For first-time coworkers or flexible work veterans, social media can play a huge role in your new collaboration paradigm. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can fill the gaps left in your collaboration workflow when you forgo a traditional office. Here are just a few ways that coworkers can make social media work for them:

Crowdsource Your Next Coworking Home

Coworkers, teleworkers and freelancers tend to form vibrant social media communities. Whether it’s centered around the Facebook page of your favorite coworking spot, a group on LinkedIn, or a hashtag on Twitter or Google+, social media is a great way not only to network but also to ask questions and get the “lay of the land,” so to speak. Interested in trying a new coworking space but nervous about the commitment? Ask the Twitterverse for opinions or search Google+ for reviews, which also integrate Google’s user reviews from Google Maps. Leveraging the crowd can be a quick way to find authentic answers.

Make Your Network Virtual

On a traditional, in-office network, the new hire you just met is never more than a quick search away in your contacts list or email program. However, in a collaborative, flexible environment like a coworking space, you’re constantly meeting new people at various times and keeping track of them can be difficult. Social media is a great way to keep track of your new work colleagues; make a point, after collaborating with someone new, to add them on a site like LinkedIn. This will give you more insight into their background, help you maintain your newly formed connection and, perhaps most importantly, keep you from forgetting them by putting a face to a name!

Make Better First Impressions

Working remotely out of a coworking space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the all-important first impression when you’re having virtual meetings. An intuitive web conferencing product like iMeet® makes it effortless to collaborate with anyone, with HD streaming video and no downloads required for your guests. And best of all, iMeet directly integrates with some of the most popular social networks out there, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so you can learn more about your prospective clients or investors and build your network — all without even leaving your meeting. After all, if you’re working in a 21^st century workplace, you don’t want to be stuck using 20^th century collaboration!

To learn more about 21^st century social collaboration trends, download PGi’s latest free eBook, “The Future of Business Collaboration,” featuring a chapter from WorkSnug’s own San Sharma!

Photo Credit: Jason A. Howie

With employees increasingly working with a wide range of devices such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones, David Sturges, Chief Commercial Officer

News this month that staff at the BBC had £750,000 worth of gadgets lost or stolen since 2010, including laptops, tablets and mobile phones, highlights a growing issue that many companies are facing – the security of their data. The cost of replacing these expensive gadgets is one thing, however, the risk of sensitive data could get into the wrong hands, as well as the cost of restoring lost data, is even more of a problem.

There is a growing trend for people to use multiple devices for accessing information, including their work documents. Gartner predicted last year that by 2013 mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide, and by 2015, media tablet shipments will constitute 50% of laptop shipments.

This shift in how people access their data means businesses need to consider how they can offer their employees the facilities to switch between devices and bring their own devices to work; as well as how they can protect the security of their data should any devices be lost or stolen.

Business data time bomb

According to Sony’s VAIO Digital Business report 2013, the million laptops that have gone missing in the past year are a ‘business data time bomb’. The report polled IT leaders at 600 UK businesses and blames ‘bring your own device practices, poor security habits and a rebel workforce’.

The report highlights that many businesses are failing to make use of existing security technologies to keep pace with rapidly changing working practices. Data security was ranked as very important by 75% of respondents and loss of confidential company data was identified as the number one concern of nearly half of respondents.

Interestingly, the report also highlights that even if there is a company policy for not using personal devices for accessing company information, many individuals ignore this, with 90% admitting to doing it, and two-thirds admitting saving confidential business data on their laptops.

Virtual desktop solution through the cloud

So what can businesses to make sure their company data is safe? One solution is to move your IT into the cloud. Remote working is increasingly being enabled by technologies such as virtual desktop solutions, which allow people to work from any location in the world and access their emails, files and desktops using any device. Increasingly businesses are going down this route as it’s easier for employees to use multiple devices for work and it also ensures data security.

Using a hosted desktop provider means that data is not stored on any devices but, instead securely stored at the datacentre of the provider. Information is kept centrally, which eradicates the security risks if laptops, tablets or mobile phones are stolen or lost.  It also pre-empts employee behaviour which would suggest many are already using their own devices to access company information.

Increasingly, this is the way many employees wish to work as the boundaries between home and office life are becoming ever more blurred. For instance an employee may want to finish off some work off at home on a laptop or work from home now and again. Also if employees are regularly out of the office it makes accessing company data and working from any location much easier.

Businesses are attracted to the cloud because it allows greater workforce flexibility, but there are also cost savings, with reduced investment in IT and less administration. This solution also allows companies to safely introduce a ‘bring your own device to work policy’. With a hosted desktop solution no files or data are stored on devices, which lowers the security risks and employees can use their own devices to access their work desktops and switch between their personal and work data easily.

Considerations when moving to the cloud

There are of course some important considerations when deciding to change to a virtual desktop infrastructure, which involves outsourcing of data and the IT infrastructure, storage and security to a third party provider. As the provider will host and manage all the IT, the data backup, disaster and recovery and help desk support – it must be a relationship of trust and finding the right provider for your business is crucial.

For companies to have confidence in the security of their data, they should work with an accredited cloud computing provider with a UK data centre to ensure security is watertight. Companies need to check for accreditations too such as ISO 9001, ISO 27001 for IT security and ISO 14001, which is focused on environmental standards.

Companies also need to be wary of the contracts they sign and read the small print. There have been cases of companies signing up to fixed term contracts only to have these revert back to the start date when a new user is added. Needless to say, such contracts should be avoided at all costs.

Conclusion

By moving to the cloud information is always kept centrally and helps to eradicate the security risks of stolen or lost devices. Businesses that choose this solution will also see themselves keeping pace with the ever changing complex world of technology as it’s the job of the provider to provide new software upgrades and security systems and potential threats. They will also save money in the long run, reduce their IT administration and offer their employees greater working flexibility.

If you recognize that scenario, forget the fax, follow these steps and return to sender – signed, sealed, delivered – and all from your laptop or mobile device.

1. Start with a PDF

A document that needs signing should be sent as a PDF file – it guarantees its contents are locked down and the formatting appears the same for the sender and the recipient. It’s like the digital equivalent of sending a hard copy, if that makes any sense!

However, some people still send Word documents to be signed. In that case, you should start by converting the Word document into a PDF file. In modern versions of Microsoft Word, you can do this easily by choosing PDF as the type or format in the ‘Save As’ dialog box. If you’re not sure, you can download a free PDF converter, like CutePDF.

On a Mac, you can do this from most ‘Print’ dialog boxes. Just click ‘PDF’ and ‘Save as PDF…’ from most applications. There are lots of apps that allow you to convert Word documents to PDF files on iOS too, including Word to PDF.

2. Create and use your signature

To sign a document with a handwritten signature, you don’t have to print, scan and re-print anything, though there is a bit of setup to do this for the first time.

On modern Macs, the software is all built in. In Preview, set up your handwritten signature in the Signatures pane in Preferences. It’ll ask you to sign a blank piece of paper then hold that piece of paper up to your webcam. It’s a really quick way to scan your signature and reduce it to a one colour image with a transparent background that you can use in many scenarios. Once that’s all set up, just go to Tools in the menu bar, then Annotate and Signature – and you’re done.

For iPad, there’s a more powerful (and expensive) version of this application, called PDFpen. I use that in conjunction with a stylus to sign documents on the move.

On Windows, you can download Adobe Reader for free and select ‘Apply Ink Signature’ in the Extended Features panel (via Tools).

3. Send the PDF file back

Depending on how you’ve digitally signed your PDF document, you can either send it directly from within the application, or save the file to your desktop to attach in an email.

And that’s how to sign and send back a document without having to print, scan or fax! Did I miss anything out? Let us know your tips and feedback in the comments below.

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For these types of flexible workers, the ones who need access to professional resources like dependable high-speed internet, private offices and copiers or simply the workers who crave a coworking space’s collaborative culture, coworking environments can be an essential part of maintaining the ever-elusive work-life balance.

Work When You’re Most Productive

Like any teleworking space, coworking spaces don’t force you into a 9-5 schedule. Are your most productive hours later in the morning, maybe after an early morning jog or big breakfast? Or are you more of an evening worker, typing away furiously as the sun sets? At a coworking site, you’re renting space among like-minded digital nomads, workers whose time is their own and who often float in and out of “working” throughout the day.  This level of flexibility affords you complete control over your work-life balance; run errands, do chores or play with your kids on your schedule, while maintaining productivity when it works best for you. And at a coworking space, that flexibility brings with it the infrastructure and camaraderie of a traditional office.

Tailor Your Workspace

It’s important to create a workspace that’s tailored to your individual work style and professional needs. Some workers thrive in the hustle and bustle of the coffee shop while others need complete quiet and solitude to work effectively. Many others are somewhere in between; they enjoy a relatively quiet ambience while still appreciating the presence of others.

Coworking spaces allow you to rent the type of workspace that best fits your style, both personally and professionally. Are you an on-the-go road warrior who’s simply looking for a comfy chair and an outlet for your laptop? Or perhaps you’d like to spring for a private office to gather your thoughts and hatch that next big idea? Coworking gives you the flexibility to choose, fostering a stress-free work zone that fits into your own personal work-life balance.

It’s All Who You Know

While it’s easy to champion the freedom of being a remote worker, there’s an element that’s often overlooked: the loss of a cultural connection through work and the opportunity to easily collaborate and network with peers. At traditional offices, people make friends, have random sidebar conversations in the hallway, chat about weekend plans and spontaneously collaborate on projects as the needs and good ideas arise. The teleworker, particularly the freelancer or start-up entrepreneur, is often left in isolation.

Luckily, coworking spaces foster incredibly collaborative environments. Professionals from all industries, backgrounds and skillsets are working side by side and are often eager to share their ideas and their skills. When choosing a coworking space to call home, it’s important to evaluate the cultural elements just as closely as the Wi-Fi and facilities. Developing a strong cultural bond will make you happier at work — and happier overall.

Considering taking the plunge and becoming a teleworker? Download the free eBook “The Yin + Yang of Telecommuting” from PGi to evaluate the pros and cons of remote work.

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This can all be very easy or slightly less easy, depending on whether you can buy additional hardware, so let’s take a look at a couple of ways to achieve it.

1. Internet connection sharing

Most mobile broadband ‘dongles’ are basic USB devices that plug into one computer at a time. If you want to share a dongle connection without any additional gear, you can use Internet connection sharing features built into Windows or Mac OS X.

See this guide to learn how to do this with OS X. Windows can be a little more complex, with extra steps and differing options depending on the version, however Microsoft provides guidance on its own help pages:

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista, 7 and 8

Note that for Windows these guides focus on creating a shared wired network, you will need to check the section on ad-hoc wireless networks to beam a Wi-Fi signal.

Internet connection sharing is fine if you only need to do it occasionally, or if you’re stuck somewhere without access to any other gear, but it’s not well suited to any kind of permanent setup. Not only is it sometimes slightly tricky to configure, but the connection can be unreliable, and it needs a host computer always on to maintain a connection.

2. Mobile broadband router

These devices look and work like standard home broadband routers, except they connect to mobile broadband networks instead. You can usually plug a dongle into a USB port to get started or insert a SIM card directly; the router then uses the connection to share it over Wi-Fi.

It’s very easy to share a mobile broadband connection this way, and if you’re looking for a permanent setup a mobile broadband router should be at the top of your shopping list, though they’re becoming harder to find.

3. Wi-Fi dongles

Wi-Fi dongles are fantastic little devices. Not only do they connect to mobile networks, but they act as portable pocket hotspots which automatically share the connection to anyone or anything in the vicinity (provided they have the correct password, of course).

This is the easiest and cheapest way to share a mobile broadband connection. The Wi-Fi signal means you can easily get things like tablets, games consoles and laptops hooked up with no hassle and the portability means it can follow wherever you go, requiring nothing more than a USB cable to charge.

For home use, you may wish to purchase one or two signal boosters to extend the network, and the feature set is not as robust as a router solution, but Wi-Fi dongles are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to fixed line services – particularly with the introduction of 4G.

4. Smartphone Wi-Fi tethering

On a related note, one other method worth considering is the Wi-Fi hotspot feature which is commonly built into modern smartphones. This essentially turns your phone into a Wi-Fi dongle to share its data link.

You’ll need to consult the manual or a guide for your particular device to find out exactly how to enable this but it’s typically very easy. In general, you just locate the hotspot setting, select a network name and password and then switch it on. After that, it’s just a case of connecting to the new Wi-Fi network to utilise the phone’s mobile service.

However in many instances this should not be used as anything other than an emergency measure. Most smartphone contracts offer a very limited amount of data usage and it’s incredibly easy to unwittingly consume a large amount using a computer or tablet. That could result in a large bill, or at least finding the service restricted until next month.

Some providers also specifically state that tethering is not allowed, and could charge you or cancel your service if they find out, so if tethering sounds like something you’d like to do on a regular basis then discuss it with your network first as they may offer an add-on or special deal.

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Matt Powell writes on behalf of broadband and mobile broadband consumer advice site Broadband Genie. To find out more about using and purchasing a wi-fi dongle, check out Broadband Genie’s mobile broadband dongle buyer’s guide.

Here are five tech tools you need today to make it happen:

1. Don’t Scrimp on the Hardware.

The average worker uses 3.5 tech devices to get the job done, so make sure your virtual work tools are the best—especially if they can help you cut down on dead tech weight. With a new round of tablets that include a keyboard add-on, contextual headsets (like this one from Plantronics®) and VoIP conference call connectivity, you might be able to get away with leaving your laptop at home.

2. Get Connected with an Enterprise App Store.

We all love Google Play™ and Apple® App Store™ for our personal lives, but what about our professional? New enterprise app stores, offered by private companies behind the firewall or cloud-sourced solutions like SAP® Business ByDesign™, make it simple to access your business applications—even virtual meeting tools—from anywhere.

3. Add Web to Your Conference Calls.

93% of communication is non-verbal, so if you’re still opting for audio-only calls on the road, your meeting doesn’t have a chance to be “crazy good.” Add a web element to your conference calls, such as a visual audio conferencing app or app-based web conferencing, to maximize the experience through 100% verbal and non-verbal communication. Take it to the “crazy good” stage by adding webcam video, file sharing and chat for a face-to-face collaboration experience.

4. Sync into Online Community Support.

The life of a road warrior or telecommuter can get a little crazy, so utilize internal corporate communities to connect between meetings and keep the ball rolling even when you’re on the road. This great (and free) eBook offers some great insights from social software company Jive Software® about the power of communities for collaborating with colleagues in both real- and near-time.

5. Demand More Capabilities in Your Work Applications.

The days of one software tool only doing one thing is long gone. Because we’re constantly on the go, constantly doing more work in less time, it’s vital that our tools are multipurpose to improve our productivity. The same runs so true for meetings, as the average business professional attends over 60 meetings per month. Opt for software that lets you get more done in the meeting so, ultimately, you have fewer meetings: note-taking, recording, minutes, document collaboration, Microsoft Office® Outlook™ toolbars for scheduling and more. Try GlobalMeet or iMeet by PGi as great options.

What tools do you use to have crazy good (and crazy productive) meetings when working from home, coworking or on the road?

There’s more to Sydney than sun, sea and surf. In fact, if you’re looking for a laptop-friendly café to surf the web over a flat white, you’re in luck. There are plenty of options.

Here are 5 coffee shops in the Sydney area with free wi-fi. If you’ve been to any, let us know what you think by leaving your ratings and reviews.

1. Brave Cafe
   68 Gould St, Bondi Beach, New South Wales, 2026
   (02) 9365 6863
2. Palomino Espresso
   Shop 1, 61 York St, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000
   0414 857 818
3. Chapter One
   34b Campbell Pde, New South Wales 2026
   (02) 9130 5368
4. Qv Bar Cafe
   455 George St, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000
   (02) 9267 1122
5. My Sweet Memory
   95 Bathurst Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000
   (02) 8971 7465

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Mobility, apps and design are all big considerations when parting with your hard-earned cash. Or maybe it’s your company’s cash, and it has a BYOD policy, in which case security is also an issue.

And the number one question your stakeholders will want answering is: can you be as productive on an iPad as you can be on a ThinkPad?

That’s the question we set out to answer in a series of guest posts for our friends at PGi – helping you decide, by comparing the apps, design and mobility of laptops and tablets.

Here are links to those posts:

• Laptops vs Tablets: Round 1 – Apps
• Laptops vs Tablets: Round 2 – Design
• Laptops vs Tablets: Round 3 – Mobility

Photo credit: Manny Rosas

Coworking spaces meet the need for a space

Even the most footloose and fancy-free digital nomad needs a “home” now and then, and coworking spaces meet that need. Offering cubicles, open tables and private conference rooms (all for a fee), these unique work spaces provide a remote base where road warriors can perform business in a professional setting, conduct their daily work and, when necessary, hold high-pressure conference calls without distracting background noise.

Coworking spaces create fellowship

As previously mentioned , coworking spaces encourage like-minded entrepreneurs and other professionals to brainstorm ideas and seek real-time feedback on one another’s work. Unlike the home office where such matters are beyond their control, a coworking space gives digital nomads the liberty to observe and establish relationships with individuals before deciding if they want to work with them. Freed from the circumstantial and largely unavoidable corporate associations, the digital nomad is at liberty to seek out others whose work and feedback he or she respects. For the globetrotting professional, being able to select professional colleagues based on esteem, interpersonal chemistry, talent and objectivity is a notable advantage of coworking space.

Coworking spaces offer technology beyond your mobile device

For digital nomads, mobile devices provide essential lifelines to professional and personal contacts. Although smartphones, tablets and laptops keep work processes and projects running smoothly while on the road, nomads still need to print and fax documents like the rest of us. Coworking spaces provide a simple go-to solution as more advanced, less portable technology emerges.

Coworking spaces help recharge and rejuvenate

Simply put, coworking spaces offer a clean, well-lit space for harried digital nomads seeking relief from the cluttered chaos of airport terminals, noisy cafes, or dingy hotel rooms. In addition to providing a welcome change from the inconvenience and isolation that comes with working and traveling alone, coworking lends itself to creativity and motivation. Surrounded by like-minded, similarly dislocated professionals, digital nomads can find the grounding, support and camaraderie of a community that—for a brief while—provides a sense of connection and professional brotherhood, of belonging and being part of a whole. Associations and interactions that digital nomads experience within a coworking environment—however fleeting they may be—provide much-needed support and socialization that office-bound workers take for granted.  Not surprisingly, by aligning themselves with local coworking environments, nomads usually realise productivity and motivation rates that surpass those during periods of isolation.

Coworking spaces provide global networking opportunities

Beyond the immediate benefits of a productive work environment, much-needed interactions with professional and social communities and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, coworking spaces expand already existing networks and provide global associations impossible when confined to a central location. By meeting contacts or sales prospects in coworking spaces rather than back-home bars or restaurants, a digital nomad can realize a significant growth in professional interactions access to new personal and professional worlds.

As J.R.R. Tolkien so aptly put it, “Not all those who wander are lost.” While professionals whose work takes them far beyond the office walls—traveling to strange cities and living out of their suitcases—must endure understandable hardships and separations, those who take advantage of coworking spaces along the way have distinct advantages over their office-bound colleagues. It’s a brave life, one that has a unique yet compelling appeal. Nevertheless, even nomads must set up camp now and then, assess their progress, get their bearings and establish connections. For today’s digital nomads, there’s no better stop along the way than an inviting coworking space.

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There are a couple of things you can do to better control the sound experience in your workday. For one, we always recommend using a headset to maintain a professional connection to the outside world.

If you’re in control of your surroundings, use them to your advantage. We like to work in cafés, because of the buzz and the movement we don’t hear or see in our home offices.

If you can’t get out to a café or struggle with noise and distraction, here are 5 of the best ambient sound apps to increase your focus and creativity.

1. Noisy (Mac only). Noisy is based on an old app called Noise that was sort of abandoned by its developer – and it’s probably the simplest of all apps on this list. Toggle between three switches (‘Off’, ‘Pink’ and ‘White’ noise) and adjust the volume. That’s your lot. But it’s pretty effective. White noise, by the way, is the sound of all frequencies played at once – like the hissing of your old, out-of-tune TV – and it’s supposed to help you concentrate. (Pink noise emphasizes lower frequencies and is better at masking sounds like noisy cars or machinery.) There are white noise apps for Android and iOS too.
2. SoundCurtain (iOS only). SoundCurtain for the iPhone and iPod touch cleverly masks distracting noises with white noise and harmonic sounds, adjusting its volume, pitch and tone in response to the noise around you. You need a headset with a mic for it to work properly.
3. DeepFocus (Mac only). If you prefer your white noise in a desktop app, DeepFocus, available in the Mac App Store, combines white noise with “sonic auralscapes” and allows you to enter “varying productive states”. It is, also, a little bit frightening.
4. Ambiance (Mac, PC, Linux, iOS and Android). Omnipresent ambiance with the definitive-sounding Ambiance app, available on all desktops via Adobe Air; iOS devices and Android. There are literally thousands of ambient sounds to download, listen to and remix, but they’re not all the usual forest, waterfall, dolphin raps – there are urban sounds in there too, like airports, shopping centres and even bars.
5. Coffitivity (Website). Our favourite ambient sound app isn’t really an app at all – it’s a charming one-page website, underpinned by research, that’s helpfully explained. “It’s pretty hard to be creative in a quiet space,” it says. “The mix of calm and commotion in an environment like a coffee house is proven to be just what you need to get those creative juices flowing.” So, the page just plays a loop of coffee house ambiance. That’s it.

If you’d like some real-world coffee house ambiance, look for a laptop-friendly café on the WorkSnug website.

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