WebProNews

Category: RemoteWorkingTrends

  • Twitter Employees Will Be Able to Work From Home Forever

    Twitter Employees Will Be Able to Work From Home Forever

    Twitter employees working from home will be able to do so forever, as the company has no plans to require them to come back to the office.

    Twitter was one of the first companies to allow its employees to work from home as the coronavirus pandemic began spreading in the US. Now the company is willing to let employees whose jobs are compatible with telecommuting to continue to do so indefinitely.

    “We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere,” reads the company blog post. “The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it’s safe to return.”

    Experts have been saying the pandemic could forever alter how the workplace looks and functions, with an emphasis on working from home where possible. It appears Twitter is bravely embracing this new world, and its employees will likely appreciate it.

    Here’s to hoping more companies follow Twitter’s lead.

  • Germany May Make Working From Home a Legal Right

    Germany May Make Working From Home a Legal Right

    German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil plans to put forth legislation that will make working from home a legal right, long after the coronavirus pandemic.

    As the pandemic has swept the globe, it has had a profound impact on businesses and organizations of all sizes. One of the biggest changes has been how employees work, with many working from home. Industry leaders have predicted at least some of these changes, including more flexible work-from-home policies, could be a permanent legacy of the pandemic, and it seems Minister Heil wants to help that happen.

    According to The Associated Press, Heil is going to unveil legislation that will require companies to gives workers whose jobs allow it the option to work from home if they want.

    “Everyone who wants to and whose job allows it should be able to work in a home office, even when the corona pandemic is over,” said Heil. “We are learning in the pandemic how much work can be done from home these days.”

    As Heil points out, the pandemic has forced companies to accommodate telecommuting and, in the process, they have learned just how productive employees can be. In addition, having fewer people in the office can translate to lower rent and utilities, as well as less commuting costs for employees. Reports have even show pollution has decreased as a result of more people working from home, making the environment another beneficiary of the trend.

    Here’s to hoping more governments pass similar legislation as that proposed by Minister Heil, and make working from home a legal right.

  • DOD Temporarily Adopts Microsoft Teams For Remote Work

    DOD Temporarily Adopts Microsoft Teams For Remote Work

    The Deparment of Defense (DOD) has announced it is adopting Microsoft Teams to temporarily help it cope with the increase in remote workers.

    As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on organizations around the world, tech solutions that provide a way for individuals to continue working remotely are in high demand. Few companies have benefited from that reality more than Microsoft, whose Teams software has become a staple of many companies and organizations.

    The DOD is not immune to these trends, and established the “Commercial Virtual Remote (CVR) Environment to support the Department’s move towards a large-scale telework posture in response to the COVID–19 national emergency. This new tool will provide DoD with enhanced collaboration capabilities for DoD teleworkers to facilitate continuity of operations throughout the duration of the emergency.”

    Microsoft Teams will evidently play a big, not to mention unusual, role in the CVR Environment. According to Computerworld, “DoD employees will be able to access the CVR Teams environment via Microsoft Office 365 in the Government Commercial Cloud for chat, video and document collaboration. Unlike existing deployments of Teams in the DoD, the CVR Teams environment will be available on personal and mobile devices and on commercial networks, though the department has restricted what information can be shared.”

    This move is an indication of the ongoing challenges organizations are facing, and the measures being taken to maintain productivity in the face of unprecedented circumstances.

  • Will COVID-19 Break The Internet?

    Will COVID-19 Break The Internet?

    With the majority of us confined at home because of Coronavirus, the most popular mode of entertainment is the internet, which is also supporting a surge of telecommuters. Will mixing work and play be too much for our networks? Already last week there were outages across Europe and the U.S. due to the record-high internet traffic. Usage of the internet now is comparable to peak times like during the Olympics. 

    To alleviate some of the strain, the Federal Communications Commission has allowed AT&T and Verizon temporary access to unused frequencies for broadband. Some are taking a less not more approach such as the European Union, Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube limiting all streaming to standard definition video for at least 30 days. 

    Can the Internet Handle the Surge?

    In 2011, the FCC started studying the performance of residential networks, and most service providers were found to be able to maintain performance during peak usage hours. However, the study didn’t account for the effects of WiFi, which has increased in use by 88% for phone calls, corporate VPNs, or sudden, mass behavior change, like we are witnessing now.

    The internet isn’t the only problem, residential networks are not optimized for the current situation. Home networks are geared towards download speed for streaming content and are more limited in upload speed, unlike corporate networks that need to support video conferencing, large file uploads, and larger applications. 4 of the 10 largest cities have already experienced their residential internet slow down.

    How to Stay Connected

    Adapting your network for optimum performance is easier than it sounds.

    • Best router placement
      • Place in a central location for the best signal coverage
      • Keep other tech away from your router which can cause interference
      • Never place router inside a cabinet or closet, any walls will obstruct your signal
    • Use Netgear WiFi Analytics
      • The free app works with any router
      • Tests WiFi signal as you move around your house
      • Identifies the channel with the best signal
    • Change Your Router Channel and DNS
      • Find your router’s IP address
      • Type or paste the IP into a browser and log in 
      • Find WiFi settings and change to the best channel
      • Next, choose a faster DNS service by telling your router to use
        • Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 or 1.0.0.1
        • Google 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4
    • Reduce Unnecessary Traffic
      • Hardwire your computer with an ethernet cord, it’s faster than WiFi
      • Use voice instead of video on teleconferences for everyone except the presenter
      • Change your streaming settings to lower video quality, saving bandwidth for other things
    • Upgrade Your Network
      • For dead spots add an antenna or mesh extender
      • Upgrade your internet service for more broadband
      • Get a 5 GHz or dual-band router which offers higher speeds and withstands interference better
      • Turn off the public hotspot function in router settings (for Comcast rentals)

    The Coronavirus in the end may not break the internet, but it can certainly bog it down. So before you throw your computer or phone out the window in frustration, try a few of these tips. 

    Check out more about the coronavirus’ effect on the internet here!

    This article originally appeared on Kivo Daily

  • Surviving The Sharp Pivot To Remote Work

    Surviving The Sharp Pivot To Remote Work

    More people are working from home these days, and why not? Better schedule, working environment, and commute (what could be better than rolling out of bed and immediately getting to work?). Oh, and avoiding the Coronavirus epidemic! Now everyone, even Gary (we don’t discriminate, insert name here) from accounting is working remotely. As annoying as Gary is on the company chat, there are a few other difficulties that you might encounter. But don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to survive this world crisis (and Gary), without having to kick off your bunny slippers. 

    While the novel coronavirus situation has 4 million people telecommuting, this exodus from the office is going to dramatically change the tools, support, and management styles necessary to succeed. Take for example, what employers were uncovering before casual Friday turned into casual Monday, Tuesday, etc. 

    A flexible work arrangement leads to:

    • Boosted morale (90%) 
    • Lowered operating costs (77%)
    • Increased productiveness (65%)
    • Reduced sick days (50%)
    • Happier employees (57%)

    Despite the many benefits, the transition to distance work may not be simple for many workplaces. If you didn’t already have remote working protocols in place, it can be difficult to establish them on the fly, and the learning curve can be extra steep during these trying times.

    If you have already started making the transition, you’re likely to encounter some bumps along the way, from communication strain to internet bandwidth. Your coworkers might be blurring the lines between personal and professional communication right now, but give Gary a break, he might just be lonely. A 2016 study found among those working remotely, some feel increasingly isolated, disconnected, and uninformed. This is where innovative management can step in, using great platforms like Slack to keep teams connected and coordinate goals while helping to keep employees focused. 

    It’s adapt or else you’ll find that without oversight by others, routines, processes, and time management will suffer. The same study reported some employees felt happier, working more, and quitting less than coworkers stuck in the office. Just use discretion when identifying who needs the extra help staying on task, since there are superstars out there.

    Make sure everybody has the tools to succeed, 5 or 6 GHz networks are highly recommended to support connecting to business applications, teleconferencing, streaming, or transferring large files. Check on internet providers, many are offering enhanced broadband service with so many working from home.

    Communication is key in this new, often uncharted territory. As Greg Caplan, CEO and co-founder of Remote Year, says “Good remote workers understand the importance of communicating clearly with their team in any medium they’re using.” 

    Help your team acclimate to working remotely with real-time analytics and reporting applications like TimeToReply. The online platform supports and enables team production by measuring inboxes, reply times, and timed goals. 

    Now that Gary is taken care of, and since we all know what we’re doing, we can all rest a little easier. Covid-19 or not, remote work is here so make the most of it now!

    Learn more about remote work in a Coronavirus economy here.

    Surviving The Sharp Pivot To Remote Work

    This story originally appeared on Kivo Daily

  • Coronavirus: Microsoft Teams Struggling to Keep Up With Telecommuters

    Coronavirus: Microsoft Teams Struggling to Keep Up With Telecommuters

    Amid an unprecedented number of individuals working from home, users are reporting that Microsoft Teams is struggling under the load.

    Companies around the world are encouraging, and in some cases ordering, employees to work from home in an effort to slow down the coronavirus pandemic. The move has been a boon for cloud-based software and services, helping them achieve all new usage numbers.

    It seems Microsoft Teams is struggling under the additional load, however. Tweets from users indicate some are experiencing problems with chat, while the application is barely usable for others. The company took to Twitter to let users know it was investigating the issue.

    We’re investigating messaging-related functionality problems within Microsoft Teams. Please refer to TM206544 in your admin center for further details. ^JP

    — Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) 3/16/20

    Microsoft has been trying to woo customers away from rival Slack for some time. If it hopes to continue, it will need to show it can scale under these circumstances.

  • Coronavirus: U.S. Internet Can Handle Increased Work-From-Home Load

    Coronavirus: U.S. Internet Can Handle Increased Work-From-Home Load

    Experts are saying the U.S. internet should be able to handle the increased stress of millions of Americans working from home as a result of the coronavirus.

    Some have feared that the sudden increase of individuals staying at home, using the internet for telecommuting and videoconferencing, would overwhelm internet providers’ capacity. According to ABC News, however, experts believe there is no danger of overloading the core network.

    “The core of the network is massively over-provisioned,” Paul Vixie, CEO of Farsight Security and an internet pioneer who helped design its domain naming system, told ABC News.

    At the same time, they do warn that individuals may experience issues if too many people in a single household engage in network-intensive videoconferencing or similarly demanding activities. Even in those situations, however, the issue is not with the core network, but with the “last mile” of connectivity, the last bit of cable that connects a household to their internet provider.

    As ABC points out, newer areas that have fiber are able to keep up with the demand, but older neighborhoods that have cable or DSL are likely to experience issues if several users are all trying to engage in intensive internet use. In such cases, if some users fall back to teleconferencing, rather than video, it should help alleviate the issues since audio takes far less bandwidth.

    Either way, the reassurance that the core network can handle the increased load is good news for workers trying to stay safe and do their part to help slow the spread of the virus.

  • Slack Helping Companies With Historic (Coronavirus) Shift To Remote Work

    Slack Helping Companies With Historic (Coronavirus) Shift To Remote Work

    “Happy Friday the 13th,” says Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield in referencing the coronavirus impact on the stock market. “There are a lot of people who are moving to a remote work or work-from-home situation for the first time. A lot of executives who are struggling to figure out how to manage and maintain operational performance in this kind of environment. They have a lot of questions and a lot of uncertainty. We’ve seen a surge in new teams created and people checking out Slack for the first time.”

    Stewart Butterfield, CEO of Slack, discusses on CNBC the historic move to remote work by organisations large and small in response to the coronavirus. Butterfield says that this may have a lingering impact on businesses opting for more remote options and with up-leveling communications:

    Slack Coronavirus Response: “This Is Our Moment To Help”

    Happy Friday the 13th from the first growth company CEO to have to report into what was a pretty apocalyptic day on the markets. We’re seeing a lot from all different kinds of customers. We have 110,000 customers, SMEs, large enterprise, government, academic, and nonprofit. There are a lot of people who are moving to a remote work or work from home situation for the first time. A lot of executives who are struggling to figure out how to manage and maintain operational performance in this kind of environment. They have a lot of questions and a lot of uncertainty. 

    The reaction inside the company has been really fantastic. A lot of energy. I think the employees feel like this is our moment to help. We have a great collection of resources at Slack (Slack Remote). We’ve also scaled up a program to give people one-on-one consultations. Our customer success teams are very active with the enterprise customers. We’re running webinars and giving training. In some sense Slack was built for this. Not specifically for remote work but for up-leveling communications and communications is foundational to that way that business operates. In an environment where you’re suddenly making this transition it’s more important than ever.

    The Crisis Will Have Some Permanent Impact On Business

    I think it will (coronavirus crisis) definitely have some permanent impact. From where we sit today there’s not a lot of visibility into the future. You think about just what it felt like yesterday compared to Wednesday with moments like the Tom Hanks or NBA thing where suddenly the psychology really seems to shift. People start to have a different kind of perception of what the next couple of weeks are going to look like. So looking too far ahead I think is difficult. This will be a lingering factor and have a lasting impact for most organizations.

    I got an email from a CTO last week who had just signed a huge contract with Slack, one of the biggest asset managers in the world. What he said is like hey, just letting you know, we just signed but this is the last PO we will sign before the doors kind of shut. I think you’ll see some clamping down on spending. At the same time we’ve seen a real surge in interest both from existing customers and from new customers. We’ve seen a surge in new teams created and people checking out Slack for the first time. It’s really hard to balance those two.

    We feel great about (our competition with Microsoft Teams). Microsoft Teams has been out for three years now and enough time has passed. I think that’s the reception that we got on it from the analysts last night. This is our third quarter result report as a public company. One of the wins that were proudest of in the last quarter was with Veterans Affairs going to 20,000 users. They run the biggest integrated healthcare system in the United States. You think about the pressure that they’re going to be under with a lot of elderly patients and managing through that kind of crisis. This is in an environment where you’re having people work from home in an environment that’s so dynamic. 

    Leaders Need To Drive Alignment and Agility

    I think about my own experience. Stuff is changing every day. We have 1,300 employees in San Francisco. Just last night school districts said that they’re shutting down all the schools. So people who are already in a situation where they were battling over kitchen table space with their spouse when they’re both working from home and now they are going to have two or three kids in the house as well. That’s not an easy situation to manage. 

    Meanwhile the disruptions of supply chains to the SMEs, restaurants shutting down, travel, that’s going to have downstream impact. It’s such a dynamic environment. Anything that leaders can do and employees can do to help drive kind of alignment and ultimately agility, because they’re in this kind of environment you need to be agile and you need to be responsive.

    Slack Helping Companies With Historic (Coronavirus) Shift To Remote Work
  • Coronavirus: AT&T and Comcast Do Their Part to Help Telecommuters

    Coronavirus: AT&T and Comcast Do Their Part to Help Telecommuters

    AT&T and Comcast have both adjusted their home internet packages in an effort to assist Americans who will be telecommuting as a result of the coronavirus.

    As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, state and local officials are encouraging companies to allow employees to telecommute if their jobs allow it. Many companies have already implemented work-from-home policies, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, Shopify and others.

    With an unprecedented number of individuals telecommuting, AT&T has told Motherboard it will be suspending all usage caps on its broadband service.

    “Many of our AT&T Internet customers already have unlimited home internet access, and we are waiving internet data overage for the remaining customers,” a company spokesperson said.

    Similarly, Comcast is making it easier for low-income families to access the company’s Internet Essentials option.

    “A hallmark of this program has been our flexibility in adjusting Internet Essentials to meet the needs of low-income residents in our footprint. So, effective Monday, we are putting in place two substantial program enhancements to help these families deal with this crisis,” reads the statement.

    “We will make it even easier for low-income families who live in a Comcast service area to sign up by offering new customers 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month.

    “Also, we are increasing Internet speeds for the Internet Essentials service from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps for all new and existing customers, which will be the speed of the service going forward. In this way, we will ensure that Internet Essentials customers will be able to use their Internet service for all their increased needs as a result of this health crisis.”

    Both companies deserve credit for taking measures to make it easier for telecommuters, and families in general, to stay home and stay connected in the face of the health crisis.

  • Coronavirus: Shopify Giving Employees $1,000 to Help Work From Home

    Coronavirus: Shopify Giving Employees $1,000 to Help Work From Home

    It’s a good time to work for Shopify, as the company is giving employees $1,000 to help them make the transition to working from home.

    As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the country and globe, Shopify has joined the ranks of tech companies instructing their employees to work from home. The company made the announcement in a tweet:

    As COVID-19 continues to impact people and countries around the world, Shopify will be going remote first starting March 16th. Working from home will help play a part in reducing the spread of the virus, and hopefully lessen its potentially huge burden on the healthcare system.

    — Shopify (@Shopify) 3/11/20

    According to Business Insider sources, the company is going a step further by giving all of its employees $1,000 to buy what they need to help furnish and set up their work-from-home space. It’s unclear how the company is doing this, whether in the form of a bonus or strictly by reimbursement. The company is also allowing employees to take home whatever office equipment they need to work from home.

    Numerous companies have already announced work-from-home plans, and in the wake of President Trump’s address Wednesday night, that number is likely to grow.

  • Coronavirus: Google Tells All North American Employees to Telecommute

    Coronavirus: Google Tells All North American Employees to Telecommute

    Just days after encouraging all Washington State employees to work from home, Google is telling all of its North American employees to do the same.

    According to Business Insider, Google sent out a memo on Tuesday recommending that all of its employees in North America avoid going into the office if at all possible and work from home instead. At the same time, the company will keep its offices open for those jobs that require onsite access. Google also informed hourly contractors they would be compensated for hours they miss out on as a result of the virus.

    Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter have all recommended that at least some employees work from home. With the vast majority of Google’s 100,000 workers in North America, however, the company’s decision represents one of the biggest telecommuting efforts yet in response to the coronavirus.

    For years, experts have been predicting that telecommuting was the way of the future, providing an opportunity for companies to cut cost and increase morale. After the health crisis passes, it will be interesting to see if the workforce returns to normal, or if work from home options become the new normal.

  • Coronavirus: Apple and Amazon Latest to Recommend Telecommuting

    Coronavirus: Apple and Amazon Latest to Recommend Telecommuting

    Apple and Amazon are among the latest companies to recommend their employees work from home due to the growing threat of the coronavirus.

    As the World Health Organization (WHO) warns “the threat of a pandemic has become very real,” governments and companies are scrambling to contain the spread. Major events, such as SXSW, have been cancelled, while others, such as WWDC, hang in the balance. In addition to those measures, multiple companies have implemented work-from-home policies, in some cases voluntary and others mandatory. Microsoft, Twitter and Google have all recommended at least some of their employees—especially those in heavily impacted regions—work from home.

    Now Apple and Amazon have joined their ranks. Amazon has specifically asked employees in New Jersey and New York to work from home, as New York has one of the biggest concentrations of confirmed cases. Apple has taken it a step further, giving employees at most of its global offices the opportunity to work from home.

    Long before the coronavirus was a concern, some estimates projected 60% of office workers telecommuting by 2022. As the virus continues to spread, telecommuting may very well become the new norm long before that.

  • Coronavirus: Microsoft Encourages Employees to Telecommute

    Coronavirus: Microsoft Encourages Employees to Telecommute

    Microsoft is joining the ranks of companies urging its employees to work from home in an effort to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

    In an internal memo The Verge acquired, Microsoft says that “multiple sites” in China are open for business, but undergoing temperature screenings. Telecommuting is already optional in China, as a result of the virus, and mandatory in South Kora. Now, however, Microsoft is expanding optional telecommuting to its San Francisco and Seattle offices.

    According to The Verge, “Microsoft is also recommending that those who are feeling sick, have a compromised immune system, or have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus) should work from home.”

    With Seattle being one of the prime areas where the virus is spreading within the U.S., it’s likely Microsoft will continue to make additional adjustments moving forward.

  • Twitter Encourages Telecommuting Due to Coronavirus

    Twitter Encourages Telecommuting Due to Coronavirus

    Twitter is encouraging employees worldwide to work from home, if at all possible, in an effort to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

    As the coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues to spread around the world, governments and companies alike are trying to contain it. Japan recently began recommending that companies encourage their employees to telecommute where possible. Amazon has begun relying on video interviews for some positions, rather than in-person interviews. Now Twitter has followed suit, encouraging its employees to work from home if they are able.

    “In addition to the travel, event and visitor restrictions that we previously shared, today we provided additional guidance as we look to protect the health and safety of our workforce. Beginning today, we are strongly encouraging all employees globally to work from home if they’re able,” reads a company blog post. “Our goal is to lower the probability of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus for us – and the world around us. We are operating out of an abundance of caution and the utmost dedication to keeping our Tweeps healthy.

    “We are working to make sure internal meetings, all hands, and other important tasks are optimized for remote participation. We recognize that working from home is not ideal for some job functions. For those employees who prefer or need to come into the offices, they will remain open for business. Our Real Estate & Workplace team is increasing deep cleaning and sanitizing in all spaces, as well as more visual reminders for personal hygiene best practices and pre-packaged, pre-composed, and pre-plated food options.

    “Working from home will be mandatory for employees based in our Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea offices due in part to government restrictions. Our criteria will evolve over time as we get more information, and we will communicate to affected Tweeps as appropriate.”

    Twitter’s stand illustrates the effect the virus is having on companies around the world, as governments and medical personnel struggle to deal with the outbreak.

  • Google Employee Diagnosed With Coronavirus

    Google Employee Diagnosed With Coronavirus

    Despite limiting travel, an employee at Google’s Switzerland offices has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

    According to a report by Business Insider (BI), Google informed employees via email that an employee in the Zurich offices had tested positive for the virus. However, the employee was not symptomatic while they were in the office.

    In a statement provided to BI, Google said: “We can confirm that one employee from our Zurich office has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. They were in the Zurich office for a limited time, before they had any symptoms. We have taken — and will continue to take — all necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials, as we prioritize everyone’s health and safety.”

    This is just the latest example of how the virus continues to impact industries, with experts warning of a possible pandemic. Japan recently began urging companies to allow their employees to telecommute and Amazon has begun relying on video interviews for some open positions.

  • Japan Encourages Telecommuting Over Coronavirus Fears

    Japan Encourages Telecommuting Over Coronavirus Fears

    As the coronavirus spreads, Japan is now encouraging companies to have their employees telecommute in an effort to contain the virus.

    According to Reuters, “Japan has 160 cases of infections from the disease known as COVID-19, as well as 691 discovered on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked south of Tokyo. On Tuesday, broadcaster NHK reported a fourth death among passengers.”

    As a result, at a cabinet meeting Tuesday, the government unveiled a plan to urge companies to have their employees work from home. “Rather than trying to contain the disease outright, authorities are seeking to slow its expansion and minimize deaths,” Reuters reports. “Telecommuting, or working online or from home, would reduce the infection risk from people gathered in one place.”

    The news comes as governments around the world are struggling to contain the virus, with some experts warning it could turn into a pandemic. Cases have cropped up in areas outside China, with experts not always clear how the virus spread to those areas. Further exacerbating the situation is that some individuals infected experience only mild symptoms, yet may still be contagious.

    As the virus continues to spread, it’s likely other governments will take similar measures as Japan.

  • Microsoft Remote Desktop Update Brings Major New Features

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Update Brings Major New Features

    Microsoft updated Remote Desktop for Windows this week, bringing a number of significant new features.

    The new update allows users to copy files between local and remote PCs, use an email address to access remote resources and allows user accounts assigned to remote resource feeds to be changed. There are also a number of bug fixes, including an actual icon showing up in the File Explorer when assigning .rdp files to Remote Desktop.

    As the primary method of accessing another computer in the Windows ecosystem, these updates bring a number of quality-of-life improvements to the app. The new version, 10.1.1149.0, is available for download.

    Release Notes

    • You can now copy files between the local and remote PCs.
    • Your email address can now be used to access remote resources, if enabled by your admin.
    • The user account assigned to a remote resource feed can now be changed.
    • When assigning .rdp files to this app, a proper icon will be shown in File Explorer instead of a blank one.
    • Additional bug fixes.
  • How To Keep Your Remote Employees Feeling Connected

    How To Keep Your Remote Employees Feeling Connected

    Video meetings, persistent team chat, and consistent in-person connections are all important for keeping a connected feeling with remote employees, says Lisa Walker, Vice President of Brand & Corporate Marketing at Fuze. “Remote employees will always talk about how they feel disconnected from HQ and disconnected from the company,” notes Walker. “That’s just one of the things you always hear from people who are remote.”

    Lisa Walker, Vice President of Brand & Corporate Marketing at Fuze, discusses how to keep your remote employees feeling connected in an interview with Logan Lyles of Sweet Fish Media on the B2B Growth Podcast:

    There is Just a More Personal Connection With Video

    What’s really interesting in managing a distributed team is the importance of video meetings. We know that if a leader turns on video then the rest of the employees on the call will turn on video as well. You have to lead by example there. The nice thing about video is that you are seeing everybody. There is just a more personal connection when you are able to see everyone.

    What I say to both managers and employees participating in video call is that it is all about creating the perfect frame. You don’t have to have a clean house, but you have to have a clean shot of yourself in the video. There is kind of a personal brand here. If you have a large team on a video conference from around the country or around the world, everyone has that opportunity to present a personal brand moment. You should be curating at least one good frame. There could be chaos around that frame but there is an opportunity for you to be consistent on that weekly team call.

    Video Meetings Help Remote Teams Feel Connected

    Every time that team call happens and that video flips on you know what you are getting from people. That’s what we are talking about in terms of work mode. You have to create environments where you can be productive. One of those important environments is video. I think it is really important as a manager to have those video meetings. In those video meetings when you get together, start with a few of those conversations that are more personal and then segway into company updates.

    Remote employees will always talk about how they feel disconnected from HQ and disconnected from the company. That’s just one of the things you always hear from people who are remote. Make sure that you are getting ahead of things your team may be hearing about the company. It’s important that you give a very transparent company update when starting a video call. Then get into the team stuff. Just do those first two things off the bat to make sure the team is feeling connected.

    Keep a Persistent Team Chat Going

    Second, for me is chat. Some people do it over Slack. We obviously here do it over Fuze. There are lots of different tools out there. Keeping a persistent team chat going in that asynchronous communication is just a great way to have the team feel bonded. They will talk about personal and professional in that chat stream and that’s fine. For specific projects where it needs to be more formal, you can create those project chat streams that are separate.

    Fuze Team Chat Platform

    Bring People Together In Person

    The third thing, which is the hardest, because it cost more money, is bringing people together in person as often as you can. For us, within the marketing team at Fuze, we do that twice a year at a minimum. We just did that this past week. It was wonderful. We had our sales kickoff and then we stayed together as a marketing team yesterday and had that time together. Make sure that you are finding those opportunities and making the case for budget if you need to.

    The other thing that a lot of managers don’t do and is a potential missed opportunity is that when you are out in other cities meeting with customers or at a conference if you have an employee within striking distance, meet them. Even if there is no office there, take them to coffee or lunch. Take those opportunities, don’t just fly in and out. If you have employees in that region, find a way to go have a personal connection with them and meet face to face.

    >> Listen to the complete B2B Growth podcast interview.

    What is Fuze?

    Fuze sees itself as part of the future of work movement. Digital technologies are generating significant opportunities for both people and companies alike. Employees are demanding consumer-like experiences to match technology in their personal lives, with greater flexibility on where and how they work. Work is personal and employees want the opportunity to choose their workstyles, schedules, and tools.

    Fuze – Part of the Future of Work Movement


  • Work From Home Jobs: 4 Reasons Why Telecommuting Is The NEW American Dream

    Work From Home Jobs: 4 Reasons Why Telecommuting Is The NEW American Dream

    Telecommuting or “work from home” jobs are no longer associated with $1 surveys and “opportunities” to stuff envelopes.

    Today, there are certain jobs which can bring in a six figure yearly income.

    The buzz (and pay) associated with working at home is steadily rising.

    Odds are this trend is here to stay .

    Here are four reasons why you should not only get used to the availability of remote work, but also anticipate it as the new standard.

    1.) Convenience and Flexibility

    It’s very convenient to be able to say your work can be done at a desk near your bed, at the local library or even your favorite coffee shop.

    There’s also an increasing desire for flexibility; so many things you need to do during the day cannot be done because you’re “trapped” at the workplace for eight hours.

    More Americans are looking for telecommute opportunities that will grant them a greater amount of freedom as to how they spend their day.

    2.) Greater Control Over Earnings

    Aside from flexibility, one of the most attractive things about many work at home job opportunities is that you dictate your earnings.

    You can look at your level of experience and education and decide what’s reasonable based on what you earned within a non-telecommute environment.

    You can decide your hours. You can decide what days you work and what days don’t. The ability to decide how much or little you earn, rather than having this told to you is amazingly freeing.


    3.) No More Hostile Workplaces

    The difference between telecommute jobs and traditional jobs can be staggering in terms of the avoided stress.

    Some work environments are full of nasty individuals and run by bullies.

    It can be emotionally taxing being in hostile work environments, especially if it happens to be a job you feel that you cannot afford to leave.

    When you’re self-employed, YOU decide who you want to work for and have far more control over your work relationships.

    4.) Paradigm Shift Is Underway

    Are we witnessing the last days of the traditional office environment?

    It’s possible.

    With nearly half of today’s working Americans either in telecommuting jobs or employed in fields that are work-at-home-friendly, it’s possible in ten years, telecommuting can represent the majority of the workforce.

    Gone is the hierarchal, “climb the latter” thinking. In its place, a series of career fields where people exchange ideas and information on a more level field.

    What other reasons do you think are behind Americans wanting to work from home? Do you see telecommuting becoming the standard means of earning a living in the future?

  • Career Search Tips: Find Your Ideal Job

    Career Search Tips: Find Your Ideal Job

    There is only one thing more painful than being unemployed: The eye numbing job search one must embark on to find a new job. Chin up, it does not have to be a bad time. If you are moving in the direction of a career that truly makes you happy, it can even be exhilarating.

    There are some important tips to consider as you move towards seeking a new career to both make you personally happier and pay the bills.

    Make Sure It’s A Career Field With Job Potential

    There are few things more frustrating than walking away from a career that was stable and well-paying only to find that your new career means jobs are rare and pay peanuts. This discovery is usually the direct result of a failure to do research before leaping head first into a new career field.

    It’s one thing to seek out a career doing what you think you’ll love; it’s another thing entirely to be realistically able to do it and thrive.

    Have a look at what career fields are most promising right now and then decide what suits you best.

    Insist On Putting Your Best Foot Forward

    How many of us have a generalized resume and a copy-and-paste cover letter on standby? As it turns out this might hurt you more than help you when it comes to finding a specific job.

    Employers want to feel that you have showed up to work for them, not that they are stop 230,754 on your quest for a new job.

    Part of it is simply being too lazy to take the time to really study the job you have applied for and customize your resume and cover letter to that potential employer. Yes, going through the trouble is a lot of work. However, as you’re not exactly the most busy person in the world, would it really hurt to take the extra time write more a more specific cover letter?

    Pay attention to what jobs say they are looking for and take the time to customize your application process. If you go out of your way to make yourself stand out and show that you have your game face on, you are more likely to get the results you want.

    Strongly Consider Telecommute Or Work-From-Home Jobs

    Gone are the days when “work from home” was synonymous with scam artists trying to tell you that you can become rich by stuffing envelopes.

    If you are truly burn out by the traditional 9 to 5 office environment, consider jobs that you can do from virtually anywhere in the world.

    If you have any writing talent and experience, you may consider a job as a freelance writer, but there are other work-from-home options to consider. Some make their living as a virtual assistant, performing customer service or data entry tasks.

    It’s becoming increasingly easy to find traditional job positions that only require a phone and access to the internet. If the hussle and bussle of driving to work no longer suits you, carefully consider your skills and abilities and then see if there is any potential to make use of it in a telecommuting position.

    Have any other job tips for the battle-hardened job searcher? Share away in the comments!

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