Ostratto - Blog | Ostratto , BusinessOstratto - Blog | Ostratto , Businesshttps://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/businessWed, 10 Sep 2025 05:48:29 +0200http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Supercharging your Business with VOIP]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/supercharging-your-business-with-voipVOIP and it's business communication super powers.]]>


Instead of using traditional phone lines, a VoIP phone system uses the Internet Protocol to make and receive calls. With the growth of broadband, VoIP has emerged as the clear choice for phone service for both individuals and companies.

VoIP stands for voice-over-internet protocol. It is a technology that enables internet-connected devices to make and receive phone calls over the internet. Many organisations choose VoIP, especially when dealing with a high number of conversations and data storage.

How does it work?

Now you know we like to keep it simple here at Ostratto, so, if you aren't too interested in how the sausage is made you can skip to the next section.

Voice over IP is a technology that turns your voice into a digital signal, compresses it, and delivers it over the internet. To function, VoIP often requires an internet connection. Aside from that, the VoIP functionality is contingent on the quality and speed of the internet connection. This implies that VoIP phones perform best when such internet connection is fast and consistent. When both the caller and the recipient are using VoIP equipment, the call signals go fully digitally, with no signal translation.

How VoIP operates is dependent on the devices and extensions used to make these sorts of calls. It is critical to understand how they are employed and how they enhance voice quality and communication performance.

Credit: Unsplash

​​Pros and Cons of Voice over IP

Pros
  • Remote work friendly. Employees can work from any location thanks to VoIP. They can connect in from any computer, use any IP phone, and telecommute instead of creating a new satellite offices and adopting costs such as paying rent and utilities. 
  • Cost. Calls using VoIP are often packaged in bundles providing unlimited (and sometimes internationally) minutes. With no physical PBX equipment costs and often no physical handset costs, the entry cost is minimal. Perfect for small businesses.
  • Quality. VoIP uses wideband codecs, which have a larger audio bit depths and so provide better voice quality. Narrowband codecs are used in traditional phone line networks, which generally result in lower-quality calls.
  • Feature-rich. VoIP, with its sophisticated capabilities like auto attendant and call transferring, allows even a one-person team to present the appearance of a larger organisation.
  • Availability. One distinguished aspect of a cloud-based VoIP service is the advanced availability offered by the cloud. Not only can you generally expect the likes of 99.999% uptime, redundancy features such as emergency forwarding to mobile phone numbers are often baked-in. This means users missing calls becomes a problem of the past.

Cons
  • Internet-dependant. The quality and dependability of your sound will be determined by your internet connection and network settings. You must rely on an internet service for VoIP communication, whereas traditional PBX systems use the PBX network. Should the internet connection go down in an office or satellite location, calls cannot be received by users. Data service is required on the go too.
  • Recurring cost. For as long as a cloud-based VoIP system is required, a monthly or annual cost will always need to be paid, and this is usually user-based licencing. As the business grows, so do the costs of the phone system whereas traditional systems can expand at a lower cost. That being said, many VoIP vendors have overcome this by offering volume pricing. And over the long run all businesses will see a cost saving.
  • Latency and jitter can be an issue. Jitter and latency are other call quality issues you may experience with your cloud-based phone calls. It’s just a natural function of wireless networks. Between your internal network, ISP, and VoIP service provider there are many servers in between which data needs to travel through. Jitter can result in choppy audio or calls that are delayed or dropped. The variance in ping responses that measures jitter. Latency can result in callers experiencing a brief delay or echo in a conversation. In most cases, it’s not noticeable, but in severe circumstances, it can be problematic.

Features that can be expected

And onto how cloud-based VoIP can really do bits for your business. Here's a list of common features you will see advertised within phone system feature-sets.

  1. Auto-attendant/receptionist. An automated attendant is a top feature for companies. Using call routing rules, this functionality answers all incoming calls and forwards them to the appropriate extension.
  2. Call Queuing. A call queuing tool will assist you in queuing your customers’ phone calls. You can often also set up notifications to remind your callers your callers of their turn and the wait time.
  3. Call Recording/Monitoring. These two great features can empower your business by checking the consistency of your customer service on calls and limiting the deterioration of your company’s efficiency. They can also be used in a legal setting as evidence of claims.
  4. Voicemail/call forwarding. Because often smaller businesses can't be available all hours of a day, there will be times when a call can't be answered. Call forwarding is a common corporate telephony tool that ensures that your customers’ calls are never missed. Inbound calls can be diverted to another extension, phone number, or a voicemail function.
  5. Conferencing. Conference calls are ideal for remote teams because they allow them to collaborate even when they are physically apart. Some managers and owners may organise this sort of call on a frequent basis, whether it's keeping teams updated or checking in with customers.
  6. Data analytics. VoIP Data Analytics are a sophisticated data report framework, generally included with most VoIP phone systems. It is useful for businesses that deal with a variety of outgoing and incoming clients calls on a regular basis. Informations such as missed calls and overall wait times help improve customer service quality.
  7. Business Tool Integrations. In our opinion, one of the top VoIP benefits is the ability to connect data with external business tools such as ticketing systems or email, keeping conversation records consolidated and teams connected. These integrations are very useful for remote teams. Many modern business phone networks integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programmes such as Zoho CRM. This guarantees that all transcripts of interactions are connected, forming a wealth of information. Sales app integration is a one-of-a-kind solution that enables users to automate their sales funnel, get closer to prospects, and complete more transactions. Sweet!

Is VoIP necessary?

For years, businesses have been debating whether or not to move to cloud-based VoIP. Some businesses made the changeover in the early days of technology, while others waited until prices dropped and quality, dependability, and availability of knowledge were ironed out.

Now, as these aspects have been ironed out, BT have announced they will be switching off the PTSN network in 2025. This means that not only is cloud-based VoIP the logical choice for businesses, it will soon be the only choice.

Price of VoIP

In general, with cloud-based VoIP, you can expect costs between £10 and £20 per 'seat' per month. A seat is essentially a user of the system.

Often suppliers offer monthly or annual payment options and generally expect a commitment of at least a year, with discounts provided on longer term contracts.

In Summary

Voice over IP is a fantastic and obvious method to run your business telephone communications. The significance of VoIP in telecommuting cannot be overstated. The current state of affairs necessitates a more advanced and adaptable work culture which means many business owners are concerned about their employees’ ability to work efficiently from home. 

To make the best selection, you should first comprehend the benefits of VoIP, then examine the features and functionalities you require, and last compare all of your options until you find one that meets the bill. This is where we come in.

We offer a range of telephony options from different vendors, meaning we can suggest the most suitable option for businesses from an unbiased position.

Chat with us today
]]>Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:03:00 +0000<![CDATA[Is Your Business Keeping up with the Modern Workplace?]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/is-your-business-keeping-up-with-the-modern-workplaceWith the modern workplace rapidly changing, is your business keeping up with the times?]]>

The workplace used to be a rigid place where employees conformed to cultural norms such as wearing a shirt and tie and working 9-5. Being in the office every day was an expectation.


Today’s modern workplace is more of a fluid, casual environment, where work-life balance is championed and, depending on your business culture, some of the team might even come to work dressed in sweatpants from time to time.


New-age employers have found that the old, rigid style of thinking is inefficient in reality and doesn't meet new age challenges, like employees collaborating effectively over long distances. The modern workplace environment has a blended workforce, is becoming more responsive to problems, and less tied down to physical locations. Employees now use modern collaborative software like Meet and Google Docs to communicate more effectively with their colleagues around the world in real time.

The workplace continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of both employees and employers. Let’s take a look at 5 modern workplace trends and how they are changing the way we work.

1. Flexible workforce
According to a study from Intuit, freelancers will comprise 40 percent of the workforce by the year 2020. The biggest reason for this growing trend is that employers are finding that freelancers can drive efficiency, especially with the savings on administrative and healthcare costs.

Freelance marketplaces like Upwork are helping to drive the shift towards the gig economy. Sites such as Freelancer, Fiverr, Guru, and even LinkedIn are providing specialized workers with opportunities to work remotely for a wide range of companies around the world.

The rise of the internet also has given rise to the gig economy. Sites like Upwork are connecting more people around the world. This give them the freedom and flexibility to choose the kind of work they want. Millennials, in particular, are trading in the traditional security and benefits of a full-time job for more freelancing opportunities where they have complete control over their schedule.

These outsourcing platforms are hugely beneficial for freelancers, too. Workers enjoy:

  • The flexibility to choose whom they work for and at what pay rates
  • The ability to set their own schedule
  • The freedom to work remotely

Freelancers can have a wide range of specializations. Writers, graphic designers, Photoshop experts, customer service specialists, accountants and many more can freelance by looking for work on sites like Upwork, Guru, and Freelancer. Companies benefit by getting access to a vast talent pool of specialized professionals.

Freelancers aren’t just working with small businesses on a tight budget either. Some of the largest companies in the world take advantage of freelancers for specialized talent. Companies like Facebook, IBM, and BBC Worldwide have used freelancer sites to get projects done on budget and on-time.

In summary, employers are becoming more dynamic and improving productivity. They prefer to hire from a rich talent pool of remote workers from around the world. And with that, there is an increasing need for managers who can skillfully manage both freelancers and full-time employees working alongside one another.

This brings us to trend number two.

Origin Workspace: a very popular freelancers stop here in Bristol. Credit: www.originworkspace.co.uk
2. Collaboration, and a lot of it
Even in our digital age, collaboration can still be a difficult thing to master. As connectivity increases, so do the number of platforms which employees, employers, and clients communicate on. This can pose problems for teams that are working in the same office — let alone those that are working and communicating remotely.


Take a post-click landing page for example and everything that goes into the creation process. Typically, you have a copywriter, designer, and ultimately a manager or VP that gives the final approval for publishing. With all of the necessary post-click landing page elements required to create an optimized page, there is constant communication and changes to be made before a page is published.


Project managers would have to organize copywriters, editors, and designers as well as feedback from clients or other stakeholders. Copywriters might prefer to communicate through Slack or Google Docs, while clients may prefer giving feedback and providing suggestions through Gmail or Trello. Communication through multiple channels likely meant publishing delays and details lost in translation — all making collaboration inefficient.

We help businesses work smarter

Just like the television in your lounge - the new becomes old quickly in business technology. It's why businesses trust us to keep them up-to-date and relevant with the best technology in business. We enable growth through scalability and adaptability whist generally minimising operating costs.


Ensure your business is operating efficiently by keeping up with modern ways of working or your business will end up being the 20" Plasma whilst your competitors become the 50" OLED. See what I did there?


Chat with us today
]]>Mon, 13 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000<![CDATA[What your business needs to succeed in hybrid work]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/what-your-business-needs-to-succeed-in-hybrid-workEnabling your business for hybrid work doesn't need to be rocket science.]]>


For generations, most people have worked the typical 9 to 5. And while there was talk of remote work—and some slow adoption—through most of the last decade, it took a pandemic for it to become a norm overnight.


But the evolution of work isn’t quite complete. As we move to the future, many companies will likely land somewhere between the office and remote, offering hybrid work arrangements for their employees.

Success in remote work

The adoption of remote work a year ago was fast and it was also extremely successful. According to a recent PwC survey, 83% of employers gave high marks to their company’s remote experience over the last year—a 10% boost from initial sentiments about working remotely at the infancy of lockdowns.


Both the research and anecdotal evidence show that employees were extremely productive. Although on the flip side, the blurring of home and office life can make it feel like we’re 'always on'.

The improved scores over the course of 2020 reflect the nature of having to adapt to change overnight. Instead of being guided by a thought-out strategy, the rapid shift to remote work was more of an experiment that was refined and improved along the way.


Credit: Unsplash

The next step: hybrid work

According to Microsoft, 73% of employees want flexible work options to stay, and 66% of employers are considering new office designs that promote hybrid work. Google CEO Sundar Pichai officially announced their own return to work plan included a hybrid approach.


At the other end of the spectrum, just a small percentage are prepared to let go of the office altogether. The majority agree that for many teams, work-life moving forward will consist of a combination of the two. 


But unlike the rush to implement remote work, this next shift both allows for and demands greater planning, including an examination of some age-old workplace habits that have no place in a modern, hybrid work era.


While there will likely be some kinks to iron out, as a remote-first business, we at Ostratto have a pretty good idea of what hybrid work requires to succeed. Here’s how we would approach this next monumental workplace transition.

1. Communication is key

The need to work together effectively and efficiently is true of most businesses.

It’s even more so for hybrid workplaces, where strong, accessible communication practices act as a connector between teams working from home, the office, the side of a mountain and anywhere else remote-working allows for.

Back in the 'office days', business communication was often top-down, with requests originating from upper management and working their way downward. But to support the needs of a flexible, hybrid organization, communication needs to be fluid and constant, with the tools and processes in place to support open communication across all teams and functions.

2. What's a 'workplace' anyway?

When everyone worked from the office, work location meant a physical place. But hybrid work changes the definition of workplace. Although offices (and all of the collaborative spaces they offer) will remain a vital part of the modern workforce, hybrid workplaces need to be open to include the virtual spaces where communication and collaboration also occur.

In considering where work gets done in a hybrid world, it’s not enough to consider office buildings alone. Companies also have to consider how they will build and support online collaboration space too. This includes bringing on solutions like Google Workspace and Vonage that allow workers to seamlessly message, meet and call from easy apps.

3. Flexibility in hours as well as location

The beauty of hybrid work is that it frees employees to perform various aspects of their jobs where it makes the most sense for them to do so. For example, one could prepare an in-depth sales deck from home and go into the office to present it to partners or prospective clients.

But to achieve their full potential, hybrid work models need to embrace flexible hours too. Google, Facebook, and Salesforce are among a growing number of companies that have said goodbye to 9 to 5. Why? Because not everyone does their best work—or can always be available—during regular office hours. 

Although there are times when everyone on the team may need to be available at the same time, freeing night owls to burn the midnight oil or early birds to get a head start on the day allows employees to be their most productive and may improve job satisfaction.

Credit: Unsplash

4. Don't micromanage

Just as hybrid work means the end of using “time in seats” as a performance metric, it also needs to mark the end of peering over employees’ shoulders to make sure they’re getting work done. This isn’t because working from other locations can impede managers’ visibility into employees’ workdays. Micromanaging is simply a bad management practice that erodes trust and productivity. 

Instead, consider that by taking care to support hybrid employees in doing their best work—including arming them with the tools and open flow of communication they need—workers will be better equipped to get their jobs done. At the end of the day, when managed effectively, the results will speak to the increased productivity and engagement hybrid work can provide.

The freedom to do your best work 

There are exciting times ahead as businesses combine the best parts of office-based work and working from home into flexible, new hybrid models. But there’s no need to rush it.

We now have a lot of information to lean on about how to best support employees in new hybrid models. And while hybrid work will undoubtedly continue to evolve as we discover what works best for our unique teams, now is a good time to reevaluate old practices and explore the tools and processes that will drive the best results—wherever employees work from.

We help businesses adopt to the hybrid model within their businesses using smart productivity tools. Are you facing difficulties with teams unable to work remotely?

Chat with us today
]]>Sun, 05 Jun 2022 12:05:09 +0000<![CDATA[Will we work from home forever?]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/140920-will-we-work-from-home-foreverIs remote work here to stay in the corporate world?]]>
In early March, Twitter and Facebook were among the first companies to close down offices and send staff to work from home—even before government agencies issued lockdown orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Fast-forward two months later, the two social media giants declared that most employees will at some point be able to telecommute permanently.


Large businesses have continued to extend their work-from-home policies. In many cases, they’re even making remote work a permanent fixture. Google, for example, initially told employees to work from home until June. Most recently, the search giant announced that workers could telecommute until July 2021.


It’s not just Silicon Valley tech companies. Most employees for investment banks like Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan are still working from home. Entertainment company ViacomCBS and music labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group have told workers to work remotely through the end of 2020.


Now that we’re about half a year into the remote work experiment, many employers have determined that the advantages of letting employees work from home may outweigh the negatives.


Herein lies the question: is remote work here to stay in the corporate world?

Most employees want to work from home
Studies show that 43% of those who previously commuted to work telecommuted during the height of the pandemic—and they enjoyed it. Remote workers say they are more productive and have better work-life balance since they don’t have a commute and can work flexibly. In fact, workers also report significantly higher levels of engagement when they work from home.


When the global health crisis is over, most employees still want the option to work from home at least part of the time. According to a survey by PwC, nearly three-quarters of employees (72%) said they’d like to telecommute at least twice a week after the pandemic is over, while nearly one-third (32%) want to work from home full time.

In a survey of 9,059 workers, 48% work from home during the pandemic and have a Workforce Happiness Index score of 75 out of 100, which is four points higher than employees who still have to go into their offices, according to a report by CNBC and SurveyMonkey. Remote workers are also more satisfied with their jobs: 57% of telecommuters say they are very satisfied versus 50% of non-remote workers who say they are very satisfied.

Companies want more remote work, too
As COVID-19 still lingers (and spikes), many are planning on making remote work permanent. In the short term, extending work from home keeps both employees and the company safe from safety-related events. In the long term, the flexibility of remote work promotes higher employee satisfaction and engagement, leading to significantly higher performance and retention. It's a win-win.

74% of CFOs surveyed by Gartner said at least some of their employees will be allowed to permanently work from home after the pandemic ends.

Not all workers can work from home
While remote work is something both leaders and employees want, it’s not an option to all workers. Only 37% of jobs can be done from home, according to University of Chicago economists.

For employees who can work remotely, 68% still want at some access to the office. Of those, 8% want to work full time in the office and 60% want to take a hybrid approach and be in the office a few times a week, according to PwC’s remote work survey.

The top reason people say they want to go into the office is to collaborate with other team members. Difficulty collaborating is a major reason people give for being unproductive while working from home (39%). They miss face-to-face interactions.

Others are simply more productive in the office because they have too many distractions at home. PwC found that 38% of remote workers feel balancing work with home duties, such as childcare, made them unproductive while working from home.

Coronavirus reshapes office working
When the health crisis is (finally) over, employees for some companies will return to their offices full time. Some will transition to 100% remote work. But most will likely take a hybrid approach, where employees work at home half the time and in the office half the time.

A permanent, flexible workweek has broad support among both executives and office workers, according to PwC’s latest remote work survey. While 83% of office employees want to work from home at least one day a week, more than half of employers (55%) anticipate that most of their workers will do so post-pandemic, the survey found.

For example, insurance company Nationwide is moving to a hybrid model. When the pandemic began, the company allowed 98% of its 27,000 employees to work from home and discovered that employee performance did not suffer. 

As a result, Nationwide executives have announced plans to reduce 20 physical offices down to four main corporate offices, which will help the company save huge costs. Employees in the closed down locations will work from home permanently, while employees at the four remaining offices can split time between home and office, according to a magazine article.

Preparing for the remote future
Telecommuting has earned a permanent spot in the corporate world, and as we recover from the pandemic, more and more people will work from home in some way. That’s because not only is remote work better for safety purposes, but also fosters higher engagement and job satisfaction.

It’s also clear that many workers can’t work remotely. From restaurant staff to hardware engineers, many industries will return to normal after the pandemic. At least for now, most offices won’t go anywhere—but that can change in the near future.

Companies planning to expand remote work opportunities will need the right tools to maximize productivity amongst remote teams. While office workers can simply walk to a colleague’s desk to collaborate, remote teams don’t have the same convenience. It’s up to a company’s tools to facilitate communication and collaboration.

Unified communications solutions like RingCentral bundles team messaging, video conferencing, and cloud phone into a single platform in the cloud, allowing employees to access all of their communications from anywhere, on any device, and at any time. Employees can easily switch from messaging to voice or video calls with a single click, keeping collaboration as effortless as possible to start.

Speak to Ostratto today to find out how we keep businesses connected and productive.
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Written in collaboration with RingCentral©.

]]>Mon, 14 Sep 2020 21:09:15 +0000<![CDATA[5 Lessons We’ve Learned About Remote Work]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/270820-5-lessons-weve-learned-about-remote-workThe overnight shift to WFH and what working from home during COVID-19 says about the future of remote work.]]>
If one was to capture 2020 in a single word, “unprecedented” would be a fairly solid pick. The rippling effects of the coronavirus pandemic have transformed all aspects of life, with how we work being one of the most salient. 


Case in point: at the start of the year, 4.7 million Americans (3.4% of the working population) worked remotely. Just three months later, at the height of lockdown, 34% of Americans who previously went into the office every day were now working from home. 


The Overnight Shift to WFH
This unprecedented shift is remarkable for its incredible pace, not so much the direction. Even before the pandemic accelerated the move from the office, remote work was on an upward trajectory with 159% growth since 2005. It’s estimated that by 2025, the majority of the workforce (at least 70%) will work remotely for at least one full business week each month.

At all levels of the corporate hierarchy, from admins up to CEO's, 2020 has represented a massive work-from-home experiment. As much of a rollercoaster as these last few months have been, the rapid shift to WFH offers a unique glimpse into the future of work, and to better prepare companies and their employees for life after the office.

The overnight shift to WFH marks the first time many employees have had to find ongoing and sustainable ways to work together while apart - and as a whole, teams are not doing too badly: according to a global survey of office employees during the pandemic, 68% said they’ve been “very successful” working from home. Employees are equally satisfied with their work activity performance at home compared to the office, and 70% of leaders say their teams are performing the same or better from home.


The Future of Remote Work
These positive assessments of remote work are quite remarkable given that workplaces were forced to transform themselves overnight and without much warning. Sentiments about working from home have likely improved as teams adapted to working remotely and refined the processes and tools by which they do so. 

Given that remote work is here to stay, it’s worth looking at the experiences of the last few months to evaluate what we’ve learned about remote work so far as well as find ways to make remote work even better moving forward.

Without further ado, here are five lessons we’ve learned about remote work in 2020.

lady in chair working

1. It can be hard for employees to disconnect
Fear that employees would slack off was once many managers’ primary objection to working from home. As it turns out, the opposite is true. Since the start of lockdowns, employees at home averaged 48.5 more minutes of work every day. 

But that may not be the win it appears to be. Nearly half of workers also report feeling more burnt out. To combat this, businesses need to make it a priority to help employees maintain work-life balance, even when the lines between home and office are blurred.


2. Projects can easily get lost or buried
It’s easy to take for granted the built-in ways with which employees share information in office settings. An ability to quickly touch base in-person (on the way back from making a coffee) helped employees prioritise their projects and provided a unified sense of momentum. When everyone works separately, projects can all too easily become lost or buried.

The solution lies in increased visibility. To prevent key projects from falling off, all people involved need ways to easily access and share key documents and information, as well as project management and collaboration tools that make it easy to track progress.


3. Remote employee silos happen without communication
Whether within a team or across departments, silos occur when colleagues don’t communicate with each other about what they’re working on. And when the left hand doesn’t know what the right is doing, it can be costly for businesses. 

Silos often result in duplicated work, blind spots, and other major business risks - and they’re more likely to occur when visibility is lacking, such as when everyone is working from home. Effective communication and collaboration, however, can help cure employee silos both formal (status meetings, progress reports) and informal (making it easy for workers to discuss work on the fly).

ringcentral app screen communication
RingCentral offers a constant communication channel(s).

4. WFH improves many aspects of work but makes others harder
WFH does not have a universal effect on work - in fact, it improves some aspects of working while making others more of a challenge.

According to the Global Work from Home Experience Survey, homebound employees have a significantly easier time managing distractions and disruptions, and doing the sort of deep-thinking work that relies on this increased focus. But with fewer opportunities to interact organically, collaboration and a sense of connection drops off. 

To get the most out of working from home, businesses need to find ways to continue to protect employees’ ability to work without distraction when it makes sense - but to also better enable seamless connectivity between workers and teams for tasks that require it.


5. It’s difficult (but possible) to recreate the organic collaboration that happens in the office
When it comes to teamwork when working from home, it’s not all bad news. Though remote work has been seen to fare worse than office environments when it comes to needs like getting timely information and collaborating with others, the results aren’t actually bad at all: six in 10 employees, a majority of workers, rate their ability to perform these activities from home positively.

This suggests that organic collaboration is possible when teams work remotely - but workers might need a little more help to do so. Setting up virtual “drop-in” office hours for managers, regular face-to-face team chats, and finding other ways to electronically recreate the easy communication that occurs in the workplace are key to fostering organic collaboration at home.


Communication and collaboration in the WFH era
What these lessons have in common is the theme of communication and collaboration. In a WFH world, the right tech becomes more than a communication tool - it’s the foundation upon which all work happens. This underscores the need for technology that’s accessible, seamless, and doesn’t create new challenges when it comes to helping employees connect with one another to get the job done. 

A unified communications solution such as RingCentral helps to relieve many of the pain points employees encounter while they work from home. RingCentral combines team messaging, video conferencing, and cloud phone into a single platform, allowing employees to choose how, where, and when they want to collaborate. By breaking down the barriers to workplace communications, remote teams can master collaboration regardless of where they work and take productivity to new heights.

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Written in collaboration with RingCentral©.

]]>Thu, 27 Aug 2020 10:16:21 +0000<![CDATA[DIY Website Design]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/diy-website-designIt's become much easier for the non-techies among us to build a more-than-decent website. Just because you can, though, doesn’t always mean you should.]]>

Not so long ago, there would have been no question of hiring a pro to get website up and running for your business. It was only the quirky folk with severe acne and an energy drink drip-feed that could produce a website on the internet and it was often an expensive ordeal.


Thanks to the rise of online tools like website builders, it has become much easier for the non-techies among us to build a more-than-decent website. Just because you can, though, doesn’t always mean you should. It’s a decision worth weighing carefully, since for some projects a professional cannot be replaced by a tool.


Now I know what you are thinking. "Lew isn't this post going to be a tad biased since you offer website design as a service?" YES. It will be shamelessly biased. That being said, you can only hire a web design company if you can actually afford to. If you don’t have the money yet to hire someone, then designing your own website may be the only option for now. In many cases, having a basic website with helpful content is better than having no website at all. 


Anyways, let's get to it - a few points to bear in mind during the design of your website.


My desk is definitely this tidy.


Design

Design is not something you can pick up in an afternoon. (Maybe a few afternoons?) Without an understanding of design, you could get it wrong. Your competitors on the other hand, might choose to hire a professional web designer and avoid the mistakes.

It's about:
  • User experience
  • How it looks
  • How it makes people feel
  • How it makes people act
  • The character of your business
  • Your message to the world

You could end up saving yourself a lot of time and hassle by getting a professional to help you create something that looks well-designed and established.


SEO Knowledge
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an ever changing landscape. It's the constant battle to keep your website being found on search engines and most importantly to keep you above your competitor listings when potential customers search for your services. Search engines change their rules all the time and what worked last month might not work this month.

We've been helping clients with SEO for years and still (like a lot of aspects in this industry), we are learning more efficient ways to get the best result. SEO requires constant listening, watching and testing to see what’s changed with Google and the other search engines.

Some key technologies in the world of SEO:

These are the basic fundamentals of SEO and so if they look alien, either get reading or get in touch with a web designer. We plan to release an article soon with a quick overview of these technologies, so keep an eye out for that.


You are not your customer
You live and breathe your business everyday and it’s fair to say you know your customers. We like to think we’re the same.

The problem is that when you’re so involved with running the business, it’s sometimes difficult to see things from your customers’ perspective. It’s difficult to imagine what it might look like seeing your website for the first time, by a prospect for example. This is known as 'the curse of knowledge'.

That’s where a professional designer can help. They can see the things you’ve missed because they are looking from a different direction. Here are a few common mistakes caused due to this 'curse':

  • No prominent contact details
  • No clear call to action
  • No statement explaining succinctly what it is you do

Not every web designer will consider how your site will lead to more contact and sales because they may just be focused on creating a website for you. So admittedly this point you could look at as a possible benefit of creating your own website - you know what you want from it.

We are a little different. Here at Ostratto, your interests are our interests. Everything that comes out of our door is with our principles in mind, and they exist only to boost your business.


You might need help along the way
Building a website isn't a walk in the park. You might be able to pull something basic together with some guides and the power of YouTube but what happens if something goes wrong?

A web designer would take care of all this for you. You won’t need to fix anything or find answers to complex tech questions. We do everything for you. We've spent years educating ourselves on the technicalities of designing websites and have come across plenty of problems and solutions over that time. There’s not really any need for you to do the same.

However, that being said, here are some fantastic resources for web design tips:



The right tools for the job
Like any creative skill it requires a number of tools to ensure the job is done correctly. If you don’t have these tools and/or know how to use them, then you might not get the result you’re hoping for. Here are a list of tools we use to build successful websites:

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Analytics
  • G Suite
  • Rank Tracking Software
  • Competitor analysis software
  • Landing page software

These tools can be expensive but they are necessary. Especially if you want to create high impact websites for users that perform well in search engines.

It took us a few years to learn how to use these tools and even longer to use them effectively.


LOTS of time
Learning to build a website from scratch can take a long time, especially if you aren’t very technical. Even if you’re using some super-simple website design tool you may need to do a lot tweaking to get it right. Not to mention all the image editing and resizing to make it look good and load quickly. You will also need time moving forward to update the website often to keep it fresh and looking professional enough to show to the world.

Time is money and whilst you’re learning how to build a website, you’re not managing or marketing the business.




Time - you are going to need it.


Your competitors
Even if you do have the time to create your own website, there is a high chance your competitor has paid a pro. If they have paid for a professional website to be designed and you haven’t, the likelihood is that theirs will work better.

If you are trying to stand out then you’ll want to a high quality website that looks better than your competition.


My tuppence
I know it’s tempting to try and design a website yourself, even more tempting when drag and drop software now looks so easy. Considering the points I’ve covered above, think carefully whether or not you have the time, the skills and the patience to create a showstopping website. Quite a few of our current clients have asked us to build their website after they tried to do it themselves.

At some point you’re going to have to pay a professional. It’s up to you whether you do it now or later.

Get in touch with us today for a friendly, no pressure chat about what we can do for you. And if we think you don't need to pay for a website yet - we'll tell you.

]]>Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:37:07 +0000<![CDATA[2020: New Years Resolutions]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/new-years-resolutions-2020It's a New Year. New or old business, we have you covered with some resolutions for 2020.]]>
The end of a decade! Can you believe it? Aren't we supposed to have flying cars by now? Or at least hoverboards? This year, and the past 10, have seen us through some pretty noteworthy stuff.

Let’s recall the launch of the first iPad and the inception of Instagram - yep, both happened in 2010!  There have been Royal Wedding(s), auditory surgery (looking at you, 'Gangnam Style'), and addictive apps (long live flappy birds). From the rise of AI and voice assistants to Beyonce’s twins and Tesla’s takeover, I think we can all agree - this decade has been kinda interesting. But with the end of another year, it’s time to say adieu to the 2010's and hello to our next ventures.


Letting bygones be bygones, we’re ready to drop into 2020 with a bang, starting with some goals. Forget hitting the gym more or writing a novel (although those are definitely worthwhile objectives). This year, we want you to commit to taking your business to the next level and actually reach your goal (with our help of course). 

Now is the perfect time to look ahead. Here are some ways you can resolve to grow your business in 2020.



A real life picture of me hovering into 2020

1. Build a Website 


The fact of the matter is, if you’re running a business in the 21st century, you need an online presence. Even if you have endless tasks on your business to-do list, prioritising the presence of your own web content is critical. Users (read: potential customers) need to be able to find and connect with you virtually - this is basic stuff fellow resolution-er.


Building a website to showcase your business doesn’t have to be a complicated or confusing task. And the how-to aspects of updating said website don’t have to keep you up at night.


Any business, small or large can, and should, have a website. Start with a game plan and determine your goals, then get in touch with us - we will get it sorted for you without breaking a sweat. And we will even show you how we did it (well at least the fun bits anyway) so that you can have a crack at updating it should you want to.


Want a blog that’s low maintenance (hey, we so get it - you have enough to do!)? We’ll help you keep things simple.

If you want some autonomy, but still would like a little hand-holding, you can get a simple but snazzy site up and running in a jiffy with our help. Or, you can be guided through the entire site-building process with our training services.

The choice is yours - power to you in 2020.


3. Get Serious about Email

Look. It's 2020 now, people are more savvy than they've ever been. In fact, 85% of adults think that a company’s website when viewed on a mobile device should be as good or better than its desktop website. That's quite a forward thinking view of website usage.

We've discussed this before. Your @live.co.uk or @gmail.com free email address is doing your business no favours. It looks unprofessional and you are going to be in a sticky one when you need to take on more staff who also need an email address.

Make 2020 the year you invest in a real business email system and set your business to scale freely. We will be happy to help you.






4. Try Out Some New Tools

A new year means new opportunities for trying things that are, well, new. The end of one year and the beginning of another can motivate you to run, skip, or hop out of your comfort zone and expand your range of skills and knowledge, in turn, empowering your business for growth. Start by experimenting with some new tools that help you build your business.

Here's a few 'out-there' ideas:

Looking for ways to make your business look more established? Get professional emails with G Suite and a professional phone system with RingCentral. We can get you set up today.

Looking for a way to best manage your business finances? Take a look at Zoho Books. We use it, love it and would be very keen to help you use it.

Want to build your own website? Check out Zoho Sites. It's super powerful yet still so simple, and we can help you from start to finish.

Want to boost your SEO in big ways? Easy. There are tons of tools for that and we can help you.

Want to open up your own e-shop? Let's chat Zoho Commerce, Zoho Subscriptions and Zoho Checkout. We’ll show you how.

Tying out new tools will help you become a more well-rounded and knowledgeable biz owner - an advantage that’s bound to help you build a better business in the new decade.






5. Improve Your Email Marketing

We've mentioned it many times before. We even just mentioned it, you know, about half a page up from here. Sure, it’s often overlooked if you’re not in a ‘90s Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks rom-com, but truth be told, email can be very powerful. How powerful? 

Well, a big 89% of marketers say that email is their primary channel for lead generation and email is still consistently ranked as the single-most-effective tactic for meeting their awareness, acquisition, conversion, and retention goals. This seemingly-archaic medium (which, FYI, was predicted to decline) is increasingly relevant for site owners looking to build customer relationships and augment sales.

And marketers aren’t the only ones with the hots for Email. 72% of consumers say email is their favorite method of communication with companies they do business with, and over 60% say they like to receive promotional emails every week from businesses.

So educate yourself: get smart on dodging the spam folder and providing valuable content that customers want to see enter their inboxes. Learn about the types of emails you should be sending your followers (like the increasingly prevalent email newsletter), set goals, work on building your ever-important email list, and start connecting with more of your customers in their inboxes. This is something we can even give you a hand with - just give us a holla.






6. Get Mobile-Friendly

OK, so maybe you are aware of this. But seriously, if you aren’t optimizing your site (and business generally) for use on mobile devices, you’re harming your presence.

Sixty-one percent of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing, and 40% will jump ship and visit a competitor’s site instead. What’s more, Google rewards mobile-friendly sites with better rankings. Ron Burgundy would say, "That’s kind of a big deal". sales, conversions, traffic, search engine placement, UX, responsiveness - all riding on mobile responsiveness.

Mobile rules e-commerce: during some parts of this past year, 79% of online shopping time is being consumed on smartphones, and that number is only predicted to increase. Not only are consumers using smartphones to search (more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries) and make purchases (69% of purchases were made by mobile users on one eCommerce platform), but they’re not letting mobile devices out of their sight: 55% of smartphone users admit they get anxious when they don't have their phone on them. There's even a name for the affliction: nomophobia, or "no mobile phone phobia."

Taking these numbers into account, you can see that mobile optimization affects nearly every aspect of your business, from brand building and traffic generating to establishing relationships with customers. Google will not be friendly in its rankings to sites that aren’t optimized for mobile, which harms your traffic-building efforts. You don’t want this. This is bad.





Having a website optimised for small screens is a 'thou-shalt' that simply has to be a part of your business commandments this year if you want a more successful business. The same goes for email formatting where over 66% of emails are read on mobile devices, your emails need to look great on a customers screen or they may just choose not to read them.

Start thinking mobile by taking a responsiveness test drive, working on improving your site’s load times, redesigning your site pop-ups, and making an app - if your business needs it of course.



7. Lose some (business) weight

Even the most successful companies have areas of their operations that can be streamlined. Staff, as we all know, is the highest cost to most businesses. Nothing beats the human touch in business but you'll be surprised which workflows can be automated by technology within your business. We are talking about the tasks nobody wants to do - the follow-up emails to leads, the monthly subscription payments you manually take, the backups of your data or even the VAT filing for your business finances. These are tasks that are easily automated...so why are you paying someone to do them?

Review your vendor pricing. There is no harm in shopping around to see if you can find goods and services at better prices – assuming that the quality and delivery are comparable. You'll often find that you aren't on the best deal compared to new customers (which makes no sense to us but we digress).

Let Ostratto do the heavy lifting - our partners have seen an average of over 40% savings in 2019 on their IT services. Your interests are our interests.


8. Remember to Breath

Running a business is no small feat. To give your best to your business, you need to resolve to achieve the a proper work/life balance. It can’t be all work and no play. You (or your employees) will burn out faster than those Christmas lights you still haven’t taken down.

When approaching the new year, set realistic goals, hustle hard to stretch yourself and make things happen, and then breathe. Taking care of yourself is crucial to the success of your business. Trust us.

Set boundaries for in and out-of-office hours and honor them. Automate any tasks you can, delegate responsibilities, and then unplug. Resist the temptation to 'just check' your inbox. Be intentional about stepping away from screens and/or your desk and engage in rejuvenating activities such as exercise. Make face-to-face connections and prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Remember: It’s OK to take off your business-owner hat and just have a good time. This doesn't necessarily mean a week break in Hawaii. A proper re-calibration of your priorities and work-life habits will help you be a better business owner and the small breaks you should take will pay you back. It's an investment.

At Ostratto, we love to succeed with you. In fact, we live for it. Whether your new year goals include boosting your bottom line, hiring a team, finding new customers or clients, or learning new entrepreneurial skills, we’re here to help you make them happen in 2020 and we would be honored to be part of your business success.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and business-booming new year!

Let's Chat
]]>Wed, 08 Jan 2020 11:04:25 +0000<![CDATA[Free email: It's not good business]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/free-email-bad-businessFree email hosting and why it isn't good enough for any serious business.]]>
@gmail.com, @yahoo.com, @live.com, all touted as FREE email addresses. Great for a new business that wants to keep costs down right? Let's have a look at why your business should stay clear of a free email address.

With email communications being a key tool for your business, it’s important to make sure that your credibility surrounds that communication and that your email address is one that speaks 'professionalism'. After all, it’s for business.


When people see your Email address, if you have a Yahoo or Gmail account, you may be giving the impression that you are not as serious about your business as you should be. It's all about the perception, especially for a small business. Free email addresses definitely serve a purpose but when it comes to your business, you should steer clear of anything that takes away from your credibility and potentially detracts from your professional reputation.

"It's all about the perception, especially for a small business."


Let's dig into what exactly is 'wrong' about using a free email service for your business. All of these points are assumptions on the customers behalf and for the most part theoretical.


It's unprofessional

When people see an email account that is from a free service, they may assume that you are reluctant to spend money and therefore the products and services that you offer may not be of the highest quality. How people perceive you and your business is critical to the success of your business. Having a free email address may make those who are considering doing business with you think twice before they enter into a relationship with you. As easy way to remedy this is by registering your business domain name so that can have business emails. Our partners have confirmed to us that since using professional email addresses they have been treated as a much more established business than they did before. You may see that this will open up a large amount of new business opportunities for you and your business - and at such a small cost.


No domain? No business investment

Registering your domain name is very inexpensive and so if you don’t register yours, it will be seen as a direct lack of investment into the business. Customers may wonder where else money has been saved on your business. This of course also spreads to the perception that your products or services are of inferior quality.


Are you here to stay?

So you aren't investing in one of the most inexpensive purchases a business can make and so the question may come up in the minds of potential clients as to whether your business will actually be around in the long term.

The people with whom you do business need to totally trust that you will always work with their best interest in mind. It needs to be seen that you are willing to invest their hard-earned money so they the customer can trust that your business will be around for a very long time. Having a legitimate business email address and email system will help them to feel comfortable with that and it's a very evident investment into your business.


'Free' means 'No technical support'
When you are using a free email service, and your email goes down, to use a popular phrase "Who You Gonna Call?!” 

Well Google or Microsoft won’t be answering your phone call and millions of others when they are having problems. They would go out of business if they did that for free. With a true email hosting service, you will very often get technical support (you certainly would with us). So, if your email service stops working at that critical time, and remember in running a business communication is a top priority - you will be able to get the help you need.


It's not for a business
Although a free email address might be enough for your business now, it will definitely not be in time. The free email services offer a consumer-grade set of products and so the clever features offered in a business-standard email platform are immediately missed out on. Basic features such as mailbox sharing (instead of all using the same set of logins, read: major security risk) or even email deliverability authentication (this is a measure to ensure that your emails are actually delivered to your recipients and not to their spam folder).

Your business services need to be able to scale actively with your business success. You don't need the stress, and potential downtime, of having to change email services when you get busy - trust us.


You are missing out
Using your domain name in your email address is similar to how product placement is used in the movies to get people to remember that product even after the movie is over.

When you use your business domain name in your email communications, you are continually presenting your company name over and over again. It’s like free marketing. And if you don’t take this opportunity to market your own business, and you use a free email service like Gmail, you are essentially putting a sign for somebody else’s business over your front door. In other words, you are advertising for Gmail and not your own business. Granted Google appreciates the free advertising and they do offer some fantastic products, but you shouldn’t be doing that for Google. They have a much larger advertising budget than you likely do!

If your email has your domain name in the email address, you are cementing the name of your company into your potential customer’s mind. Do this over and over again and the customer will remember your company before any other company when they are about to buy your products or services.


A custom domain is a pretty cheap billboard...


In Closing

It's worth spending a small amount of money so that you can register your domain and so that the perception that other people have of your business is one of credibility and trustworthiness. 


It is also important to remember that nothing in life is really free. You may not always know when you sign up what the price is going to be. Generally the cost of a business email system is a lot less than the cost of a customer facing issues anywhere from deliverability problems to customer service problems (because your email has gone to your customers spam folder). The relationships that you share with your clients should not be short ones but should endure for a very long time - invest in your business email system to show that you will be around for a long time.



To find out more and to get started with professional email addresses, let's chat, we're all ears.
]]>Thu, 26 Dec 2019 17:42:28 +0000<![CDATA[The Rise of Remote-working]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/the-rise-of-remote-workingThe traditional office landscape is changing.]]>

The traditional office landscape is changing. Going are the days of closed cubicles, quiet workspaces and water-cooler talk. One of the biggest changes that has quickly grown in popularity is the rise of the remote working space. Remote working can have significant benefits for many employees, which explains why half of the UK's workforce is set to be remote working by 2020.


We've recently discussed the benefits of hot-desking as part of an overall agile way of working. To further this investment into agile working methodologies, the adoption of remote-working is naturally the next step.


Remote working for the employer isn’t just about saving desk space and costs and for the employee, eating biscuits on the sofa and/or getting some clothes washes done (although all valid points hmm). Remote working provides people with the flexibility to design their days so that their professional and personal lives can be experienced to their fullest potential and coexist more effectively.


Let’s have a look at well, why would you want to introduce this working style into your business and how best to do it.


Benefits to the employee

Flexible lifestyle

The most obvious reason for why people want to work remotely is because it offers them a more flexible lifestyle. 


When they aren’t required to be in an office during a set working day, remote employees can focus on the things that matter to them outside of the office. If a remote worker is also a parent, he or she has the ability to start work earlier in the day so that he or she can be present when the children get home from school, or take time off during the day for a doctor’s appointment. Another scenario could be a remote employee who wants to attain further education in their field.


Better health and wellness

Remote employees are notably less stressed and have higher morale than their in-office counterparts. In a report published by Royal Society for Public Health in the UK, it was found that 55% of participants felt more stressed as a result of their commute. By eliminating that commute and letting remote employees work in an environment that they’re comfortable in, employers are nurturing less stressed-out employees. Just take a look at this stat: 69% of remote workers reported lower absenteeism than non-remote employees according to a 2014 study by PGi. Workers didn’t feel the need to skip out on work without good reason because they felt engaged and focused within their role instead of stressed or pressured. Happier, healthier employees produce better work and feel more committed to their companies. From this perspective, remote work is just good business.


Renewed passion for their job

Remote employees tend to do their best work outside of the office. They are more inspired by their surroundings and can filter out environmental distractions as they see fit. In fact, the opportunity to work remotely alone brings a new perspective to a remote workers’ position. They see it as motivation or a reward for their excellent work and are stimulated to continue to surpass their goals in order to continue living the lifestyle that they’ve come to love.


Definitely how remote-working looks...

Benefits as an employer

‍Higher productivity

One of the most touted arguments for remote work is the increased productivity that comes with its flexibility. Remote employees are more likely to put in extra effort in their jobs, going above and beyond to get their work done in comparison to in-office employees. According to the State and Work Productivity Report, 65% of full-time employees believe that working remotely would increase productivity - and their bosses agree. Two-thirds of managers who were surveyed reported an increase in overall productivity from their remote employees.


Cost savings

Remote employees are also great for a company’s bottom line. If a team is fully-distributed, companies can see decreased overhead from money saved on costs like rent and office furniture.


Engaged employees

Beyond profit margins and higher-quality, more efficient work, employers offer remote work opportunities to keep their employees happy and engaged. Remote work is not just a flash in the pan for employee engagement - nearly 75% of employees surveyed in a Softchoice study said they would quit their job for one that offered remote work. That’s something that will make employers who are interested in talent retention listen in a little closer.


"...nearly 75% of employees surveyed in a Softchoice study said they would quit their job for one that offered remote work."



How to make remote-working, work

Now it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are issues that can arise when employees work remotely which may have a real negative effect on businesses. Here is our top 5 on how to make it work.


1. Connect with colleagues

Some employees feel isolated or lonely when working from home. Without the office banter and constant communication, energy levels can also drop. This is where the benefits of chat tools such as Hangouts Chat can be seen firsthand. Chat rooms to help to include remote-workers and keep teams connected.


2. Educate staff

Working from home may be a new experience for your staff too and so they will need some time to adapt. Before they start working remotely, brief your team and offer tips that will help them adjust to working from home so they can maintain productivity levels and meet their goals. Regular check-ups and 1-2-1's would fit nicely here to review this with your team.


3. Get the right setup

Make it easy for employees to access everything they need to work effectively from home. Online work platforms such as G Suite make it easy for your team to access all the resources they need to do their best work. Make sure your team is also equipped with the right hardware for the job.


One thing to consider is the security aspect of employees potentially accessing sensitive business data on personal devices. Most cloud technologies are secure by design, but it’s important to understand the risks and educate your employees accordingly. Ostratto can provide a full security assessment along with consulting services on how you can secure your systems best.


4. Utilise 'deep work' signals

People operate more efficiently at various times of the day. Some employees will have a productive drive in the morning once the kids are packed off to school, whilst others will perform better after lunch.


Given home workers have targets to meet, encourage your employees to best utilise the times of day when they are most driven and free from distraction. During these times they should also indicate they do not want to be disturbed by colleagues. Creating a 'deep work' signal provides an ideal solution. Here a shared team Calendar would do nicely, along with an automatic response detailing the set hours you process your inbox - all handled by Gmail.


5. Provide regular feedback by video chat

Studies indicate that some workers feel left out when working at home. This is a basic human need for interaction and engagement. Employees crave regular feedback on their progress. In the office this is just a casual 'good work', but when the worker is remote this becomes less casual naturally.


Using digital channels to communicate can sometimes feel distant and the message you are trying to convey loses context. Constructive feedback in an email or chatroom can be taken the wrong way. Team managers have to consider people’s feelings. Therefore, conduct feedback sessions using video chat tools such as Hangouts Meet.


Our last words

As more companies warm to the idea of working remotely, the technologies which enable and enhance the remote working experience continue to improve. Without the right technologies, creating flexible working protocols is simply not possible, so before you decide to implement a telecommuting policy, make sure you have a system in place that supports your team and your business.


Ostratto promotes an agile working environment. We understand that businesses have their unique needs when it comes to IT - that's why we are so interested in the industry.


Get in touch with us to find out more about how you can get the most out of remote working for your business. 

]]>Fri, 13 Dec 2019 09:53:00 +0000<![CDATA[What is hot-desking?]]>https://referencesite.dev.int.ostratto.com/blogs/post/what-is-hot-deskingThe benefits of hot-desking.]]>

When hot-desking was first muttered at the office water-cooler everything was thrown into disarray. As well as office walls (with the introduction of open offices), office workers now had to ditch their desks, take their personal items home and *gulp*... start to share spaces with their co-workers.


The premise of hot-desking is not as simple as asking co-workers to share desks. It is a delicate process that usually requires a solid strategy and expert guidance. If not approached correctly, the office ethos is at risk.



The benefits of hot-desking

  • Frees up space for other perks, like comfortable break-out areas, fitness spaces and games rooms.
  • Encourages cross-departmental communication and collaboration.
  • Encourages agile working - more movement between environments.
  • Less demand for staff to come in to the office, encouraging remote-working.
  • Cuts cost of permanent running workstations.
  • Stimulates health and productivity as staff are no longer rooted to the same spot every day.


How to do it right

Plan plan plan

As with any business decision, plan every move - the time it'll take, the resources needed and the budget you have. How will you communicate the change to staff? How will you support them and manage their needs? How will you redesign the space? What is your your time limit? What is your desired outcome and how will you measure its success?


Be open about things

We're all human, we're all creatures of habit and change can be unsettling. Hot-desking takes away the comfort and familiarity of an 'owned' workstation. This is why it's important to be transparent with your teams. They need to be in the know or rumors and negativity will spread. Hold a company-wide meeting, print posters, send emails with plans, ask for feedback and ideas. Getting staff involved creates a more inclusive, democratic culture.


Be equipped

As we are trying to introduce an idea that may face some initial resistance, it's important to remove any possible reasons for users to be unhappy. And what do business users love to complain about? Yes you guessed it - IT. Ensure the correct equipment is available at the desks, whether that's a plug-in monitor, power sockets, network sockets or even a nearby printer. Providing your users with everything they need to do their work is key to implementing a successful hot-desk policy.


Create a variety of spaces

If teams aren't sitting together on a daily basis then it's important to provide plenty of places to hold meetings. Break-out areas with a more relaxed lay-out can be effective. Sofas, armchairs - even swing chairs or hammocks can provide a change of environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration.


Make hot-desking part of an agile working strategy

Think about the bigger picture. Hot-desking is just one element of agile working. Have you prepared a home-working policy? Are you going to consider sit-stand desks and other physical activity initiatives? Hot-desking only works if you see it as a deeper, holistic change. It is about freeing your workforce, unshackling them from their desks and allowing them to use best judgement when it comes to the day's work environment.


Planning well, communicating clearly and using space intelligently is the key to effective hot-desking. We would love to hear about your experience with hot-desking. 


Do you think it's a good idea? Are you thinking about making the transition? Get in touch with the team for a chat about how we can help you introduce a new way of working.

]]>Thu, 21 Nov 2019 16:13:22 +0000