Welcome to our nineteenth edition of Four For the Week (44TW)! To look through past editions, feel free to view our blog. This week we look at distributed work environments, smart homes, and micro certifications. We close it out with an article on how companies are staying connected while apart. Enjoy!
1. Distributed work environments
Strategy & Innovation
Claimatic Team
As the market for vacation homes surges, people all over the United States scatter to their dream oasis while continuing to work. Companies no longer have to be in the same building 9-5 Monday- Friday to function, and people are starting to get used to it. Although everyone is still 6 feet apart, this new way of life means taking in the little things, like more family time or time outside. This could mean distributed companies are here to stay.
2. Smart homes, reduce property risk
Strategy & Innovation
Claimatic Team
Smart homes are on the rise, but this trendy addition to your property could actually reduce the property risk as well as bring down the price. Co-Founder and CEO of Notion, Brett Jurgens, speaks on how Smart homes can reduce claims, give property owners discounts, and ultimately save time for the homeowner and the insurance companies.

3. Micro certifications
Technology & Preparedness
Claimatic Team
Whether you are one year or thirty years out of school, we all can agree that you never stop learning. Companies have started to realize this as well, offering employees continuous skill-building programs. This gives companies a competitive edge while also setting up employees for success. Classes and certifications can be done internally through apprenticeships or employee training or externally through certifications or university programs

4. How companies are staying connected
Technology & Preparedness
Claimatic Team
In this new Zoom office world, a lot of the water cooler talk or lunch hours have been dissolved, leaving a gap in the company culture. From Slack channels, Pictionary, and music breaks, many companies have gotten creative with filling that culture gap. At Claimatic we try and get together every other week for a virtual happy hour where we discuss hobbies, family, or it can serve as a check-in of how we are all handling this new world. This is an important time to come together as a company and show employees or coworkers how much you care.