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.

There are "dos and don'ts" for running a virtual meeting.

Now that videoconferencing and web meetings are commonplace technologies used regularly by 21^st Century businesses, this is a good opportunity to cover the essential “Dos and Don’ts” of running a virtual meeting.

This availability and increasing value of this technology comes at a time when businesses are altering their hiring strategies and are retaining talent based on expertise and not on geographic location.  Often managers find themselves working with colleagues and partners in different cities around the world.

The ability to bring together remote workers via a single communication channel (and without incurring travel costs) has proven to be an indispensable resource for today’s businesses who are aggressively trimming all unnecessary expenses.

Although this technology may be fun to “play with” here are eight tips for you to review before you send out your next Meeting Request.

As the author notes, the recommendations are based on common sense.  However, sometimes we can all lose sight of the basics.  We’ve all sat in meetings and wondered if our attendance was absolutely necessary.   If these points for refining and improving a virtual meeting were strictly followed the outcome and results of any meeting would improve.

Of course, everyone wants and should be connected — just make certain everyone is gathering for the right reason and with a true purpose.

It’s all part of a trend that has seen smaller companies and entrepreneurs successfully slugging it out with bigger, less nimble competitors. With the right kind of infrastructure, a start-up company can compete with a large multinational in terms of speed and availability. A distributed workforce can collaborate across continents and oceans by sharing a virtual network and even holding instant global meetings through Videoconferencing.

In short, being wired-in is a great equalizer: it can put even a one-person operation in the same technology league with any larger competitor.

Once place to find that kind of technology is at OfficeLinks’ 21^st Century shared offices facility, in the Willis Tower. Few workers at huge corporations or even at vaunted high-tech firms enjoy access to this level of technology and business support.

How do you leverage high-tech solutions to get to that level of competitiveness?  In upcoming blogs we’ll explore how some of today’s smartest business people are making it happen.

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

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The OfficeLinks Business Support Services can act as part of your team in a number of ways.  Need 100 copies of a presentation by tomorrow, collated and bound? OfficeLinks Business Support Services are there for you. Need to have data entered into your system, but it has been sitting on your desk for weeks, getting bumped for other to-dos on your list?  OfficeLinks Business Support Services are there for you. Have a major business meeting and need help with the PowerPoint presentation and video conferencing?  OfficeLinks Business Support Services are there for you.   Need voicemail storage and access 24/7?  OfficeLinks Business Support Services are there for you. Need high-speed internet access with managed firewall protection and system support and maintenance?  OfficeLinks Business Support Services are there for you.

Ok, so we’re trying to drive home a point by saying that we’re there for you.  But all joking aside, OIfficeLinks clients know that we are absolutely committed to being there for you and providing an environment for them to thrive.  For more information about how OfficeLinks can support your business and employees, click here.

If you want to stay competitive while using a virtual office, professionalism must remain a focus in the forefront. Employees should be able to send an mail from a prime professional business address and there should be a phone number available to customers/clients and employees with a professional voice answering the phone. Your business could have live call answering during business hours, access to a day office and even a fully-equipped space for meetings. A professional front face is key. Remember an old rule of thumb; a good impression is a lasting one…a bad one lasts even longer.

OfficeLinks’ three superior New York City office locations (40 Wall Street, 1440 Broadway and 33 West 19th Street) and a landmark Chicago office location in the Willis Tower, offer clients an array of Virtual Office options that are just right for every kind of business out there – including yours.

So, whether you are a start-up, entering a new market, needing local presence for project work, or have a mobile workforce, a Virtual Office is a viable, cost-effective option for your business. To learn how OfficeLinks can help, click here.