensures confident performance, while the Tremor package adds unique off-road enhancements and striking orange accents.

The 2025 Ford Maverick delivers exceptional performance with available All-Wheel Drive, ensuring confidence in challenging conditions. Its standard 2.5L hybrid engine excels in stop-and-go traffic, slippery roads, and towing. The Maverick Tremor features rugged tech and design for enhanced off-road capability, making it ready for adventurous terrain and tough environments.

Technology

The 2025 Ford Maverick has advanced technology features to enhance convenience and connectivity. Its 8-inch touchscreen features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing seamless smartphone integration. Available upgrades include a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a Ford Co-Pilot360 safety suite, and an optional FordPass connectivity system, enabling remote vehicle access and management. For added convenience, the Maverick offers multiple USB ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and available navigation options, ensuring you stay connected on every drive.

CONTACT US

Visit us at Oakridge Ford to explore this innovative truck and learn more about its features, performance, and pricing. Check out the 2025 Ford Maverick review or explore the Ford Maverick price and Ford Maverick mpg. Whether you're interested in the Ford Maverick for sale or want more information, we're your trusted Ford dealership near me. Contact us today and find your perfect Maverick truck!

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazilians seek to change employment, negotiate benefits

Research shows that organizational climate and culture also influence the decision to change jobs

Nearly seven out of ten Brazilian workers (68%) surveyed in a study by consulting firm Aon are in the process of changing or considering changing jobs within the next 12 months. This figure is above the global average of 60% and is included in the Employee Sentiment Study 2025, obtained exclusively by Valor. The survey consulted over 9,000 people across 23 countries, including 500 in Brazil. Of the total respondents, 56% are men, 43% hold middle management positions, and 28% are in director or C-level roles. Globally, 54% are working on-site—compared to 48% in Brazil—and 40% are in hybrid work arrangements, with 46% in Brazil. Remote workers account for 7% globally and 6% in Brazil.

The survey also revealed that 24% of respondents feel undervalued in their current workplaces. According to Leonardo Coelho, vice president of health and talent at Aon in Brazil, the intention to switch jobs reflects the importance placed on organizational climate and culture, alongside salary and benefits. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between professional responsibilities and personal life, a concept that has gained increased significance in the post-pandemic era. “Known in corporate environments as ‘work-life balance,’ it is the fourth most highly rated benefit by Brazilians, following only health plans and dental plans [in addition to paid leave],” he said.

The study further noted that 73% of Brazilian workers are open to negotiating a new job with a better benefits strategy that aligns more closely with their realities or needs—a trend observed for some time, Mr. Coelho noted. “To put it into perspective, according to the latest edition of our Benefits Survey for 2023/2024, 14.3% of companies offered flexible benefits to their workforce, an increase of six percentage points compared to the 8.3% in the 2021/2022 edition,” he said. “The flexibility in choosing benefits can accommodate the diverse expectations of employees and is a strategy that respects worker individuality, meeting their primary needs and serving as a solid approach to attracting and retaining talent.”

Continue reading.

[elysynn]

The Difference a New Headset Can Make

I am on meetings a lot for my job. I've been a remote worker for almost 15 years and hybrid for several before that. So conference calls and online meetings have been a staple of my existence for twenty years. Over that time, I've used a variety of office style headsets ranging from single ear (with a headband and/or ear hook), stereo on-ear sets, stereo cup-style sets. The problem I've had with them is inevitably, when I've had days where my headset time exceeds 6 hours the risk for migraines increases exponentially. If I get multiple days in a row like that, migraines are a guarantee.

It turns out that pressure on/around/in my ears and/or the combination of the slight pressure on my skull from headband style sets is a migraine trigger for me. I'd suspected it for awhile, but it wasn't until I was out of state helping a friend take care of her dad's place while he was hospitalized that I had the opportunity to experiment. During that time, I was able to use speaker phone for all my calls. No headset whatsoever. And I had some pretty long phone sessions. No migraines. Woohoo!

Then I got home. As I said, I've been working remote for ages. My husband got sent home courtesy of COVID and hasn't been required to return to the office. Our house is not large - to accommodate two adult professionals requiring dedicated workspaces we had to convert our basement family room into two offices separated by a set of barn doors. It's serviceable, but it is not conducive for speakerphone conversations... especially when both of us are on calls. So, when I got home, back on the headset I went.

Two days of meeting hell. My poor ears. Then, my poor brain. I figured I had enough data at that point to try and find a headset alternative. Something that didn't squeeze the brainpan, and didn't sit on or in my ears, nor surround them... I'd tried a pair of bone-conducting earbuds (buds because they're were separate, not because they fit in the ear) and while they were comfortable, the mic was trash with zero noise cancellation. My team heard my kids better than they heard me. I was able to track down a headset that had nearly all the features of my office-geared Plantronics Voyager2.

Ear-squishing, skull-squeezing aside, I love the Voyager2. It just doesn't love me back.

I've been using the Shokz OpenComm2 UC headset now for almost two months. It is a bone conducting style headset with features that fit an office environment. Things like integrating with Teams/Zoom, boom mic with noise cancellation, long battery life for calls, USB dongle for more stable connections, etc. It has been life changing for me. It is so light. I get a little bit of pressure where the business part of the headphone rests against my head in front of my ears, but I can very easily adjust the location and not lose the audio fidelity. There are a couple features I wish it had, but nothing I can't work around and certainly nothing that makes me regret the switch.

Since I've switched, I have had fewer incidents of multi-day migraine attacks. When I have had migraines (since I have about 6284 triggers and can't avoid them all) I can still wear the headset and work and not feel like I'm stick in a medieval torture device. My migraines also seem to respond better to medication using this headset because I'm not constantly hammering the triggers over and over.

I wanted to share my experience with this in case there are other migraineurs out there who are stuck on headsets day in and day out and may not have considered the headset as a potential trigger. Migraines are of course not one-size-fits-all, and your experience may be different from mine. But if this helps a fellow human being... Yay!

[stuarttechnologybob]

How do businesses use Microsoft technologies?

Microsoft Technologies Services

In today’s fast-paced and modern digital world, businesses rely on powerful tools and resources to stay productive, secure, and competitive. Microsoft Technologies provides many solutions that help organizations streamline operations, improve communication, and grow efficiently. Companies across all industries, from small startups to large enterprises, use Microsoft tools to power their success.

Enhancing Team Collaboration and Productivity -

One of the most common uses of Microsoft Technologies is to improve how teams work together. Microsoft 365 tools like Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive make it easy for employees to share files, hold virtual meetings, and manage tasks in real time—no matter where they are.

Cloud Computing with Microsoft Azure -

Businesses use Microsoft Azure to host websites, applications, and databases in the cloud. Azure allows companies to scale their IT resources and tools up or down based on the objective demand, which lower costs and increases flexibility. It also supports data backup, disaster recovery, and AI-driven services.

Managing Customer Relationships -

Microsoft Dynamics 365, resources assists the companies to handle out their sales, customer service, and marketing in one place at a time. With insights powered by data and automation, businesses can build stronger customer relationships and make smarter decisions faster with the assistance of Microsoft Technologies.

Improving Security and Compliance -

With cyber threats on the rise, Microsoft Technologies offers built-in security tools to help protect sensitive data. Features like multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and compliance tracking help businesses meet industry regulations and secure their systems.

Automating Processes with Power Platform -

Tools like Power Automate and Power Apps allow businesses to create custom apps and automate repetitive tasks without writing complex code. This helps save time and lets employees focus on more important work.

Businesses use Microsoft Technologies to stay efficient, connected, and secure in a digital-first world. Whether through cloud computing, team collaboration tools, or business intelligence platforms, Microsoft remains a trusted partner for organizations looking to grow and succeed. Additionally, Microsoft and its tools support the organization with remote work offerings and hybrid environments setup, and digital transformation with ease. Their solutions helps out the businesses to stay agile and alert, adaptive to change quickly, and remain competitive in the ever-evolving market as leads towards stand out of the domain in the industry.

Partnering with Experts for Microsoft Technology -

Businesses can rely on shifting their existing system and operating structure to new mediums as if for Microsoft tools with companies and experts like Suma Soft, IBM, and Cyntexa for a hassle-free Microsoft rollout journey.

As these set of industry leaders and experts assure a smooth transition with custom solutions offerings with its adaptation into the system with advanced security measures, and ongoing support, allowing the companies to maximize the benefits of their modern digital infrastructure.

[vikassagaar]

𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲: 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲

Temperature Controlled Mug Market size is estimated to reach $1 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period 2024-2031.

𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gsAV97ZP

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬:

🔹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀: With #remote and hybrid work #environments becoming the norm, consumers seek on-the-go solutions that keep beverages at their ideal #temperatures, whether at home, in the office, or on the move.

🔹𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Smart #mugs now feature app connectivity, wireless charging, and customizable temperature settings. These innovations not only enhance #convenience but also cater to the tech-savvy and premium market segments.

🔹𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 & 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻: Stainless steel mugs are #gaining traction due to their superior insulation, #durability, and modern aesthetics, resonating with urban #professionals and coffee enthusiasts.

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨: https://lnkd.in/gDS3k6Q6

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬: Newell Brands | YETI | Thermos L.L.C. | Helen of Troy

Morgan Stanley | CamelBak | Libbey |Ball Corporation | Russell Tobin

Morphy Richards UK | Royal Caribbean Group | Tefal | Smeg UK Ltd.

Spectrum Brands, Inc | Dualit Ltd | Cascades.| Newell Brands ThermoSI

Ball Corporation | Libbey | Hamilton Beach UK| Rio Tinto

MABE | Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V. | FEMSA | Arca Continental

Grupo Bimbo | Vitro | Grupo Industrial Saltillo | Sigma Alimentos

✨ (𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎$ 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 | 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞: 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐓𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭) https://lnkd.in/gVgvXpNR