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Tag: remote work

Creating a Home Office — Optimizing Audio Stimulation and Sound Quality for Productivity

The rise of remote work spotlights an otherwise often-overlooked facet of our professional lives — the influence of audio stimulation. Never before has sound quality played such a pivotal role, shaping our communication with clients and colleagues and helping enhance productivity and maintain hearing health.

In the pursuit of designing the perfect home office, three primary areas need careful attention — equipment, volume and environment. Each of these elements uniquely contributes to the overall sound quality when creating your home office arrangement.

READ: Managing a Remote Work Team with Communication and Ease

Equipment

Your audio setup significantly impacts the quality of sound you experience. Much like painting — the tools you use drastically change the outcome of the artwork. A physical volume controller is a vital setup component for ease of use. 

Imagine quickly controlling your audio environment without breaking your workflow. Utilizing a physical volume knob eliminates the need to navigate through digital settings when your favorite song comes up or when you suddenly need a volume change. Analog volume controllers are crucial as they are much easier to use and eliminate fumbling with your computer’s virtual sliders when the phone rings or you need to take a break. Several good options are available on Amazon, like the one from Geekria.  

While headphones are useful in certain situations, speakers provide the best listening experience. Most small speakers should be placed about 1.5 to 3 feet from your listening position. 

The following speaker systems are affordable, easy to use and purpose-built to achieve excellent sound quality: 

Volume

The volume of your music or other audio content is critical to your productivity and focus. Like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” the volume shouldn’t be too loud or soft but just right. Studies show that music played above 95 decibels can decrease reaction time by up to 20% — a statistic closely linked with cognitive function. 

Finding your optimal volume level can be more art than science. For instance, gentle music can be ambient background noise for your workspace, fostering a more focused and enjoyable environment. However, you can quickly lose focus and productivity if the volume climbs too high. 

A simple test might involve writing out the preamble to the Constitution or the happy birthday song by hand — adjusting the volume until you can do this without your handwriting resembling abstract art. Through this exercise, you might discover that you enjoy instrumental music played at a slightly higher volume than music with lyrics, allowing for pleasant variety in your day.

And remember the importance of taking listening breaks. Now and then, turning up the volume for a couple of your favorite tracks can provide a refreshing pause — almost like a mini vacation for your ears. Likewise, sometimes taking time away and letting your ears rest is necessary — sound engineer pros do it, and you should too. These two simple practices can rejuvenate your focus and help you power through the rest of your workday.

Environment

Your work environment significantly contributes to your sound experience and overall productivity. Here, we introduce the concept of the “noise floor,” or the background noise level present in your workspace. In noisy environments, cranking up your audio volume to offset the background noise is tempting, but doing so could lead to loud competition that can disrupt your focus rather than enhance it.

READ: Is an ADU or Creating a Home Office a Good Option for Your Property?

Also, consider the acoustics of your space. Hard surfaces force sound to bounce around and create distracting echoes. Soft furnishings like rugs, chairs or curtains can help absorb sound and create a more pleasant auditory environment.

The key to creating the perfect work environment is striking a balance. Utilizing the proper equipment, aim for a volume level just slightly above the noise floor when the room is quiet. This ensures that when the ambient noise naturally subsides, your music seamlessly steps in, providing a consistent, soothing backdrop.

Creating a Home Office Harmony

Creating a home office involves careful consideration of the audio environment. By focusing on your equipment, managing volume appropriately and optimizing your workspace, you can significantly enhance your productivity and overall work experience. So, set up your sound, find your perfect audio balance and enjoy a more harmonious, productive home office experience.

 

Steve Borne is an inventor, sound designer, musician and recording studio owner with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Borne witnessed the birth of the digital audio revolution as an early hire at Pro Tools — the most used audio production software in the entertainment industry at the time.As a sound designer, he’s worked on over 50 feature films and is best known for his work on Spielberg, Jane Fonda in 5 Acts, Billy Joel-Live from the River of Dreams, and The Half of It. He has also worked on 20 complete seasons of episodic network TV programming, winning two mixing Emmys for his work on Nurse Jackie, where he was the sound designer and supervisor for seven seasons.

IWG Offers Cyclists Free Access to Workplace Locations for Bike to Work Week

To celebrate National Bike to Work Week and the sustainability benefits of hybrid working, IWG, plc — the leading provider of flexible workspace, both in the US and globally — has announced it will provide free access to its business lounge facilities for all office workers in the metro areas of seven U.S. locations. The participating markets include Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Washington, D.C. San Francisco, San Jose, and Denver. The offer is redeemable for any two days between May 15-19, 2023.

The concept of 15-minute city living — where people live and work locally, within 15 minutes of their home, has been rapidly growing in popularity since the pandemic. There is a growing demand for living more localized and enriched lives with more time spent with friends and family and less time commuting. This philosophy goes hand in hand with sustainable, active transportation options. For hybrid workers who have the option to work at an office closer to their home, biking to work is a healthier, more sustainable option than driving a car or traveling extended distances on public transport.

READ: How To Balance Supporting Your Remote Workers and In-office Employees

“Sustainability is top of mind for many companies around the world — and their employees are looking for ways to decrease their carbon footprint,” said Mark Dixon, CEO and Founder of IWG. “During Bike to Work Week, we are promoting sustainable transportation and access to office spaces that are closer to home – both of which are growing trends and interests of our customers. The shift to the hybrid work model is bolstered by the rising popularity of the concept of the 15-minute city, where people live and work within 15 minutes of their home.”

To participate, all workers need to do is find the nearest location is download the IWG or Regus apps. When they arrive at their center of choice, they will show a ​​photo of their bike parked with that day’s timestamp or a receipt from a bike-sharing company to the IWG team and they will be provided access to the business lounge or co-working space. All IWG locations have fully furnished spaces, reliable high-speed Wi-Fi connection, 24/7 customer service and dedicated meeting room spaces. On the app, users can take advantage of a range of professional products and services from booking meeting rooms to printing collateral to utilizing facilities including private offices, meeting rooms, co-working and creative spaces.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation emissions comprise 27% of carbon emissions in the United States. Switching to a sustainable form of transportation like biking or walking is one of the most effective ways that a person can reduce their everyday carbon emissions, with biking having about a 30th of the carbon impact of driving a car.  Additionally, recent research from IWG and Arup shows that working in the hybrid model can reduce emissions associated with work by up to 90% in some U.S. cities. The report found that workers who travel to a local workspace more than half of the time have much lower carbon impacts than people working with a traditional five-day commute.

Cyclists can take note of bike safety details in each respective market, including:

IWG provides on-demand services to its members, including access to 3,500 locations around the world, meeting rooms whenever they are needed, IT support, networking, and business and social events and much more.

To download the app, please visit here.

 

About IWG PLC  

IWG is leading the workspace revolution. Our companies help millions of people and their businesses to work more productively. We do so by providing a choice of professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces, communities and services. 

Digitalization and new technologies are transforming the world of work. People want the personal productivity benefits of living and working how and where they want. Businesses want the financial and strategic benefits. Our customers are start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large multinationals. With unique business goals, people and aspirations. They want workspaces and communities to match their needs. They want choice. 

Through our companies we provide that choice, and serve the whole world of work: Regus, Spaces, No18, Basepoint, Open Office and Signature. We create personal, financial, and strategic value for businesses of every size. From some of the most exciting companies and well-known organizations on the planet, to individuals and the next generation of industry leaders. All of them harness the power of flexible working to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity. Join us at www.iwgplc.com

Navigating the New Era of Employee Engagement — Everything You Need to Know

Employee engagement is always important to keep a business running smoothly and successfully. In the time of The Great Resignation and “quiet quitting,” leaders must get creative. More attention must be paid to employee needs from pay to overall quality of life.

READ: 6 Ways to Find New Employees During the “Great Resignation”

Workplace health

Your job can impact your mental health and physical well-being. Employees are increasingly taking notice of how they feel at a job and factoring burnout and lack of support into their decisions to work elsewhere. The health of employees is vital from an ethical standpoint but also in order to preserve efficiency and productivity. If your staff is hurting, physically or emotionally, so will your bottom line.

Employee burnout results from putting too much pressure on employees and not providing enough engaging activities. Leaders should focus on integrating staff into the workplace culture and putting their health first. Productivity will follow inherently. For example, Colorado tech company, SumUp, emphasizes team events and has seen a shift in overall business success from doing so.

More employees work from home now than ever. In fact, Denver has the 12th largest remote workforce in the nation, when considering cities with 300,000 people or more. The number of people who work from home in Colorado jumped from 9% to 24% remote employees from 2019 to 2021. This is a massive change, and leaders should be aware of how this impacts employee health and engagement. 

For instance, working from home can exacerbate chronic pain from spending long hours at less-than-comfortable desks. Providing ergonomic home office accessories can help your employees live a healthier lifestyle while still being able to work remotely. This could include standing desks, ergonomic office chairs, or even blue light glasses that prevent eye strain. 

READ: Managing a Remote Work Team with Communication and Ease

Along the same vein, team events may need to be remote, but they should be plentiful, optional and engaging. Employees should want to come to work every day. Otherwise, they simply won’t — whether that’s physically or mentally.

Increased flexibility and transparency

When it’s tougher to get employees to “show up,” leaders have a responsibility to incentivize them to do so. Put your focus on the quality of life at work to inspire confidence in your company and workforce. One of the best ways to increase employee satisfaction and engagement is to trust them — and to encourage them to trust you.

Giving employees the autonomy to choose when and how they work can do wonders for your engagement rate. Adopt a more flexible schedule and don’t micromanage employees by tracking their every keystroke. You’ll be surprised how a little wiggle room encourages them to work more often and efficiently. And when they do, recognize their efforts companywide. 

Perhaps more importantly, treat employees as part of the team. This may seem obvious, but people value transparency in the workplace. Rather than being blindsided by layoffs or company policy changes, keep your workforce in the loop as much as possible. Some things are on a need-to-know basis, but be as transparent as you can as quickly as you can, and employees will respond positively.

Fair wages and benefits

This new wave of employees also expects to be rewarded fairly for their hard work. Only 32% of the current workforce believe their pay is fair. You can stand out from the competition by adhering to these expectations.

Pay staff as much as you can, because they are likely to shop around for a better offer somewhere else if they feel under-compensated. The internet has provided job seekers — and current employees — the opportunity to see how other employees are being paid within their industry. Make sure to offer as much as you can to show staff that you value their time and expertise.

This also includes benefits. Ping-pong tables and nap pods may look inviting when recruiting initially. However, long-term employees value tangible, useful benefits at the end of the day. Think about your unique workforce and what would benefit them the most. That can include stellar health insurance, a free gym membership or even flexible maternity and paternity leave policies.

READ: 5 Tips for Building a Strong Company Culture in a Hybrid Work Environment

Putting employees first

Above all, put your employees first. This seems cliche, but it takes a strong head and a big heart to lead in this new era of employee engagement. Ask for feedback, optimize your engagement strategies and constantly communicate in order to meet the unique needs of your staff. Your bottom line and engagement rates will thank you.

 

Indiana Lee Bio PictureIndiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

How To Start a Fully Remote Business in 2023

From saving money on monthly overheads to increased flexibility and easier access to global talent, it is no wonder that fully remote businesses are on the rise across the world. Whether the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted you to take your business online permanently or you are an entrepreneur eager to start a fully remote business in 2023, we have you covered.

In this guide, we briefly highlight the seven easy steps to start a fully remote business in 2023. 

READ — Managing a Remote Work Team with Communication and Ease

Step 1: Develop a Business Plan 

Whether you are transforming your existing brick-and-mortar business into a fully remote business or building a remote business from scratch, developing a business plan is essential. A business plan is a document that includes an executive summary of your business and comprehensively outlines your business’s objectives and the strategies your business will take to achieve its goals. 

A business plan will set you up for success when you start a fully remote business. The plan will provide you with a thorough overview of your business, which will highlight the immediate actions you can take to start achieving your goals. It can also help you gain any necessary investment during the finding finances step. 

Step 2: Outline Software Tools You Will Need 

From task management and document sharing to tax compliance software, starting a fully remote business will require an array of software tools specific to your business and industry.

Depending on your business, you may simply need a project management tool and a virtual fax number in Canada, or you may need advanced software solutions to run and manage your remote business. Create a comprehensive outline of your necessary software tools, begin searching for reliable providers and note any associated costs. 

Investing in a digital sales room would provide an ideal virtual space where salespeople can engage with, and pitch to, potential clients. This enables the sales team to have a dedicated, and branded, virtual sales environment to entertain clients and it also offers a means to measure and track the team’s progress on a sale.

READ — 5 Ways to Elevate Your Virtual Conference Room Technology

Step 3: Register Your Business

To establish legitimacy, be eligible for funding opportunities and reduce personal liability, you will need a new registration when starting a fully remote business. When registering your business, you will need a virtual business address, a business bank account, a name for your business and a formulated business structure. 

Registering your business is an exciting but often overwhelming aspect of starting a fully remote business. You can hire a company that specializes in business formation services to ensure this step is done accurately, compliantly, and is aligned with ensuring your future success. 

Step 4: Find Funding 

While a fully remote business comes with the perks of not having to pay rent on an office, there will still be initial costs involved with any necessary software tools, supplies and potential employees. There are three common funding sources for businesses: 

  1. Business Loans: Fund your business by applying for a business loan from a bank. 
  2. Personal Funds: Finance your business with your personal funds, such as with personal savings or credit cards. 
  3. Angel Investors: Approach an angel investor or angel investment group for funding in exchange for an equity stake in your business. 

There are various other methods to fund your fully remote business, allowing you to find funds in the best way suited to your business. 

Step 5: Create a Remote Work Policy

If you are planning on hiring employees or transforming your existing employees into remote workers to start a fully remote business, you will need to develop a remote work policy. 

Your remote work policy will act as a formal guideline for your remote employees and will cover aspects such as data security rules, availability and responsiveness requirements, legal, home office recommendations and more. In your remote work policy, you will also need to outline your medium of business communication for your employees. 

It is also important to make sure that you find a way to foster team engagement as part of your work policy. These could be through scheduled virtual team building events or even an activity that requires the remote team to meet in person. 

Having a strong remote work policy is essential if you want to have high-performing virtual teams. You will also want to encourage a positive team culture of global thinking and shared responsibility to bring people together.

READ — 5 Tips for Building a Strong Company Culture in a Hybrid Work Environment

Step 6: Hire Your Employees

Get your fully remote business operating by hiring your first employees. In America alone, 68% of the workforce would choose a fully remote job, so there will be plenty of high-quality candidates for any vacancies when starting a fully remote business. As they’re fully remote roles, you can choose to hire locally or globally, allowing you to gain the best talent for your team.

It’s also worth considering how your teams will be set up in order to reach business goals and make improvements in various processes and services. For example, perhaps splitting up a larger group of employees into a small, agile team can help deliver faster results and ensure better communication across the business.

Step 7: Start Marketing Your Business 

Use effective marketing to allow your fully remote business to start reaching your target audience and converting them into loyal customers. Marketing your remote business will include a website and developing an online presence, as well as creating a marketing plan that will outline long-term marketing strategies. 

Unless you’re experienced in marketing, you should consider outsourcing to professional marketing services or hiring a dedicated marketing employee to ensure your fully remote business is marketed successfully.  

READ — 12 Ways to Repurpose Social Media Content for Email Marketing 

The Bottom Line

Starting a fully remote business or transforming your existing business into a permanent remote model can be easily achieved when you follow the right steps. 

 

Grace LauGrace Lau is the Director of Growth Content at Dialpad, an AI-powered platform for better and easier team collaboration with the help of Dialpad business phone systems in Vancouver. She has over 10 years of experience in content writing and strategy. Currently, she is responsible for leading branded and editorial content strategies, partnering with SEO and Ops teams to build and nurture content. Here is her LinkedIn.

6 Ways to Find New Employees During the “Great Resignation”

One of the lingering outcomes of the pandemic is a dwindling workforce, where it has become increasingly difficult for companies to find, attract and retain employees.  This trend is being referred to by some as the “Great Resignation” and the numbers support the term. For example:

  • On average, 4 million Americans are quitting their jobs each month in 2022 (4.2 million+ left in August 2022).
  • Throughout 2021, an average of 3.98 million workers left their jobs every single month, with 4.5 million in November.
  • Over 47 million Americans left their jobs by the end of 2021.
  • 40% of employees have thought about leaving their jobs in 2022.

There are a number of new and creative things that small and medium-sized companies can and should do to find employees for even the hardest-to-fill roles (especially considering that the cost to replace an employee is 2x their salary).

As a small or medium-sized business, here are some approaches you might find to be effective.

READ — The Great Resignation’s Untapped Talent: The Autism Community

Remote & Hybrid Roles

As a result of the pandemic and technology, remote work has become more of the norm in the modern world and an increasing number of employees want to work remotely.  It’s up to employers to determine how they can best accommodate this desire (demand) and identify jobs that can be done remotely without affecting overall production and morale.  It’s a tricky balance, but if done correctly it will help your business to succeed, both in attracting and retaining quality employees from across the world and generating profits.

Leveraging the Gig Economy

Not all of the roles within a company need to be full-time positions, yet many small and medium-sized businesses continue to maintain a full-time staff, regardless of productivity.  Not only is this difficult to do, but it’s costly.  There are millions of consultants who are populating the gig economy (independent contractors who are experts in their field) and can provide companies with the service they need, on a part-time basis, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time employee.  They are also easier to find and hire for a specific amount of time.

Employee Referral Programs

Some of your company’s best resources for engaging and hiring outstanding new employees are probably employed by you right now.  There’s a reason you hired your current team and they undoubtedly have a network of friends, family members and colleagues who could be outstanding candidates to fill positions with your company.  Some of the ways to leverage this network is with incentives and bonuses for your current team to make introductions to your company via social media or personal introductions.

Networking Strategy

It’s important to maintain a networking strategy to engage and attract new employees.  The employee referral program is one component of this strategy (see above).  Additional forms of networking include:

  • Sharing exciting news about your company with others via social media with rhetoric that encourages people to find out more.
  • Hosting coffees, luncheons or other social events to familiarize others with your business.
  • Attending community events and business functions.
  • Visiting local non-profits and offering to host a “career day” at a local high school or community college.

READ — Five Common Networking Mistakes Made by Executives

Partnerships with Diverse Chambers of Commerce

Local chambers continue to be a great resource for finding quality employees, as they actively host events to bring people together.  Don’t overlook this tried-and-true network.  Pay for a company membership and stay active by hosting your own events, offering to be a mentor to members of the chamber and getting to know other members.

Hire Workers Over 50 

There is a vast pool of outstanding employees who are plus-50 years old.  In a world seemingly dominated by tech-savvy youth, older workers have more real world and professional experience, are quick learners and bring the maturity and professionalism required to help a company succeed.  Don’t fall victim to “ageism”, just because a young candidate knows all about the latest fads.

A tight labor market is here to stay, which means leaders can’t rely on the old playbook for finding and hiring new employees.  It’s more important than ever that small and medium-sized companies utilize innovative methods to find new employees.

 

Griffen O'Shaughnessy
Griffen O’Shaughnessy
Chelle Johnson
Chelle Johnson

Griffen O’Shaughnessy is the Founder & CEO of Canopy Advisory Group and Chelle Johnson is the Talent & Professional Development Expert at Canopy Advisory Group.

How To Balance Supporting Your Remote Workers and In-office Employees

Remote workers have been on the rise for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused this new model to skyrocket across the country. Now, as we enter a post-pandemic society, many employers have started to recognize the benefits of keeping some employees in a remote setting.

However, there will always be some positions that require people to come into the office. This has led many offices to adopt a hybrid work environment that fits everyone’s needs. There are plenty of benefits to this model. Productivity in remote workers is often increased due to flexibility and a better work-life balance. Your business can save money on overhead costs, and thanks to technology, there are multiple ways for people to collaborate whether employees are at home or in the office.

There can be some challenges, however, when it comes to striking a support balance. Every employee deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported whether they’re working from home or coming into the office each day. So, how can you strike that balance with your remote and in-office employees?

READ — Guest Column: CEO of Atlas Real Estate — Is Working Remote Worth the Missed Opportunity?

Build a better company culture

It’s easy to think of ways to improve company culture in an in-person setting, but it might not be so clear-cut in a hybrid environment. It’s not fair to your remote workers if you focus on building a positive in-office environment if you’re not going to promote that same culture for those who work from home.

Some of the easiest ways to build a strong, hybrid company culture for everyone include establishing and sticking to a few core values, measuring productivity instead of working hours, and encouraging breaks and adequate time off.

There are also plenty of practices you can put in place to make your remote workers feel more included in the overall company environment, including:

One of the best things you can do to help your remote team feel more included in office culture is to open up communication as often as possible and be completely transparent. These ideas can help you get started and can almost instantly boost your employees’ involvement.

Communicate directly and often

Speaking of frequent communication, it shouldn’t strictly exist between your in-office and remote employees. While establishing teams between the two is always a good idea, it’s up to you to foster consistent communication and show daily support to your remote team.

READ — Managing a remote work team with communication and ease

It’s often easier to communicate with your employees working within the office. Something as simple as a quick “hello” can let them know they’re seen and valued. It can be more of a challenge to connect regularly with your remote workers, but it’s not impossible.

Try things like organizing virtual activities and happy hours, setting up weekly conference calls or video chats, and celebrating their successes as often as possible. One of the risks remote workers face while staying at home all day is feeling isolated and lonely. You can combat that by checking in regularly and acknowledging their hard work and commitment. If you see that some of your employees are struggling (especially those working from home), don’t be afraid to encourage professional help. Acknowledging that struggle can make a big difference, and could give your workers the boost they need to reach out for more support.

Support mental health

More employers are starting to recognize the importance of mental health initiatives in the workplace. Remote work, in general, has been shown to boost the mental well-being of employees. If your office is on the fence about allowing some employees to work from home, their mental wellness is an important thing to take into consideration. For starters, many of your employees would likely benefit from losing the mental and physical strain of a daily commute. Some of the other mental health benefits of remote work include:

  • Reduced stress
  • Fewer distractions
  • Better focus
  • Less pressure

While it’s still important to offer your support to your remote workers who might be struggling with their mental well-being, your in-office workers might need a little more attention when it comes to mental health issues. You can promote a mentally healthy office culture by encouraging breaks and letting your employees spend some time outside each day. Stock up on healthy snacks that boost people’s mood and energy levels. Book in-office yoga classes on a Friday afternoon. These simple additions can go a long way in showing your employees how much you support them and value their well-being.

Finding a balance of support for your remote and in-office employees doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Use technology to your advantage to stay connected with everyone, and remain as open and transparent as possible. By showing up for all of your employees and establishing a culture of care, you’ll create a hybrid work environment that allows your business to grow and your employees to stay healthy and happy.

 

Indiana Lee Bio PictureIndiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

5 Ways to Elevate Conference Room Technology

In the past few years, work environments have drastically shifted from day-to-day in-office experience with frequent in-person meetings to fully remote work, hybrid schedules and Zoom meetings. While studies have shown that remote work will remain prevalent, the new challenge is optimizing conference room technology and office spaces to create an in-person experience remotely for employees and customers.

READ — Managing a remote work team with communication and ease

A boardroom or conference room equipped with outdated technology doesn’t meet the efficiency, productivity, and sophistication of one that is integrated with the most up-to-date systems modern technology has to offer. To cater to the evolving remote and hybrid work models, it is critical that companies have a comfortable and innovative conference room that is outfitted with easy-to-use technology that boosts productivity and increases collaboration, no matter where they are located. Here are the five ways to elevate conference room technology:

1. Sound masking: Increasing privacy and productivity

Ensuring that a conference room has privacy is of the utmost importance. Sound masking reduces distractions and increases privacy through ambient sound or “white noise.” It can be implemented throughout an entire office space or in single rooms and the volume can be toggled with at any moment in time. Here’s how it works: the higher the privacy index, the more confidential the speaker’s conversation becomes. With this technology comes fewer distractions and increased productivity. Between 2006 and 2008, a laboratory study was conducted where researchers found that sound masking effectively increased speech privacy from 35% to 90%.

2. Meeting and presentation technology: A premium audiovisual experience

As technology continues to advance and more digital applications are released, delivering a premium audiovisual experience is expected. Having optimized meeting and presentation technology in the conference room captures the audience’s attention and provides room for effective communication without glitches and delays.

There are a few different ways to elevate meeting and presentation technology. The first is through an audiovisual projection system or display, which has become a powerful tool for presenting and creating strong connections for every company across all industries. Second, is a web camera with crystal clear video that allows users to deliver premium optics and life-like video calls to create the experience of sitting together in the same room. Lastly, a microphone that offers clear and highly intelligible speech captured with state-of-the-art sound quality can enhance the conferencing experience for all participants.

READ — How to build community for employees while working from home

3. Video: Perfecting the video setup

Perfecting the video setup in a conference room starts with distributed video. Multiwindow video enables single or multiple sources to be shared across multiple TVs. This technology allows for flexibility, hides all equipment and simplifies the user experience. Perfecting the video setup in a conference room so that it is easy-to-use for hybrid workers who aren’t in the office every day removes the extensive and time-consuming preparation and setup, which provides a convenient, simplified experience.

4. Interactive touch displays: The key to increasing participation

Interactive touch displays utilize touch technology to record information, deliver dynamic presentations, and provide audience engagement with a single touch of a finger. This advanced technology also connects to computers, which allows users to save any recorded information as a file directly to the connected computer. Not only does this reduce the need for an overflow of office supplies, but it also creates a richer, interactive environment.

5. Smart conference rooms: Utilizing automated technology

Smart or automized conference room technology allows users to control simple commands such as integrated room control, lighting, window shades, HVAC control, occupancy monitoring and room scheduling, centralized distribution and one-touch meetings. Integrating the technology and systems in a conference room provides a comfortable, productive and smooth experience for remote and in-office employees.

Poor technology oftentimes results in wasted time and an unpleasant experience for companies and their employees. Regardless of the conference room’s interior design, it should be equipped with technology that is easy-to-use and complements video meetings for both at-home or in-office participants.

 

Shawn HannsonShawn Hansson is CEO and founder of Logic Integration, a Colorado audiovisual and automation firm specializing in the design and installation of easy-to-use technology in homes and businesses. Since the company’s inception in 2004, Logic Integration has been recognized for numerous accolades under the leadership of Hansson. This includes recognition as a multi-year honoree of the Inc. 500/5000 “Fastest Growing Companies in the US,” a “Colorado Companies to Watch” winner, CEDIA’s “Contractor of the Year” and “Integrator of the Year” by CTA, in addition to numerous others. Logic Integration’s clients include Comcast, Dish Network, Lockheed Martin, US Army, US Air force, Denver Broncos, and Level 3 along with many Fortune 100 companies.

Guest Column: CEO of Atlas Real Estate — Is Working Remote Worth the Missed Opportunity?

I was talking to a dear friend this week about the early days of my career, and it caused my mind to turn to the topic of working from home. In my career in the real estate lending sector, my first boss was a producing branch manager. This meant that almost all his income came from being a loan officer – and then he got a little extra to also be a people manager. So, you can imagine where his focus on training me fell in his stack of priorities. That said, he was actually a fantastic boss and even became one of my closest friends.

I don’t think I can quantify how much I learned from Rob. I learned how to be a loan officer, but I also learned about leadership, management, conflict resolution, problem-solving, recruiting, retention, critical-thinking, marriage, parenting, and the list could go on. Some of this I learned from intentional training – maybe 10-15%. The rest, I learned from being around him.

READ — What role does remote work play in the future of work?

He and I were together 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. As is typical early in careers, I was working a lot. All that time we conversed on business and life. And I was learning, constantly.

It took many years to understand that what I had gained from this leader was tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge, aka implicit knowledge, is knowledge that is difficult to express or extract, and thus more difficult to transfer to others by means of writing it down or verbalizing it. This can include personal wisdom, experience, insight, and intuition.

Tacit knowledge can’t be read in a book or put in a training manual. You cannot communicate it through a Teams meeting or on a screen. You can get it two ways. Experience and Apprenticeship. Experience takes time. Apprenticeship takes desire and commitment. You can’t avoid experience; it’s going to happen whether you choose to learn from it or not. You also can’t accelerate experience very much. Apprenticeship is the way you gain tacit knowledge without experiencing it yourself and you get it through regular, sustained, contact. This is where career trajectories diverge.

READ — Managing a remote work team with communication and ease

By choosing to not engage in the office setting, professionals today, particularly young professionals, are missing out on their single most valuable professional and career development opportunity. You likely won’t have many epiphanies in your day-to-day work, but what does happen is that over time, the rhythms of the office and your different interactions with people start to shape you and inform how you think and act. My manager and I almost never spoke directly about leadership, but to this day I catch myself doing things the way he would have done them. This wasn’t dictated or commanded, but simply absorbed.

We all know this is a loaded topic right now and becomes even more loaded across different generations. There are companies making sweeping statements on both sides of the work-from-home debate, and at my own company, we are choosing to maintain a more flexible approach.

But one thing I know for certain, if early in my career I had opted to work remotely on a regular basis, it would have delayed my professional development significantly and I would not be the leader I am today. While this may or may not be true for everyone, it is probably worth at least a little contemplation.

Here’s the thing. Yes, it’s easier to work from home for a lot of us. No getting ready. No commute. No finding a parking spot. No packing a lunch. No traffic.

But easy is very rarely better.

 

Tony JulianelleTony is the CEO of Atlas Real Estate, a full-service real estate company specializing in investment services, property management, institutional acquisitions, and buy/sell brokerage. He is a successful organizational leader with more than 20 years in real estate and financial services who is passionate about developing people and serving customers. He is a consultant to various business partners, focusing on strategy, execution, and bottom-line business results. Tony is an articulate, concise and professional communicator as well as a gifted people motivator. He is regularly referenced and featured in local and national media for leadership, finance, and real estate insights.

Increased Cybersecurity Risks Are a Threat to Corporate Governance

Technology evolves daily, and so do the risks associated with it. According to Accenture’s latest State of Cybersecurity Resilience report, surveyed businesses experienced an average of 270 attacks in 2021, a 31% increase compared to 2020. Successful attacks also increased. 

This growth is the result of many factors, including rapid innovation. According to Gartner, attack surface expansion is a risk affecting many businesses across the globe. 

Enhanced Risk: Remote Work 

One of the key motivators behind the attack surface expansion is the rise of remote work. Home and mobile devices are now being used for business purposes, and employees connect to outside networks without knowing if they’re secure. This doesn’t even address the fact that sensitive or confidential materials are often being sent in emails or text messages using unsecure devices and unsecured networks. 

Unfortunately, many businesses were unprepared for the switch to remote-based work, resulting in increased attacks. Outdated security policies and a lack of security awareness for employees are two factors that are to blame. 

These factors lead back to a lack of focus on cyber risks within corporate governance. 

How Cybersecurity Affects Corporate Governance 

Cybersecurity should be a top priority within any governance strategy. After all, cyber risks affect nearly every aspect of corporate governance. Of course, the most obvious impact is within the company’s security posture. However, other effects exist within crucial areas of governance that must be addressed. 

For example, cyber-attacks directly impact a company’s finances, which are at the heart of corporate governance. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach report, the average cost of a data breach increased by 2.6%, from $4.24 million in 2021 to $4.35 million in 2022. This is also an increase of 12.7% when compared to 2020. 

Other intangible costs are also involved, such as impaired business reputation with consumers and investors. These intangible and financial losses can potentially be detrimental to many organizations, especially SMBs. 

Another key area of impact is business operations. Standard cyber-attack methods, such as the use of malware, can completely disrupt a company’s operations. The resulting downtime can lead to many consequences, such as a loss of revenue and negative customer experiences. 

These impacts can be combated by prioritizing cybersecurity within corporate governance strategies. Boards must take the time to understand and define organizational cyber risks and their potential impact.

They must also consider cybersecurity when making critical business decisions and ensure adequate resources are available to mitigate risks, from software tools to employee training. 

The Bottom Line: Cybersecurity Is More Than a Tech Issue 

Cybersecurity is often viewed as a tech-specific issue that is best handled by the CTO and others responsible for managing a company’s technology. This is a dangerous misconception—cybersecurity is a company-wide risk management issue and must have a place within the boardroom. 

 

Douglas R GriessAaronJohn T SnowDoug R. Griess, J. Aaron Atkinson, and John T. Snow of Hackstaff Snow Atkinson & Griess, LLC are top Denver business attorneys with expertise spanning various industries. Specializing in business law, litigation, intellectual property, tax law, and dispute resolution, the firm offers an in-depth understanding and knowledge of general corporate rules and regulations and is a trusted resource for business owners throughout Colorado.

Rethinking the Workplace

Now that the Great Resignation has played out, companies are gearing up for the Great Return — the return to the office, that is.

With COVID receding, people who have been working remotely for the past two years are gearing up to head back to offices, and companies are trying to figure out ways to make the transition as easy as possible.

“The layout of an office has absolutely changed since COVID,” said Allison Berry, a vice president at commercial real estate brokerage CBRE. “The square footage is about the same, but it’s being utilized differently. Employers are doing everything they can to make people want to come back.”

A company may occupy less space, but they’re investing more in kitchens and huddle areas where people can gather to collaborate on projects.

“The common areas are incredibly valuable to a company,” Berry said. “If you’re coming in just to sit, you might as well stay home. If you’re coming in, you’re collaborating.”

A Gallup survey found that 26% of full-time workers were still working exclusively from home as of December — about the same time the omicron variant hit the United States and caused many employers to rethink their plans to bring employees back to the office.

But with the threat of omicron fading, more people are venturing back to their offices.

“There’s a lot more traffic, and parking garages are filling up,” Berry said. “When we have the 70-plus degree days, the streets have a lot of foot traffic, and people are sitting outside having lunch and happy hour. People who want to be back are back.”

The pandemic showed both employers and employees that remote work is not only possible but it can also be preferable. As a result, many companies are opting for a hybrid model, asking employees to work in the office two or three days a week.

“Younger employees are very much ready to get back,” Berry said. “Maybe it’s their first job out of college and they’ve never even met their colleagues or their boss. It might be their first experience being back in the office.”

Overall vacancy in metro Denver has stabilized since early 2020, but the rates are still elevated at 19.3%. Downtown vacancy was 24.7%, and suburban vacancy decreased to 17.5%, largely because of the shorter commute times to offices in those locations.

Still, for the first time since the pandemic hit, more space was leased or occupied than vacated, according to CBRE’s first-quarter market report.

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Leasing momentum continued in the first quarter with 1.3 million square feet of deals closed — a 67.4% increase over the previous year. The average asking lease rate remained flat at $31.82 per square foot.

Despite the tenuous office market, construction continued during the first quarter, with 1.4 million square feet under construction. Notable projects include One Platte at 241,000 square feet; the Current River North at 238,000 square feet; T3 RiNo at 23,000 square feet; and Paradigm River North at 200,000 square feet.

“The flight to quality will remain a focal point for occupiers as premium office space, amenities and location are proving a necessity for employee engagement and occupancy,” the report states.

Many companies, particularly in the legal industry, are taking advantage of current market conditions to upgrade their space. And many tenants are using their space more efficiently. Law firms, for example, allotted up to 1,000 square feet per employee before the pandemic. Now they’re reducing it to anywhere from 350 square feet to 550 square feet per employee.

The Downtown Denver Partnership is contacting CEOs of all major corporations downtown and asking them when they’re planning to bring their employees back to the office and what the organization can do to further those efforts, said Kourtny Garrett, president and CEO of the organization.

“We’re working with entities like the chamber and others on relocations and backfilling some space,” she said. “We slipped into one regular mode of being, and now it’s time that we all enjoy one another and enjoy our city again.”

The vacant office space is an opportunity to create more affordable housing, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said during an April press conference.

“We’re renewing the downtown experience to be better than it was before,” Hancock said. “We’re all well aware of the challenges and will continue to breathe new life into this part of our city.”

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Colorado Springs

The Colorado Springs office market appears to be even stronger than Denver’s.

About two-thirds of workers have returned to their offices in downtown Colorado Springs, said Susan Edmondson, president and CEO of The Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs.

“I’m not anticipating that to change too much,” she said. “We had a very tight office market pre-COVID.”

What she has noticed are that certain days of the week see more workers downtown than others. Mondays and Fridays, people tend to work from home, while Wednesday appears to be a peak day for workers to be in the office.

“Three days a week is looking like the pattern for certain companies,” Edmondson said. “A lot of jobs are relational, and people need to connect with each other. We think downtown will still offer that unique environment.”

While lunch business is down, the necessity of people connecting with each other to work on projects will help restaurants and coffee shops as workers venture out of their offices to spaces that encourage collaboration.

Downtown Colorado Springs also has worked hard in the past few years to attract residents to the city center by creating more housing. The city has about 3,000 housing units that have been recently completed, are under construction or are breaking ground and another few thousand in the near-term pipeline.

“Those people may work all day from home in their apartments, but they’ll go out for coffee or a break, and that’s essential to keeping our small businesses going,” Edmondson said.

Nearly 492,000 square feet of positive net absorption was recorded in the second half of 2021 — more than double the amount recorded in the first half of the year. Direct vacancy increased to 9.9%, while total availability decreased to 11.9%

While some people have returned to the office, others have found that it’s just as easy and efficient to work from home.

“They’re comfortable with their setup and they want to skip the commute,” said Jared May, senior associate in CBRE’s Colorado Springs office.

That’s causing employers to reconfigure their floor plans to more efficiently accommodate the reduction of people in the office. And while the square footage per employee is trending downward, Colorado’s population continues to grow, so there are more employees.

“Buildings that have done better offer more amenities, whether it’s exercise or a coffee shop or other amenities within a building but also in the office spaces themselves,” May said. “Because of the way we’re working, more companies are offering a hybrid work experience — places where someone can come in and plug in. You don’t need your own office or workspace. You can share those spaces.”

 

(THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN COLORADOBIZ PRINT MAGAZINE SUMMER EDITION – PUBLISHED JUNE, 2022)