If you’re in the holiday spirit and want to “window shop” – head over to Macy’s on State Street to check out their spectacular window display.  You can also head inside to see the Great Tree – it’s the 103^rd year that the 45-foot Great Tree will be lit to celebrate the holidays. It will feature 10,000 LED twinkling lights and 1,200 amazing ornaments.

Holidays not your thing? That’s OK – you can join in on Chicago’s winter tradition: ice skating at Millennium Park’s McCormick Tribune Ice Rink.

Located on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Madison Streets, the Millennium Park Ice Rink draws more than 100,000 skaters annually. The rink is open to the public every day of the week and skating is free. (You read right – FREE!) Skate rentals are available for $10. The rink is in its 11^th season and is open until March 11, 2012, weather permitting.

For Ice Rink hours and additional information, click here.

Also, through January 8, a bit further down the road from OfficeLinks’ Chicago offices, the Navy Pier will host Winter Wonderfest. Escape any winter blahs and enjoy rides, lights, and even fireworks! Admission is free (yes – I said it again! Twice in one post: FREE!), but you do need to pay for an Activity Wristband for any rides or attractions.

For Wonderfest hours and additional information, click here.

Chicago is a wonderful place to be around the holidays and during the winter. Get out there and enjoy every second of it!

An article in Entrepreneur revealed one professional’s opinion about office space and the importance of matching office space to a business’ identity.  It’s all about striking the right balance.

“When I go into a start-up burning $300,000 a month, and they’ve got posh offices with great furniture, I immediately think the leadership team’s priorities are in the wrong place,” says Mark Montgomery from a Nashville, Tenn.-based VC firm.  “On the other side, I don’t think you should have your people sitting on cardboard boxes at a card table. It really is a matter of being practical.”

So what should your office space look like?  First and foremost, it should project a professional image for clients and prospects.  It needs to be functional and provide a number of work environments to suit different needs where employees can thrive.

Montgomery looks back at a recent visit to Google’s Mountain View, Calif. headquarters and says the company’s culture is perfectly reflected in their workplace design.  “There were areas where it was small and tight and closed-off, and that was where the coders lived, and that was right next to big, open spaces.  It was just a great mix of how they tend to operate the business.”

Obviously, office space needs to serve a business; but don’t forget it also should be a place where creativity can be limitless and workers want to invest long hours.

Looking for a unique Halloween-themed experience? Come here after dark on October 20th!

Celebrate Halloween at the Adler Planetarium, about 2 miles from OfficeLinks’ Chicago location, on Thursday, October 20, for a “Spooky Space” celebration. Get into character and dress to impress for a Halloween costume contest (yes, there are prizes!), get spooked with scary constellation stories in the Atwood Sphere, sip on this month’s signature cocktail, the Rummy Worm, while you dance the nightmares away as DJ Tim Zawada spins records.

In addition, there will be screenings of some rare sci-fi films hosted by Odd Obsession, as well as some ghostly hauntings in the historic galleries on the lower level.  You can even create your own gooey monster capable of slithering through the states of the old planetarium.

Both the Adler’s Grainger Sky Theater and the Definiti will be running. You can also check out Adler’s newest show, The Searcher, or see what’s happening in the night sky in a special, one-night only Space Mysteries show in the Definiti Theater.

The Doane Observatory will be open for drop-in visitors until 6:45 p.m. From 7:00 p.m. onward, tickets are required for entrance to the observatory. Tour tickets can only be reserved when you purchase advance tickets; tickets will not be available with on-site sales. Please note that access to the Doane is subject to weather.

Advanced tickets to Adler’s After Dark Spooky Space event are $12 for non-members, $9 for members and students (with proper ID); tickets at the door are $17 for non-members, $12 for members and students (with proper ID).   Advanced tickets sales end at noon the day of the event. A cash bar and full cafe menu is available.

The fun doesn’t stop on October 20^th. The third Thursday of every month, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m., the Adler Planetarium offers folks 21 and over to enjoy cocktails and appetizers against the award-winning view of the Chicago skyline seen only from the Adler with their Adler After Dark events. Each month Adler After Dark reinvents itself with a new and exciting theme, so there is something new to discover and experience.  Want to find out more? Click here.

Researchers at Ohio State University and the National Institute of Mental Health studied white-collar workers at a government facility in the central U.S. and found varying levels of stress for workers who were placed in different environments.  After one year, the scientists found that individuals assigned to work in the older office building, rather than the newer renovated space, were significantly more stressed even when they weren’t at work.

Alternatively, a carefully planned, well-equipped workspace does help people focus and can encourage creativity.

At some point, businesses will go through the process of securing office space.  Here are some things to consider before signing a new agreement:

• Location:  What does the address say about your business?
• The building:  Does it enhance your image?
• Space:  Does the layout work for your business?  Can it be adapted as needs change.

Choosing the right office space is not a decision that should be taken lightly.  “Getting the right office space is so important because your business will have to live with it for the life of a lease,” says Paul Kelly, head of marketing for Morgan Lovell, a UK-based company that does office build outs and design.

Today’s businesses are dealing with so much uncertainty that a solid office plan will give them the competitive edge they need.

Hurricane Irene got us thinking about disaster plans.

The devastating aftermath of Hurricane Irene has brought the discussion of disaster preparedness to the forefront for many businesses – at least in the short-term.

Sadly, it takes a devastating natural or man-made disaster to prompt a company to look at or even consider developing a business continuity plan.

Having a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy in place gives businesses the comfort of knowing they have a system in place that will keep their operations up and running for its customers, partners and employees.

Businesses often encounter the most problems when their facility or office space is damaged.  Having a back up location for your company is essential for your employees.  The following checklist can help you determine what type of back up office your business needs.

Make sure your back up office has:

• Sufficient capacity for supporting your organization
• Adequate security for your personnel
• Skilled staff in place who can provide business support to your employees
• A technology infrastructure to meet your business’ needs

Going through this exercise in advance will save your business a lot of hardship in the future.

On the upside, a Babson College professor looked at this recent challenge as an opportunity for entrepreneurs and said, “Often large disruptions such as natural disasters create the basis for new business opportunities.”

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.

Brian d'Arcy James and Alice Ripley star in Next to Normal.

Less than ½ mile from OfficeLinks’ offices in Willis Tower at the Bank of America Theatre, you can see for yourself what everyone is raving about: the “emotional powerhouse of a musical” that won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards.  Between April 26, 2011 through May 8, 2011, Next to Normal, the most talked about new show on Broadway, will be in Chicago.

From the director of Rent, Next to Normal stars Alice Ripley, 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Actress in a Musical, and takes you into a family trying to take care of themselves and each other.  Hailed for its accuracy and empathy, the musical’s focus is on Diana (played by Ripley) – a woman with “bipolar disorder with delusional episodes and depression.”

The New York Times calls Next to Normal “a brave, breathtaking musical.” Rolling Stone raves, “It is the best musical of the season by a mile. It’ll pin you to your seat.” Entertainment Weekly gives it an A, saying it’s “Agonizingly beautiful.”

What will you say?

Get your tickets today before it heads out of town.

Are you the Entrepreneur of 2011?

Has your business challenged the status quo?  Are you making a difference in your industry?  If your company has set itself apart from its competitors, now is the time to enter Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur of 2011 Contest.

This is the fourth consecutive year the publication has set out to find trailblazing business owners who are pushing the envelope with innovative solutions.  The contest is divided into three categories:

• Entrepreneur 2011 – Businesses with no more than 100 employees and gross sales revenue of at least $3 million in 2010 qualify in this category.
• Emerging Entrepreneur of 2011 – Is open to companies with no more than 12 employees and has earned at least $350,000 in gross sales during 2010.
• College Entrepreneur – In this category, students get a shot to pitch their business ideas and win $5,000 in startup capital.

“Each year the competition heats up with entrepreneurs kicking old-business habits to the curb to address new market needs in innovative ways,” says Amy Cosper, vice president and editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “We’d expect nothing less from the 7.8 million small businesses brilliantly applying their ideas to everything from sustainability issues to health matters and more. The Entrepreneur of 2011 awards, while given to a select few, honor their collective efforts that create new jobs and propel us all forward.”

Entry criteria and the complete rules can be found on http://entrepreneur.com/e2011/rules.  The deadline for all entries is June 15, 2011.

Bring Your Kids to Work on Thursday, April 28.

Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day 2011 is Thursday, April 28th and Willis Tower, home to OfficeLinks‘ Chicago offices, is pleased to offer one complimentary admission to each child and parent/chaperone to visit the world famous Skydeck Chicago, featuring The Ledge.  Admission is for any time throughout the day on April 28th.  Due to the number of large groups visiting the Skydeck this day, it is recommend that you visit between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM to maximize your experience.  You and your child can access the entrance to the Skydeck through the revolving door next to Corner Bakery.  Please show your Willis Tower building ID to the security personnel near the revolving door.

Please have your company representative submit one list with children’s names and ages and parent or chaperone names to the Office of the Building by Monday, April 25th.  Admission bracelets will be delivered to each office on Wednesday, April 27th.

In addition, a few of the building’s restaurants are offering Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day specials!  Simply present your admission bracelet to receive these great deals.

Salseria Grill & Cantina is offering a children’s lunch special that includes one beef or chicken taco, one cheese quesadilla, rice and fountain drink for $5.95.  Reservations are required in advance for groups of 5 or more by calling (312) 756-1770.

Venice Café is offering one free small soda to each child with any purchase. You can also order pizzas in advance by calling Venice Café at 312-382-0301. For the full menu log onto www.venicecafe-online.com.

Market Creations is offering one free juice or soda to each child with any purchase and a $1.00 per pound discount off their current menu selections.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Building at (312) 875-0066.  OfficeLinks sure hopes to have the opportunities to meet some of our clients’ children on April 28^th!