Do you dread your commute?

Lengthy commutes to work are taking a toll on U.S. workers.  So much so that a recent survey showed that four percent or five million people have skipped work by pretending to be ill to avoid their harrowing commute into the office.

The study was commissioned by the Workforce Institute at Kronos and conducted by Harris Interactive.  Not surprising, nearly half of U.S. employees polled said commuting is affecting their overall job satisfaction.  And, despite the unemployed who are desperate for work regardless of location, 32 percent of workers said they factored in their commute when choosing their current job.

Long commutes are impacting the productivity and morale of today’s professionals because it consumes valuable time – time which could be spent actually doing work or with their families.  Given the access to remote technology, businesses should consider being open to workplace alternatives for employees – at least some of the time.   The fact of the matter is the growing number of mobile workers and the variety of workplace options has transformed how work gets done.

Remote access apps for mobile devices like the iPad2 are allowing workers to tap into their desktop files from anywhere in the world.  While this is not necessarily new technology it is being embraced at a more rapid pace.  Mobile workers continue to use a variety of devices aside from their laptops/desktops and they are constantly seeking out new tools that will keep them productive, no matter what device they use.

Let us know what you do to be more productive when you are traveling or away from the office.

Toronto-based law firm Hicks Morely, which has a staff that exceeds 200, started its own internal social network to relieve the onslaught of emails lawyers received daily.

Following the launch, the firm discovered that collaboration among co-workers increased resulting in an uptick in productivity.  With the growing availability of social networking software, the days of communicating via email are numbered.

Gartner Research predicted social networking services will replace email as the primary communications vehicle for 20 percent of business users by 2014.   Many workplace experts support this premise and believe social networking for companies will overshadow email and will eventually be considered a business tool, which holds the same value (if not more) as the telephone, Internet or email.

Let us know if your company has developed its own social network and if you’ve experienced improved performance from your employees or co-workers.

"Change before you have to." - Jack Welch

Business icon Jack Welch once said, “Change before you have to.”  Now more than ever, conversations about initiating change are taking place among professionals who run businesses of all sizes.  For many of us, it’s in our nature to resist change because there is the fear of unknown and of failure.

In this economic environment, a reluctance to change, even when you know the status quo isn’t working, can prevent your business from moving forward.

There are a number of sources that can provide rapid fire ideas that may inspire you to try something new and shift course.  Recent advice from Harvard Business Review offers up three practical tips you and your colleagues should be thinking about on a regular basis:

1. Go back to and revisit old ideas.  The timing may not have been right in the past, but these old ideas may be possible now.
2. Focus on the customer, not the product.  Good customer insight will enable you to develop products/services to meet your clients’ needs.
3. Innovate – Extending beyond your comfort zone can lead to new clients and new markets.

Let us know if your business changes are making a difference.

A little organization can provide a big boost to your productivity and keep day-to-day operations running smoothly.

With tax season complete (at least for most of us), a good spring cleaning should be next on your to-do list.   Although this may not be a top priority for you or your employees, spring time is the perfect time to de-clutter, file and organize your office space.

A little organization can provide a big boost to your productivity and keep day-to-day operations running smoothly.   It doesn’t matter if you run a home-based business or work full-time from an office, regular upkeep, just a few minutes a day, can keep your space organized and minimize your stress levels.

Professional Organizer Jasmine Beierle offers simple steps to keep your space neat:

• Keep only what you need and use
• Everything should have a proper place
• Create a paper management system
• Schedule a regular time to maintain your office

And, remember first impressions matters.  A neat office says a lot about you and your business. In a recent OfficeTeam survey of 500 HR managers, 83 percent said the appearance of an employee’s workspace at least somewhat affects their perception of that person’s professionalism.

Can you get work done in your office space?

We came across an opinion piece on cnn.com by Jason Fried, co-founder and president of 37signals and disagree with his thesis, “The modern office has become an interruption factory.  You can’t get work done at work anymore.”

In the lead sentence Fried asserts, “Companies spend billions on rent, offices and office equipment so their employees will have a great place to work.”  While true, this broad statement is not an accurate assessment of how all businesses are currently managing their property needs.  To the detriment of many companies, some are indeed adhering to an outdated real estate philosophy, which entails long-term lease agreements, hefty upfront capital expenditures and no flexibility with respect to size and terms.

However, forward-thinking businesses are looking at the workplace in a different light and are choosing innovative, agile workplaces that maximize the output of their employees while being mindful of the bottom line.

The clients we work with range in size and specifically chose us because of the flexibility, scalability and cost savings we deliver.  We analyzed the needs of the 21^st Century business and responded with collaboration spaces, enterprise-grade technology and even lighting and furniture that allows clients to thrive.

If the office is host to a myriad of distractions, as the author suggests, how is the local coffee shop, which is inundated with disruptions a haven for productivity?  Does having an important client meeting at a coffeehouse project the right image?  Is using free public Wi-Fi a secure way of running a business?

Obviously, work is getting done in locations outside of the traditional office – thanks to technology and the rise of the mobile worker.  However, it is very simplistic to dismiss the need of an office – all of the time.  A modern, 21^st Century workplace provides businesses with an environment that enhances productivity – something the local coffee shop or spare bedroom office could never do.

Web Security is a top concern in 2011.

No one can dispute that technology is good for business.  Rapid advancements have enabled businesses to work faster and smarter while extending their reach to new customers around the world.  However, as reported in EnterpriseMobileToday.com, the proliferation of Web 2.0 applications has exposed vulnerabilities within organizations who have not beefed up their security infrastructure.   Companies need to step up and implement multiple layers of protection in order to thwart virus attacks, malware and phishing.

The projection is Internet risks will increase for the foreseeable future as businesses continue to grow their mobile workforce and data is accessed from both corporate and personal devices.  Fifty-four percent of organizations interviewed in a CheckPoint survey expect their number of remote users will rise this year, thus increasing the opportunities for attacks.  In addition, a large number of businesses will be migrating to Windows 7.  And, according to the piece, “Businesses may find that Windows 7 migration will be an opportune time to reduce the number of security vendors they use and to consolidate endpoint security solutions.”

A company’s sensitive data is a potential target as the workspace continues to expand and information is tapped from multiple points.  The 21^st Century enterprise expects a full-service workplace that can adapt to their business requirements – a safe and secure IT infrastructure is essential to their success.

What has your business done to improve its security?

Tech@Cost offers customers office supplies at wholesale pricing.

By Melissa Sargeantson

These days, businesses are looking for creative ways to maximize profits – including cutting unnecessary expenses.  Take, for instance, business technology and office supplies.  In today’s business world, these items are a necessity – however, we can find ourselves buried in the expenses.   Luckily, there is a solution.  Companies do not need to sacrifice purchasing cutting edge technology, often fundamental to their competitive edge, to save money.  Meet OfficeLinks’ Willis Tower based client Tech@Cost, an online, members-only, business technology and office supply reseller that leverages negotiated direct relationships with the nation’s largest technology distributors to allow members to purchase at true wholesale pricing.  I’m talking discount pricing on everything from computers to printers, from software to networking, calculators to shredders and everything in between.  Did I mention that they add NO markup to any of the product?  That’s right – our cost is their cost.

After my recent interview with Tech@Cost Co-Founder Brian Fritton, one thing is very clear; he is passionate about helping businesses.  Realizing the supply market was too commoditized and that businesses often already know what they want, Brian and his brother started Tech@Cost with the goal to do more than help companies save money.  Tech@Cost aims to be a business buyer resource, managing the buying process for companies and making purchasing easier.  Even the membership component was designed around customers, keeping the focus on customer service versus sales.  For a small flat fee, members have access to a growing list of benefits through strategic partnerships with affiliate groups.

Want to see for yourself how cutting unnecessary costs can help you thrive in today’s market?  Tech@Cost is offering two additional discounts exclusive to OfficeLinks clients and blog viewers: 15% off monthly membership for the life of your account (enter coupon code: OfficeLinksMonth) and 25% off annual memberships for the life of your account (enter coupon code: OfficeLinksYear).  Act fast – both of these codes will expire May 31.

Check out Tech@Cost’s website at www.techatcost.com.  Cost effective, efficient, quick and easy. Just another way to help you and your business thrive.

Brigitte Baron give insight into the importance of brand stories.

Does your brand have a story?  What does it tell your customers?  Is it telling a story you want heard?

The questions keep buzzing around my head after a recent conversation with Brigitte Baron, the New York Office Manager for Totem Brand Stories, an OfficeLinks client located in our Bryant Park, New York office and internationally awarded creative agency that originates branded content and custom-media programs for clients.

Totem creates branded content and custom-media programs by combining journalism and marketing talent to build meaningful customer relationships and drive clients’ business objectives. Totem’s North American client roster includes Procter & Gamble, The Home Depot, Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), Frito-Lay, Sears, Sobeys, The Principal Financial Group, Rexall, Mazda International, Aeroplan Group, Bank of America and more.

In speaking with Ms. Baron, I learned that telling a brand’s story has much to do with commanding the customers’ attention and building brand community.   Telling great brand stories starts by gaining an intimate understand of a brand and the customer. This, according to Ms. Baron, is where Totem shines. Totem’s team will sit down and talk with clients, finding out what the company’s goals are, what their initiatives are, what they are trying to accomplish, and then finding media solutions based on their priorities. And from there, they use the discipline of journalism and the creativity of storytelling to create a brand story.

How do you create a story?  Ms. Baron walked me through Totem’s strategy and process: Totem develops the “story” that is the consumer’s true brand experience by exploring and mapping out all of a customer’s touch points.  They develop a communication blueprint that involves identifying and tracing customers through their entire life cycle, from initial inspiration to post-purchase phases. Totem ensures that all creative and messaging – across all customer touch points – are grounded in business objectives. They plan content that maximizes consumer engagement with the brand and drives business objectives. Totem delivers media and advertising services and solutions to reach engaged, high-value brand communities – and this includes keeping a close eye on what’s happening with mobile apps, table media and digital solutions.

And this is imperative to business looking to thrive because connecting with consumers will keep them advocating for the brand – even after their purchase.

In the words bright and bold on Totem’s website: “Great brand stories are not merely written.  They are crafted.”  How well is yours crafted?

For more information about how Totem can help your brand story, and to view its portfolio, click here.

Increasingly, bootstrapping (or personally-financed businesses) is becoming a common path for small business owners at the start-up phase.  More so than in years past, today’s entrepreneurs are focused on how their business will survive on only the capital an owner has pumped into it. As a result, entrepreneurs should be developing business plans that are flexible in order to accommodate monetary constraints and changing market conditions. 

Bootstrapping is not necessarily a bad thing and forces business owners to be realistic in terms of the amount of money they can spend on technology, product development and sales and marketing.  At the onset, office space may be the last thing an entrepreneur worries about and opts for a home-based business.  However, as a business expands, owners need to support their growth strategy with a workplace that is scalable and adaptable.

A shared office environment is often appealing because this workplace option greatly reduces the amount of capital required to conduct business in a productive atmosphere.  They also allow start-ups and entrepreneurs to stay in one location and add space and business services on-demand.

Keep in mind, Bootstrapping doesn’t have to last forever.  Once a small business has a proven performance record, it could be a candidate for financing.  The Small Business Administration can help businesses seeking loans. In addition to the SBA, New York City-based business can also contact New York City’s Department of Small Business Services.

Two likely factors are involved in this latest report: one is the employment situation, which means that fewer employees are being asked to do more work. But the other is the advent of better, faster ways to get the job done, principally new technology and new office designs that can turbo charge everyone’s personal productivity.

It’s a profoundly altered business environment that we all face. New markets are opening up all the time. Customers expect instant responses to their requests. If I and my teammates are going to succeed, we have to do more, get there first and access the latest data concerning our industry and our customers.

Fortunately, the dazzling technology available in today’s most advanced offices makes it easy to be at your best and maximize your effectiveness. You can connect instantly with customers and colleagues, wherever and whenever.

OfficeLinks’  21^st Century office at the Willis Tower is one example of an advanced workplace that offers an array of productivity-enhancing capabilities: great design, killer technology, a spectacular environment, a savvy support team and every imaginable business amenity. And it’s all focused on one purpose: making it super easy for clients to be productive and to thrive at what they do.

If you’d like to read more about our take on the 21^st Century office – continue to check out our blog, stop by one of ourlocations or visit www.OfficeLinks.com for more information.

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