Category: Roaming

How To Keep Your Work and Personal Life Separate

February 9, 2022 (updated February 9, 2022) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

Maintaining a work life balance can prevent burnout and increase productivity, but learning to hit the do not disturb button, literally and figuratively, is harder than you think. Keep your work and personal life separate when remote working with these simple tips.

Work life balance

Maintaining a work life balance is key in reducing stress and preventing burnout; a state of mental and physical tiredness.

It’d be great if separation between work and home was easy, but in reality mobile phones and social media blur the boundaries between professional and personal. It is hard to switch off from work to personal when your colleagues follow you on Instagram, you get calls from family during work hours or your work ‘bestie’ invites you out to drinks on a Friday night. How do you make this separation to allow you to switch off from work and avoid burnout? How do you press pause until your next working day?

Why Press Pause?

The ability to press pause at work is essential in maintaining a healthy work life balance and avoiding stress and burnout.

Pressing pause and taking time out for yourself can help you not only enjoy both parts of your life, work and personal, but also increase your productivity. The Sun reported that 8 out of 10 parents feel they are running on ‘autopilot’ and feel disconnected with their family because of their busy schedules.

This can apply to working environments as well. Those who are running on autopilot risk burning out and becoming unable to do basic tasks because of stress.

Setting up strict boundaries between your work and personal life can help decrease stress and make your work and personal life more fulfilling.

Remote Working

Remote working, made the new normal by the pandemic, has made it harder to separate work and personal than ever. When your home becomes your work space, it seems almost impossible to draw a line between work and play.

Remote working is new to many of us and so are the challenges that come with it. Adjusting to remote working has not only caused stress, loneliness and lack of productivity for some people, but also caused people to lose the healthy balance between their work and home lives.

A study done by Buffer, revealed that 22% of remote workers have struggled with switching off after work. Maintaining a healthy work life balance during remote working can take a lot of extra energy; the best way to set up healthy boundaries is to commit to a routine, manage your time and learn to prioritise work or play, when needed.

It can be hard to commit to work hours when you’re not leaving the office, if you are working remotely, it can be easy to let your job turn into a 24 hour job. In April 2020, Blue Jeans conducted a survey that revealed remote workers spent an extra 3.13 hours a day on the job. Social plans can force you to stop working and start the personal part of your day, in order to help cement the work/home boundary.

Physical boundaries can also be a good way to highlight mental boundaries between work and home, when working remotely. Create an area or corner of your home that is strictly a ‘working zone’, so that when you are in it, you aren’t focusing on personal things, and when you leave the zone, you are officially clocked out of work.

Most importantly, set a routine. When working in an office, a routine is effortlessly embedded into your mind; get up at a certain time, travel to work, get into the office, have a coffee and start your day. When working from home, however, it can be hard to wake up and transform into an employee when you don’t have a journey to get you into the mindset. For example, even though you are not leaving your house, still get up at the same time every morning, follow that by an activity you can do every morning, like showering or meditating. When you are ready to enter the work mindset, start your day; you do not need to immediately start working from the moment you wake up just because you are not commuting anymore.

Using your Work Phone to Press Pause

Communication in these times is extremely important, for remote and hybrid workers connecting with colleagues, clients or customers.

One major way to switch off and separate work and personal can be to actually physically press pause on work.

Following routines, setting time boundaries and carving out time for socialising can help separate the line between work and personal but there will always remain some crossover. Finding a comfortable balance between the two may be the answer; separate what you have control over, such as your work and personal phones.

Many businesses are beginning to rely on mobile phones instead of office phones. Not only is this cost effective for companies, it is also supportive of the remote or hybrid working models. This does not mean that you will have to give out your personal number to customers or clients, however.

Devyce is a VoIP system which means your number lives in the cloud, so you can have a second number on one phone, without having a SIM or second contract. This is perfect for those who don’t want an office phone but want to keep their personal and work numbers separate.

Having your work number on your personal phone may sound daunting but actually can help you separate your work and personal life. A work phone can be hard to put down and ignore, but with a work number on your personal phone, there is no physical reminder that the work number is there, or that people are trying to reach you.

With Devyce, you can customise the Do Not Disturb feature to suit your business hours, for example, people will only be able to call or text your work number during office hours, leaving weeknights and weekends completely work free.

Advantages of having a work number on your personal phone are endless. Not only is it the simplest and cheapest option, for both employer and employee, it gives personal control and familiarity to the user. Instead of using an unfamiliar work issued phone, you can use your phone as you wish, update it when you want, and have personal control over the settings and changes; unlike with a work phone where there may be limits and boundaries set up.

Communication is also improved when you use a work number on a personal phone, as you will always have it on you. You won’t need to worry about misplacing a second handset, or having to keep track of two phones; your customers will appreciate being able to get in touch with you quickly and easily.

Discover more about how Devyce can help keep your personal and work lives separate here: https://devyce.com/product/what-is-devyce/

To download Devyce click here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Sources

https://timemanagementninja.com/2014/02/10-times-you-need-to-press-the-pause-button-in-life/

https://asparker.com/2020/02/do-you-take-the-time-to-push-the-pause-button/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/6206155/how-to-consciously-push-the-pause-button-and-be-more-present-at-work-and-home/

https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/privacy-work-life-balance/

https://www.inc.com/inc-masters/how-to-set-great-work-life-boundaries-as-a-remote-worker.html

https://medium.com/publishous/set-healthy-boundaries-to-get-work-life-balance-cd95abcc414f

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/using-personal-phone-for-work

How Will New Roaming Charges Affect Me?

February 1, 2022 (updated February 2, 2022) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

Travel after Brexit has never been harder for a Brit. New roaming charges in 2022 are limiting mobile use outside of the UK, affecting holidaymakers, long-term travellers, British expats, digital nomads and those travelling for work.

What Are Roaming Charges?

You may have heard a lot about roaming charges recently, being the latest in fees after Brexit when it comes to travel. You may be wondering what roaming charges are, or why they even exist?

In short, roaming charges exist to contribute to what mobile providers have to pay to local operators to allow their network to work abroad; 20-25GB usage of roaming data in Europe will cost a UK mobile operator roughly £63, according to Enders Analysis.

In 2017, the EU introduced the ‘Roam like at Home’ initiative that granted free roaming to all EU citizens, no matter what network you were on. Since Brexit, UK mobile service providers are not subject to this plan, putting customers at risk of having to, once again, pay roaming charges while abroad. Although many UK mobile providers claimed they would not reintroduce roaming fees, they have done just that.

New roaming charges are bringing an end to five years of worry free roaming from abroad. Different networks are implementing different charges, so it is worth checking with your provider, as you can also be at risk of getting a blocked phone as networks have also introduced fair usage caps. It is difficult to keep an eye on how much roaming data you are using, especially since many phones are using your data without you knowing, for example if your phone automatically saves your data, such as messages and photos, to the cloud.

What Do New Roaming Charges Mean?

Depending on which network you are with, roaming charges in 2022 can mean different things.

Roaming charges will activate for most big networks in 2022, charging you to use roaming data, calls and texts.

Vodafone will begin charging for roaming in January 2022, EE will follow in March and Three have already begun charging roaming fees, as of September 2021.

Although O2 was among the networks who announced they would reintroduce roaming fees, they have since announced that they will not. However, O2 customers will still be subject to fair usage limits and also a limited availability of data they can use while abroad.

How Will Roaming Charges Affect Me?

As a Three customer, you will be subject to a payment of £2 a day to use calls, texts and data from Europe. Outside of Europe, in many countries you will be charged £5 a day, when it was previously free.

If you are with EE or Vodafone, you will also be charged £2 to use roaming data, calls and texts in Europe.

Fair usage policies enable networks to monitor and limit the amount of time you can spend using your phone when outside the UK. Going over the limit can result in your phone being blocked or extra charges. If you are on a local mobile network in Europe, you will be subject to fair usage policies in the UK.

EE’s fair usage limit is 50GB and, if reached, you will be charged an extra £3.60 per 10MB.

O2 have introduced a 25GB fair usage limit followed by a charge of £3.50 per GB, if reached. Vodafone have also limited usage to 25GB, but will charge an extra £3.13 per GB if reached.

Three have cut their fair usage limit from 20GB to 12GB a month, and a charge of £3 per GB beyond that.

If you are living, working or travelling abroad for long periods of time, it is very likely that you will have to pay extra fees on top of roaming charges in order to use your phone without limits. Whichever UK mobile network you are with, the charges are likely to cost you up to £45/€50 a month to use your phone abroad.

Whichever mobile network you are on, new roaming charges will affect you when travelling outside of the UK. It is also important to be aware of how the changes can affect you depending on what type of travel you are doing.

Expats

Deciding to relocate abroad is as complicated as it is exciting. Becoming a British expat can depend on changing visa requirements among other things, and now roaming charges have been added to the list.

Having a stable connection to the UK is essential for many expats, whether it is to stay in touch with friends and family or for work calls. The risk of getting cut off is too great if you stay with a UK mobile network.

Nigel Ayres, founder of The Expat Network and an expat himself, was concerned about the possibility of disconnection, as he told the Express, “We wanted to retain our UK number but we get increasing charges due to Brexit and their ‘fair use’ policy on calls from Spain”. Ayres turned to Xpatfone, powered by Devyce, a virtual number built specifically for the needs of British expats, adding, “Xpatfone… allows me to keep my UK number, receive text and verification codes from banks etc via an App on my phone”

Digital Nomads

Another group of travellers that will be hit by roaming charges are digital nomads. VoIP systems are the best bet for digital nomads, as they do not require any extra payments to ensure they work as you hop from place to place. For digital nomads, WIFI or data connection is essential, for work and to navigate their home for the month.

Travelling as a digital nomad, it is likely your UK mobile service provider will cause you issues, alongside roaming charges and usage limits, as they do not support long-term travellers. Porting your number to Devyce is the best way to avoid extra charges and keep your phone working wherever you are in the world.

Long-Term Travellers

Similarly to digital nomads, gap year adventurers, solo tourists and working explorers will rely on WIFI or data connection to connect with others, plan their further travel and learn about the places they land.

Mobile providers that are reintroducing roaming charges will not support customers who are regularly moving to different locations around the world. Travelling outside of periodic travel, you are more likely to be charged for using roaming data and subject to fair usage limits. Service providers have different rules and charges depending on which country you are in, which can be a pain to check and stay on top of when you are travelling.

A virtual number allows you to use your phone no matter where you are in the world, even if you just need a number in case of emergencies, it is worth having a number that you can rely on, not at risk of disconnecting or charging you extortionate amounts.

Work Travellers

The pandemic has greatly affected the way we live and work. Those who used to travel regularly for work have since gone remote or adopted a hybrid model of working, half at home, half in the office.

Business travel expenses have decreased hugely due to coronavirus, however 2022 brings us new hope of a world without restrictions again, slowly reopening business travel to those in situations where it is essential to travel for work. Most businesses’ would have issued company work phones to their employees, letting them travel and use their phone without any hassle but new roaming charges have broken this system. Employers will have to pay unreasonable prices on devices used abroad and employees won’t want to have to explain why.

Having access to the internet on your phone is a total necessity when travelling for work, whether it is to check in with your colleagues in the UK before a meeting, access your work email or keep up to date with the latest travel restrictions. Many businesses are switching to VoIP phone systems for their office, in doing so they avoid roaming charges and can allow their employees to use their work numbers from anywhere in the world.

Holiday Makers

After two years of restrictions and cancelled holidays, Brits are keen to get out of the UK, to sunbathe on the beach or hit the slopes.

Overall, those who will be most affected by new roaming charges will be those travelling outside of periodic travel, or those relocating outside of the UK.

However post-Brexit travel will mean holiday goers will be charged roaming fees in Europe, including popular holiday destinations such as France, Spain and Portugal. Paying £2 for the days you want to use roaming data may not sound like a lot, but fair usage will also stop you from using your phone longer than usual.

A British holiday maker told The Telegraph how their holiday took a turn for the worst after a skiing accident landed them in the hospital. While in the hospital, although they had ‘unlimited’ data, fair usage limits were hit and they were unable to use their data to reach family and friends to let them know how they were, or to organise travel back home.

Solution

The best solution for any type of British traveller is to purchase a virtual number. This may sound scary, but is actually a very easy, cheap and simple solution.

A virtual number is a VoIP solution, Voice over Internet Protocol, which works by sending your calls and texts over the internet instead of traditional telephone lines; just as apps like WhatsApp and Viper do.

Using a virtual number provider, such as Devyce, is ideal for any type of traveller, as there are no roaming charges, no usage limits, no extra fees, and no need for a second phone.

Devyce charges a fixed monthly fee, starting at £8.99, for unlimited calls, texts and data. Completely cloud based, you don’t have to worry about a physical SIM or contracts. Get 24 hour support via email or phone to help guide you through the porting process, in which you can transfer your UK mobile number, or choose a new one to use, usually completely within 24 hours. This ensures your mobile will work just as it used to. Devyce is compatible with foreign networks, such as Lobster, so if you are an expat with a local SIM, you can still keep your UK number.

Browse Devyce packages to find the right one for you here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Port your number here: https://devyce.com/porting/

If you are an expat or long term traveller, get ahead of the game and switch now to avoid roaming fees in 2022. Start your journey with Xpatfone, powered by Devyce, and get set up within 24 hours here:

https://xpatfone.com/pricing-1

Sources

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2022/01/what-changes-to-mobile-roaming-charges-are-planned-in-2022

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/why-are-roaming-charges-coming-back-and-why-are-they-so-expensive

https://www.cityam.com/holiday-goers-gear-up-for-roaming-fees-as-ee-and-vodafone-introduce-european-charges/

https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/25/europe-roaming-charges-how-will-they-work-and-what-will-they-cost-14826301/

https://businesscloud.co.uk/opinion/roaming-charge-impact-on-business-travellers-as-borders-reopen/

https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1495074/expats-brexit-roaming-phone-charges-eu-spain

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/katie-investigates/hospital-vodafone-going-cut-data/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45064268

How VoIP Systems Work And How It Will Improve Your Small Business

January 26, 2022 (updated October 10, 2023) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

In an ever increasing digital world, it is key to keep your business up to date with the latest digital trends. VoIP phone systems are quickly becoming the new favourite for businesses; read more to learn what a VoIP system is, how VoIP systems work and which is the best VoIP system for you and your business.

What is a VoIP system?

VoIP phone systems are the new age landlines. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) does as it says, uses the internet to make and receive calls completely wirelessly. VoIP systems digitise calls and texts and send them through internet lines, rather than ordinary landlines. VoIP has been around for a while, but is becoming more and more popular as it is evolving to be quicker, cheaper and more efficient. Many businesses and households already use VoIP systems for their communications, a seemingly clever move as landlines are slowly becoming obsolete.

How do VoIP systems work?

VoIP systems work over the internet, but what does that mean?

Well, in the simplest of explanations, VoIP systems digitise your voice into online data and send it to your phone provider via the internet, which is then passed on to the receiver.

VoIP phone systems rely on high speed internet to make and receive communications; this means you can make calls with a VoIP system on a computer, a mobile phone or a VoIP adapter.

Advantages of using a VoIP phone system for small businesses

Small businesses all over the world are switching to VoIP phone systems and seeing great results. In a study conducted by CISCO, it was reported that small businesses who switched to VoIP systems saw a 77% increase in productivity due to the unique features VoIP phone systems offer that landlines do not.

Features included with VoIP systems include:

Virtual receptionist
Call forwarding
Voicemail transcription
Do Not Disturb button
Conference call
Call recording
Call logs
On-hold music
SMS capability

These features are designed for small businesses to make communication easier, more efficient and streamlined. Whereas landlines only call, because VoIP phone systems are online, there is an unlimited list of features that can be added.

So, what are the advantages of using a VoIP phone system for your small business?

Cost efficient
Perhaps the best advantage of the VoIP phone system is the price. Most VoIP providers charge a monthly fee, based on how many users are on it rather than how many minutes are used; meaning you can have unlimited calls for a lower price. For example, most VoIP providers will charge around £20-30 a month, whereas landlines will charge around £50-75 a month.

Call from anywhere
Remote and hybrid working is the new normal since the pandemic. VoIP phone systems support the remote and hybrid work model, as it allows employees to communicate from wherever they are, whether it is at home, at work or on the other side of the world.

Scalability
With a cloud-based phone system you can add or remove phone lines for new or leaving employees. As your business grows, your phone system can too, without any stress or hassle.

Better Customer Support
Being able to contact customer support in case of an emergency is essential when running a small business. If your phone lines are down, it can negatively affect the accessibility of your business and leave customers stranded and unhappy with your service. Most VoIP service providers maintain direct contact with you and your company, so that if you have any issues they are available straight away to fix your problem; you won’t have to wait hours or days to get a reply from a big corporation.

Simple Equipment
VoIP being a cloud based service not only provides better quality and service, it also presents a more practical solution for small businesses. To use a VoIP phone system you don’t need any extra equipment or IT specialists to install and manage it, which not only makes life easier for you but also saves time and money for your business.

However, it has to be noted that because VoIP systems are internet dependent, they can be at risk of cutting out if your internet is not strong enough, there is a power outage or a system failure on your router. Most small businesses will depend on high speed internet anyway, so won’t have to worry about changing their router to support a VoIP phone system. Still, the advantages outweigh the potential issues.

The best VoIP system

There are many VoIP phone systems on offer to small businesses, you’ll want to get the best one for the best price. The good thing about VoIP phone systems is that all you need is high quality internet connection, a router and a modem, all which businesses have anyway, to get started. The big question is which provider to go with.

Devyce is a VoIP service that specialises in the needs of a small business. Devyce know what a small business needs in terms of communication, and they deliver. Devyce offer a special Teams Package tailored to small businesses at only £15.99 a month per user. With Devyce, the account manager has access to the Portal, which provides instant number allocation and deallocation, call forwarding, call recording, full call reporting and analytics and CRM integration. You can give your employees a new number, or bring their number to Devyce by porting. Devyce provides an easy, cheap and efficient VoIP phone system that optimises your small businesses communication and, with customer support available 24/7, supports you every step of the way.

Learn more about Devyce Teams here: https://devyce.com/resources/onboarding-portal/

Purchase your company Teams Package here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Sources

https://www.structuredcommunications.co.uk/how-do-voip-phones-work-a-step-by-step-guide/

https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-what-is-voip-and-how-does-it-work-explained/

https://www.business.com/articles/voip/

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/internet/internet-phone-voip-offers

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8924-voip-for-business.html

https://fitsmallbusiness.com/voip-vs-landline/

https://gisuser.com/2022/01/why-voip-systems-are-popular-among-small-business/

Make The Best of The Digital Nomad Lifestyle in 2022

January 19, 2022 (updated January 19, 2022) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

The global pandemic has brought a new age of people embracing remote working so they can work from anywhere as a digital nomad. The digital nomad lifestyle can be intense, so here are some tips on how to make it as a digital nomad in 2022.

What is a Digital Nomad?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, our personal and working lives have changed dramatically. Most people have adapted to a remote lifestyle, working from the comfort and safety of their home. Digital nomads are travelling remote workers.

“Living as a digital nomad, you’re able to see incredible places, learn from different cultures, and work when or where you want to – true freedom” Matthew Karsten, The Expert Vagabond.

Digital nomads call a different country home every month, using technology to keep them connected and working from cafes, hotels and co-working spaces all over the world. The main requirement for a digital nomad is to earn income entirely from online work, to allow yourself to travel around freely.

A Pew Research survey found that 54% of people would like to continue working from home after the pandemic ends. The pandemic has changed the way we view work, we no longer have to be in the office 9-5 to achieve our goals, giving a new freedom to office workers who may want to work from an Airbnb by the coast or in the mountains, instead of their house.

Digital nomads are no longer the stereotype of beach backpackers moving around with little plans. As the pandemic has sparked a new interest in digital nomadism, the definition of digital nomads is transforming.

Pros of The Digital Nomad Lifestyle

The digital nomad lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular, the BBC reported that the US population of digital nomads blew up from 7.3 million, in 2019, to 10.9 million by mid-2020.

So, why are so many people attracted to the digital nomad lifestyle? There are many reasons why people ditch the traditional lifestyle to live as a digital nomad.

Work life balance

The digital nomad work life is very different from the normal day to day we know. As a digital nomad you can choose when you work and when you don’t, giving you the opportunity to create a healthy work life balance that suits you. You have the ability to work on your own schedule and give yourself time for the things that you love.

Flexibility

As a digital nomad you can live and work wherever you want, hence the term nomad. This gives a level of flexibility in life most people do not have the privilege of experiencing; dreamed of living in the mountains of New Zealand? You can go and do that for a month or two!

Experiences

Digital Nomads have the opportunity to experience the world while still working and earning. Visit new and exciting places, learn about different cultures and new skills – all while maintaining your work life balance. Follow the sun around the world or chase the snow… whichever you desire!

Productivity

Some digital nomads have claimed their lifestyle helps their productivity, whether that is in their personal or professional life. In some cases, the office environment can hold people back from achieving their work goals, due to a toxic environment or office politics. The digital nomad lifestyle eliminates any negative office vibes; the world is your office. Work from your Airbnb, from a local café, from a co-working space or on the beach – wherever feels like the most productive space for you! Move and work where suits you to maximise your productivity and stay happier in your working life.

Cons of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

The digital nomad lifestyle is not for everyone. You have to be willing to be constantly moving around, not having a stable home base. Finding stability as a digital nomad can be difficult and not having a stable ground can be debilitating. Digital Nomads may also struggle with;

Loneliness

Making friends and keeping company can be difficult when you are hopping from place to place. Loneliness could be considered a natural part of the digital nomad lifestyle – you are largely on your own, separated from family, friends and work colleagues.

Money

The freedom to live as a digital nomad comes at a price. You can travel on a budget but the lifestyle requires a steady income and probably some savings. Keeping track of your finances can be difficult when you are moving around as well.

Homesickness

If you’re living as a digital nomad you have to be prepared to say goodbye to home comforts, cultural norms and familiar faces. The digital nomad lifestyle is about experiencing new places, cultures and things, but being far away from home can be difficult for some.

Cultural barriers

As with any traveller, cultural barriers are an obstacle for digital nomads. If you don’t know the language, or cultural specifics of a place, it can be difficult to get around, communicate with locals and feel settled in your temporary home.

Tips for the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Wondering how to become a digital nomad? Or just be able to work from anywhere? There are tips to battle these obstacles, and to maximise your digital nomad lifestyle to the fullest.

Job Opportunities

The most important thing for a digital nomad is to have a secure job they can do while travelling, i.e. a remote friendly job. Luckily, the pandemic has only expanded the list of remote friendly jobs so there are lots of different career choices for a digital nomad; such as, blogger, youtuber, virtual assistant, programmer, freelancer, customer service, writer and more. These jobs are well suited to people who want to have the freedom to work from anywhere. Most companies today have embraced the work from anywhere policy, so this list of jobs will only grow.

Set a budget

Karsten advises you to set a budget while on the move as a digital nomad. Spend your money wisely while travelling, and avoid pointless purchases or food and drink out. You also don’t want to end up with too many possessions to lug around with you, which is why Karsten also advises you to purge your belongings to just the basics before you begin your journey as a digital nomad.

Join a digital nomad community

To combat loneliness, join digital nomad groups on platforms such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter. Being part of an online community can connect you with like minded people, answer questions about the digital nomad lifestyle and help you meet friends on your travels. There are also apps to help you, like Bumble BFF, where you can connect with locals to hang out with or show you around.

Join a co-working space

Maintaining a work life balance is important no matter what lifestyle you lead. As a digital nomad, it is essential to keep your productivity and mood high. Joining a co-working space can give some structure to your days, and also get you out and about. There are many places to join, such as WeWork, which has offices all over the world, where you can connect with other digital nomads and also have access to all your office needs like speedy WIFI, printers and meeting rooms.

Lindsay Maisel, a freelance industrial designer who has travelled as she works, told Make It, “just because you don’t have to get out of bed is not a reason to work from bed. The commute may be gone, but mentally you need to go somewhere else to work”.

Insurance

Insurance for nomads is very important. Cover your back in case of medical bills, or any potential disaster when you are far from home. There are specific insurance companies for nomads, such as WorldNomads and IntegraGlobal which will cover you so you can live your digital nomad lifestyle carefree.

Set boundaries at work

As a digital nomad, you are likely to be working in a very different way to your colleagues. It is important to set boundaries at work to accommodate your lifestyle to allow you to get work done in your own time and as successfully as possible. For example, if you are in a different time zone to your coworkers, don’t accept an invitation for an online call at 3am your time; let your coworkers know what times you are available according to your clock.

Commit to mental and physical routines

Healthy practices can help combat loneliness, homesickness and increase productivity while living as a digital nomad. Even though you are a nomad, it doesn’t mean you can’t abide by a schedule. Perhaps carving out 30 minutes every morning to meditate will help you adapt to your lifestyle; or going for a run in the evening to close your working day. Giving yourself routines can provide some type of stability in a relatively unstable lifestyle.

Unlock your phone

It is likely that your mobile service provider will cause you issues as you move around. Most service providers only offer mobile service abroad for a certain amount of time, not supporting the long-term travelers; you also will be subject to fair usage policies and at risk of getting cut off. As a digital nomad, your phone is one of the main ways to stay connected so essential that it keeps working wherever you go.

Porting your number to Devyce is the best way to avoid extra charges and make sure your phone will work whatever country you are in. By porting to Devyce, you are basically moving your phone number online, meaning it exists in the cloud, keeping you connected as long as you have WIFI or data connection; perfect for any digital nomad.

Explore Devyce plans here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Sources
https://expertvagabond.com/digital-nomad-tips/
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210615-is-the-great-digital-nomad-workforce-actually-coming
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/digital-nomad
https://www.e-resident.gov.ee/blog/posts/the-complete-guide-to-being-a-digital-nomad-key-things-to-know
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/28/digital-nomads-7-best-tips-for-working-remotely-around-the-world.html
https://www.ganttic.com/blog/best-practices-for-digital-nomad

The New Normal: How to Navigate Hybrid Working

January 5, 2022 (updated March 28, 2022) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

As we enter yet another year of the pandemic, the world of work is unsettling. You may be wondering what is the hybrid way of working and how can you benefit from it?

As 2022 begins, many of us may be cautiously optimistic that this could be the final year of the COVID pandemic. Vaccine boosters and new covid treatments seem to be the answer to the ongoing chaos. However, in the meantime, how do we go about our day to day lives, returning to work as if all is normal?

Many of us are returning to work in 2022 with anxiety; social anxiety, work anxiety or merely anxiety of getting sick. So how should we navigate this? Remote working seems to be a thing of the past as more and more of us are returning to offices, but what about those of us who long to be in the comfort of our homes during work days?

According to Maureen Kennedy, head of coaching at Bravely in NYC, “for life at work, there is no ‘back to normal’”. So what is the new normal then? A survey conducted by Slack, of 3,480 remotely working employees, revealed that 63% of their employees favoured a hybrid working model, compared to 20% stated they wanted to keep working remotely and only 12% expressed they wanted to return to full time in-office work. Although some employees desire to continue working full time at home, most are attracted to a balance of the two, working in office some of the week, and at home for the rest; hybrid working.

So, what is hybrid working?

2020 made it clear to us that it was no longer safe to travel to work everyday amidst a global pandemic. Remote working took over, and many adapted to working at the kitchen table or makeshift office spaces in their homes, dealing with interrupting pets and children. This strange new way of working left us wanting to get out into the world again, eager to escape the over familiarity of our homes during lockdown. But now that things are open again, where does that leave the world of work? Do we return to the office, acting as if nothing changed? Most people would agree the world of work has fundamentally changed and the way we work, how we work and where we work ought to be rethought.

Say goodbye to sweaty tube commutes and the traditional 9am-5pm work schedule. Large numbers of companies, big and small, are embracing the hybrid work model, allowing employees the freedom to choose how and where they work.

The hybrid work model is a balance of working on-site and at home, a combination of the old style full time office work and the COVID era full time remote work. Perhaps, the best of both worlds; hybrid work is the new remote work.

Overall, the hybrid work model is appealing to those who are unsure if they are ready to fully return to the office in 2022 – or if they ever want to return full time again.

What can we gain from hybrid working?

Hybrid working allows employees to work in whatever environment they feel most comfortable in; some may shine working from home, others may enjoy the office environment. The combination of the two, not only gives more autonomy to the employee, but also increases employee productivity and satisfaction. A recent survey conducted by Envoy demonstrated that 47% of employees would be likely to seek different employment if their current employers would not offer hybrid work.

Flexibility and Productivity

The hybrid work model abolishes the traditional 9-5 office model giving employees the freedom to work when suits them. This doesn’t mean that employees all around the world are slacking off. In a hybrid work model, the flexibility allows people to work around their lives, which seems to be a major flaw in the office model. It seems the office model neglects to take into account that some people work better early in the morning, while others are more productive in the evening; or some work better in a social environment, and others better solo.

Health and safety

Health and safety is a big one. Envoy also reported that 66% of employees are worried about their health and safety when asked about returning to the office. A hybrid work model encourages less people in the office at one time, lowering the change of sick employees passing on their illness. Many companies have also begun to require lateral flow testing, health screenings or proof of covid vaccinations, before allowing people to return to work. It also allows a sick employee to stay home, and still work, protecting others, and reducing absenteeism.

Mental health

In some cases, the hybrid model has had a positive impact on employees’ mental health by getting rid of some of the stresses that go along with the traditional in-office work model. It has also, due to flexibility, given employees the freedom to practice wellness to improve their mental health throughout the workday. However, there are limitations, for some, having to work from home means isolation and a lack of inspiration; which is why the hybrid model works for both.

Physical footprint

Many companies are focused on eliminating or cutting down carbon footprint and going green.

Hybrid work relies on technology, so requires companies to switch to cloud based technologies and VoIP’s. E-waste is a huge part of the global climate crisis, as technology is manufactured in the thousands, as quickly as it is disposed of.

Instead of buying tens, hundreds or even thousands of physical handsets for employees, employers can remove their physical footprint by using a remote work phone, allowing their employees to use their office landline or mobile numbers in and out of the office.

Devyce offers a ‘Teams Package’ for companies, big and small, wanting to eliminate their physical footprint and cater to the new hybrid way of working. Employers can purchase as many numbers as they need and give them out to their employees, as well as monitor the calls on the Portal. Centralising calls, inbound and outbound calls, in one place can also benefit the employee, allowing them to work more productively and concisely with a remote work phone.

Are there issues with the Hybrid Work Model?

The hybrid work model is fairly untested, as an evolutionary adaptation of remote working, so there are some issues that ought to be addressed. Just as employees are learning the new rules of hybrid working, so are employers.

Equality

Will an employer be able to ensure fairness and equality in offering a hybrid model to everyone in their team? Or will some people have to continue to work entirely at home or in the office? This could cause resentment or upset among employees, affecting productivity or morale.

Some people may want to adopt the hybrid model but be unable to work from home, due to space constraints or WIFI issues; working from home may not be productive for them at all, therefore, would they be able to work in the office everyday of the week, or is that out of the question?

Ability to Collaborate

It can be harder to collaborate with team members or bounce ideas off one another over Zoom. How can we learn and connect with each other over the computer? Would someone struggle to have their voice heard in a meeting online?

Remote employees may feel disconnected from their coworkers, causing difficulties achieving work goals. A remote work phone number, separate from their personal number, can help connect people to their coworkers, even from home, without mixing work and personal too much.

Making the most of hybrid working

Adapting to hybrid working can be difficult and there might be some growing pains. Considering the pros and cons, both employers and employees have the opportunity to make the most out of this new way of working.

For example, ‘rituals’ at home can help separate the day out as if you were in an office. When going into work, you get up, get dressed and commute everyday, in the same fashion, so the same could be done when working from home, while being able to add new elements to your routine to boost motivation even more.

Creating a clear separation between work and home can be tricky when those two overlap for half of the week. It may be difficult to manage the boundaries between work and personal life when hybrid working; measures have to be taken to make sure employees can switch off at the end of the work day and leave, although not physically, the working day behind. Devyce supports this ethos, with its ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature, in which you can pick and choose what days and times people can reach you on your Devyce number, allowing you to switch off from work despite being in the same environment.

Hybrid working is new to all of us, but, in a way, we are familiar with each section of it. Office working is traditionally how we work, and remote working has been how most of us have worked since the beginning of the pandemic; doesn’t it make sense to combine the two? Considering the pros and cons, would you be keen to adopt the ways of hybrid working?

Is hybrid working not only the new normal, but the future? The world of work has been redefined by the pandemic and the outcome is a fairer, greener and more efficient hybrid way of working.

Devyce offers a remote work phone number to support the new normal of hybrid work; see our pricing plans here: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Sources:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/flexible-working/planning-hybrid-working#gref
https://envoy.com/blog/what-is-a-hybrid-work-model/
https://timewise.co.uk/article/make-a-success-of-hybrid-working/
https://billieapp.io/2021/10/12/the-benefits-of-a-hybrid-work-model-and-why-its-here-to-stay/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/01/03/the-great-redefinition-of-work-in-2022/?sh=35d59c7d4d9b
https://nypost.com/2021/12/19/how-to-navigate-a-part-home-part-office-setup/
https://www.orielpartners.co.uk/blog/hybrid-working

How Can I Continue Using My Phone Abroad Without Paying New Roaming Charges?

December 22, 2021 (updated January 10, 2022) | By Florence Hastings | 0 Comments

Use your UK mobile number fluently for travel? Worried about the return of roaming charges, but unsure what to do? Keen to avoid the roaming fees in 2022? Here’s what you need to know, as well as what you can do to continue to call, text and roam, without new costs, with your UK mobile number from anywhere in the world.

Why are UK Networks reintroducing roaming fees?

After five years of free roaming, how can you avoid roaming fees returning in 2022? For those of us that use our UK mobile number for travel regularly, this is concerning.

In 2017, the EU launched their ‘Roam Like at Home’ initiative, essentially banning EU mobile networks from being able to charge their users for using their mobiles while abroad in EU countries. However, since Brexit has removed the UK from being an EU member, the initiative no longer applies to UK networks, allowing them to reintroduce roaming fees for their customers. If you are a UK resident living abroad, someone who travels for work, or someone who travels outside of periodic travel, it is essential that you know exactly what this change means and how you can avoid roaming fees coming in 2022.

When will the fees come into action?

Although many UK mobile networks stated that they would not reintroduce roaming fees after Brexit, many have since changed their stance. The biggest networks to reinstate roaming charges are Vodafone, EE, Three and O2.

If you are a Three customer, you may be aware of the changes already as they have been the first network to enact the changes, as of September 2021. Vodafone and O2 have announced they will turn on roaming charges at the end of January 2022 and EE will follow their example and turn off free roaming in March 2022.

How will these costs affect you?

Depending on what network you are currently with, these costs will affect you differently.

If you are an EE customer with a plan that started before July 2021, you don’t need to worry. However, if your plan started after July 2021, or your contract is due to expire, you will be affected. Starting from March 2022, to make and receive calls and texts, or use your data from abroad, you will be charged £2 a day for each day that you use your mobile.

If you are a UK citizen living as a resident outside of the UK, you will be subject to roaming fees on O2 as well. However, the good news is that you can switch providers and leave O2 without having to pay any termination fees.

Starting at the end of January 2022, Vodafone customers, who had a contract that started on or after August 2021, will have to pay £6 a day to use their data, as well as make and receive calls and texts, if they are abroad in Africa, Australia, Canada and America.

If you are a Three customer, you may already be aware of the changes to your plan when abroad, as Three reintroduced roaming fees in September 2021, being the first UK mobile network to do so. As a Three customer, if you want to use your UK mobile to travel, you will be charged £5 a day to do so.

The reintroduction of roaming fees also allows these UK networks to implement a fair usage policy that can monitor and limit the time spent by a customer on their phone while abroad. Meaning, you will no longer be able to use your UK mobile phone all year round abroad; and if you do, you will be subject to extra fees. Moreover, if you have a foreign mobile contract, and visit the UK, you will be limited to how you can use your phone in the UK as well.

EE will implement a 50GB roaming fair usage policy, and if reached, you will be charged £3.60 per 10MB. O2 are introducing a 25GB roaming fair usage policy, and if reached, you will be charged £3.50 per GB. Vodafone are following in their steps and also capping data use at 25GB, but charging £3.13 per GB once reached. Lastly, Three have already implemented a 20GB limit a month, and £3 per GB beyond that.

20 to 50 GB is not quite enough for one person every month to use their mobile phone with full access to the internet, to search, stream or socialise. The limitations placed on usage by UK networks makes it very likely that those living, working and travelling abroad will have to pay extra fees on top of roaming charges and their normal contract payments.

No matter which network you are on, these changes and extra payments could cost you an extra £52 a month for simple mobile use.

How can you avoid these costs?

These looming changes may seem daunting but there are solutions to assure you can continue to travel and use your UK mobile number and avoid roaming fees in 2022 and onwards.

Devyce have been working hard to provide an easy, efficient and, most importantly, affordable solution to the reintroduction of roaming charges, so that you can still use your UK mobile number for travel and more. We came up with Xpatfone, powered by Devyce; designed especially for those UK mobile users who are living, working or travelling abroad who do not want to pay more to call, text and roam while away from home.

What makes this especially easy is that many networks, similar to O2, have scrapped exit fees so that, if you wish to move and avoid roaming fees in 2022, you can do so freely.

Benefits of Switching?

So why switch? Simply, you will avoid paying roaming fees in 2022 and onwards when abroad. Giving you the freedom to call and text your family and friends back in the UK and use the internet without any usage limitations.

Xpatfone charges a fixed monthly fee, with no extra payments no matter your usage, starting at £8.99. Completely cloud based, you don’t have to worry about a physical SIM or contracts. Get 24 hour support via email or phone to help guide you through the porting process, in which you can transfer your UK mobile number, or choose a new one to use, usually completely within 24 hours.

Xpatfone offers two packages fit for UK travellers abroad. The monthly plan is ideal for expats and starts at £8.99, with benefits such as SMS and Whatsapp compatibility, free number porting, unlimited calls to the UK, America, Canada and Ireland, unlimited inbound calls and texts globally and a 24 free trial! The ‘Brexit Buster’ plan is ideal for the UK global traveller, adn starts at £12.99. With the Brexit Buster plan, you get all the features of the monthly plan, plus 400 minutes per month to call mobile and landline numbers in New Zealand, Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Australia and Thailand.

Get ahead of the game and switch now to avoid roaming fees in 2022. Start your journey with Xpatfone and get set up within 24 hours here: https://xpatfone.com/pricing-1