Almost every workplace has had to adapt to the challenges of coronavirus. But this office, which floats between Manhattan and Brooklyn, is something else.
No one wants to catch coronavirus. Many of us are taking whatever precautions we can to stop the spread.
One of the issues that we’ve had to face is working during the pandemic. After all, we need to earn money, even in the face of a biblical plague.
A plucky New Yorker appears to have come up with an extreme yet surprisingly genius solution.
He works on a float in the middle of New York City’s East River with all that the amenities of an office.
That’s right, it has a desk, a chair, a filing cabinet, a computer with internet access. Hell, it even has a water cooler!
Sure, some people have always worked on the East River. But typically, those jobs have been nautical in nature. You know, like being a boat captain. But now, apparently, working in an office and floating on the water go hand in hand.
So why did he do such a thing? Presumably, he has the ability to work from home?
Well, in a YouTube video, when the worker joined a Zoom meeting, he explained to his confused colleagues that his kids were driving him nuts. So naturally, he rented office space where he was sure to be able to socially distance.
Sadly, he soon found that all of his problems weren’t answered.
His colleagues soon started complaining about the background noise, which came from the passing ferries.
And of course, even during the pandemic, tourists started to take notice and interfere. Soon, passing couples in boats began interrupting the meeting.
But there were some advantages. For instance, a passing woman on a canoe stopped by and offered to sell the worker a snack and a hot beverage. He was happy to take up the offer.
The people passing by also gave their opinions for the cameras.
One New Yorker said that he would definitely work on the float. After all, it appeared to be the safest place in the city! Another passerby noted that the motions and sounds of the river must be calming.
The video ended by showing the worker’s unique commute, which was via speedboat.
Naturally, this video surfaced on YouTube, where it soon became a hit. To date, it has gained over 350,000 views. It also has more than 12,000 likes and 900 comments.
People have been saying things like this:
So who or what is behind this office space?
Sadly, in reality, it wasn’t all that worker’s idea.
It’s actually the work of Improv Everywhere and Tideland Institute. Imrpov Everywhere is an NYC-based comedy collective. As the name suggests, it stages pranks in public places. And Tideland Institute is focused on creating culture on the water.
The office worker in the video is named Jessie Good. He owns a furniture company.
In fact, he provided all of the office furniture that was on the float. And also, for those who may have worried about the furnishings polluting the river:
“Everything was either screwed to the floor or stuck with double sided tape in case of an unexpected big wave.”
So this may have been a prank, but it certainly struck a chord with some people. Will your next office be on a river?
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