SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Smartphone users of the world unite and start downloading! Davinci Virtual Office Solutions just rolled out an iPhone virtual office application.
The new mobile app lets you place VoIP calls from your mobile phone over Wi-Fi. You can also view, receive and send faxes from anywhere you happen to be, as well as search and listen to voicemail messages on the go, and even make conference calls from anywhere in the world right from your iPhone.
Want to get it now? Davinci Virtual’s new app works for Apple iPhones, iPads or iPod touch devices and is available in the iTunes store at no charge. That’s right, free!
“Our new iPhone app allows our clients to interact with the Davinci Virtual platform with ease from their mobile device—anywhere,” says Martin Senn, COO of Davinci Virtual. “An Android version is already in development and slated to be released shortly. Davinci continues to develop applications that power the mobile work environment.”
Davinci Virtual provides virtual office solutions to more than 10,000 companies and entrepreneurs in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Central America, Asia and Australia. The company offers more than 850 virtual office locations including virtual offices in Manhattan, San Francisco virtual offices, virtual offices in Atlanta, virtual offices in Houston and any other metropolitan area throughout the world. You choose from live receptionist services, prime business addresses and flexible meeting spaces—instantly—online.
So what are you waiting for? If you are sporting an Apple product, head over to the App Store right now and download your Davinci Virtual Office Solutions app. And if you don’t have an Apple product, hold tight. We’ll have an app for you soon!
NEW YORK—In our final review of the new report from Ipsos for Reuters News on telecommuting and its implications for virtual office space, we’re going to take a look on how telecommuting impacts stress levels and work-life balance initiatives, as well as its role in keeping women on board.
First, let’s look at women and telecommuting. A strong majority of employees in 24 countries agree equally (83%; 46% strongly, 47% somewhat) on two assessments of telecommuting:
(1) that it will keep talented women in the workforce instead of leaving temporarily or completely to raise children and
(2) that telecommuters have less stress due to less time spent in getting to their workplace.
From those perspectives, virtual offices can be a bastion for retaining top female talent.
On the stress front, 60 percent survey participants in Russia strongly agree telecommuters have less stress as a result of less time spent getting to work, followed by Turkey (53%), Hungary (51%), Argentina (45%) and Mexico (45%). The Swedes (19%) are least likely to strongly agree, followed by Australia (21%), Great Britain (22%), the United States (24%) and China (25%). It seems people in the U.S. stay stressed out no matter where they work.
Finally, 78 percent that employees who telecommute are better able to achieve balance between work and family. That’s a very high number and a very strong case for virtual office space.
NEW YORK—Emerging markets like Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific are considerably more likely than those in North America and Europe to telecommute on a frequent basis. So says a new report from Ipsos for Reuters News. The report bolsters the case for virtual office space.
But education, age and income also has something to do with virtual office use. People with a high level of education are most likely to telecommute on a frequent basis (25%) followed by those under the age of 35 (20%) and those with a high household income (20%). Men (19%) are more likely than women (16%) to telecommute frequently. Of course, that doesn’t mean these are the only demographics embracing virtual offices–just the front runners.
All this is interesting data, but the bigger question is this: Will the telecommuting trend—and the virtual office trend by connection—gain momentum? That depends on whom you ask.
Globally, one third (34%) of connected employees agree they would be “very likely” to take the option to telecommute on a full time basis from their home or other location if their employer offered them the opportunity. This sentiment is felt most strongly in the Middle East and Africa (49%), Latin America (45%) and Asia Pacific (33%).
While the Western regions are softer on this measure, three in ten employees in Europe (31%) and one quarter of those in North America (26%), who do not currently telecommute on a frequent basis, report they are ‘very likely’ to take the option if offered by their employer.
All in all, it seems the virtual office trend is bound to gain more momentum as employees who have the ability to telecommute embrace the work style. But can virtual offices and telecommuting actually drive stronger work-life balance? That’s the subject of our next article. Come back tomorrow for more.
NEW YORK—One in five employees who can connect online to their workplace report that they telecommute on a “frequent basis.” So says a new report from Ipsos for Reuters News. The report bolsters the case for virtual office space.
What’s more, seven percent say they “work every day from home which is remote or separate from their employers real office elsewhere.” And another 10 percent say they do so “on a very consistent and constant basis like evenings and weekends.”
Before we go any further, let’s define the world telecommuting as it’s used in this survey. Telecommuting is when an employee uses a stationary or portable computer to do their office work from a location outside of their office—either from their home or another location—either regularly or from time to time. Telecommuting and virtual offices go hand in hand.
Often referred to as “telecommuters,” these employees have the flexibility of using telecommunications—such as e-mail, phone, online chat—to communicate with colleagues in real time or do their work online from a remote location any time they wish—usually when they log in to their worksite—including evenings and weekends. It stands to reason that many telecommuters work from a virtual office.
The Ipsos study also looked at whether or not telecommuters are more productive. Many studies show that people who work from virtual offices are indeed more productive. But what did this study say?
Two thirds, or 65 percent, said telecommuters are more productive because the flexibility allows them to work when they have the most focus and/or because having maximum control over the work environment and schedule leads to job satisfaction and happiness. The other third, or 35 percent, agree that telecommuters do not work as hard because there is less manager supervision and/or because of family and social distractions at home.
NEW YORK-How much you sleep may be as important as how much you eat when you are trying to lose weight. It’s true, according to a University of Chicago study. Research shows that a lack of sleep undermines your efforts to lose body fat. A virtual office space could help your cause.
Ten overweight but otherwise healthy adults on a moderate calorie-restricted diet were randomly assigned to sleep either 5.5 hours or 8.5 hours each night in a closed clinical research environment. After two weeks, researchers measured loss of fat and lean body mass. Compared to participants who slept 5.5 hours a night, the dieters that slept for 8.5 hours lost a whopping 56 percent more body fat. The dieters in the sleep restricted group had lost less fat and more lean body mass.
“Among other hormonal effects, we found that sleep restriction caused an increase in ghrelin levels in the blood,” says Plamen Penev, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Section of Endocrinology, at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study. “Ghrelin is a hormone that has been shown to reduce energy expenditure, stimulate hunger and food intake, promote retention of fat, and increase glucose production in the body.”
The conclusion: It’s importance to get adequate sleep to maintain fat-free body mass when dieting to lose weight. The Ghrelin factor could explain why sleep-deprived participants also reported feeling hungrier during the study. The study shows that even short periods of sleep deprivation can undermine efforts to lose weight. When restricting calories, dieters should consider obtaining adequate amounts of sleep to ensure that they retain lean body mass and lose fat.
So what does that have to do with a virtual office? There are two angles on this. One of them we have explored before. When you work from a virtual office, you are more productive. There are less distractions than when you work in one of a row of cubicles in a traditional office space. There are also fewer distractions than when you work from a coworking facility or a coffee shop. With fewer distractions, you can get more work done, get to bed at a decent hour, and enjoy a good night’s rest.
The other angle is avoiding the temptation to eat. When you work from a Starbucks, you may load up on coffee, but you might also be tempted to load up on high-calorie cappuccinos, pastries and other goodies in the refrigerated section. If you work in traditional office space, you may be tempted to go out to lunch with co-workers who aren’t watching their weight and end up eating something you wish you hadn’t. With a virtual office space, you can take control of your time—and your caloric intake—more easily.
NEW YORK-I just read about an FPC Workplace Web Poll—and it had some startling results with major implications for today’s companies.
The bottom line: There may be a major shakeup in the employment marketplace in 2012. As employees see the job market improving, they are looking around for new opportunities. Consider the numbers:
- 79% say they are planning to look for a new job when the job market improves
- 50% felt they had gained marketable skills and lack advancement opportunities in their current position
- 28% indicate they would move on at least in part due how their employer treated its employees during the recession
- 8% stated that they were well treated and planned to stay put
Only 8 percent. Survey respondents were relatively indifferent to work-life balance perks either as a selling point for a new position or as a “keeping” feature for their current employment. Half of respondents indicated that perks such as casual Fridays, free lunches, and company-sponsored events were important to them, but would not dissuade them from considering a new position that did not offer them.
“As the economy and the job market continue to improve for college-educated management professionals, we’re seeing a level of pent-up demand for career change that candidates may have put off over the past couple of years due to economic uncertainty,” Ron Herzog, CEO & President of FPC. “Despite much of the negative commentary we all hear these days, employers are finding that they need to compete to attract and retain their top talent. Companies should be thinking about this in a proactive way.”
Virtual office space can help you stem the tide of turnovers, and stop the bleeding of best and brightest talent going to work for your competitors. You can maintain high levels of engagement with virtual office workers, as well as empower employees. Engagement and empowerment are two pillars of a happy workforce.
With virtual office space, you are offering more than just another work-life balance perk. Alternative workplace strategies give employees the flexibility and freedom they need to handle personal and business issues as they arise. In fact, many studies show that employees who work from a virtual office actually work longer hours in the end and are overall more productive. So as you consider your talent attraction and retention strategies for 2012, consider virtual offices.
NEW YORK—New research predicts continued focus on wellbeing of human capital—and a virtual workforce (which means working from a virtual office space) is among them.
The 2012 Workplace Trends Report from Sodexo reveals employees are looking to organizations for tools and resources to help them simplify their lives, stay healthy and balanced, and bring their “whole self” to work as these continue to be top drivers of engagement. Employee engagement, productivity, brand image and loyalty continue to be relevant measures of success.
So what are these trends, exactly? There are 10 in the 2012 report, including inclusive workplaces, workplaces that promote sustainability, rewards and recognition, flexible workplaces and virtual workforces.
“We studied research over the last year to understand what issues are top of mind for our clients and what are the benchmarks in the overall market,” says Rachel Permuth-Levine PhD, MSPH, senior director, outcomes-based research and solutions for Sodexo’s toLive workplace strategies. “Our team predicts these trends are the direct link to designing environments that enhance individual performance, foster collaboration, and contribute to the well-being of employees—it’s the workplace of the future.”
The workplace of the future is definitely more flexible—and in many cases more virtual. With the rise of telecommuting, virtual offices are at the fore. Virtual office space is one of the enablers of a new way to work in the new world of work. What’s more, virtual offices contribute pave the way for employees to realize some of the other workplace trends they crave, such as sustainability and flexibility.
COSTA MESA, CA—Costa Mesa has a thriving business community. You’ll find everything in Costa Mesa from mom and pop shops and boutique retail to major brand named big boxes, auto dealerships, hotels, manufacturing and entertainment industries. You’ll also find virtual office space.
Indeed, Costa Mesa is a regional center of commerce in Orange County. Costa Mesa is just 37 miles southeast of Los Angeles, 88 miles north of San Diego and 475 miles south of San Francisco. Costa Mesa is also just one mile from the Pacific Ocean. Costa Mesa’s population is growing. The city incorporated with 16,840 people in 1953 and today has more than 113,000 people.
Davinci Virtual Offices offers virtual office space in Costa Mesa at the Costa Mesa Office Center. Located at 1901 Newport Blvd., this Costa Mesa virtual office offers you a prime business address with mail and package receipt and access to a business support center.
Your clients and prospects will be professionally greeted by a lobby receptionist when they drop off and pick up packages, or come to meet you in a conference room, which you can rent by the hour on demand. If you need office space, you can also rent day time offices on demand for between $10 and $35 an hour.
Oh, and you’ll get a warm welcome in Costa Mesa. The mission of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce is to be the leading proponent for the interests of local business, which includes the prosperity of its individual members, the vitality of its marketplace and the quality of its community life.
Check out this YouTube video for a quick look at Costa Mesa:
NEW YORK—5.2 million. That’s the current number of telecommuters in America, according to the National Resources Defense Council. And that number is only growing. By 2016, the number of people working from home is expected to rise by 69 percent.
More employers—even those who resisted the trend until recently—are setting up offices in employees’ homes and realizing the cost savings of allowing them to telecommute from a virtual office, at least part time. Indeed, virtual offices are a concept whose time has come.
If you are looking for time management and productivity tips for your virtual office, turn to Laura Stack. Stack says that whenever an individual makes the change to working from home, the key to success is creating a productive home office environment.
“The first mistake new telecommuters make is setting up shop in one of their home’s cozy, comfortable spots, tossing aside everything learned about ergonomics in the office. After a week of unnatural posturing at the breakfast nook, the back starts to ache, hands and feet go numb, and productivity plummets,” Stack says.
“Bite the bullet and buy good, solid office furniture of the appropriate types. Use a wrist pad to keep your typing and mousing hands straight, so you don’t fall prey to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; make sure you have sufficient lighting coming from above; and supply all cordage with surge protectors just in case.”
Stack says that some organizations have written policies requiring specific types of ergonomic furniture in the virtual office, as well as specifics on where and how it should be set up. Stack recommends setting up in a clean, spacious, well-defined and distraction-free workspace that offers good ventilation for your virtual office space.
“If space is a problem, at least ensure you have a door you can close to place a boundary between work life and home life,” she says. “Don’t set up in the kitchen, your living room, or the master bedroom, though an unused spare bedroom or dining room can work well.”
Stack also recommends having plenty of room for all furniture, electronics, files, and supplies, so there is no need to run back and forth to find work-related items in your virtual office space.
“You want to make your home office as comfortable and convenient as possible, so you can more easily maximize your personal productivity,” Stack says. “Just be sure to define your work space and don’t give in to the temptation to carry your laptop from room to room. Going to an established home office should be a reminder that you’re there to work, just as the drive to your old office used to be.”
NEW YORK—Is one of your New Year’s resolutions finding greater work-life balance? If so, you are not alone. Whether you are an entrepreneur with a virtual workforce or a telecommuter or somewhere in between, you can resolve to create healthier work environments for employees in 2012.
David Grossman, founder and CEO of The Grossman Group, is suggesting what he calls the Workplace Diet. This works just as well for the virtual office space user as it does for the brick-and-mortar office space user.
“The Workplace Diet is designed to help leaders conquer employee confusion, apathy, lack of motivation, and the increasing cost of ineffective communication,” says Grossman. “There’s no celebrity spokesperson or meals to buy. No magic pills to take. Just some simple yet powerful actions that will help leaders eliminate bad habits, as well as shed unproductive time and wasted resources to lead better in 2012.”
Here are some of the ingredients of the Grossman Group 2012 Workplace Diet. As you read the list, it becomes clear that this might be even more important to a distributed workforce working from virtual offices. That’s why I’ve adapted these tips for the virtual office worker.
Share expectations: People rise to the expectations set for them. Leaders need to create a list of expectations and share them with virtual office staff. Be as specific as possible to enable employee understanding. When expectations are met, reinforce the positive behavior. Otherwise, give feedback and suggest alternative behaviors.
Plan communications: Planned communication strategies are more purposeful and measurably more effective.
Ask for input and feedback: Ask open-ended questions, such as: “Help me understand how you are thinking about this?” or “What ideas do you have to resolve this?”
Listen more: Stop talking so much. Listen to what employees have to say and act on their recommendations. Try to reduce the amount you talk by at least 25 percent.
Take action on employee suggestions: Act on the input you get. Whether you implement a suggestion or not, close the loop with virtual office employees so they know their input was valued. They’ll be more likely to share their thoughts with you in the future.
Show you care: Find out what’s important to employees on a personal level and remember that information. This makes virtual office work more personal and relationships stronger.
Empathize (more): Learn how to make a reflective statement, which validates someone else’s feelings and shows thoughtfulness.
Share recognition and appreciation: Say “thank you” for a job well done with specific details about the positive performance. Reinforce good behaviors.
Ensure employees can articulate how they fit in: All virtual office employees want to know that they’re contributing to something larger than themselves. Talk with employees to ensure they can articulate how they specifically contribute to the overall goals of the organization.
Measure efforts: Use in-house tools such as a 360-degree or employee engagement surveys to get data on what’s working and what’s not. Alternatively, leaders should ask staff: “What two to three things can I do this year to make me more effective in how I communicate with you?”
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