There is a big shift happening within the global workforce, particularly with American workers taking the lead, and it’s continuing to trend silently. About one day per week, 1 in 10 US workers do their jobs from home. In fact, the number of people who are regularly telecommuting has increased by 66% from 2005 to 2012.

The reason for the uprise is a subtle change in the way we think about our work — As Sarah Brown of Momentum Telecom relays, “work is no longer a destination – it’s an activity.” This has always been the case, but the ability to stay (virtually) connected has allowed this to become a reality. It’s not about getting to work, it’s about doing it.

We have all the technology that will allow us to cut the cubicle-cord. With people everywhere catching on, there’s no doubt that telecommuting will soon become a corporate standard.

SaaS, the silent catalyst

Along with high-speed WiFi, different software technologies are contributing to remote team collaboration and communication. With the increase in SaaS platforms for business, company information is now located and accessible online. From chat, project discussions, emails, and file sharing, there’s nothing that can’t be shared via the web.

That being the case, it wouldn’t be unfit to speculate that SaaS has contributed to this telecommuting phenomenon. Google Apps saw tremendous development from 2006-2012, improving the ease of remote working.

What kinds of business software are most conducive to remote work?

Anything web-based will be accessible from any network, and thus the most convenient when it comes to telecommuting. For companies with strict network settings, having a VPN (virtual private network) can sidestep the issue of data privacy.

After gathering insights from the AffinityLive network, many small businesses use a milieu of applications to stay connected, including the following:

• Skype
• Gmail
• Outlook
• Google Apps
• Microsoft Office 365
• Dropbox
• Yammer
• Project Management Systems
• CRM Software or Tools
• Online PSA’s

These trending softwares will eventually fully integrate and automate business processes. With everything available online, it’s even easier to be location independent.

To read more business management insights and tips, check out the AffinityLive blog.

Sources

• http://mashable.com/2012/10/17/telecommuting-perks/
• http://www.affinitylive.com/company/blog/doing-your-job-from-anywhere-2/
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/8941048.stm
• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20281475/ns/business-future_of_business/t/quiet-revolution-telecommuting/
• http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/08/remote-work-no-longer-a-perk-but-a-business-imperative.html

Here at Desks Near Me, we have a lot of freelancers using our service. I got in touch with Jonathan Norris – a freelance writer by trade who works for a UK site called Freelance Advisor – to ask about the freelancing world and the changes in ways people work.

With a major in web design, he found himself enjoying the content production side of building a web site more than coding. Now, he is still a writer but runs Freelance Advisor for Crunch – a site of online accountants for freelancers and small businesses while still doing writing gigs covering tech, media and finance.

Recently, I interviewed Jon on the world of freelancing, mobile working, and what he thinks of the rise of the mobile workforce.

    AF: Increasingly, employees working for major companies are going mobile and representing a style similar to freelancers. What do you think of this?

    JN: Personally, I think it’s fantastic. I find my productivity skyrockets when I don’t have the usual office distractions to slow me down. On the flip side, I can see the argument for having office-based staff in some situations. In my line of work mobile working is hugely beneficial though.

    AF: How do you feel about the rise of the mobile worker and the mobile workforce in general? How does this correlate or differentiate from freelancers?

    JN: There’s obviously a massive overlap between mobile workers and freelancers. Freelancers are the original mobile workers, and lots of what businesses are realizing about flexible working is a result of freelancers doing it for years. I don’t think it will work in all businesses. Bosses need to think carefully about their reasons for introducing flexible working, but done right I think it enables better productivity, better working retention, better staff morale and potentially huge savings.

    AF: What problems do you think freelancers and mobile workers face?

    JN: In years past the main problem was legitimacy. People simply wouldn’t think to engage a freelancer and went to an agency instead. Similarly, if most people approached their bosses and asked to do a bit of mobile working they’d probably be laughed out of the office. The tides are starting to turn now, thankfully.

The main issue for freelancers currently, like most businesses, is cash flow. The banks aren’t lending and large companies are delaying payments further than ever.

    AF: How has the workforce for freelancers changed over the years? When employment goes down, how does that affect freelancers? What do you recommend?

    JN: In the UK we’ve seen a noticeable increase in freelancers as jobs have been cut during the recession. Plenty of people will go freelance either through choice or necessity when no full-time jobs are available. I hear arguments for and against this trend.  Some people think it’s great as it helps establish freelancing as a more acceptable working practice, while some worry it creates a crowded marketplace.

My advice to people is always to just be damn good at what they do. The most successful freelancers aren’t the ones who quietly do the job, they’re the ones who offer value over and above what  they’re contracted to do, becoming indispensable to their clients.

    AF: How is mobile working or freelancing different in Europe and the UK than the rest of the world? How does it change, or does it depend on the economy?

    JN: I’d say it’s fairly similar to in the U.S. Coworking is booming and we’re seeing new spaces pop up on an almost weekly basis. Where I live, in Brighton, has almost double the national average of freelancers, so we’ve been at the forefront of this revolution for years now.

I think coworking will continue to grow because of the economy. New businesses can’t afford dedicated office space, so they rent desks as an alternative.

    AF: What are some tools that you recommend for freelancers or mobile workers?

    JN: I’m a shameless Google fanatic, so I always recommend things like GMail, Google Drive and Google Calendar to anyone who will listen. My own feelings aside, these services can be hugely beneficial to those working remotely. Any writers out there who have ever suffered through a week-long email chain or minor copy changes will know Word documents are fairly cumbersome, and being able to send a client a link to a document where they can edit changes lives and saves hours. (He throws in that he also recommends Crunch for looking after your finances.)

    AF: How does your work at Crunch relate to Freelance Advisor? Does one help the other?

    JN: Freelance Advisor has always been part of Crunch. Being part of Crunch gives me a really unique insight into the issues facing freelancers and small businesses. Often I’ll speak to one of our accountants and they’ll mention they’ve been getting lots of questions about a specific subject. I can then write a guide or how-to on that subject, knowing there’s a demand for that information.

    AF: What are the main issues that Freelance Advisor focuses on?

    JN: We try to maintain a fairly lighthearted tone, while covering in-depth finance, tax and legal issues. We have on columnist, Tim, who always draws a crowd with his articles — most of which focus on chastising freelancers for doing things wrong!

    AF: Where do you like to get work done when you’re out of the office?                                                     

    JN: My kitchen table has a really nice view out over Brighton towards the sea, so I usually set up there with a cup of coffee. Lots of the coworking spaces in Brighton and London offer free drop-in working, though, so if I’m out and about I’ll usually stop by one of my favourite spots and set up there for a few hours.

Lots of people look at coworking as a strange thing to do — surrounding yourself with people you don’t know when trying to do business. In actuality, you’re surrounding yourself with people who have complimentary skills, are usually more than happy to help you out, and can even provide leads for new work.
Give it a try - I promise you won’t regret it!

To learn more about Jon or to gain some additional info
on freelancing, mobile working or small business tips,
check out his personal web site here.

Surrounded by family, friends, favorite holiday treats and meals that last for hours: Thanksgiving has quickly approached and we cant wait to put our feet up and enjoy our favorite home-cooked foods.

The majority of the Desks Near Me team loves the impending holiday, but half of our team is native to overseas in Australia and New Zealand. While we are hustlin’ and bustlin’ to get to the people (and food) we love most, take a minute to also appreciate your friends outside of the U.S.!

AAA announced that 43.6 million people will be traveling this week, with 7 percent traveling by plane and 90 percent by car. Last year, flights were 85 percent full and are expected to be 90 percent this year, due to less flights going out in hopes of airlines saving money.

For those that are traveling by air in the United States, here are a few tips for your holiday travels.

.          

• Cakes, Pies and Cranberry sauce. This year the TSA says that they are still allowing cakes and pies through security, but may be subject to additional screening. Not really sure what that means, but lets hope that they aren’t going to mess around too much with the pumpkin pie you slaved over. Also, if you’re traveling with other holiday condiments such as cranberry sauce and gravy, they will allow one quart-sized zip top bag per passenger to carry on. TSA has their own helpful list of hints for Thanksgiving travelers, as well as a list of reminders of prohibited items.
• Skip the Coffee. Getting sick while traveling is a phobia for many. But one thing you usually don’t think about is where the airline food and drinks come from. Are you one to usually order coffee or tea on your flights? Many airlines have stated that once they run out of bottled water, they use water from the plane - which definitely hasn’t been filtered and usually isn’t boiled enough to kill off germs and bacteria. Grab something from a can instead.
• Navigating the Gates. If you’re unfamiliar with an airport or have a ridiculously long layover this holiday season, download mobile app GateGuru. It not only shows you your gate, security line wait times, flight status and can access your flight itinerary from KAYAK or Tripit, but has a rating system for food, bars, cafes, and shops along your gates so you can choose the best ones.

Need to work while Traveling?

If you can’t completely get away from the office while you’re visiting family, take a look at a couple of our listings. You have options for an office – you don’t need to sit at the family kitchen table trying to focus.

 

London, UK: Club Workspace

 

New York: SoTechie – Conference Room, Coworking desk, Private Office

 

Perth, Australia: Spacecubed

These aren’t in your city? Search your area for other Desks near You!

In October we had the opportunity to present our new mobile app at this year’s GMIC – Silicon Valley mobile conference. Usually held in Beijing, the Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) came over to the States to include the Silicon Valley influence in the mix, from new startups and entrepreneurs to seasoned Internet veterans. It’s Asia’s most influential mobile Internet conference, with 5,000+ attendees from over 32 different countries, and this year included speakers from tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Intuit, Cisco, Mozilla and Electronic Arts (EA) to name a few.

We were invited to demo our app at a booth in the AppLounge section, among almost 100 other companies with brand new mobile apps to view and play with. It was definitely interesting, and we had a lot of people come up to us asking questions about the business, the team, and many were surprised to know that we are in over 55 countries worldwide! It was awesome to see so many other entrepreneurs and groups promoting their mobile apps.

Take a look at the video below to get a peek inside the conference and a look at the team in action. See you next year, GMIC!

Since I joined Desks Near Me this March, I have seen the team steadily grow. The person that was the biggest mystery to me, though, was our Product Manager and amazing Lead Developer, Sai.

For what seemed like forever, Sai was working for us from Adelaide, Australia, waiting the day that his U.S. Visa went through. Dates kept getting pushed back, and we sat here in the office each day patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) waiting for Sai to tell us he finally got his letter in the mail. Finally, almost one month ago, Sai stepped onto the foggy streets of San Francisco and made this amazing city his new home.

Read below to meet the person who makes Desks Near Me a functioning web site.

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in South Australia, on a 24-acre property in Cherry Gardens, in the Adelaide Hills (east of the city of Adelaide). The area was named for a native cherry pervasive in the area, which is inedible and therefore a bit of a let down. I got my first computer when I was 12, and started coding soon afterwards. 

2. Where did you go to school? What did you originally want to be when you started college?

I went to the University of Adelaide, studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Corporate Finance). I knew I loved technology, and did think I may eventually end up in that field. I didn’t think, though (perhaps naively) that I needed a degree in computer science, as there weren’t any regulatory barriers to entry (as with law) – and I was generally fairly autodidactic. However I always enjoyed and was passionate about software – I spent more time programming than studying, so it seemed like a good fit.

3. How did you find your way working at the desks of Desks Near Me?

I met Desks Near Me through a mutual friend of the company. I commenced in a contract position working remotely from Adelaide while I was working in finance and finishing my law degree. I had a great time working on the mobile app and loved the vision for the platform and where the team was heading. As somebody who usually worked from home or the University library, the value proposition for users was clear. After working at Desks Near Me for several months, I was offered a full time role in San Francisco – which sounded awesome. Moving was an easy decision to make.

4. What do you have to say about the US VISA process? How long did it take? Was it worth it?

I’m currently on an E-3 visa, a 2-year renewable visa available to Australian citizens working in a specialty occupation. This requires Australian citizenship, and a University degree relevant to a specialty field in which one has been offered employment. Applying for the visa involves first obtaining an approved Labor Condition Application from the US Department of Labor. From discussions, this was the most convoluted step – which I wasn’t directly involved with. The second step is going for an ‘interview’ at a US Consulate (which can be inconvenient if there is not a US consulate in your state – I went to Sydney). It took 2 months for me to get an approved LCA, and 1 month from the date of the interview for the visa to be issued. It should only take 4-5 days for the visa to be issued post-interview, however the US Consulate suggested that a piece of documentation was missing (which wasn’t). After re-providing the ‘missing’ documentation, I received my visa 4-5 days later. Definitely worth it! Currently trying to find a fake wife on Craigslist so I can stay here permanently, but have had no luck so far.

5. Is this your first time in the United States? Where else have you traveled outside of Australia?

I hadn’t visited the US prior to my arrival in late September this year. San Francisco looked awesome though – and luckily it is! I traveled to Europe several years ago – the UK, France, and Italy – but I haven’t been further afield, yet. Here, I’m looking forward to checking out both the more local attractions (Lake Tahoe, Yosemite); as well as New York, Canada, and Mexico.

6. If you could have a different job for one day, what would it be and why?

I think I could direct an awesome music video with an unlimited budget. I’d probably just have a massive party and film it but that seems to be pretty standard for music videos these days so I don’t think anybody would notice.

7. What is the weirdest thing you heard about San Francisco before you flew over?

Nobody told me about any of the weird stuff before I flew over.

8. What is the weirdest thing you’ve actually seen while living in San Francisco?

The bar was set high early. ‘Burning Man Decompression’ was recommended – the description I was given was fairly ambiguous. Naked elderly men spray painted silver partaking in a roller disco certainly weren’t mentioned. Nor were men riding miniature bikes in oversized Viking helmets and acid wash t-shirts. There hasn’t been a day since I arrived where I haven’t seen something at least a little weird or intriguing.

9. What is your biggest pet peeve?

United States customary units. Fahrenheit mainly. Drip coffee is pretty bad also.

10. What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Lately I’ve been checking out the various culinary offerings of North Beach, mainly Italian restaurants. I like to exercise – I’m looking forward to going for a ride along the Embarcadero. I enjoy tennis and golf. I play guitar, and am currently in the market for Martin. I’m also looking forward to checking out the bars and nightlife of the city. I like electronic dance music, of which there seems to be no shortage of world-famous acts playing on any given weekend.

11. What do you miss the most about Australia?

Things that I could probably find here, I just need to look for them! A sunny day at the beach, a good espresso, a dry Riesling. And to some degree the culture – I never really appreciated the culture until I left. That said, I’m loving the American/tech culture here in SF. I’m no longer the only person with their laptop out on the bus.

Alicia Fischer
Community Manager, Desks Near Me

After a successful Dreamforce launch what better way to celebrate than the feeling of donating our new desks, chairs and tables to a high school Entrepreneur program in need?  Our team member Jeremy hooked us up with his friends in Alameda at Encinal High School and their DECA program.

DECA is a high school and college level club in nine countries around the world whose program is designed to “prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.”

Encinal High School in Alameda is one of 75 high schools in California and one in 5,000 chapters that make the DECA program available to their students. Last year Encinal had a total of 114 involved students out of a total 1,000 enrolled in the school. The club teaches students about entrepreneurship, how to get a business started, how to grow that business and give students the opportunity to enter competitions with 185,000 other DECA students.

Derrick Lyons heads up the program for Encinal and shows his students how to be businesspeople with tools they already use on a daily basis. “I approach the class in two different ways,” he says. “First is the basic knowledge of marketing and how to market yourself. I try to make aware to students that marketing is all around them and they have the ability to be businesspeople without even opening a book. Second, students actually get to problem solve and have the chance to travel, receive scholarships and compete against other DECA students around the world.”

Last year, 1.9 million dollars in scholarships were awarded to DECA high school students.

“Now with the tables and chairs set up, we can make it look more like the competition to give students a real feel for what they’re going to see when they compete,” says Derrick. “It is a competition, but it’s not about how big you are, how strong you are or how fast – its about how creative you are.”

We were happy to help any budding entrepreneurs out there. Great ideas come from the younger generations and we should encourage them when they are young and fearless.

Learn more about the DECA program nurturing young entrepreneurs at Encinal High School.

Alicia Fischer
Community Manager, Desks Near Me

We know you’ve heard, or at least seen photos of, our street team at Dreamforce 2012. Here is a little story about how we formed the team, all thanks to TaskRabbit.

When Michelle and I sat down and started talking about ideas for our launch around Dreamforce, we knew we needed an amazing street team to help us out. At the time, our team consisted of just Michelle and I working together in the office and with our developers overseas. Our lead developer, Sai, had not yet come over from Australia, and our new biz developer, Jeremy, wouldn’t be on board for another month or so. We knew we needed some help.

After posting on Craigslist in search of candidates and proving not too fruitful (except for those who were super interested), I decided to check out TaskRabbit and see how it worked for events. I recently used the site for a couple random errands, but was still new to their system.

I posted a task that looked something like this:

Task Rabbit posting

…and the bids started rolling in. It was a breeze and I liked the freedom I had in choosing who I wanted. Their resumes, reviews and past tasks were all listed and visible for me to see. If I felt like someone wasn’t right for the job or didn’t like the bid, I didn’t have to accept. At the same time if I did like the person but the bid was too high for my budget, I could counter. Same goes for the TaskRabbit with me, too.

In the end, it worked out wonderfully.

Each person was professional, friendly and added their personality to our team in an amazing way. No one slacked off, complained or disagrees about our process. They went out onto the streets of San Francisco, surrounded Moscone and even stood up for Desks Near Me when our team was approached by a couple of Moscone security guards.

Since then, we’ve noticed TaskRabbit everywhere. During our last day scouring SoMa, we even encountered Charlie, a TaskRabbit whose task was to be the first one to purchase the iPhone 5, and was camped out on the sidewalk in  front of the Apple store in Union Square. Literally camped. With a tent.

TaskRabbit has found their niche in the sharing economy, and we approve. Thanks, TaskRabbit, for helping us build our team and for providing a service that allows people to serve and help others. It all goes into the concept of collaborative consumption: when we work together to help benefit each other, it makes the world that much better.

See how we are involved in the sharing economy by visiting us at desksnear.me and finding an amazing place to work, network, and people to share your business with today.

Alicia Fischer
Community Manager, Desks Near Me

With the first day of Dreamforce under our belts and ready for day two, the Desks Near Me team went to tackle the second day with a few new insights learned from day one. The sun was shining and with 85,000 people filling only a couple blocks, people were definitely hustling, our team included.

Tip 1: Unless you have a tight agenda for the day, get your badge later on to avoid the lines. If you cant, make time the day before the conference to retrieve your pass.

So today, Dreamforce day 2, we finally went and got our badges to get into the conference. There was barely anyone in line and we were able to check in and instantly walk around the expo floor. There was a sea of blue everywhere: blue badges, carpets, TV screens, posters, banners, t-shirts, bean bags and business people. But even though everyone was busy, it was definitely a productive day.

Tip 2: Have a plan, but don’t overestimate the crowds and stress yourself out. Even with 85,000 people, there’s definitely enough room to see and hear, even if you have to sit in the back.

At the end of the day, Michelle and I left our Pop-up Office Headquarters and merged with the Dreamforce masses to see Sir Richard Branson. Listening to Branson’s story was great, and people were definitely excited to hear him speak. Around 2 pm the streets were flooded with crowds of Dreamforce attendees all heading into Moscone South. The grand ballroom was completely filled, with Mark Benioff and Sir Richard Branson only visible with help from the big screens overhead.

Tip 3: Enjoy the extra things, whether they’re people, gimmicks, events, free food or photo ops.

While our team was definitely one of the biggest on the streets, there were some really fun things surrounding Moscone. There was a mobile tailor who could fit you for a suit right there on the street, the orange group with their all orange outfits (top hats included), and the pedicab lineup. Everyone has things they want to see and events to go to post-conference, but in the end it’s all about who you can meet and network with. Ask questions from people on the streets and wandering inside, you never know what you might learn.

Come visit the Desks Near Me team on their last Dreamforce day, Thursday September 20th at 685 Folsom at 3rd ! Don’t forget to stay fueled, charged, in communication, and having fun. That’s what we’re here for.

Alicia Fischer
Community Manager, Desks Near Me

With Dreamforce 2012 over, it’s time for us to get back to bringing on more awesome spaces worldwide and new features for our users. We dominated the streets and I am pretty sure that we met almost all 75,000 attendees. Some we met twice!

Things started off with a bang for us as our street team hit the pavement and introduced themselves to the crowds of downtown San Francisco. We received some awesome feedback, with many attendees and locals alike heading over to check us out on 3rd and Folsom and learn a little about what we do. Our team team was in our pop-up office, meeting and greeting new friendly faces and catching up with a few fans that we’ve made over the last couple of months. For those of you who are just tuning in and wondering ‘Who is Desks Near Me?’ here is a bit of background:

We saw a rapidly growing mobile workforce with no place outside of the home or local coffee shops to really get work done. On top of that, we recognized how much empty space is going unused inside of businesses and office buildings. In fact, on average most businesses have 45-60% of leased spaced that is sitting vacant – that’s over half! So we decided to do something about it.

Since our beta launch in March, we asked our current and potential users how to improve, what to provide and overall how to make the process for listing and finding desk space the easiest, most convenient way possible. Within the last six months, we’ve grown into 265 cities and 55 countries across the globe and knew we had an amazing user base who deserved some new improvements. Now we’ve grown into a new web site – with an equally as easy and convenient mobile app – and new spaces listing with us every day either to cover overhead, have new faces in the office, or to network with people across the globe.

We captured some Dreamforce attendees loving our office for some quiet time, meetings and conference calls. Hundreds popped into our office to make it their office for the day with coffee, chargers or just to hang out with us (we have a pretty fun, quirky team).

Special thanks to Steve from CrashCloud, our new friends at Roobi and Coffee Bar; our favorite local coffee shop.

Check out our new site or download our iPhone app for on the go searches and booking.

We may be seeing you in your city at another conference sometime soon!

Alicia Fischer
Community Manager, Desks Near Me