This year’s list of cool offices will inspire even the most cynical among us who believe the “office” is obsolete.  The cutting-edge workspaces featured in the magazine prove that the days of the cookie-cutter office cubicle are gone.  21^st Century office design has become more functional, is intended to foster collaboration among workers and is now part of a company’s culture.

Inc.com chose San Francisco-based Obscura Digital as this year’s winner whose office design is extraordinary.

No question, some of the offices that made the list are extreme and most small businesses will never have the money to invest at such a high level.  However, businesses of all sizes can certainly benefit from a work environment that is in step with today’s business needs and has different spaces that can adaptable and flexible.

Many workers are bringing in devices from home and the IT departments are making concessions to accommodate them.   In fact, some IT departments are handing out stipends and allowing employees to buy the laptop of their choice.   Forrester Research has been tracking this growing trend and found that 48 percent of information workers buy smartphones for work without considering what their IT department support.

As companies become more lenient, management is expecting workers to be more productive as workers have the freedom to choose a device that best suits their needs.   Companies like Netflix and Kraft Foods have already implemented policies that empower workers to make their own technology choices.

“As long as they’re productive, innovative and engaged, we’re happy,” said Steve Swasey with Netflix.

Does your company allow you to pick your own devices?  Would you like to?  Let us know.

Today’s modern offices and its workers are on a path of constant transformation.  Many employers, aware of how work patterns have changed due to technology and globalization, are looking to proactively align their office environments with the needs of 21^st century workers in order to maximize performance.

As a result, the potential of office design and its role in impacting productivity and creativity is limitless.   Cost containment is also driving changes in the workplace.  Companies looking to reduce their fixed real estate costs are embracing alternative workplaces like shared office environments, which because of their flexibility; enable businesses to hone in on property costs.  Office fluidity is as important as an agile business plan and designers are stepping up their game.

And, while more open spaces and floor plans are being incorporated to fuel collaboration, it may not be preferred workspace for everyone.  There is a quiet debate brewing about four walls versus an open plan.  So are you the type of person that finds comfort behind four walls or in an open plan?

Let us know where you do your best work.

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.

Federal employee travel and commuting account for the largest category of what the administration calls indirect sources of pollution.  The White House is encouraging workers to travel less for business and to use mass transit for their commutes.

Today, most businesses understand their responsibility to limit their impact on the environment and are leveraging available technology like video and audio conferencing as an alternative to business travel.

Among the many benefits of this technology are: a decrease in business travel expenses, a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and increased productivity.  Individuals can have face-to-face meetings with colleagues or clients anyone anywhere in the world allowing them to collaborate as effectively as if they were meeting in the same room.
 
Access to this technology is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses of all sizes. Companies find themselves managing a distributed workforce with limited budget for business travel. Videoconferencing eliminates geographic boundaries and is an easy way for businesses to be environmentally conscious.

Videoconferencing can be used for something as simple as a conversation between two people in private offices across the country from each other or involve several people in several offices around the globe.  Besides the audio and visual transmission of meeting activities, videoconferencing can be used to share documents, computer-displayed information, and whiteboards.  All of this from the comfort of your own office.

You might be asking yourself, “OK, how can it enhance my business performance?”  It’s all about how you use this technology to your benefit.  Videoconferencing can support a mobile work force and allow you to conduct business instantly.  It is a quick and effective way to meet face-to-face.    Plus you’ll save money on travel costs and, Videoconferencing can also increase in productivity, as it eliminates the hassle of travel arrangements, managing jet lag, and the coordination of traveler schedules across days for one meeting.  As an added bonus, videoconferencing is a user-friendly green business solution – no trains, planes, or automobiles are needed!

A cost-effective, productivity increasing tool, videoconferencing is a smart business solution for any business looking to succeed in this market.   For more information about how OfficeLinks Videoconferencing studios in Office New York office locations (40 Wall Street, 1440 Broadway and 33 West 19^th Street) and OfficeLinks Chicago office locations (Willis Tower) can enhance your business, click here.

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.

This concept of co-working is a very attractive one – you get to work in a creative, dedicated work environment with other professionals, escape working alone in a home office, connect with others and network, avoid the coffee house distractions, get motivated and driven by the others sharing the workspace, and have flexibility and no commitment to traditional “work time”.

This past August, OfficeLinks debuted a product designed to provide knowledge workers with reduce office space costs while providing enterprise-grade technology and workplace infrastructure that enables and inspires collaboration: Co-Working Offices. Companies or individuals interested may try co-working FREE on Fridays at OfficeLinks’ locations in Chicago and New York.  The first of its kind, OfficeLinks’ program brings knowledge workers unprecedented opportunity to leverage the company’s fully furnished, staffed, and modern offices on a transactional basis, while also networking with like-minded business people.   OfficeLinks’ Co-Working program includes access to modern workstations, blazing-fast and free WIFI, as well as refreshments and snacks to fuel the brain.

Say goodbye to overhearing every soy latte ordered at the corner café and hello to working in an inspiring, modern workspace with other people just like you.  For more information about OfficeLinks’ Co-Working Offices in their Chicago (Willis Tower location) and New York (40 Wall Street, 1440 Broadway and 33 West 19^th Street) office locations, click here.