Category: General

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How Co-Working Spaces Can Help Increase ROI

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In this digital age, our world is getting smaller. We have social media to thank for that. Not only is it changing the way we communicate, it’s changing how and where we work together…co-working.
Co-working spaces are popping up at a rapid rate across the globe. However, the concept of co-working isn’t that new. Coined in 2005, Brad Neuberg created the first co-working space in San Francisco on the concept of working independently yet within a communal space. However, freelancers, independent workers and the self-employed have been utilizing this concept before the dawn of the coffee house! Simply stated, co-working is a way for professionals to work in a space to share ideas, expertise and equipment. It’s working…socially and flexibly!
What has made co-working so popular now? How can that help you with your business?
Co-working spaces have added a new element to workplace culture. Some small businesses and start-ups are electing to use co-working spaces to work directly with their community of local patrons and merchants. Co-working spaces have become a mix between the Town Hall and the local coffee shop with the comforts of the home office. Big and small, co-working spaces become a meeting space to be social, conduct business and get professional development.
Co-working has also gotten a boost from Millennials, those who entered adulthood around 2000. Compared to 32% of adults over 35 working as freelancers, 38% of Millennials are freelancers, according to a recent study by The Freelancers Union and Elance/O-Desk. Their interest to be connected to technology and society, while seeking impactful work to change the word, ties into the “being in the moment” flexible nature that falls outside of the 9-to-5 work grind.
A great piece from AdWeek in 2013 made the recommendation of co-working spaces for social media professionals. These same benefits can be applied to those in the technology sector. In IT, we work with freelancers and consultants in specialty areas. The quality of their work can often be attributed to how they stay organize, perform and work well with others. Co-working provides those opportunities to them, which can be passed onto your business.
Here are some ways that co-working spaces create opportunities for your business:

  • Communication: Many co-working spaces offer meeting and conference rooms for their members. It’s a great way to use conference room technology, like wireless presentations, across a secured network with reliable Wi-Fi. You and your consultant or remote employee be engaged, share ideas and work with unified communication tools without barriers of location or time zones.
  • Security: Co-working spaces have their own security infrastructure in place, as members share bandwidth and connected wireless equipment (printers, audio/visual, etc.). Therefore, their IT teams work to protect their business, their members and their members’ businesses. This translates to your consultant or employee working in a secured network to protect data for your business.
  • Education: Co-working spaces are a place of learning with a number of them offering workshops and professional development sessions. Some even offer discounts to take courses at local educational institutions. If they don’t, there’s still an opportunity to learn from one’s peers working on similar projects or in similar fields.
  • Collaboration: Co-working thrives on collaboration. There are opportunities for new ideas to form and information to be shared. New projects can develop and create experiences for future The takeaways can be applied to clients and fellow employees. What can help your employee or consultant may help you in the long run.
  • Talent Network: Co-working, being social, can help increase your talent pool. The connections made by your consultant or employee may lead to a future hire for your business. Have a new project that requires a specialist? Referrals from their network can be better than a job post.

These opportunities can help you define your IT infrastructure and organization. Setting up tools, like wireless presentations and unified communication systems, will make it easier for remote team members to connect with you and your projects. By understanding the value of the co-working space, outside of your office, you can begin to appreciate the flexibility of your employees and consultants, no matter where they are.

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Are Enterprises Focusing More on Mobile Now?

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People have been using mobile devices for personal purposes for years. Mobile data traffic has even started to exceed desktop in most cases. For example, Google recently reported that the number of wireless searches surpassed desktop for the first time. According to ComScore, in the United States the number of mobile only users is now greater than the number of PC users. Furthermore, Cisco predicts that by 2019, wireless data traffic worldwide will exceed wired traffic.
Now, the use of mobile devices has crossed over into the workplace with usage surging all over the world. From wireless presentation software to smartphones, many enterprises are looking for technology solutions that support mobility. As a result, more companies are adopting BYOD, mobile device management, and other mobile-focused programs and policies. As of yet, most of these companies have been small to mid-sized businesses or startups.
However, recent studies suggest that enterprises may soon join the mobile device bandwagon. What developments are influencing their usage in enterprises?
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Mobile Apps

Almost everyone has a smartphone or tablet and more consumers expect companies to have their own application for it. Several enterprises are deploying their own mobile apps. In fact, some reports suggest that the demand may result in a shortage of mobile app developers. Gartner predicts that by 2017, the demand for services will grow nearly five times faster than many IT departments can handle. For IT leaders, this is one reason why the rising popularity of mobile in the workplace is at top of their list of priorities.

Workforce

The multi-generational workforce plays a huge part in the rise of workplace mobility. This is especially true when it comes to the generation that now comprises over half of the workforce–Millennials. Many employees today value flexibility, collaboration, and work-life balance. They rely on mobile technology for all of these values. Now it is easier to foster collaboration by working in teams thanks to real-time collaboration tools, cloud computing, and smart devices.

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Security

For many enterprises, security concerns have been the greatest obstacle to widespread mobile adoption. Security concerns may have hindered some enterprises from incorporating mobile technology more heavily into their business. But, recent trends suggest it could be more widely accepted now. For example, advancements in cyber security and policies could make it more possible enterprises.
Many companies are developing mobile device management or (MDM) solutions that can help them control the use of devices for work and protect company data. If a device is lost or stolen, the IT team can wipe away critical data as soon as they are notified.
Cyber attacks, data breaches, and other security issues are still a big concern for IT departments, however. The demand for mobile in the workplace is so great that it leaves many enterprises with little choice but to embrace their usage.
The rise of mobile may be more common in small businesses or startup companies, but enterprise adoption is growing. Many CIOs and company leaders have realized that employees and customers are going to continue to use these devices in and outside of the workplace. The challenge for IT leaders now is to provide ways to accommodate the mobile demand while also balancing security and efficiency.

Why You Need A Centralized Dashboard?

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For a company that has a headcount between 50 to 500 employees, more often than not, there are usually between 3-5 IT administrators who are tasked to tare care of anything from support tickets related to infrastructure to doing simple administration.  IT departments need to work under SLAs that require more work hours than the job description specifies for an IT admin.  They often need to drop everything that they are working on to fix emergency issues such as the corporate email not working. To reduce the amount of time they want to spend fixing the problems, IT managers look for solutions that can give them an up to date information and a “heads-up” about what is going on with the technology in the office space. This is where dashboards come into play. The primary focus of a dashboard is to show real-time information about a given tool or a service that is in production. This would give an idea for the IT manager to delegate resources depending on where they foresee the problems to occur. We at Ubiq truly believe that dashboards can do so much more than just display the usage patterns and statuses of a said tool or a service. This belief stems from experience as well as talking to our customers; not the end-users, but IT admins who have to manage the tool/service once it goes into production and is being used internally.
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When the IT department is tasked to pilot any new technology such as a Ubiq hive, in their office space, IT admin’s may not have enough patience for a product that takes them more time to setup or understand what the technology is trying to solve. In addition, once the product goes to end-users, IT admins can be bombarded with tickets if the solution presented is not intuitive. At Ubiq we wanted to address and prioritize these concerns and are in the process of building a unified solution that makes the IT admin’s life easier as well as the end-user will get the best seamless experience that is intuitive for giving a wireless presentation. First thing we are working towards is building a solution that is easy to deploy across the meeting rooms and also provide a way for the IT admin to be able to manage the Ubiq devices on the cloud! We are integrating this management of the devices with a centralized dashboard. This dashboard will allow the IT admin’s to be able to control everything that is going on in a meeting room from anywhere. This will help IT admins keep up with their support requests related to any issues that arise in the meeting rooms without having to leave their office. They can be notified of anything going wrong in the meeting room before a support request has been submitted. This will allow IT departments to focus more of their attention to other important issues in their office space. The power of a centralized management dashboard is endless.

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Your 7-Item Priority List to Manage Your IT Department

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Setting priorities for your IT Department can be a challenge. At the same time, that listing priorities gives your team direction on how to manage their projects and responsibilities. Here are 7 items to have on your priority to-do list to help your team perform more effectively.

  1. Manage Time. Time management is essential for IT employees. If a help desk ticket takes days, rather than hours, to resolve, your team should inform you. You may need to find another team member or resource to assist.
  2. Balance Human Resources. If your department is understaffed, make sure you’re not overworking your staff. Create a simple spreadsheet, noting your employees and the current and upcoming projects they’re working. It acts as visual representation to allow you to make the appropriate adjustments.
  3. Monitor Usage. Dedicate time and team members to review how technology is being used at your company. For example, Ubiq’s wireless presentation system comes with a dashboard to stay on top of how employees are engaged with it
  4. Security Check. Security breaches can pummel your business. As companies are creating BYOD policies and opening up their network to external teams, it is critical to make sure your infrastructure is protected from viruses, hacks and more.
  5. Team Check. Your IT department should be engaged and motivated. However, as a leader, you need to take the step to check in with them on current work situations, their vision and opportunities to grow the department.
  6. Speak with Vendors. Chances are that your technology is not all “in-house.” Reach out to your vendors to address concerns, get updates on new releases/upgrades and review performance and optimization. Those conversations should then be shared with your team to prepare for any new tasks or projects.
  7. Benchmark Trends. Is it time to upgrade technology or implement something new? Look at the industry landscape for the latest hardware and software. You may not be able to make changes right away. However, it gives you an opportunity to create a roadmap with other departments, and set priorities and timelines in the future.

As a leader, having your own checklist helps you to set the right expectations with your employees. In turn, you will have their support to perform to the best of their abilities. Managing your priorities will help others manage theirs.

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4 Tips for Assembling Your IT Dream Team

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Collaboration tools have made working in teams easier and more effective than ever. However, finding the right members to create your own IT “dream team” is one obstacle all organizations must overcome. In the tech sector, it can be even more difficult. Several studies report that there is a shortage of skilled workers in IT. Secondly, even with highly talented members, a team can fail when not assembled strategically. Below are some essential tips for assembling your IT dream team.
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Recruit by talent and culture

Building a dream team is similar to building a dream house. If you don’t have all the right materials, then it is most likely not going to turn out the way you want. Configuring a strong group dynamic is essential to making it work. The key to attracting talent is discovering what motivates the types of people you want, but also, whether or not those individuals will thrive in your company culture. For instance, many organizations have looked towards building a fun company culture in order to attract fresh talent.
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Know your players

The most successful groups consist of members that complement each other’s skills and working style. How can organizations find out individual’s skills and working style? One way is simply from observation and previous work experience. But, there are other ways to learn more about your employees. Some companies ask job candidates or new employees to take a behavior and skills assessment at the start of a business relationship.
For more seasoned workers, organizations can track individual performance. Instead of conducting the outdated, once-a-year performance review, leaders meet with employees for feedback sessions four or more times a year. During these, they can learn more about individual motivations, gauge experience levels, and identify strengths and areas of improvement. The more that an organization knows about how its employees work, the better. This insight will be key in forming groups whose members have skills and attitudes that complement each other.

Define goals and roles

For any project or business, a clear, well-defined goal should be established at the start. It can be easy to fall into the day-to-day execution frame of mind, which can give way to micro-management. Reminding teams of the “big picture” helps prevent them from getting off track or missing deadlines.
Furthermore, defining roles can be essential to teamwork. When each individual understands his or her purpose–and how it fits into the bigger picture–they are more likely to achieve goals. Establishing roles is another way to assure that the workload is evenly distributed and that each member contributes. For instance, leaders are crucial for setting the example and uniting the rest of the team.

Use data to improve

There are dozens of factors that can affect whether or not a company or a project is a success. However, when businesses track the progress of a goal from idea to execution, they can make adjustments in real-time. At the end of a project, reflect on group performance data, use wireless presentation software to visualize the top takeaways, and improve future teamwork.
Building an IT dream team that continuously tackles projects and champions their industry space won’t happen overnight. However, organizations that devote the time and resources into strategically recruiting and fostering productive team dynamics will rise above their competition.

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Are you Creating Engagement for your Users or Distractions?

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According to a frequently cited Gallup Survey, only about 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work. High levels of disengagement have been linked to high turnover rates and poor company performance. Engaging workers at every level is one of the top priorities for CIOs, CEOs, and other company leaders. Businesses and organizations from every industry acknowledge the importance of engagement but struggle with how to foster it. One theme emerging from the initiative to engage audiences is the use of technology.
Whether it is in the classroom or in the boardroom, technology can be influential in promoting user engagement. However, it also risks crossing the line from engagement to distraction.
How can you tell if your technology is a useful tool for engagement or a harbinger for distraction? Here are some ways that you can tell the difference and tips for avoiding distraction.
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1. Define your purpose
One of the biggest mistakes that organizations can make is buying the latest devices or high-tech software before having a clear, defined purpose for using them. For instance, if you frequently hold meetings and lose valuable time setting up cables or troubleshooting installation problems, investing in a new wireless presentation software might be worthwhile.
Leaders of an organization should first ask what do we need? Then, how will it help make users and workers more productive? If it’s possible to achieve your purpose efficiently without the use of the proposed hardware or software, then it is more likely to become a source of distraction than engagement.
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2. Establish Guidelines
Today’s workforce is showing an increased desire for engagement technologies in the workplace. In the 2015 Mobile Trends in the Workplace survey, a significant percent of Millennial and Generation X respondents stated that the technology that employers use to communicate with them matters. In another study, 70 percent of employees said engagement software would improve their work performance.
It is important for organizations to fill this growing desire for technology. In order to avoid the tech from becoming distracting though, they need to establish a clear set of user guidelines. Leaders can even set user parameters for some tools.
An example of this is the growing use of social media at work as a successful method of engaging workers. This can easily become a distraction. Facebook has recently launched “Facebook at Work”, a platform designed specifically for organizations to work together, but with a similar social media model.
3. Limit your usage
Too much of a good thing can always turn bad. There are hundreds of gadgets and tech for users to choose from, which can make it hard to choose the right ones. Narrow the number of gadgets, collaboration tools, and tech-driven programs that you implement to a few at a time.
Leaders can set specific hours and times for employees to use a new e-learning program, technology, or other tool. These new devices are meant to enhance performance, but relying on them too often can backfire.
In the end, how you implement these new gadgets will determine whether or not they will engage or distract your workers. If you communicate your expectations to users from the beginning, set clear parameters, and don’t grow heavily depend upon them, you’re less likely to turn a tool for engagement into a source of distraction.

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6 Ways To Ensure That Your Meeting Rooms Are Secure

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A top concern for CIOs, CEOs, and IT personnel is the leaking of sensitive or proprietary information revealed during exclusive meetings. Now that everyone owns a mobile device and data breaches are on the rise (up 40 percent last year), information security in meeting rooms is even more difficult to maintain.
Ensuring that your data is safe before, during, and after meetings is crucial for any organization, especially for those in government, healthcare, and technology sectors. Below are some tips for ensuring that your meeting rooms are under lock and key.
1. Control preparation materials
When preparing materials for a presentation or conference, limit the use of physical data as much as possible. In many cases, losing or leaking physical data can be more likely due to the lack of control. If you are using collaboration tools or software to pull together figures, graphics, and presentations, make sure that it is with a secure provider and only select individuals have access to it. If it’s online, never use an insecure network or public Wi-FI.
2. Assess the space
One of the best ways to ensure your meeting rooms are secure is to assess them beforehand. If it is located in your office space or another entity that you control, this is easier to accomplish. If it is located elsewhere, try to do a security walkthrough before the event. Get to know the security staff and any meeting policies.
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3. Using wireless presentation systems
It is easier to limit possible security leaks if you own or control the meeting space. But oftentimes, you may need to present at other locations off-site with another company’s AV equipment. In these instances, using a wireless presentation system can allow you to upload data straight from your device to any pre-existing audio visual setup. This limits the access points and narrows the chance of a breach.
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4. Verify attendees
For bigger meetings, having a list of approved participants is key. Some may go as far as giving each attendee an ID badge or other mode of identification to ensure that only select individuals are allowed in. This can prevent any competitors or leaks from entering, and it can track participants in case one does occur.
5. Brief participants
Before beginning a meeting that may contain restricted information, quickly inform participants. Let them know that it is sensitive, give them a tip sheet on how to protect data after the meeting ends, or have them sign a short, to-the-point contract regarding the release of information and responsibilities.
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6. Restrict the devices used
Another threat to security in meeting rooms is the use of mobile devices. In a Ponemon Institute study, leakage of information was the top risk of insecure mobile devices. In some cases, restricting the use of a smartphone, tablet or any mobile device, can be extremely difficult to impossible, especially when it comes to larger events. However, you can still ask participants to refrain from using these devices during all or some restricted parts of the meeting. Personnel can help monitor the room and enforce the rule when a meeting is in session.
In an age where everyone has a smartphone camera or recording device, it can be difficult to keep sensitive information released in meetings a secret for long. However, companies can take control of the situation and increase security with these best practices.

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Things You're Not Doing To Build Company Culture

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A company’s culture is perhaps the single most important factor that influences its success. However, it is also one of the hardest for CIOs, CEOs, and other business leaders to build and develop. This is because every company culture is unique, and there are a number of characteristics that shape it. For instance, some of the factors that shape it include: benefits and perks, wellness programs, office space and technology, behaviors, work hours, values, and mission.
With so many variables to address, building your own company culture may seem like a daunting task. However, it can influence whether or not your business grows to success or plummets to failure.
Company Culture Matters
A positive company culture can motivate employees, cultivate loyal customer relationships, and increase business success. In a recent survey by Bain & Company, 68 percent of business leaders responded that their culture gives them a competitive edge. Furthermore, 81 percent believed that a business that does not have a high-performing culture will not excel. In a recent Careerealism survey, 66 percent of respondents said that a strong culture is more important to them than a company’s values or beliefs.
Some of the top companies have attributed their success to their culture. Netflix, is one of the biggest proponents for it. For instance, the video streaming giant gives its employees unlimited vacation and doesn’t care how many hours they work. As long as they meet the high-performance demands that the business sets, employees have a large amount of control and flexibility. The model seems to be working for them, but for other businesses, it may not.
Creating a Culture That Works for Your Business
It’s crucial for companies to assess what type of culture they want, and then plan a strategy and structure that can help them achieve it. Every business may be different, but there are some key factors that each should address to build a strong culture.
Organizations can show that they are invested in their employees while also encouraging high-performance. For example, companies can incentivize sales or client retention by giving employees an extra vacation day or a bonus for exceeding established goals. If you want to build a culture that values employee development, offer tuition assistance or training programs.
Give them options
Flexibility is becoming more and more important in today’s workplaces. With advanced technologies like mobile devices, video conferencing, online collaboration tools and wireless presentation software, it is easier than ever for employees to work remotely.
Employees may have children, medical appointments, and other worries that sometimes do not work well with the typical 9-5 workday. Creating a culture of flexibility shows that an organization understands that workers have a life outside of the workplace. It also can alleviate some worker stress by allowing them to flex their schedules when needed.
Model culture with leadership
The leadership team is key to building and fostering a new company culture. If you initiate a wellness program or community charity event, it is important that members of the executive team help organize or participate in it.

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Great leaders will continually show employees that they care by asking how their day is going or publically recognizing them when they excel. They are responsible for reinforcing the company culture everyday through their actions. Employees will take notice and follow in their footsteps.

 
Hire talented people that complement your culture
A highly talented individual that clashes with an organization’s culture can be detrimental to its success. If someone doesn’t seem to fit with a work environment, they will most likely start to disengage and become a negative worker.
On the other hand, an individual that complements your company culture is more likely to become an invaluable member of your team. When hiring new employees, it is important to investigate what type of workplace they would work best in. Ask questions like: Would you rather work alone or collaborate in a team? Where do you see yourself in five years? These questions can help reveal how they work and what motivates them.
Communicate
Communication is one of the most important tools to create a winning company culture. Benefits and other perks do not matter if no one knows that they exist or how to take advantage of them. It is important to ask employees what they value on a recurring basis. Instead of doing an annual performance review, chat with workers more frequently and let them know what growth opportunities are available within the company.
Assessing your culture can be as simple as sending an online employee satisfaction survey every few months or having a leadership meeting to reflect on performance. Building a strong company culture may not be an easy task to undergo. However, it is often the key to employee well-being, customer retention, business growth and long-term sustainability.

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Best Collaboration Tools to Increase Team Productivity

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The way we work has changed in recent years. The individual contribution used to outweigh group efforts. Now, we’re seeing work assignments become project-based and requiring teams to complete tasks. In response, an increasing number of tools are on the market to help streamline processes, promote communication and transparency and to make sure everyone is working with purpose and focus.
Some of the best tools are for communication. Others are for knowledge management and transfer. Many work for project management.
For Presentations:
• Ubiq. Wireless presentations made easy with instant access to your meet’s Hive, central access point. It connects people using multiple device types to a presentation where they can share content through a data encrypted, secure system dedicated for your meeting. The added bonus will come in the form of remote presentations, which will open, yet secured access to those beyond the Hive in virtual locations.
• Canva. Presentations and other communication assets may require visual content. Canva is a free, online graphic design tool to create posters, infographics, email templates and more! As a collaborative tool, you can share your design with team members to work together, make changes/edits and gather feedback.
• Mural.ly. Mural.ly is a cloud-based whiteboard application, great for brainstorming sessions. Using virtual whiteboards, called “Murals,” you can invite team members to draw and type onto your board to gather ideas, map out workflows and more. Collaborate in real-time and visually track activity as your project evolves.
For Project Management:
• Asana. Designed to support teams through web and mobile applications, Asana is communication and project management tool that works to keep teams organized and promote open communication. It includes a multitude of features, like interactive checklists, to ensure teams remain on task and rely less on email, where things can get confused or lost.
• Trello. Trello is a card-based project management program. Its application focuses on the use of cards, which work great for online brainstorming sessions. Ideal for content and editorial development, users can pitch ideas, assign tasks, leave notes and visualize progress as cards are being worked.
• TeamWork. This project management system supports file transfers, task assignments and status updates. In addition, TeamWork promotes communication with each task having its own discussion board. It’s user-friendly where both the project owner and the end-user can assign, edit and update tasks based on security settings.
For Communication/Social Media:
• Skype. When Skype was launched in August 2013, it took the telecommunication world by storm. Being able to make calls over an Internet brought people together across country borders and oceans. It’s still relevant and significant to how we do business today. With easy to use software, chats and free audio and video calls to other Skype users are simple. Need to direct dial someone, Skype offers great rates for pennies per minute. Communication provides immediate access with cost savings.
• Yammer. Yammer turns your company’s internal communications into an enterprise social network. Employees access the network through their work email address to communicate with others by departments, groups and interest. Stay on top of projects, understand strategies and break down silos across the organization. Internal communication is no longer just receiving memos through email. It’s now about having actual dialogue amongst colleagues online.
• HipChat. This internal communication tool integrates chat, video and file sharing all within your organization. Set in the cloud, employees can engage in private/group chats, videos and screen sharing from remote locations. It works on a chat room platform, which allows full chat histories to be saved and referenced. We’ve been using HipChat for over a year now, and we communicate over HipChat more frequently than email!
Many of these tools integrate with other applications and can be used across multiple devices. Some have apps for smartphone and tablet available with data being saved and shared on the cloud. It makes collaboration easier to accomplish without having to have everyone in the same room at the same time.

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