The extinction of the open office

Working from Home

Since the 1960’s, businesses around the world have been utilizing the “Office of the Future”, that is to say, an open office design. With little to no partitions between employees, large open spaces, and usually incorporating rotating seating arrangements, the open office has been a hallmark of forward thinking industries and companies.

You’ve likely seen tech offices like Google or Yahoo, modern workspaces supposed to allow for easy collaboration and a relaxed environment, but this may not be the reality of the open office. Modern research shows we may have it all wrong when it comes to the open office, and with over 70% of US companies having already adopted it, the question becomes, how do we fix it?

The open office was created with the best intentions. Allowing quick collaboration between employees, democratizing the workplace, and ditching the all too depressing cubicle life. While the idea has its heart in the right place, execution in the workplace has not produced the intended results. While employees may initially feel like they’re part of a laid-back, innovative enterprise, the open office ultimately damages workers’ attention spans, productivity, creative thinking, and satisfaction.

A 2013 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, found that many workers in open offices are frustrated by distractions that lead to poor performance. Nearly half of the surveyed workers in open offices said the lack of sound privacy was a significant problem for them and more than 30 percent complained about the lack of visual privacy. What was once thought to have a positive effect is actually decreasing employee happiness and severely affecting their productivity? Worse, the open-office concept also impacts the physical health of the employee. A Swedish study found that open office workers were twice as likely to take sick days as traditional office workers, likely due to the spread of germs and increased environmental stress of working in an open space.

One of the biggest issues with the open office is lack of privacy. Everyone needs space to think, to take calls, or to recharge. With the open office, there is no escape the loud, often distracting noise of all of your co-workers going about their day. The surrounding volume alone leads many workers to lose focus and can have adverse effects on mental health and performance. “The pendulum has swung too far,” said Christine Congdon of Steelcase, a Michigan-based company that designs corporate interiors. “People have to have places to rejuvenate and absorb and process information” in order to be productive at work, she said.

So how do we fix this problem? Should everyone go back to the monotony of cubicle life? With modern technology already changing the way we do business, maybe the solution lies in using new tech to change the workplace. For instance, companies could join a popular new trend, allowing employees to work from home.

Working from home has been proven to boost productivity, with employees working more hours, taking fewer breaks, requesting less sick leave. On top of that, there are fewer interruptions when employees work remotely. Multiple studies have proven remote workers to be more productive, happier, and stay at their job longer than those working in an office. Modern meeting tools allow employees to stay in touch just as well as in the open office, and with the added bonus of privacy and quiet. You can control your space when you work remotely, not leave it up to the many co-workers that would be surrounding you in the open office.

There is no reason that companies can’t evolve with the times and do away with that all too distracting open office. It may look cool, may seem inviting, but when productivity falters and employees suffer, maybe it is time to rethink the current trend and move towards the future. Remote teams are here to stay, and even companies sold into the open office arrangement are taking note. Many top tech companies are starting to allow employees to work from home a few days a week, allowing workers a chance to recharge and enjoy their home office.

Every company should be taking a look at their current office arrangement and seriously consider making the change to start remote teams. You won’t only save money on overhead cost, you’ll be improving your employee's lives. They will be healthier, more productive, and stick with your company longer than in the traditional office setting, a win-win situation for both parties.

Have any open office horror stories to share or want to explore going from the workplace to the remote job of your dreams? Get in touch, hello@crewbloom.com

Why the Philippines is the world’s outsourcing hotspot

For decades, small, medium and large businesses have relied on outsourcing to scale their teams, cut operational costs, expand their global footprint, and leverage a global knowledge base over their competitors. Among other countries considered as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub, Philippines stands out.

Numerous companies are shifting their operations to the country and the number of investors continues to grow. Last year’s revenue from BPO industry was around $24.5 billion. By 2022, the industry experts predict the BPO industry will produce a whopping $38.9 billion in revenue. Find out the main reasons why Philippines is the world’s outsourcing hotspot. 

Native English skills

Aside from Tagalog, English is considered an official language of Filipinos. With over 90% of the country’s total population having English as their second language, Philippines is considered one of the largest English-speaking country in the world. English language is incorporated in the everyday life of Filipinos from product label, traffic signs, to educational materials. Filipinos are also known for their neutral accent and knack of quickly imitating English accents, making the country more attractive to businesses.

High Literacy Rate

Ninety five percent (95%) of BPO professionals are college graduates, with varying degrees from sciences, engineering, communication, IT, finance, to business. This educational advantage set Philippines apart from other outsourcing countries because of its ability to cater to a wide range of BPO sectors from education, finance, banking, healthcare, software services, IT, energy, insurance to real estate.

Readily Available Workforce

Millions of Filipinos are employed in the BPO sector and thousands of fresh college graduates apply to call centers each year. This offers a pool of fresh talents eager to prove themselves and experienced professionals well-versed in the BPO industry. Aside from having a readily available workforce, Filipinos also has a reputation of retaining long relationships with their employers, further decreasing hiring costs for businesses.

Superior Infrastructure

With BPO industry as one of the top revenue generator in the Philippines, the government provides ample support and resources to further propel the industry. Through training programs, establishment of better policies for foreign investors, and continuous infrastructure improvement, the government is taking various steps to encourage growth of call centers in the country.

Cultural Harmony

Decades of American colonialism in the Philippines is proving to be another edge for Philippine BPO industry. The country has the most Western-oriented culture in Asia, making it easy for businesses to work alongside Filipinos. The Philippine workforce easily adapt and understand Western culture, which translates to an easy familiarity and relatability when dealing with clients.

Proven Track Record

Outsourcing in the Philippines started way back in 1992. Up until now, the industry is still steadily growing. This year, 17% growth is expected. Data and statistics proves that the process of outsourcing in the Philippines is effective and successful for businesses.

Tips to Remote Workers: How to nail your next Skype interview

You’ve found the perfect remote job, you know you’re qualified, and you want it more than anything else. The employer seems interested and there is just one last step before you jump into your new career: the Skype interview for remote workers. Even the most qualified candidates fail during this important step of the process.

The difference between the job of your dreams and being back to an office job is as simple as bad internet connection or a computer that just won’t cooperate. After interviewing thousands of applicants and experiencing interview snags, we’ve put together some helpful tips on helping remote workers perform highly during Skype interviews.

Dress well

Such a  simple concept, but one where we see candidates fail time and time again. You may be at home, but you need to dress to impress. Consider this the “Day 1” of your new job that you have to go a bit overboard and wear the best outfit you can put together. We recommend dressing semi-formal — a polo shirt for men and a professional blouse for women. Don’t make it too colorful or distracting. Remember, you want the focus to be on you and your words, not your outfit.

Be on time

This may seem obvious, but DO NOT BE LATE! You wouldn’t be late to an in-person interview, so don’t be late to your Skype interview. In fact, make sure you are logged on early and ready when you need to be, no excuses. Logging in early could give you a leg up on the competition. Making yourself highly responsive and available lets the interviewer know you are serious about the opportunity and understand the significance of the interview. Lastly, check the time difference between you and your interviewer to avoid timezone confusion.

Have a backup net connection

The internet is a wonderful thing when it is working, but if your connection goes down, so could your chances of landing your dream job. Figure out a backup internet connection, or make sure you are close enough to another location with internet that you won’t have any issues when the time comes to log on. This will not only make you less anxious about a bad connection or dropped Skype calls, it shows your future boss that you can think ahead and take your role seriously.

Check your audio and video settings

This one seems simple, you know how to use Skype after all! But too many interviews have to be ended early or don’t happen at all because no one tested their audio and video. Make sure your mic and camera are working flawlessly by doing a test call with a friend or a Skype Echo test to ensure you can be heard clearly and easily. There is no excuse for failing equipment when your interview starts, it will only lead to bad results.

Check your lighting

There is nothing worse than staring at a Skype screen with a dark, silhouetted candidate on it. Lighting may seem like an afterthought, but it is very important in showing yourself off as the best candidate for the job. Play around with lights in the space you will conduct the interview. Make sure you can be seen clearly and are not hidden in the shadows. Turning your screen up to the highest brightness setting will give you the extra boost you need!

Make an eye contact

Sometimes it can be very difficult to maintain eye contact during an in-person interview, and it only gets harder when you’re staring at a computer screen. Make sure you are looking at the person on the other side of the Skype call. Too much time spent looking at yourself or your desk and people may think you lack confidence. You want to convey you can be trusted and relied on, eye contact is a huge first step in that process.

Always research the company

Far too many times we have had Skype interviews with people who don’t even know what job they are applying for or what our company is all about! They end up asking us all the wrong questions, wasting time, and inevitably do not get the job. Do your research ahead of time. What is the job you’re applying for and what does the company do? The goal is to know as much about them as possible. This shows you’ve done your research and are serious about the job.

Skype interviews can go wrong in million different ways, but almost all of these are within your control. You know you want the job, so take a few hours and ensure when the time comes to log on and hit dial, nothing is left to chance. Your future remote career will thank you!

Did you find our tips helpful? Do you have more tips to share? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at hello@crewbloom.

Smart startups are hiring remote

For years, startups have basically followed the traditional path to getting their business set up. Make a plan, find an office space, hire employees, and hope you start making enough to pay for everything you’ve just invested in. It is a very risky venture taking on a high overhead before you even know how best to run your business. This way of thinking is quickly going out the window as modern startups realize they don’t need to waste money investing in office space right away. Teams can be formed globally and a business can be ran using remote tools. With all the changes in tech and with more research into what makes employees and teams be the best they can be, the smartest startups are rapidly abandoning the old ways and are growing the remote way. Here are some of the reasons for this paradigm shift.

Lower Overhead

So you’re starting a new business and cash may be tight? Well, one of the biggest costs is office rent and filling that office space with furniture, computers, in-office consumables, and a staff to keep it operating. What if you can shave off 60% of those expenses? Building a remote team doesn’t require you to pay for a large down payment for rent or furniture. Instead, you can put that money towards more important goals like investing in relevant tools and giving more benefits to your employees. Saving thousands of dollars a month can be the difference between making it or not in the startup game, and a lower overhead puts you in the best position possible to thrive.

Happier Employees

A recent study by TINYpulse found that remote workers are happier in their work because of the flexibility and freedom it allows them. A full 91 percent of responders said they feel more productive overall in their remote work. The choice of being able to work remotely gives employees the freedom to live a better life and live their lives on their terms. No more long, stressful commutes. The ability to focus on family and friends. The ability to exercise or pursue passions. Better mental health which translates to higher productivity and performance. These are just a few of the important reasons why most remote workers prefer to work from home. What company wouldn’t want that for their employees?

Retaining Top Talents

Top talent doesn’t always mean loyal talent. When top performers can find a better position with more flexibility that suits their lifestyle, why wouldn’t they leave?  A recent article in the Harvard Business Review cited Ctrip, China’s largest travel agent and their 9-month experiment of allowing some employees to work remotely 4 days a week. When compared with the control group, the employees allowed to work from home had a 50% reduction in turnover. The result is staggering, and one that all companies should mull over seriously. If you want to retain the best and brightest talents, you need to give them great choices in how they work and live. Giving them the option to work-from-home can play a huge role in that.

Long-Term, Performance-Based Work Culture

Remote work isn’t only about saving money or making your employees happier. It is also about letting performance speak for itself. Remote workers are not judged by how long they sit at their desk, but by the quality of work they produce. Because your new top talent wants to stay with you long-term, they have to keep producing at a high level. This creates a values-driven team who are in it for the long-haul. Your business will thrive when your employees are working their hardest to be part of your team.

Remote teams can make a huge impact, not only when it comes to an organization's’ bottom line, but also to the overall success of their company. More money, happier employees, and the ability to work with only the best talent can be the assets to grow your business into a long-term, sustainable enterprise. The reasons above are only few of the many reasons why remote teams are growing exponentially. Start joining the remote work revolution and do what the smartest companies have already figured out — that the future lies in connected teams, not limited to teams that can work in the same building.

Have more reasons to build a remote team or interested in starting one of your own? Get in touch with our growth experts who can help you with your staffing needs. Email us at hello@crewbloom.com.

How we’ve built a fun workplace for remote workers

Fun is a word people would not think of associating with work. When working, one must channel all their energy to work and nothing else. Why do you think most companies block social media access during company hours? To a certain extent, it is true — work is work. But while cultivating a high-paced, high-productivity atmosphere is great for the business, companies lacking fun atmosphere actually suffer long term.

Employees need to feel excited about coming to work everyday. At the same time, they also need to have breathers from the high pressure situations that arise daily. They need to know that while productivity is of the utmost importance, they are not sim.ply cogs on a wheel.

How do you create an environment where employees feel comfortable, happy, and excited about their day to day duties? Creating this environment can be hard for any business. This question becomes even more difficult to answer when you have a remote team.

Fostering a workspace of joy and enthusiasm for can seem nearly impossible when your team is spread across the world. It may be easy to create an atmosphere where employees can thrive when they are all in one building, but in a remote work place, there needs to be a bit more effort put in to ensure your business is not all business. Check out some of the best ideas to create a fun remote workplace below.

Gamify meetings

At CrewBloom, we have started turning some meetings into games. Meetings with our leadership teams have turned to a form of Scategories. No one can have the same idea for the topic, and whoever comes up with the most brilliant ideas gets rewarded. This keeps the brainstorming sessions both competitive and engaging. The rewards can also be simple and inexpensive. It could be in a form of small monetary bonus, a gift card, or a social recognition.

Involve Families

The truth is, family members are important to the happiness of your team so companies need to figure out a way to include them. With remote teams, it can be difficult to connect with family members. The inability to host a family picnic or retreat means you need to get creative. To solve this, we surprise our employees with a sponsored dinner out with their family, tickets to a movie, or a unique experience. This will go a long way in making your team feel like they are part of a bigger family, and will make their actual family all the more invested in your business.

Host an annual team building

This year, we’ve hosted our first-ever company wide team building and it was a fantastic experience for everyone. While getting your remote team together could be a costly and time-consuming process, the results far outweigh the costs. Not only did it help us build a stronger company culture, it made us have a better communication and understanding of everyone in the company. Be sure to take advantage of everyone’s presence by having outlining events during the day like games, sitting down on a company meeting, and employee awarding.

Give Out Branded Swag

This is the simplest and one of the most important things you can do  for a remote team. You have no office space, no in-person meetings, and little to no face to face interaction with your team members. So deck them out in some branded swag. It will give them something to hang on to, something to show to their friends and family who they work for, and create a conversation starter with people they meet. T-shirts, bags, caps — anything which lets them feel they are part of an organization that cares for them.

Foster Shared Experiences

Part of our onboarding process is requiring new employees to schedule a movie night and watch the film Meru. It’s a documentary about a team of mountaineers that summit a mountain which has never been climbed. It closely aligns with our company values which so outlines the power of mankind. For remote teams, capitalizing on shared virtual experiences is priceless. This simple activity can be effective, not only creating a strong culture but also reinforces your company's core values. We even splurge a bit and give each team member some cash for snacks so they can treat their family and themselves to a great movie night.

Encourage Hobbies

We recognize that our work is not our life, rather, it is something that only propels us to live our life the way we want it. Our teams are encouraged to share lunch time runs, new recipes, and weekend hikes. It bonds us around shared interests and builds a better team culture. Just because we aren’t in the same place doesn’t mean we can’t  be involved and invested in one another’s lives. Ask your team about their family, weekend adventures, hopes, and dreams. Whenever possible, make those dreams a reality. An extra day off for your team member to finish their hike can make the difference between someone that simply works for you, and someone that cares about the wellness of your organization.

Got more ideas to create fun in the remote workplace? Share your experience as a remote worker and help companies make remote working even more fun.

Why Filipinos are the Best Remote Workers

The Philippines has grown into one of the largest and most popular outsourcing destinations in the world since the industry exploded a few years ago. The country has embraced the work from home solution with a bill protecting remote workers close to being passed into law.

Well known for being dependable, optimistic hard workers, Filipinos demonstrate their dedication regardless of where they work or whoever they work for. Being exposed to the concept early on, Filipinos have mastered the art of working from home to the point that they have unlocked the winning formula on how to thrive in the work-from-home industry That being said, the best remote workers employers will find are those from the Philippines and here’s why:

Reliability

One of the biggest challenges in remote business is reliability. An employer is thousands of miles away from a staff member so a remote worker should be someone who can effectively do their job with minimal supervision.

Many Filipino workers are already familiar with the nitty-gritty of remote work. They understand the importance of deadlines. They have adapted to the challenges posed by working with someone in a different time zone, knowing full well that their working hours will run from midnight to early morning. This is something they are very well prepared for because in the Philippines, one of the top BPO capitals of the world, graveyard shift is very common.

Communication skills

Open communication is essential in any remote job. When staff members are from the opposite sides of the world, remote workers should be able to loop their employer in at all times to provide updates and work progress.

Although having to deal with a string of typhoons a year, which could sometimes cause power outages, Filipinos will go out of their way to make sure that they can come to work. They will exhaust all options before they throw in the towel and skip work. Even then, they make sure to keep in contact as long as they could.

Overachievers

Working long hours is dreaded in most workplaces, but in the Philippines, it’s as ordinary as showing up to work. Filipino workers are willing to go the extra mile just to make sure they provide the absolute best output.

They also recognize the importance of growth for the company and for themselves. Filipino workers make an effort to enrich their skill set and deepen their knowledge whenever they can.

Filipinos try to master as many skills as they can, not only because they want to make sure they put high quality of work, but because they know the importance of being versatile. And in the remote space, versatility is well-sought after.

English proficiency

In the Philippines, English is well entrenched in the people’s lives. School curriculums take into account overall English aptitude by encouraging students not just to learn how to use the language, but also the proper diction and intonation as that of the native speakers. Schools incorporate English speech and writing classes and many others to develop this, which even paved the way for the Philippines to become a destination for foreign students who wish to learn English.

English proficiency is of utmost importance in remote work due to its heavy dependability on oral and written communication. Thanks to this, Filipino remote workers absorb the tasks and instructions with ease and efficiency and be able to hold their own in client transactions and conversations.

Western Culture

 Even beyond the classroom walls, Filipinos are exposed to the language by immersing themselves in the American culture–may it be in the movies, television, sports, lifestyle, and fashion.

Their appreciation and deep connection to the West, which stems from their colonial history, allow them to be more adaptable, which is partly why remote work was a transition that employees in the Philippines handled efficiently and gracefully.

Highly Educated

As of June 2018, the Philippines boasts a high literacy rate of 98%. The country recognizes the value of learning and has put in place a higher education system that rivals that of the United States.

With the spirit of greatness and excellence instilled in them, Filipinos do not take education for granted and work hard to earn degrees. Because of this, the Philippines is home to professionals of unrivalled prowess and talent recognized in the whole world.

Ingenuity

 Remote work often requires someone to be a good problem solver. Most telecommuting jobs involve providing solutions for clients. Filipinos are well-known for their positivity and ability to rise from the direst of circumstances with a smile on their face. So there really isn’t so much that phases a Filipino and client issues certainly won’t. They are also very empathetic so remote workers from the Philippines will stop at nothing to resolve a client’s problem.

Loyalty

To Filipinos, a job is never just a job, it is a commitment. So they tend to cultivate and nurture it with all they’ve got. This comes from their innate warmth and friendliness, which also help them easily foster a bond with their co-workers. From this develops camaraderie, which translates to a sense of collaboration that can sometimes be intangible in a remote setting.

Another testament to their loyalty is that they never let kindness go unreciprocated. If they are treated well, they make sure to give back by sticking by you and consistently delivering. They value a good working relationship so you’d find many of them staying in the same company for decades.

Infrastructures

In support of its growing workforce of educated and English-proficient professionals, the country has prioritized the development of modern infrastructure facilities and new technologies as it further solidifies its place in the ever-expanding outsourcing industry. Universities have also started incorporating BPO-related training programs.

In lieu of this, employers are assured that Filipino workers are well-equipped with everything they need to thrive in the remote workplace. VPN systems and software improvement also pave the way for telecommuting to grow in the country.

Forest Interactive Announced As A Silver And Bronze Winner In Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, MYS — 24th April 2018 — Forest Interactive is announced as the winner of a Silver Stevie Award for Innovation in Consumer Products & Services for its digital payment platform, Wallet Codes under the New Product category in the fifth annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. Able to meet the scores of more than 100 executives around the world acting as judges, the company bagged another win and also named the winner of a Bronze Stevie Award for Excellence in Innovation in Technology Industries.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards is the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 22 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. The Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the world’s premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International Business Awards® for sixteen years. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala banquet at the Mira Hotel in Hong Kong on Friday, 1 June.

The Vice President of Forest Interactive, Sharon Maurenn stated that “We are truly honored to win not only one but two awards from different categories. We can’t be more grateful for the great recognition among other prestigious companies. On behalf of Forest Interactive, I would say, these two winnings are the homage as a global mobile tech company for all of our team’s continuous commitment for their hard work and never-ending belief in fulfilling the company’s vision to enrich mobile experience through multifaceted innovative products tailored to enhance telecommunication solutions. “ Read More