Video Conferencing

If your small business is growing much more quickly than you expected—or you temporarily need help from professionals with specialized skills—freelance workers might be a smart option for you. Here’s why: Flexible labor and benefits costs. Hiring a full-time employee with benefits can be a big commitment for any small business — but hiring freelancers may be a more flexible choice. “When …

Over the summer, I read the fantastic novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, a story of a recession-ridden future where the Internet and gaming culture have completely taken over the world’s consciousness. Nearly every aspect of society in Cline’s novel—school, shopping, work, gaming, socializing—takes place in a massive, virtual simulation dubbed the “OASIS.” The novel touched on two of …

We are surrounded by video technology every single day. Today’s Internet experience is completely inundated with video. We stream the latest news online, catch up on sports highlights, watch our favorite shows and movies and yes, even catch the occasional cat video on YouTube. Apps like Vine and Instagram have given anyone with a smartphone the ability to quickly capture, …

I rely on apps for pretty much everything these days. They tell me when my bills are due, they bring me breaking news, they keep me up to date on sports scores and they keep me productive and efficient in both my personal and professional lives. The wealth of information available to us through the internet is staggering, and apps …

Earlier this year, I was hit with two highly contagious and pretty brutal illnesses after visiting family. While out sick, I used iMeet so I could still attend virtual meetings and stay connected to my team. When I went home, I spent a lot of quality time with my twin niece and nephew. A week after returning to Atlanta, I …

With Labor Day weekend fast approaching here in the US, workers across the country are trying to squeeze in that last trip to the beach or weekend with friends to recoup and recharge for the rest of the year. Time off is essential for work-life balance and, quite frankly, our sanity; I’m insistent on my team making the most of …

As the business world becomes more global, you may find yourself collaborating with colleagues and clients from all over the world. Because of this, online meeting software has become a vital tool for businesses. With the right meeting technology, individuals can still stay connected no matter their geographic locations. Try these seven techniques to help you effectively brainstorm during your …

If not executed successfully, meetings can be one of the biggest wastes of time in the corporate world. Because of this, people are constantly looking for ways to improve their meetings by trying various techniques that allow them to efficiently share information with colleagues and clients. It’s vital to the success of your meetings to realize that a meeting should …

This article was written in collaboration with Indra Freeman. This world is more connected than ever before. Technology has allowed us to collaborate across cultures, eliminate our geographical limitations and create relationships without consideration to distance. Working for a company with global offices has expanded my international relations and knowledge immensely. I often meet with associates in Australia, Ireland and …

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on June 26 to strike down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a monumental victory for advocates of same-sex marriage. The fall of the DOMA law paves the way for individuals in legally recognized same-sex relationships to receive benefits through Social Security, the tax system, healthcare and other federal benefits, as well …

Telecommuting is on the rise. Approximately 20-30 million people work from home at least one day a week, according to the United States Census Bureau. Advances in communication and information technologies have made collaboration easier for employees who may not be physically located in the same office—or even the same time zone. Telecommuters are taking advantage of the explosion of …

It’s really amazing to think about how commonplace video has become in recent years.  Video is everywhere. Just yesterday, for example, Instagram announced that it was adding the capability to capture 15-second videos to its wildly popular photo sharing service. This puts Instagram (and its new owner, Facebook) in direct competition with Twitter-owned Vine, an app that lets users create …

How do telecommuting and workations work together to help employees and small business owners in particular find a healthier work-life balance? As smart phones and other mobile devices have rooted themselves in our lives, we have become tethered to work. Undeniably, it has become almost impossible to separate work life from home life the way generations before us lived. Now …

The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement is here, and it’s here to stay. Just two years ago, BYOD environments had already reached 40% enterprise penetration. There are, without question, unique challenges presented by allowing employees to bring their personal devices into the workplace; IT departments have had to adapt quickly in recent years to provide the same levels of …

Companies all over the world are using web conferencing to better communicate with coworkers, clients and prospective customers. Even though the technology is relatively easy to use, it can seem intimidating to beginners. These five tips will help you feel more relaxed and ensure your first online meeting results in a pleasant experience. 1.       Test the software Practice really does make …

HR departments and recruiting firms are under pressure to quickly fill positions, cut total cost per hire and select qualified candidates from a global talent pool. This can prove difficult when the talent pool continues to grow increasingly large while funds and time constraints grow smaller. Here are four simple tips that will help you optimize your HR budget and …

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the future of communication is already here. I mean, think about it; six short years ago, the iPhone® didn’t even exist yet. Fast-forward to today and we’ve got devices in our pockets that are more powerful than many computers, touch-screen tablets that have all but replaced our laptops and we’ve even begun a …

Video interviews are one of the newest trends seen in the recruitment process―more than 60 percent of companies are using it. It expedites the interview process, making it a great advantage to recruiters and job seekers alike. Companies are able to quickly complete interviews, reduce the amount of time spent on finding candidates and significantly cut total cost per hire. …

Studies show that working from home can keep remote workers happier, healthier and more efficient. Telecommuting programs help reduce stress and absenteeism, according to the second annual telecommuting survey issued by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc. Fifty-three percent of business decision makers,  surveyed by Staples Advantage  also said telecommuting increases employee productivity. Want to make sure you …

Competitive environments have long been valorized as the best way to bring out individual strengths, thus contributing to a stronger future organism and body as a whole. As the basis for natural selection, competition surrounds us and is inherent to our fundamental biology. This concept is also true for capital markets and business environments. Collaborative behaviors, while perhaps less assertive …