The Insitor Cooperative announced today that its latest POPR (Population Report) optimization algorithm has achieved a historic 96.4% workforce allocation efficiency on Promitor, up from last quarter’s 96.3%, representing what officials called “a triumph of mathematical precision over outdated notions of geographic stability.”

A worker previously doing farming reviews their reassignment notice as they approach their new extraction workplace.¹

“We’re incredibly proud of this achievement,” said Insitor Cooperative Resource Allocation Director Vikram Castellanos during a press conference at the main agricultural hub. “By reducing worker attachment to specific facilities by an additional 0.1%, we’ve unlocked significant gains in planetary productivity. The algorithm doesn’t care if you’ve been farming the same plot for two months—it only cares about optimal resource distribution.”

The improvements come as the latest POPR cycle reassigned approximately 652,000 of over 850,000 workers across Promitor’s surface, with some pioneers relocated up to 15,000 kilometers from their previous postings. The Cooperative emphasized that all workers received a full 24-hour notice before relocation, “more than enough time to say temporary goodbyes.”

Pioneer-class worker Yael Thronberg, who spent the last two POPR cycles perfecting her technique at Meridian Farms, expressed what she called “mixed professional development opportunities” about her reassignment to Northreach Extractors.

“I had just figured out the optimal nutrient solution ratios for the greenhouse sector,” Thronberg explained while boarding the transport to her new posting. “I knew which pumps ran hot, which soil beds needed extra monitoring, where the climate controller’s blind spot was. I was good at my job. Now I’m headed to an extraction facility where I’ve never even seen the equipment. But hey, the algorithm knows best, right?”

When asked about leaving behind her partner and two children, who remain assigned to facilities in the southern hemisphere, Thronberg shrugged. “We knew this was the deal when we signed up. My oldest is seven—she’s already had four different primary caregivers across three POPR cycles. Kids are resilient. The Cooperative makes sure they get reassigned to age-appropriate care facilities, and we do video calls when the bandwidth permits.”

The sentiment was echoed by Scientist-class worker Dr. Ravi Thackeray, who received his offworld reassignment notice during our interview. “Fascinating,” he remarked, reviewing the notification on his handheld console. “I’ve been conducting soil composition research here for six weeks, but apparently my skill set is needed for atmospheric analysis on Vallis. I’ll never see the results of my current work, but that’s the beauty of the system—someone else will pick up where I left off. Probably. If they get assigned here. And if they can figure out my notes.”

Insitor Cooperative officials noted that the 0.1% efficiency gain translates to approximately 12.4 additional work-hours per day across Promitor’s entire workforce, which they project will yield an extra 0.003% agricultural output increase over the next fiscal quarter.

“Some workers have expressed concerns about what they call ‘professional whiplash,’” acknowledged Deputy Director of Human Capital Optimization Soren Brightwell. “But we prefer to frame it as ‘aggressive cross-training.’ Today’s farm specialist is tomorrow’s extraction technician is next month’s warehouse operator. Think of the resume-building opportunities!”

The Cooperative has also introduced a new “Continuity Bonus” program, offering workers an additional 2% compensation if they remain at the same facility for three consecutive POPR cycles. To date, seventeen workers across Promitor have qualified for the bonus since the program’s inception fourteen months ago.

Pioneer Dmitri Kask, one of the rare recipients of the Continuity Bonus, attributes his success to “sheer statistical luck and deliberately maintaining mediocre performance metrics.”

“If you’re too good at your job, the algorithm sees high-value skills that need redistribution,” Kask explained from his posting at Westmarch Processing, where he has somehow remained for four POPR cycles. “If you’re too bad, you get reassigned for remedial training. The secret is to be exactly average enough that moving you isn’t worth the algorithm’s time. My family has been on the same continent for almost five months now. We’re practically royalty.”

When pressed about whether the constant reassignments might impact worker morale or long-term institutional knowledge, Director Castellanos dismissed the concerns. “Morale is a luxury we left behind on Earth. What matters is optimization. And as for institutional knowledge, that’s what the database is for. Assuming anyone has time to update it between reassignments.”

The next POPR cycle is scheduled for seven days from now. Workers are advised to maintain their belongings in transport-ready containers and to avoid forming strong emotional attachments to their current work stations, colleagues, or family members in different job classifications.

At press time, Pioneer Thronberg had arrived at Northreach Extractors and was attempting to understand why the extraction drill she’d been assigned was making a grinding noise that her new supervisor described as “probably fine.”

“I miss farming already,” she said, staring at the unfamiliar equipment. “But I’ve got six days to become an expert before they ship me somewhere else. Better get started.”