Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses small and large pivoted to remote work to keep the wheels spinning, even if the office lights weren’t on. But is that still the case?

Two of Minnesota’s largest employers: 3M and the state of Minnesota, recently announced that they want their employees in the office more often than not, leaving many to wonder if the sun is setting on remote work.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called state employees back to the office last month for at least 50% of their scheduled workdays, saying it would boost productivity and support the economic vitality of office districts like downtown St. Paul, the capital city.

Meanwhile, other organizations such as global legal publishing and media data firm Thomson Reuters have chosen to lean into remote work in recent years. Thomson Reuters listed its sprawling 263-acre Eagan campus for sale in 2023 after an employee survey revealed workers want to split their time between office and home.

The publisher downsized to a 300,000-square-foot office later that year, and is still operating on a hybrid work model.

Kaylee Thomsen, president and partner of business management consultant firm The Bailey Group, said that despite the disruptions brought to the workforce in 2020, her company noticed a silver lining.

“We saw organizations investing in their people at unprecedented rates,” she said. “They knew their people needed support, resources and strategies to keep them from burnout.”

‘Any change … comes with friction’

“Where most companies are fumbling the ball is less about the models they are choosing, and more about how they are going about doing it,” said Thomsen.

The first step is to acknowledge the change, Thomsen said. “I’ve seen a lot of organizations that keep it top secret, then all of a sudden the mandate from on high comes down and employees rightfully feel frustrated.”

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If you’re calling workers back into the office, “It can’t be because: ‘We’re going to be more productive,’” Thomsen said. “What that communicates to people is: ‘I don’t believe you’re productive working from your own office in your own home.’ That’s incredibly demoralizing.”

As a leader, you’re likely confident in your decision to bring employees back, Thomsen said, and now it’s your job to “cast that compelling narrative,” as clearly, concisely and honestly as you can.

Thomsen also notes that as a leader, you must be open to other perspectives and create environments where people are empowered to have honest conversations that can inform your decisions.

“Any change, good or bad, comes with friction,” Thomsen said. “Your ‘why’ needs to be exciting and clear enough to see people through the initial friction.”

As the traditional work model evolves and employee expectations shift, the Pioneer Press checked in with some of the St. Paul area’s largest employers to see what their work weeks look like.

3M

The 3M corporate headquarters in Maplewood as seen from Metro Transit’s new Gold Line service on March 18, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

3M announced this month that it will be requiring employees to return to the office four days a week, beginning in September.

Known for consumer products like Post-its and Scotch Tape, and an array of industrial products, 3M employs roughly 60,000 people globally, including nearly 9,300 in Minnesota, according to a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development listing of top employers.

For Minnesota employees, returning to the office largely means returning to the corporate campus in Maplewood.

“Our ability to engage, collaborate and innovate is stronger in person,” the company said in a statement. “The value of working in the office is that it allows our teams to be present and engage on a personal level both within and outside of meetings. It also allows our teams to demonstrate our performance culture, and to focus on priorities in real-time, with speed and urgency, throughout the organization.”

Ecolab

The Ecolab headquarters building is seen prominently in the downtown skyline from West Seventh Street in December 2023. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Founded in St. Paul in 1923, Ecolab has grown to employ some 48,000 workers worldwide and brings in annual sales to the tune of $16 billion.

Known for its business-to-business water treatment and hygiene products, Ecolab reported $4 billion in sales for its fourth quarter earlier this year, up 2% from the previous year.

Of Ecolab’s nearly 3,000 Minnesota employees, approximately 1,500 report to work at the company’s global headquarters in downtown St. Paul, said Crystina Thompson, communications manager for Ecolab.

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Unlike some businesses, office workers represent a small portion of Ecolab’s workforce, Thompson said. The majority of employees work in the field in sales and service roles, nearly 9,000 employees work at manufacturing sites and 1,600 employees work in a laboratory setting for research and development.

The current guidelines for office staff, established in May 2022, require employees to spend at least 60% of their time in the office.

“That may be three full days for some or a part of all five days for others,” Thompson said in an email, adding that the company’s human resources department has noted that employees are meeting or exceeding those requirements.

“We believe that in-person interactions are a key part of our collaborative culture, while also valuing the importance of flexibility for our associates,” Thompson said.

Securian Financial

About 2,300 Securian employees report to work three days a week at the company headquarters in downtown St. Paul. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press file)

Securian Financial, which has provided insurance and financial products since its founding in St. Paul in 1880, adopted remote work on a companywide basis in the early days of the pandemic.

The current hybrid work policy, which the company has been operating under since spring 2023, “has employees living within a commutable distance to our offices in St. Paul and elsewhere working three days a week in the office and two days a week virtually,” said Jeff Bakken, spokesperson for Securian Financial, in an email.

Of the insurer’s roughly 2,600 employees nationwide, about 2,300 report to work at the company headquarters at 400 N. Robert St. in downtown St. Paul, Bakken said.

“We believe a routine, on-site presence builds relationships, furthers employee learning and opportunity, and drives company productivity and business results,” Bakken said. “At the same time, we also support flexibility for our employees. A hybrid work policy supports both of these objectives.”

H.B. Fuller

Founded in 1887 and headquartered in suburban Vadnais Heights, H.B. Fuller is a manufacturer and provider of adhesives, sealants and specialty chemical products.

“H.B. Fuller has taken a leadership position within our industry as a successful adopter of a flexible working model,” said a spokesperson for the company. “We believe that work can happen anywhere, and our culture enables work from our plants, offices, homes or while traveling.”

While the spokesperson declined to comment on the number of local employees, H.B. Fuller employs some 7,500 people worldwide.

Most office employees were working a hybrid schedule by 2022. “But not everyone who worked in an office was there at the same time,” the spokesperson pointed out. “We needed a way to maximize their office time by creating meaningful engagement opportunities.”

As a result, the company launched “Collaboration Weeks” in 2024.

During these predetermined weeks, employees based out of the company’s headquarters along Willow Lake Boulevard are encouraged to be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“To maximize their time in the office, we encourage employees to plan in-person meetings, site-based volunteering events, celebrations and other activities,” the spokesperson said. This year, H.B. Fuller will have 16 Collaboration Weeks.

Prime Therapeutics

Andy Gardener leads a meeting at Prime Therapeutics as teams were preparing to return to a hybrid office/home work environment in July 2021. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Headquartered in Eagan, Prime Therapeutics is a provider of pharmaceutical services organization with 7,400 employees nationwide.

Approximately 1,960 Prime employees reside within a 50-mile radius of the company’s headquarters, said Erin Feigal, chief human resources officer for Prime Therapeutics, in an email.

“Prime’s workforce has a national footprint and is geographically dispersed across the nation, and we’ve found that everyone coming into the same location isn’t practical or necessary for us,” Feigal said.

As a result, all Prime employees work within its Hub and Home model, which officially launched in 2021 following the need for remote work brought on by the pandemic.

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A flexible workplace program, the Hub and Home model allows employees to work primarily from home with opportunities to work with their colleagues in person.

Prime’s Eagan headquarters, located at 2900 Ames Crossing Road, serves as the “hub” for its Minnesota-based workforce. Outfitted with work lounges, conference rooms and private workstations, the “hub” is where employees can collaborate, hold meetings and socialize.

“This model was a strategic response to both employee preferences and broader shifts in workplace culture, and the response has been positive,” Feigal said. “Providing a flexible work environment that thoughtfully encourages connection, collaboration and empowerment helps Prime’s teams feel supported in their careers and in life.”

Patterson Cos.

Headquartered in Mendota Heights, Patterson Cos. is a national supplier of medical equipment to veterinary and dental practices that employs nearly 6,000 people with 640 living in Minnesota.

The company, which was founded in 1877, has functioned on a hybrid schedule for its corporate employees in Mendota Heights for several years, “with different teams and departments encouraging employees to come to the office to connect with one another based on their particular projects and workflows,” said Chief People and Communications Officer Christine Moore, in an email.

However, change is coming as the company recently announced a formal office expectation of two days a week, beginning in late September.

“When it came to choosing this model, we focused on two key factors: connection and flexibility,” Moore said.

“We have always been a people-first organization, and creating a winning culture means listening and making sure that employees have a voice. We listened to our employees, recognized what they value, and ultimately chose two days a week in-office because we think that gives us the right balance between connection and flexibility.”

Amy Lindgren

If you’re a recent college graduate without a job, my sympathies! Although job hunting is almost never a preferred activity, there’s something about a post-graduation search that feels extra discouraging.

It probably doesn’t help to know that this summer’s market is shaping up to be more difficult than in recent years past. While it’s too early to have solid data for the whole season, anecdotally we know this: If lots of companies are laying people off, while government agencies and nonprofits are dealing with reduced funding, while employers of all stripes are slowing their hiring to cope with the volatile economy … even without a summer’s worth of data, we can say things aren’t pretty.

And that’s all you’re going to hear from me on that. I’ve learned through multiple job droughts that there’s no use reviewing the laundry list of woes when you have a problem to solve. Which, if you’ve recently graduated from college, is that you need a job.

In last week’s column I presented 13 ideas for using time productively if the market isn’t cooperating with your search. From starting a small business to self-crafting an internship to volunteering, there are multiple options that will add to your skills and marketability. (One thing I left out was military service, so consider that the 14th choice.)

With only a few of these ideas being fully immersive, you can still conduct a job search simultaneously — the process just needs to be streamlined to fit a tighter schedule.

Speaking of schedules … one of my bigger surprises as a career counselor came years ago when I started to see that most people seemed to have no timeline in mind for completing their job search process. They were working diligently but without a deadline, as in: “This takes the time it takes, and I hope I have a job soon.”

That’s a formula for burnout, but not for success. Without a plan and a strategy, it’s too easy to fall into half-hearted search habits, including entire weeks without activity.

To see this idea treated as a mathematical formula, check your browser for C. Northcote Parkinson, a British naval historian who wrote in a 1955 essay for The Economist: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” He built on what quickly became known as Parkinson’s Law with another formula defining the growth of bureaucracy via the new addition of government workers.

But I digress! I’m endlessly fascinated by how our innate human nature works against so many of our higher goals. In this case, the willingness to believe that job search outcomes can’t be controlled leads job seekers to accept an endless process with diminishing returns.

With this in mind, I’m presenting five steps for a streamlined and productive job search, which can be conducted alongside another major activity, such as the career-builders from last week. For a streamlined job search, you need:

• 1. A deadline. In most cases, I rely on 90 days (or 12 weeks or three months, if you prefer). Whatever date is 90 days from when you start is the deadline for your job search.

• 2. A primary job target. You’ll move faster with a somewhat narrow target. That’s why “entry-level social media marketing” is better than “marketing” and both are better than “a job somewhere.”

• 3. A list of organizations to contact. For the above social media marketer, this could be larger nonprofits (because too small may mean no staff). Or it could be companies in a certain space such as retail or hospitality.

• 4. A résumé and cover letter that fit the target, at least generically. These can be modified for specific opportunities, which will be easier if they are somewhat targeted to start with.

• 5. A daily schedule of two to four hours, Monday through Friday, devoted to job search. Two hours will be enough, if you do them.

This is where Parkinson’s law applies: If you only have two hours to complete a daily goal of three outreaches, you’ll need to hustle. But if you have “all day” to complete your three contacts, you may never get to them at all. Human nature again.

In a related point, if you have a deadline to meet, you’re more likely to build in checkpoints and revise your process if things aren’t working.

Next week we’ll complete this mini-series with a review of strategies for college graduates living with their parents who are hoping to launch independently. Even in a tight economy, this is quite doable, but the key is planning.

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Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.

By JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press

As artificial intelligence technology becomes part of daily life, adolescents are turning to chatbots for advice, guidance and conversation. The appeal is clear: Chatbots are patient, never judgmental, supportive and always available.

That worries experts who say the booming AI industry is largely unregulated and that many parents have no idea about how their kids are using AI tools or the extent of personal information they are sharing with chatbots.

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New research shows more than 70% of American teenagers have used AI companions and more than half converse with them regularly. The study by Common Sense Media focused on “AI companions,” like Character. AI, Nomi and Replika, which it defines as “digital friends or characters you can text or talk with whenever you want,” versus AI assistants or tools like ChatGPT, though it notes they can be used the same way.

It’s important that parents understand the technology. Experts suggest some things parents can do to help protect their kids:

— Start a conversation, without judgment, says Michael Robb, head researcher at Common Sense Media. Approach your teen with curiosity and basic questions: “Have you heard of AI companions?” “Do you use apps that talk to you like a friend?” Listen and understand what appeals to your teen before being dismissive or saying you’re worried about it.

— Help teens recognize that AI companions are programmed to be agreeable and validating. Explain that’s not how real relationships work and that real friends with their own points of view can help navigate difficult situations in ways that AI companions cannot.

“One of the things that’s really concerning is not only what’s happening on screen but how much time it’s taking kids away from relationships in real life,” says Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association. “We need to teach kids that this is a form of entertainment. It’s not real, and it’s really important they distinguish it from reality and should not have it replace relationships in your actual life.”

The APA recently put out a health advisory on AI and adolescent well-being, and tips for parents.

— Parents should watch for signs of unhealthy attachments.

“If your teen is preferring AI interactions over real relationships or spending hours talking to AI companions, or showing that they are becoming emotionally distressed when separated from them — those are patterns that suggest AI companions might be replacing rather than complementing human connection,” Robb says.

— Parents can set rules about AI use, just like they do for screen time and social media. Have discussions about when and how AI tools can and cannot be used. Many AI companions are designed for adult use and can mimic romantic, intimate and role-playing scenarios.

While AI companions may feel supportive, children should understand the tools are not equipped to handle a real crisis or provide genuine mental health support. If kids are struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, an eating disorder or other mental health challenges, they need human support — whether it is family, friends or a mental health professional.

— Get informed. The more parents know about AI, the better. “I don’t think people quite get what AI can do, how many teens are using it and why it’s starting to get a little scary,” says Prinstein, one of many experts calling for regulations to ensure safety guardrails for children. “A lot of us throw our hands up and say, ‘I don’t know what this is!’ This sounds crazy!’ Unfortunately, that tells kids if you have a problem with this, don’t come to me because I am going to diminish it and belittle it.”

Older teenagers have advice, too, for parents and kids. Banning AI tools is not a solution because the technology is becoming ubiquitous, says Ganesh Nair, 18.

“Trying not to use AI is like trying to not use social media today. It is too ingrained in everything we do,” says Nair, who is trying to step back from using AI companions after seeing them affect real-life friendships in his high school. “The best way you can try to regulate it is to embrace being challenged.”

“Anything that is difficult, AI can make easy. But that is a problem,” says Nair. “Actively seek out challenges, whether academic or personal. If you fall for the idea that easier is better, then you are the most vulnerable to being absorbed into this newly artificial world.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

By JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press

No question is too small when Kayla Chege, a high school student in Kansas, is using artificial intelligence.

The 15-year-old asks ChatGPT for guidance on back-to-school shopping, makeup colors, low-calorie choices at Smoothie King, plus ideas for her Sweet 16 and her younger sister’s birthday party.

The sophomore honors student makes a point not to have chatbots do her homework and tries to limit her interactions to mundane questions. But in interviews with The Associated Press and a new study, teenagers say they are increasingly interacting with AI as if it were a companion, capable of providing advice and friendship.

“Everyone uses AI for everything now. It’s really taking over,” said Chege, who wonders how AI tools will affect her generation. “I think kids use AI to get out of thinking.”

Bruce Perry, 17, demonstrates the possibilities of artificial intelligence by creating an AI companion on Character AI, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)

For the past couple of years, concerns about cheating at school have dominated the conversation around kids and AI. But artificial intelligence is playing a much larger role in many of their lives. AI, teens say, has become a go-to source for personal advice, emotional support, everyday decision-making and problem-solving.

‘AI is always available. It never gets bored with you’

More than 70% of teens have used AI companions and half use them regularly, according to a new study from Common Sense Media, a group that studies and advocates for using screens and digital media sensibly.

The study defines AI companions as platforms designed to serve as “digital friends,” like Character. AI or Replika, which can be customized with specific traits or personalities and can offer emotional support, companionship and conversations that can feel human-like. But popular sites like ChatGPT and Claude, which mainly answer questions, are being used in the same way, the researchers say.

Bruce Perry, 17, shows his ChatGPT history at a coffee shop in Russellville, Ark., Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)

As the technology rapidly gets more sophisticated, teenagers and experts worry about AI’s potential to redefine human relationships and exacerbate crises of loneliness and youth mental health.

“AI is always available. It never gets bored with you. It’s never judgmental,” says Ganesh Nair, an 18-year-old in Arkansas. “When you’re talking to AI, you are always right. You’re always interesting. You are always emotionally justified.”

All that used to be appealing, but as Nair heads to college this fall, he wants to step back from using AI. Nair got spooked after a high school friend who relied on an “AI companion” for heart-to-heart conversations with his girlfriend later had the chatbot write the breakup text ending his two-year relationship.

“That felt a little bit dystopian, that a computer generated the end to a real relationship,” said Nair. “It’s almost like we are allowing computers to replace our relationships with people.”

How many teens are using AI? New study stuns researchers

In the Common Sense Media survey, 31% of teens said their conversations with AI companions were “as satisfying or more satisfying” than talking with real friends. Even though half of teens said they distrust AI’s advice, 33% had discussed serious or important issues with AI instead of real people.

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Those findings are worrisome, says Michael Robb, the study’s lead author and head researcher at Common Sense, and should send a warning to parents, teachers and policymakers. The now-booming and largely unregulated AI industry is becoming as integrated with adolescence as smartphones and social media are.

“It’s eye-opening,” said Robb. “When we set out to do this survey, we had no understanding of how many kids are actually using AI companions.” The study polled more than 1,000 teens nationwide in April and May.

Adolescence is a critical time for developing identity, social skills and independence, Robb said, and AI companions should complement — not replace — real-world interactions.

“If teens are developing social skills on AI platforms where they are constantly being validated, not being challenged, not learning to read social cues or understand somebody else’s perspective, they are not going to be adequately prepared in the real world,” he said.

The nonprofit analyzed several popular AI companions in a “ risk assessment,” finding ineffective age restrictions and that the platforms can produce sexual material, give dangerous advice and offer harmful content. The group recommends that minors not use AI companions.

A concerning trend to teens and adults alike

Researchers and educators worry about the cognitive costs for youth who rely heavily on AI, especially in their creativity, critical thinking and social skills. The potential dangers of children forming relationships with chatbots gained national attention last year when a 14-year-old Florida boy died by suicide after developing an emotional attachment to a Character. AI chatbot.

“Parents really have no idea this is happening,” said Eva Telzer, a psychology and neuroscience professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “All of us are struck by how quickly this blew up.” Telzer is leading multiple studies on youth and AI, a new research area with limited data.

Telzer’s research has found that children as young as 8 are using generative AI and also found that teens are using AI to explore their sexuality and for companionship. In focus groups, Telzer found that one of the top apps teens frequent is SpicyChat AI, a free role-playing app intended for adults.

Many teens also say they use chatbots to write emails or messages to strike the right tone in sensitive situations.

“One of the concerns that comes up is that they no longer have trust in themselves to make a decision,” said Telzer. “They need feedback from AI before feeling like they can check off the box that an idea is OK or not.”

Bruce Perry, 17, poses for a portrait after discussing his use of artificial intelligence in school assignments and for personal questions Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)

Arkansas teen Bruce Perry, 17, says he relates to that and relies on AI tools to craft outlines and proofread essays for his English class.

“If you tell me to plan out an essay, I would think of going to ChatGPT before getting out a pencil,” Perry said. He uses AI daily and has asked chatbots for advice in social situations, to help him decide what to wear and to write emails to teachers, saying AI articulates his thoughts faster.

Perry says he feels fortunate that AI companions were not around when he was younger.

“I’m worried that kids could get lost in this,” Perry said. “I could see a kid that grows up with AI not seeing a reason to go to the park or try to make a friend.”

Other teens agree, saying the issues with AI and its effect on children’s mental health are different from those of social media.

“Social media complemented the need people have to be seen, to be known, to meet new people,” Nair said. “I think AI complements another need that runs a lot deeper — our need for attachment and our need to feel emotions. It feeds off of that.”

“It’s the new addiction,” Nair added. “That’s how I see it.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.