--- title: What You Need to Know: Week of November 21, 2021 description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. canonical: https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6122538/what-you-need-to-know-week-of-november-21-2021/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2021-11-22T16:54:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-28T07:07:08.589Z article:section: Charter og:title: What You Need to Know: Week of November 21, 2021 og:description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. og:url: https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6122538/what-you-need-to-know-week-of-november-21-2021/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt082842f689630d26/698a200586f68e8f936f0a1d/GettyImages-1224576595.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5017 og:image:height: 2822 og:image:alt: GettyImages-1224576595.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What You Need to Know: Week of November 21, 2021 twitter:description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt082842f689630d26/698a200586f68e8f936f0a1d/GettyImages-1224576595.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- The information presented here is created by Charter, independently from the TIME editorial staff.  Time charter * [covid](/partner-content/charter/tag/covid/) ## covid # What You Need to Know: Week of November 21, 2021 > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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Readers can trust what they read. * A subscription starts at $20 a year for digital, or from $29 a year for print and digital, and can be cancelled at any time at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=8ff29d94-9191-477c-a151-85524cd89976&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsroom is led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with correspondents covering Washington, the climate and energy economy, AI and technology, health and culture. * TIME reaches 1 million US print subscribers, 1.15 million globally, and more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. * TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=8ff29d94-9191-477c-a151-85524cd89976&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1), separate from a paid subscription. ### FAQ #### How much does a TIME subscription cost? TIME digital-only is $20 for one year. Print and digital is from $29 for one year, or $49 for two years. Both plans can be cancelled at any time. Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=8ff29d94-9191-477c-a151-85524cd89976&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=8ff29d94-9191-477c-a151-85524cd89976&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [Kevin J. Delaney](https://time.com/author/kevin-delaney/) Nov 22, 2021 4:54 PM UTC  CHAMPS SUR MARNE, FRANCE - MAY 13: An employee wearing a face mask works in the back office at Le Mask Français workshop as lockdown measures begin to ease during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on May 13, 2020 in Champs Sur Marne, France. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming over 292,000 lives and infecting over 4 million people. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) CHAMPS SUR MARNE, FRANCE - MAY 13: An employee wearing a face mask works in the back office at Le Mask Français workshop as lockdown measures begin to ease during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on May 13, 2020 in Champs Sur Marne, France. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming over 292,000 lives and infecting over 4 million people. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images by [Kevin J. Delaney](https://time.com/author/kevin-delaney/) Nov 22, 2021 4:54 PM UTC ## The Virus **The latest virus forecast:** The US has had a 30% increase [from two weeks earlier](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=b9e31673f6&e=cdf5361d9b), with about 93,000 new cases on Friday. Michigan and Minnesota in particular have seen surges in cases. [About 69% of the US population](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=ea4b750ca5&e=cdf5361d9b) has received at least one dose of a vaccine, and [roughly 16% of fully vaccinated people](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=3307220fbc&e=cdf5361d9b) have gotten a booster, which the CDC on Friday endorsed for vaccinated adults 18 and up. A [Georgetown immunologist predicted](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=3063803d9a&e=cdf5361d9b) that a vaccine-resistant Covid strain will emerge this spring. **The business impact:** Consumer spending in stores and restaurants [rose 1.7% in October](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=62e19ced70&e=cdf5361d9b) from the month before, hitting a record that is 21% above pre-pandemic levels. Early holiday buying prompted by concerns about supply-chain-related shortages and pent-up consumer savings from the pandemic are seemingly contributing to the strong retail sales. [_For more on the future of work, sign up for the free Charter newsletter._](https://www.charterworks.com/newsletter/?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=edit&utm%5Fcampaign=timelaunch) ## What Else You Need to Know **The Great Resignation has reached CEOs.** In [a survey](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=a12b4631cd&e=cdf5361d9b) of 1,095 companies by Heidrick & Struggles, more than 100 named [new CEOs](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=fbf81b7b8a&e=cdf5361d9b) in the first half of this year. * That’s more than double the turnover from the latter half of 2020, when 49 companies in the same group installed new chief executives. * Roughly two out of three new CEOs in the study were internal hires, a practice that’s become a more common way [to fill open roles](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=481b758821&e=cdf5361d9b) over the course of the pandemic. * Some 13% of the CEOs named during the first half of 2021 were female, compared to 7% last year. **Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are under-funded in company budgets.** One study of [DEI leaders in tech](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=f1f81523a9&e=cdf5361d9b) found that the majority believed they didn’t have the resources to execute their vision. * Nearly one quarter of respondents said they were the only person at their company whose job was to focus on DEI. * Some 79% of companies have said they plan to allocate [more money](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=586749b0ea&e=cdf5361d9b) to DEI efforts in 2022. **Companies have a long way to go in supporting employees with disabilities.** A new report from the advocacy group Project Include outlined the scale of [the challenges disabled workers face](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=53881a776d&e=cdf5361d9b), including the “disclosure bind”: disclosing disability can make it possible to get accommodations, but also lead to discrimination and unwanted interrogation about the disability. * In 2020, the [unemployment rate](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=5830ffe32b&e=cdf5361d9b) for people with disabilities reached its highest point in seven years, in part because industries with higher concentrations of disabled workers—such as hospitality—were also some of the hardest hit by the pandemic. **Return to workplace speed round:** * More than half of companies are [overhauling their spaces](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=5a66e941c8&e=cdf5361d9b) as workers return, and around one quarter of those undergoing an office makeover are doing away with private offices, according to recent [survey data](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=3494e96e78&e=cdf5361d9b) from CBRE. The majority of individual offices that remain are going to be capped at less than 150 square feet. * The shift to hybrid and remote work has left small businesses that rely on commuter foot traffic [struggling to pay rent](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=24e4e2fb33&e=cdf5361d9b) in expensive city centers. * Employers appear to be loosening up on long-term work-from-home arrangements: The average company plan now includes [1.33 remote days per week](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=3984b60a0a&e=cdf5361d9b), up from 1.06 days at the start of the year. But there’s still a ways to go before that matches employee demand: The average worker wants to work around 2.3 days from home each week. * Roughly half of in-person holiday parties this year will include [a mask requirement](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=1fbbcec81b&e=cdf5361d9b) (though most company gatherings will likely [stay virtual](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=caf1f2523a&e=cdf5361d9b)). * **Apple** is now asking workers to return to the office for [one or two days each week starting Feb. 1](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=1738a8911c&e=cdf5361d9b), and will shift to its three-day in-office hybrid plan starting in March. * As companies grapple with the messiness of hybrid meetings, **Zillow** has instituted a “one Zoom all Zoom” rule, requiring even those in the office to [join from separate screens](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=ae63fdb961&e=cdf5361d9b). * Early stage tech startups are [dramatically increasing their spending](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=da3267dd77&e=cdf5361d9b) on Airbnb and flights as they emerge from the pandemic, according to accounting firm Kruze Consulting. Car-service and coworking-space expenses are also climbing. **Here are some of the best tips and insights from the past week for managing yourself and your team:** * **Use “punctuated collaboration” to optimize your hybrid weeks.** As much as you can, [jam-pack all your meetings](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=34bf5683ed&e=cdf5361d9b) into the time when you’ll be in the office, and use your remote days for uninterrupted stretches of solo deep work. * **Know your warning signs for scarcity mindset.** That’s the form of mental burnout where everything starts to feel like a threat and problem-solving [becomes difficult or impossible](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=ed959aaa4f&e=cdf5361d9b). When everyone on the team is comfortable saying if they’re slipping into scarcity mode, you can take breaks when necessary to help everyone function at their best. * **Have two leaders for every hybrid meeting, one who’s remote and one in-office.** Switch off who’s in charge of which segment. One leader can read the body language of participants in the room, and the other can focus on [keeping remote attendees engaged](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=f4022f108a&e=cdf5361d9b). * **Embrace the life-changing power of extended time off.** Research shows that sabbaticals, far more than a long vacation, can be [a transformative experience](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=253be65e4d&e=cdf5361d9b). ## Coda **All hands on deck.** With 76,000 open retail roles to fill ahead of the holiday shopping season, [Macy’s is asking](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=1b8dd40871&e=cdf5361d9b) its corporate employees to volunteer to fold clothes and restock merchandise in its stores. * Wear “comfortable, close-toed shoes and business casual dress,” it advises them. **Portugal is de-blurring the line between work and personal life.** A new law forbids businesses from contacting their employees [outside of work hours](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=e33a77616b&e=cdf5361d9b), except in emergencies. * The same law also stipulates that employers who refuse a request for remote work have to supply a written explanation, and that parents of young children don’t need employer approval to work from home. **Pay transparency could become complete in Finland.** Proposed legislation would allow employees to [access their coworkers’ salaries](https://charterworks.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eb9b19e527bec82c51c63bd2b&id=8cb592c9ec&e=cdf5361d9b), a move intended to curb gender-based pay discrimination. * Despite its status as one of the most gender-equal nations according to the World Economic Forum, Finland currently has one of the highest pay disparities of all OECD countries. * Finland already publishes the taxable income of every Finn each year, though deductions and other factors mean it doesn’t necessarily fully indicate a person’s salary. --- ## Read more from Charter [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/) [Open article: What Workplaces Should Be Doing About Covid Right Now](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6312397/what-workplaces-should-be-doing-about-covid-right-now/)  ### What Workplaces Should Be Doing About Covid Right Now [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6312397/what-workplaces-should-be-doing-about-covid-right-now/) [Open article: What the Office Return Means For Workers With Disabilities](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6214994/disabilities-pandemic/)  ### What the Office Return Means For Workers With Disabilities [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6214994/disabilities-pandemic/) [Open article: How to Support a Colleague Who's Sick or Grieving](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6198599/how-to-support-colleague-sick-grieving/)  ### How to Support a Colleague Who's Sick or Grieving [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6198599/how-to-support-colleague-sick-grieving/) --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6122538/what-you-need-to-know-week-of-november-21-2021/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6122538/what-you-need-to-know-week-of-november-21-2021/"},"headline":"What You Need to Know: Week of November 21, 2021","datePublished":"2021-11-22T16:54:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-28T07:07:08.589Z","description":"What to know this week about hybrid meetings, the future of office spaces, returning to the workplace, and managing yourself and your team.","url":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6122538/what-you-need-to-know-week-of-november-21-2021/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt082842f689630d26/698a200586f68e8f936f0a1d/GettyImages-1224576595.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kevin J. 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