Gloss How-To: Ditch Your Office Cubicle And Go Mobile

Fantasize about taking conference calls from home as you prepare lunch for the kids or leading meetings with clients while lounging on a sandy beach somewhere tropical? If analyst’s predictions are correct, those dreams may be closer to reality than you might think…

By 2013, a third of the world’s workforce will work somewhere other than a traditional office, 119.7 million people in the U.S. alone, according to a study released by IDC earlier this year.


Experts say that the idea of “working from home” is still viewed unfavorably by some but the stigma is changing. Thanks to technologies like cloud computing, supercharged smartphones, and devices with 3G access, a growing number of professionals are ditching cube life for the opportunity to go mobile.

But stigma or not, when it comes to working outside the office, it’s all about results — said one expert, “Study after study shows you’re more productive working from home… I don’t care if you’re doing it in your underwear at 2 in the morning.”

Think your boss will be skeptical of the idea? Play up the benefits of employing people who work from home such as lower health insurance costs and expenses like rent, parking, utilities, etc. When your boss hears how your plan can help the bottom line, hopefully he or she will at least give it a thought. Showcase your stellar ‘problem-solving skills’ and ‘enthusiasm for teamwork’ by offering a few ‘out-of-the-box’ suggestions:

Video Conferencing Tools – Conduct Meetings From Virtually Anywhere

I told you about Google video chat and the latest version of Skype that can accommodate 10-way video calling but there are a few other Web conferencing options that let you connect instantly without having to rely on teleportation.

GoToMeeting Use your computer, phone or iPad to pow-wow with up to 14 of your colleagues. You’ll be able to hear other attendees and respond via the device’s mic or headset. Users can also view slide presentations, spreadsheets, reports, etc. – anything presenters choose to share on-screen.

ooVoo , While ooVoo doesn’t yet support VoIP calling, it does provide video conferencing for up to 6 people and great for those who prefer chat-based meetings. Users can send files, texts, share desktops for collaborations, and record/post HD videos in a private chat room, on Facebook or YouTube. A bit barebones compared to some of the other business software out there, it’s more along the lines of Skype, although ooVoo claims 8 out of 10 users prefer their messaging tool.

Fuze Meeting This feature-rich software lets you host HD Web conferences from your computer, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, and any other Wi-Fi enabled or 3G device. Unlike most of its competitors (including GoToMeeting), Fuze allows users to organize meetings from the device (as opposed to a desktop interface) and ‘lag’ is eliminated thanks to a patent-pending synchronization, Fuze says. With options to add Keynote or PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, PDFs, movies, images and any other content stored on the device or in your Fuze library, you can conduct meetings from literally any location with an Internet connection.

There may be monthly fees ranging from $30-$50, depending on how many bells and whistles you need but free, stripped-down versions are also available.


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Collaborate As A Team, Eliminate E-Mail Overload with Social Software

There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’ – even if everyone if scattered across the globe. There’s some cool social software out there that let’s you manage projects and teams efficiently, from virtually anywhere!

Social software also has another major benefit: inbox minimization. Back in the day, business e-mail was a necessary tool but nowadays – not so much. Woohoo, right? Just think of how many ‘quick question’ or ‘yes/no’ e-mails and one-sentence messages clog your inbox on a daily basis. By openly sharing work-related data, notes, questions, etc., you can sharply reduce inbox clutter, and sensitive or confidential information is kept safe, secure and password-protected.

ProjectTurf Whether your team is in another country or the offices next door, you’ll want to check this software out! Collaborate on documents, presentations, or files in real time, add sticky notes, control privacy settings, assign tasks, or use a timer to track what projects are sucking up your time.

Central Desktop Like ProjectTurf, this intuitive software is easy-to-use. Open, save, edit and co-author files stored online in Central Desktop directly from Office, making collaboration on Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files super easy and convenient. Also cool: a Wiki feature for real-time brainstorm sessions, a Forum and “CEO Blog” for general announcements or questions, and “Check out” – a feature that allows users to check out documents (like a library book!) to prevent editing conflicts with another user who may be working simultaneously.

Still Too Many E-Mails?
Gmail users can manage their inbox using Priority, a new feature that splits your inbox into three sections: “Important and unread,” “Starred” and “Everything else.” Gmail or not, grouping e-mails together by category – personal, newsletters/mailing lists, work messages, etc. should help.

Do you currently enjoy the freedom of working from home? Leave your tips in the comments section – we’d love to hear ‘em!