Month: September 2020

The world has drastically changed over a few months since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – the way we live, the way we look at the future, the way we work, and the way we connect with other people. COVID-19 has practically shut the world down and everybody was caught unprepared to face the gravity of its impact in our everyday lives.

The economic repercussions of the pandemic have left a lot of businesses to shut down. The few businesses who manage to stay afloat pushed for a remote work arrangement for their employees. Suddenly the world needed to adapt to doing everything remotely and online.

Now you can attend meetings in your pyjamas and jandals, which have become the new trend in office fashion. And while you try hard to maintain a business demeanour, you and your team had to put up with your neighbour’s growling lawnmower, your screaming kids running around, or a dog barking in the background. 

Without a doubt, COVID-19 is responsible for the latest trend in the way we work. This new-found trend has its perks but working from home may have its drawbacks that may leave you feeling burnt out at the end of the day.

There is a solution to finding the balance between working from home and keeping your sanity intact in these crazy times.

This is where a virtual office solution becomes handy. Let me tell you why.   

Prime address to impress your clients

Yes, you are not physically there, but a virtual office provides you with a high-profile address that would impress your clients. Small or start-up businesses can particularly benefit from this. Whether it is a city centre address or in a suburb location, a professional business address delivers the image you need to project. Your website, business card, or email signature gives your clientele a peek into your business and you want to impress them with a prominent address.

CBD Office Ltd, a virtual office provider, is centrally located in downtown Auckland and is right smack in the middle of the central business district.

Phone answered in your business name

Whether you’re a new business without any employees yet, or you were forced to cut down on staff, it is paramount that you don’t miss a single call from your clients while you focus on growing your business.  A virtual office comes with a reception that can answer your calls and take messages for you. Whatever your case may be, you can focus fully on achieving targets while letting your virtual office do the little things for you.

CBD Office’s highly trained and professional staff can manage your phone calls and ensure that your callers receive utmost professionalism and efficiency. Call forwarding service is also an option if you wish to speak to your clients directly.

A professional location to meet with clients

There may come a time when you inevitably must meet with clients face to face. While you can meet with them at home or in a café, having a professional place to discuss business matters leave a lasting impression on your clients.

Booking a meeting room or a casual office can be done super-fast with CBD Office’s online booking system. We will take care of everything including unlimited coffee/tea, Wi-Fi, or even set up a presentation screen for you. All our meeting rooms and casual offices follow physical distancing restrictions, so you can go about with your meeting without stress.

We do the dirty job, so you do not have to

Growing your business can take up most of your energy and may leave you with admin tasks that remain undone. Your virtual office can take the load off your shoulders. From photocopying to scanning documents to mail forwarding, we can do the odd jobs to free up your valuable time focusing on running your business.

Easy on the pocket

During this time of uncertainty and financial crisis, it is important that you save as much cash for the unforeseen future. With a virtual office, you get your money’s worth for a little amount. CBD Office’s virtual office packages start from $25 (+GST) per week, and that may well be the smartest $25 investment you can ever make at this point in time.

Keeping your business afloat during this unprecedented time takes enormous courage but know that you can get support without breaking the bank. CBD Office will be happy to show you how a virtual office can help your business and get you through this COVID-19 crisis.

By: Diana Subido Mendoza

The COVID-19 pandemic has been wreaking havoc to people’s lives and we are not just talking about the economic side of its impact here. The added burden to our already stressful life has left us with a higher level of anxiety than we ever had before.

Burnout and Work-from-Home Stressors

A recent survey from FlexJobs and Mental Health America has reported 75% of workers have experienced burnout at work and 40% of them say they have experienced burnout particularly during the pandemic.

The pandemic has left more and more businesses to allow their employees to work from home where they can get their jobs done in the safe confines and comforts of their homes. The daily commute to work, getting up early, preparing lunch, getting ready – all of this have been eliminated from the worker’s daily routine. Most people welcome this change with a sigh of relief. But relief seems to be temporary. After a month or so of working from home, workers feel burnt out. They are struggling to find the work-life balance that they used to have pre-COVID. Because work is very accessible, workers tend to work longer hours, while quality time with their family suffers. In many cases, people working from home are caught in a dilemma between looking after their children full-time while schools are closed and trying to get their work done.

The stress level is even heightened by a lot of different reasons, such as uncertainty brought by the pandemic, fear of losing jobs due to closures, worrying about physical distancing and contracting the virus, and adjusting to the new setup of working from home. All these could put added strain to the already troubled mind of a worker.

How Organizations Can Support Mental Health

Now, more than ever, mental health should be the number one focus of organizations during this difficult time. Productivity at work relies so much on the worker’s ability to perform well, mentally, and physically, and this will not be possible if the worker’s mind is preoccupied with a lot of different stressors. Mental health and work are directly linked together. Organizations should take this to heart and start creating an environment that promotes wellness for all its employees, whether remotely or in-office.

One way to promote wellness is by maintaining a flexible work-life balance and creating a work environment that fosters emotional support. Organizations can support mental health by

• Allowing for flexibility in the workday
• Offering mental health days
• Offering emotional support through one on one conversations with an HR personnel
• Regularly keeping in touch with employees who work remotely

Flexible Work Arrangements Can Promote Wellness and Mental Health

Flexible work arrangements could also be offered to improve the employee’s quality of life. A combination of remote work and in-office is a set-up that has been proven to be effective in some organizations. This gives the employee a change of environment to prevent them from feeling like they are stuck in one place. In cases where returning to the regular office is not possible due to physical distancing restrictions, employees can be offered a remote serviced office where they could go about with their tasks for the day and still enjoy an office environment sans co-mingling with other workers.

Working Remotely in a Serviced Office can be a Good Option

A casual serviced office will come very handy in these kinds of situations. CBD Office Limited provides such a service complete with a reception, Wi-Fi, and unlimited coffee to see you through the day. Their services also include the use of a wellness room, reception lounge, and the opportunity to have a little chat with other tenants. Meeting rooms are also available for when you wish to meet with clients.

Centrally located in downtown Auckland, CBD Office provides an option for organizations that are proactively seeking to improve the overall mental health and wellness of their employees.