Category: work life balance

What is BYOD and how small businesses can benefit

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What is a BYOD policy? 

BYOD stands for ‘bring your own device’ whereby employees are permitted to bring/use their own personal devices for work such as phones and laptops. Many businesses are adopting this option for employees due to its countless benefits. A BYOD policy is particularly relevant in the current professional climate as employers continue navigating flexible working. Such policies play a key role in supporting hybrid working due to benefits like cost savings and increased productivity. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key benefits BYOD offers to small businesses and how you can implement them.

 

Cost savings

The biggest benefit of a BYOD policy is cost savings which is especially important for growing small businesses. It’s estimated UK SMEs spend upwards of £2000 per year to purchase business phones for employees [1]. This doesn’t include the additional costs to maintain, replace or upgrade devices for employees. For a growing business, it’s important to evaluate your spending and ensure your budgets are optimised to accommodate developing areas. Opting for a BYOD policy can save you a great deal in the long term as most employees have their own devices that can be used for work.

 

Increased productivity

Another perk of employees bringing their own devices is that they’re already familiar with the device. This can increase efficiency and productivity as it eliminates the need for training and time spent looking up how to do specific tasks using those devices.

 

Increased mobility

It can be a hassle to carry around two phones and remember to charge both so allowing employees to use their own helps to facilitate flexible/hybrid working policies. Since the devices are the employees’ own, they’re able to freely work from anywhere whether it be at home, remotely or even going into the office.

However, there are also concerns to implementing a BYOD policy that should be taken into account. Perhaps the biggest concern for businesses is privacy and security of company data. As employees are using their own phones which go with them everywhere, it can increase the risk of loss/sensitive company data being accessed by someone outside of the organisation. 

Additionally, employees are unlikely to have the same level of anti-malware software as that of business devices which increases the risk of data breaches. To overcome this, businesses should invest in cloud technologies which facilitate secure remote storage of data over a network of servers that operate using the internet. This means that if anything happens to the device, the data remains untouched as you’re able to ensure robust security on the cloud servers you use. Employers can also include training for employees on safe usage. As employees may be working from anywhere, it’s important to make sure they are educated on the risks of accessing work programs and data in public spaces where wifi connections aren’t secure. 

 

Employees may also struggle with work life balance if using their own devices for work as it opens them up to receiving/seeing work notifications after hours. It can be tempting for employees to give the email or message they received a ‘quick look’ when it pops up but this can lead to a cycle of letting work bleed through into personal lives and lead to an overall lower productivity level during work hours and possibly even a burnout.

 

The ideal solution is to invest in cloud business phone systems. A great one to check out is Devyce – designed for SMEs. Devyce brings simplicity and security to your business phone experience while also providing you a perfect balance between work and personal at the switch of a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button. This means you can set your business hours and ensure you don’t receive notifications outside of those hours, solving the problem of impaired work life balance resulting from BYOD policies. 

Get started building your BYOD policy with the Devyce virtual business phone system over on: https://devyce.com/teams-plan/

 

References: 

[1]

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2019/08/uk-sme-businesses-spend-2052-a-year-on-telecom-services.html

How you can leverage technology to reduce pressure on customer support teams

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The demand for customer support has increased greatly over the years, putting pressure on companies to meet consumer demands. However, many businesses struggle to keep up due to lack of resources and evolving landscapes for customer support teams. 

In a survey carried out by Intercom [1], it was found that the top challenges faced by customer support teams are:

  1. Poor workflow efficiency
  2. Attracting and retaining quality staff
  3. Inefficient handling of customer queries

Support teams can leverage technological advances to optimise their way of working in order to adapt to growing demands. Here are a few ways you could utilise tech to alleviate the pressures your customer support teams face:

 

        1. Use a phone system that supports remote work 

Customer support teams have reduced in size due to the pandemic resulting in increased pressure on staff. Team leads have also faced difficulties attracting and retaining staff due to large scale burnout. 

To overcome this and adapt to the changing landscapes of work, support team leads should look into investing in phone systems that support remote working like Devyce. 

With the Teams Plan on Devyce, you can provide your employees with two numbers on their phones allowing them to work from anywhere meaning employees can prioritise their wellbeing. This will also enable hiring of talent remotely – an attraction point in hiring which could lead to increased retention of staff. 

 

        2. Use a phone system that facilitates call groups and forwarding

Customer expectations have grown and only 24% of support teams surveyed stated they were confident they could meet them [1]. Often customer queries can’t be answered by the first person they get in contact with. The biggest challenge here is transferring calls to the right person on the team in a timely manner.  

To improve the efficiency of your customer support service, look out for phone systems with features to aid your customer’s journey. For example, on Devyce’s Teams Plan you are able to set up an auto attendant which filters inbound calls to the relevant call groups, streamlining the workflow and minimising wait and transfer times. 

        3. Utilise CRM and analytic software with your phone system

Poor workflow management is a key reason for staff burn out. To optimise, team leads need to regularly revise operations by setting up and tracking call metrics. This is hard to do on traditional phone systems so companies should explore newer phone systems. At Devyce, we offer a Teams Management Portal – a platform to view call analytics, allowing optimisation of workflow to meet goals. 

The Teams Plan also offers integrations with CRM softwares like Hubspot so you can manage your customer’s journeys. Creating an integrated tech stack improves workflow efficiency as it reduces the need for switching between softwares and ensures all team members can quickly access relevant data to handle customer queries. 

 

Leveraging tech to optimise your support service strategy is the key difference between companies that exceed customer expectations and those that fall behind due to not having the infrastructure to handle the growing demands. Help your team flourish today by embracing innovative advances in technology with Devyce. 

 

References:

[1] https://www.intercom.com/resources/books/customer-support-trends-emea-2022

 

10 Reasons Why Customers Choose Devyce

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What are the reasons our customers choose Devyce you ask? 

Here are the top ten reasons why our happy customers chose us and what you could benefit from by switching to Devyce for your small business:

  • Improve efficiency

We know the feelings. Carrying around two phones can get frustrating. Then getting confused which phone to use for a call and accidentally using your personal phone to call a client. Also feeling irritated from having to switch between Apple and Android systems if your work phone is not a system you are particularly used to. So inefficient right?

Devyce solves this problem by providing you two numbers on your phone. 

Your Devyce phone number is stored in the cloud and phone calls/texts are sent over the internet instead of traditional phone lines which means you can have an additional operating number on your phone.

  • Save money with affordable pricing

We help our customers cut down on a costly business expense by removing the need for a work phone. With Devyce, you don’t need to sign up for expensive handsets and contracts for your employees as they can bring their own device. 

Our pricing plans (hyperlink to price page) are simple, affordable and transparent. No hidden fees, no lengthy contracts that are hard to get out of and an easy sign-up process. Within minutes you’d have an operating UK number ready. Save time and money for your business so you can focus on the more important things. 

  • Improve Sustainability

While saving money and time for your business, why not contribute to saving the planet as well? Deloitte global predicts that around 146 million tonnes of CO2 or equivalent emissions will be generated from smartphones in 2022 and 83% of these emissions comes from the manufacturing, shipping and first year usage [1]. 

It’s estimated that 910kg of CO2 is generated per employee working in offices each year [2] and the use of a work phone contributes to this figure. Using Devyce decreases your yearly in office carbon footprint, helping to promote more sustainable practices within SMEs.

  • Fast and reliable

Our customers are always able to receive those essential business calls wherever they are. 

Devyce works by facilitating calls and texts over the internet. This means all you need is a strong internet connection either over wifi or 4G/5G. 

Advancements in internet access technology means staying connected wherever you are, has become increasingly easy. You’ll rarely have to worry about downtime which can happen more often with traditional phone line services. Never miss business calls again with Devyce. 

  • Improve work life balance

It can be difficult to switch off from the workday when your work phone is still pinging or maybe even still getting calls. Many people find it hard to resist looking at their work phone out of work hours “just in case” there is something important that has popped up. From there it can be easy to fall into the rabbit hole of responding to work notifications well past business hours. 

Devyce have helped our customers improve their work life balance with a single button. We have a handy ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature where you can set the business hours after which you won’t receive notifications. 

  • Work from anywhere 

Take your Devyce anywhere… and we mean, anywhere in the world. Over 50% of our customers currently use Devyce abroad. Whether you are travelling for business or working remotely abroad, you can keep your UK phone number operating from there while also saving your business money on roaming costs. 

If you have a phone number attached to your business that you’d like to keep using while abroad, you can easily port your number to us (if you need help with this, contact us here: https://devyce.com/contact-us/). All of this means you can facilitate remote working for your business and even hire globally, further saving you money from lack of need for office space. 

  • Easily manage your teams

It can be tricky to stay on top of your team’s client call activity with a remote or hybrid based working model. For rapidly growing businesses, you might also struggle with managing a fast-growing team. Devyce makes this easier by providing team leaders with access to a Team’s Management Portal on our Teams Plan (hyperlink to pricing page). 

From the portal you can quickly allocate/de-allocate numbers and create call forwarding pathways or groups within your team. This means you can easily keep numbers operating while an employee is away and quickly route client calls to the right person, allowing you to create a seamless customer service experience for your business. 

  • Monitor the performance of your calls

Get access to a variety of key metrics like in/outbound call durations to monitor your performance as well as analysis tools. These can be easily navigated on the Team’s Management Portal and allows you to keep track of how well your business calls are performing, optimise your calls to drive KPIs and achieve those all-important business goals. 

  • Streamline your customer relationship management

Ensure that all your customers are taken care of by integrating a CRM platform like Hubspot with the Devyce Team’s Management Portal. This allows you to stay on top of individual customer queries and makes sure you never miss business calls. It also allows your team to have access to customer query logs so that any member of your team can quickly provide help. Streamlining your customer support flow is crucial to any growing business and Devyce helps you take that extra step for your customers. 

  • Flexible scalability

Whether you are growing or taking a step back before the next stage in your business, you can easily activate/deactivate numbers on your network to grow (or downsize) your Teams Plan. Our affordable price point also makes it easy for you to scale the usage to your businesses’ needs whether you are just starting out or already a medium sized enterprise, Devyce is flexible. 

To quote The Sound of Music: 🎵These are a few of (ours & our customers’) favourite things about Devyce. Our customers have thrived from using Devyce and we’re pretty sure your business will benefit too 😉 

If these 10 reasons aren’t quite enough to convince you yet and would prefer to see Devyce in action before you commit, that’s no problem! It’s super easy to book a demo with us here https://devyce.com/demo/ 

 

References:

[1] https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2022/environmental-impact-smartphones.html

[2] https://observablehq.com/@mrchrisadams/how-do-i-work-out-the-carbon-footprint-of-providing-space-to-w

Three ways firms can help Black staff thrive beyond Black History Month

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Black History Month may be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean we should table the conversation about supporting black employees within companies. 

There needs to be an ongoing effort by business leaders to improve inclusivity and integration of BAME communities in the workplace. Although much has been done for inclusivity, sadly minority communities still face many challenges with their professional progression after passing the first few hurdles. 

So how can firms build a better environment for black employees to better support them? Here are three things you could implement:

 

  1. Re-evaluate your protocols and gather feedback
    One of the first things to do is to re-examine your internal procedures and company structures. By analysing the data available to you within your organisation, you can identify the areas of organisational dynamics that need improvement.Research has shown that UK black employees hold only 1.5% of senior roles, which has only increased 0.1% since 2014 [1]. This reveals a deep-rooted organisational problem that generates barriers affecting progression of BAME communities.

    Although many companies may argue that the opportunities for senior roles for BAME employees exist but there aren’t enough BAME employees to be considered, this highlights a bigger problem faced by minority communities in workplaces.
    Surveys have revealed that 46% of black employees plan to leave their workplaces due to negative experiences with workplace culture and racism in the UK [2]. This coupled with the systemic barriers to their progression makes it extremely difficult for representation of BAME in leadership to improve.
    Therefore, it’s important to create a systematic and continuous method of gathering feedback from your minority employees in order to learn and build better working experiences.

  2.  Encourage difficult conversations and educate within your organisation
    While data is important to power better decision making, it’s also important to have those necessary and sometimes difficult conversations within your company.In the post pandemic world where we are adopting an “everything back to business” mindset, it can be easy to sweep certain problems under the rug as we focus our efforts on recovering industries. However, in order to create positive change, the conversations surrounding inequality still need to be encouraged – and regularly.

    For example, conversations about the gender pay gap need to also address the extremely low percentage of less than 0.1% of black women being top earners in the UK [3]. While the gender pay gap is a different challenge in the workplace, we cannot neglect the role that race has in it as well.

    By regularly having such conversations, employees within firms can better learn and understand the workplace experiences of BAME communities and empower introspection within your firm that leads to positive changes.

  3. Lead consciously with purpose and build trust
    Building a workplace culture that supports black employees may arguably be redundant without trust in the leadership.You could be creating an outstanding structure within your organisation that supports growth of BAME employees but if they don’t believe you have their best interests as a priority, you will likely still see poor retention of minority employees.

    A culture of trust is largely built around the credibility of leadership, an atmosphere of fairness and demonstrating a high level of respect for all employees. It is important that those in leadership positions have contact with minority employees and seek to understand their experiences within the workplace.

    Although we often blame the “system” for inequalities and leaders are responsible for changing it, they must remember that they are also part of the system and therefore will be doing or not doing things that hold minority communities back.

    Speaking to BAME employees and asking simple questions like “how could I support you?” or “do you feel there is anything I may be doing unintentionally that is blocking you?” is powerful in getting the insight necessary to create change. It can also help facilitate more conversations in the workplace around inequality. 

    These recommendations will not be the definitive driving force for positive change however it is a good starting point for firms to improve. Companies will need to be consistent in their efforts beyond Black History Month and continuously learn and adapt their approaches in order to move towards creating workplaces where employees are valued and treated fairly.

References:

[1] https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1744977/black-employees-hold-just-1-5-per-cent-of-senior-roles

[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-13/almost-half-of-uk-black-professionals-plan-to-leave-their-jobs?leadSource=uverify%20wall

[3] https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2021/c-March-21/Black-women-are-least-likely-to-be-among-UKs-top-earners

The strain placed on businesses that provide a work phone

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It’s time to stop carrying two separate phones and avoid using your personal number at work. 

Did you know that issuing a work phone and allowing personal numbers to be used can place strain on three focal areas of your business, its economic prosperity, the environment, and your employee’s well-being. Here’s how…

 

  • The economic prosperity of your business

Giving out a work phone is uneconomical. Especially when the majority already have a perfectly usable phone that they can just simply port a new number into.

An iPhone’s price can range from £300-900, that’s a large expense for any business. Considering also that this investment may only last a few years due to the constant upgrades and technology advancements.

 

As we are slowly transitioning back to normal life after COVID-19, business travel will inevitably continue to increase, and that alongside BREXIT means one thing… increased roaming charges when you send your employees abroad! 

Productivity. A new buzzword. Productivity is vital for a company’s profitability and ultimately its long-term success. But how are businesses tracking your productivity on a personal device? The answer is that they are struggling, as 40% of managers struggle to monitor performance, placing strain on businesses [1]. But by porting a second number onto an existing device, using Devyce, you can improve your business’s productivity and communication through the management portal. The portal allows transparent reporting of your employee’s data, so you can get the most out of every employee and know when to reward them or promote those that are excelling. 

Teams Plan – Devyce 

  • Your Employees

Using a personal number at work is accentuating the ‘always on’ mentality because you can still receive calls ‘after-hours’ to your main phone number, meaning you are always on the clock. This leaves your employee’s work-life balance far from balanced. This can lead to an array of negative effects, highlighted in a US Research study that found receiving messages after working hours increases negative emotions, stress and insomnia [2]. As well as excessive smartphone use affects your cognitive and learning skills. Ultimately leading to employee ‘burnout’; a recent study found that 77% of American workers have experienced [3].

A solution: It has been found that using your personal phone, with a second number, can rebalance your work-life and relieve the above effects as it is easy to clearly differentiate between work and personal calls.

Do Not Disturb Feature

Without this clear differentiation, all calls look the same, whether a personal or a work-related call. This means you don’t always know how to respond when answering the phone, which can leave employees feeling that they’re always on.

  • The Environment

Sustainability is a fundamental area to consider in your business today due to its importance for investors, employees and consumers. However, smartphones are a large contributor to the carbon footprint and are killing the planet. 

Did you know that…

  • By 2040 it is predicted that smartphones will have the biggest carbon footprint in the tech industry [4].
  • Just one iPhone X alone creates 79kg of CO2 in its lifetime [5].

By removing the need for second devices, you can lower your carbon footprint, lower your expenses, retain happy and healthy employees and in turn impress your stakeholders!

 

References:

[1]

https://hbr.org/2020/07/remote-managers-are-having-trust-issues 

[2]

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/06/28/turning-off-your-work-phone-and-emails-could-help-reduce-after-hours-work-stress-study.html

[3]

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/burnout-survey.html

[4]

https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/science/2018/03/02/news/how-our-smartphones-are-hurting-the-environment-1268849/ 

[5]

https://reboxed.co/blogs/outsidethebox/the-carbon-footprint-of-your-phone-and-how-you-can-reduce-it

Why you should apply to jobs even if you may not fully qualify for them

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The corporate job market is at an all-time high, with a record number of job openings. Specifically, the graduate job market is soaring. The number of vacancies has risen by 59% and is set to see an expected 7% salary rise, compared to the figures released in May last year [1].

Despite this boom, entry-level jobs used to be the leading pathway into the workplace for new graduates but now many require prior experience. This was highlighted in a 2021 study that found that 34% of graduate-level jobs and 24% of junior jobs in the UK require at least one year of work experience [2].

Scrolling through numerous job websites and spotting an Entry Level Job that seems interesting, is quickly scrolled past when the dreaded phrase ‘two years of experience required’ is read and this can be incredibly frustrating. This can often be the only element a candidate is missing. Yet, women hold back if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria, while men only apply if they meet at least 60% [3]. It is important to remember that no candidate can meet 100% of the criteria. As there is simply no such thing as a ‘perfect candidate’.

Often this requirement is merely just a guideline and not a necessity. Employers also use this to narrow down the applicant pool, to avoid them getting flooded with unqualified candidates that have absolutely no knowledge of the industry [4].

Don’t let this requirement limit you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are numerous real-life stories that support this advice, including a recent article written by Janet Phan and published in the Harvard Business Review sharing her story. She found a job outside of her expertise which required skills she did not have. Yet, she applied anyway. This resulted in her landing a job at a major tech company! So, her advice would be, apply! [5].

We’ve asked one of our interns, ‘Kate’ who is fresh out of university, about her experience and her advice/ tips. 

Kate:

Finding a job straight out of university is a difficult and daunting task. It is incredibly frustrating when you search for hours to find a job that interests you, and you see you need years of experience. Why would I have years of experience, I have just finished university. 

After speaking to friends, family and industry experts I have taken away 5 incredibly valuable pieces of advice when faced with this dilemma. Firstly, there are many ways to tweak your C.V to work around the requirement. 

  1. Holm in on your transferable skills. Speaking from experience, as someone who entered the job market with no industry experience. Using these transferable skills when writing your C.V or a covering letter is a great idea!

  2. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good covering letter. 

I managed to slip these transferable skills into my C.V by including details about my university projects or modules I completed. I tailored each one I sent, by including different keywords that were in the description of that particular job. 

  1. Read the job description!

  2. Prepare! If you do manage to get an interview, preparation is key! Make sure you have spent time researching the company, their values, their culture, what they do, and any of their recent projects. Prepare for any questions they may ask you, but try not to over prepare! Get a good balance, you want to be yourself and you don’t want to seem scripted or answer the wrong question because you heard what you had prepared for!
  3. Be confident and take risks. At the end of the day, what’s the worst that can happen? They say no. At least you tried. You didn’t lose anything.

 

OR take a step back. You don’t need to rush, try and get some experience, this is not only good for filling that ‘missing experience’ experience but can also help you find your niche! An internship is a great idea!

 

References:

[1]

https://www.cityam.com/uk-graduates-set-to-enter-strongest-job-market-in-years/

[2]

https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/viral-post-asks-why-entry-level-jobs-require-years-of-experience

[3]

https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/talent-solutions-lodestone/body/pdf/Gender-Insights-Report.pdf

[4]

https://upjourney.com/why-do-entry-level-jobs-require-experience

[5]

https://hbr.org/2022/07/apply-to-a-job-even-if-you-dont-meet-all-criteria 

How the pandemic affected work communications and how to navigate the new ways of communication

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When we were hit with the pandemic in 2020, almost everyone had to adopt remote working. Now as we ease back into living post pandemic, fundamental changes have happened to our ways of living – one of the most prominently affected being work communications. 

Navigating the new ways of communication can be hard so here are some ways you can overcome these challenges:

 

More digital communication = changing how we communicate face to face 

 

Companies quickly utilised digital communication tools like Zoom or Teams to facilitate video conferencing alongside various other softwares. Even now as we return to offices, digital communication is the new norm for many people. 

 

46% of workers found it more challenging to communicate with one another as a result of the pandemic [1]. 

 

Digital communication tools have blurred communication boundaries and taken the “human” aspect out, impacting how we interact with one another. To overcome this you could:

  • Ensure phone calls with clients are quickly handled and directed to the right people within the company by using an integrated phone system like Devyce. 

Teams Plan – Devyce

  • Create clear communication guidelines for video conferencing eg. blurred background customary 
  • Be considerate of time zone differences when setting up meetings 

 

Less face to face interaction = feeling less connected 

Many companies have adopted a hybrid working model and remote working is still widely practised. With 45% of professionals noting they see their colleagues less than pre-pandemic, it comes as no surprise that many find it hard to stay connected. 

To help employees combat this, companies can:

  • Provide incentives for employees to come into office regularly eg. bring your pet to work day
  • Create comfortable working environments that they’d enjoy coming in to eg. create a dedicated area for short breaks 
  • Set up regular external team events to encourage team building 
  • Create welcoming onboarding experiences for new hires to seamlessly integrate them into teams

 

Colleagues are sharing less personal information with each other

We don’t always want to know what our colleague had for dinner last night, however it can be healthy for colleagues to have open dialogue on topics like mental health. 14.7% of people experience mental health problems in the workplace [2] and many do not reach out for help. 

Helping employees feel more able to talk to each other about workplace wellbeing helps to create a sense of community and improve team engagement. To do this you can:

  • Encourage open dialogue at the workplace about mental health
  • Create a safe environment for employees to talk to one another eg. have a designated space they can go to for privacy
  • Ensure you regularly check in with colleagues about their workplace wellbeing 
  • Invest in education for employees eg. seminars on diversity and inclusion, mental health etc

 

With the abundance of digital communications tools at hand, workplace communications have become more complex – requiring continual development of new working models. 

 

We can help you better navigate this! – Head over to our socials to find out more 

 

References:

[1] https://www.grammarly.com/blog/pandemic-work-communication-trends/

[2] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/mental-health-work-statistics

Should You Use Your Personal Phone for Work?

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Work issued mobile phones are becoming less common as companies are switching to greener and more tech savvy communication systems that depend on employees using their personal phone for work. VoIP systems are more cost effective, efficient and simple for businesses, but does using a personal phone for work benefit the employee too? 

Communicating at work

Communication is a, if not the most, important factor in business.The way companies communicate can determine how they are received by clients, customers and how successful interactions within the company are. Most employees can expect some kind of worked issued device when joining a new company; know as a COBO, which stands for company-owned, business only, which could be a second smartphone or an office landline with a personalised extension number. With a COBO, as implied in the name, the company provides a work phone to the employee, and that phone’s only use is work, whether that is calling clients, communicating with colleagues or emailing. Some businesses’, however, use BYOD as their communication method, which stands for bring your own device, which is a newer method used by companies; with this, employees are to use their personal phone for work-related purposes and are responsible for the maintenance of the device, as well as other things such as security. Trend Micro reported that, out of 13,000 remote workers, from 27 different countries, 39% currently use personal phones, or devices, for work-related purposes. 

Why Two Handsets? 

So, why was having two phones the norm? Up until recently, having a company issue a phone for their employee has been normal protocol and expected. If a company relies on their employees using a mobile phone for their work, why shouldn’t they pay for it? 

Although it is essential in our ever increasingly digital world to have constant access to work, having two smartphones seems wasteful, inconvenient and expensive. 

Business issued phones made much more sense when most people did not have their own phone, and so it was essential their work provided one. Nowadays, phones are much more accessible, as they are cheaper, simpler and pretty much indispensable, everyone has a personal one, so it seems uneconomical and lavish to have two. 

Using A Personal Number For Work 

However, a new issue arises here. If companies stop giving out work phones, will employees have to rely on their personal number for work? Using a personal phone for work is cost effective, efficient and cheaper for everyone involved but using a personal number is tricky. 

The first issue with using a personal number for work is the lack of privacy. It can feel uncomfortable to give out personal information, such as your number, to clients, customers and colleagues. Giving out your personal number means, not only that you are contactable 24 hours a day, but also that there is no division between work and personal, making it hard to preserve your privacy. 

A personal number, which would typically be an ‘07’ number could also come across as unprofessional as your official work number. Customers and clients may feel uneasy calling a mobile number instead of a landline number for professional services. 

The advantages of using a personal phone for work, however, are abundant. 

Firstly, being able to use your own phone for work means you have familiarity and control over it. With work issued phones, there may be limits and locks to how you can use the phone. Similarly, the phone could be a make and model that you don’t know how to use as well as your personal one. Using your own phones for all purposes, work and personal, allows employees to organise their digital lives in one place, upgrade when they want and customise the phone however they chose.

Cost is another huge benefit to employees using their personal phones, mainly for the employer. Instead of paying for a handset, contract and for upkeep, all the employer has to pay for is, in some cases, a second number and any particular apps they want the employee to use, such as a data secure app or tracking app. Also, if an employee is using their personal phone for work use, it is more likely they will take better care of it, have it on their person at all times and so be more available, when needed. 

Having a personal phone for work also fits the modern day reality of the ‘new normal’ that the pandemic has left us grappling with. Many of us are now adjusting to remote or hybrid working, meaning you cannot use your office desk phone, as perhaps done before, but also are reliant on up to date and reliable technology to be able to work from anywhere. Using a personal phone for work means just that, allowing you to continue to work and stay connected to customers, clients and colleagues no matter where and how you are working. 

Second Work Number On Personal Phone 

The best of both worlds, perhaps, is the solution of having a work number on your personal phone. Keep the advantages of using your personal phone but maintain professionalism and privacy by having a second number, a work number, on that phone. 

Many businesses are switching to this method of communication in order to adapt to the digital transformation and keep their employees, and customers, happy. VoIP systems are a great communication solution for businesses, big and small, as they give employees a wireless number on their personal phone. The advantages that the features of VoIP systems over traditional phone lines are endless for businesses: 

  • Call forwarding 
  • Auto-Receptionist
  • Call Recording
  • Extensions
  • Conferencing 
  • Customisable voicemail
  • Data tracking 

And more! A VoIP system, like Devyce, only enhances a company’s communication, at the same time saving money and time.

Having a work number on a personal phone is also ideal for an employee. They can continue to use their personal phone, while maintaining their privacy and work life balance. Devyce has a customisable ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature, so that employees with a work number on their personal phone can set clear boundaries and send work calls to voicemail when on personal time.

It has also been reported that using your personal phone for work, with a second number, can relieve stress. By differentiating between work and personal calls, on one phone, people have found their work more manageable and have been able to stop constantly checking on two phones for calls or texts.

Learn more about VoIP systems here: https://devyce.com/2022/01/26/how-voip-systems-work-and-how-it-will-improve-your-small-business/

Get a work number on your personal phone, for yourself or your whole team, here: https://devyce.com/pricing/


Sources

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

 

https://medium.com/predict/its-time-to-stop-carrying-separate-smartphones-a40f25304711

 

https://www.techradar.com/news/stop-using-your-personal-phone-for-work-stuff

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/359944/the-best-way-to-get-a-phone-number-for-your-small-business/

 

https://ergobility.com/blog/work-from-home-tips-maintain-separate-phone-number

 

A Guide To Remote Working: Its Benefits And Disadvantages

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What is remote working?

Remote working is a relatively new concept to many of us, a new working model introduced because of the pandemic. Remote working is essentially working from anywhere but your office, for most people, at home. Working at home has become the new normal for many people during the rises and falls of COVID-19, to keep themselves, and others, safe. However, the results of working at home seem to be having such a positive impact on employers and employees, that perhaps it is here to stay. 

A report by CIPD, in 2021, revealed that employers are so pleased with the results of remote working that 63% plan on increasing flexible working to as many employees as possible. Accenture supported this find, reporting that 63% of companies are planning to keep a “productivity anywhere” work model, even after the pandemic. 

Ladders, a job search site, projected that 25% of jobs will be remote by the end of 2022, and continue into 2023, in the US. The amount of remote work available before the pandemic was about 4%, but has now increased to over 15% in 2022.

How To Work Remotely

Taking the leap to decide to work remotely is an easy one, but may seem a bit daunting at first. You may be wondering, can I work remotely full time without sacrificing my work/life balance or mental health? 

Successful remote working may take some time to get used to, but productivity working at home can be easy once you set up boundaries, routines and a work space. Any area or corner of your house can be transformed into an ‘office’ space, not only to help you focus when at home, but also to help separate your personal and work spaces under one roof. Routines can also help, for example, waking up at the same time, assigning time to get out the house, even just for a 10 minute walk, can keep your mind healthy and productivity high. Lastly, healthy boundaries are important when navigating how to work remotely, not working over time just because you are not physically leaving an office, for example. Making social plans or having a set thing to do to ‘clock out’ of work mode to reinforce boundaries while remote working in order to maintain a healthy work life balance. 

Remote working has proven to not only increase productivity among remote workers, but also been beneficial for their mental health; some even willing to take a pay cut to be able to continue working at home. 

Owl Labs reported, in their 2021 State of Remote Work Report, that 90% out of 2,050 full-time remote workers were as or more productive when working from home, 74% saw their mental health improve and 84% claimed they would be happier continuing to work remotely after the pandemic. 

The pandemic has clearly made us reevaluate the way in which we work and live and the benefits that remote working have revealed are so clear that it does not seem this will be a pandemic only faze. 

Benefits of Remote Working 

There are many advantages of remote working, which explain why so many employees, and employers, are keen to continue this work model long after the pandemic. 

Productivity and Performance 

Working from home enables employees to have more control over their work schedule and work hours. Employees have been able to break out of the traditional 9-5 working structure while working from home, as suits them. For example, a night owl may be more productive working into the night, than in the morning as they would in an office, and working remotely allows them to do so. 

Moreover, performance has also seen an increase from remote workers. Again, this is to do with employees having a stronger sense of autonomy in their working lives, not only over hours, but location, communication and free time. Forbes, according to an acclimation of reports from Gallup, Harvard University, Global Workplace Analytics, and Stanford University, concluded remote workers produced work with 40% less mistakes, and employers saw a 41% lower rate of absenteeism; proving high productivity and performance. 

Profitability 

Benefits of remote working are not limited to employees; businesses, big and small, are also benefiting. Companies have been able to save money through remote working and report higher profitability. 

Remote working allows companies to downsize their office spaces, decreasing their spend on building upkeep, printers, computers, and so on. Many companies have either ditched their big offices for smaller ones, as not as many people are in, or are taking advantage of co-working spaces, such as WeWork, which not only saves costs, but is better for the environment too. 

Mental Health 

As already mentioned, remote working allows the individual to have more control over their days, perhaps this includes meditation and mindfulness breaks, to improve their mental health. 

But that’s not all, remote working allows for more freedom and flexibility which can give the busy parent time to pick up their kids from school, the working daughter time to visit her elderly parents and for the simple things that slip through the cracks when in the office everyday, such as dentist appointments. 

Remote working allows for employees to make time for their personal life within the hours of a work day, greatly reducing stress in their work and personal lives. 

Work from Anywhere

A major benefit of remote working is the location flexibility. Since the pandemic, many of us have been locked inside our houses, remotely working and fed up. 

The good thing about remote working is that you can work from anywhere providing you have access to the internet. Want to take a break from your house and spend a few weeks in an Airbnb by sea? You can do so without taking any holiday! 

Similarly, remote working has expanded opportunities for people who are keen to travel the world, break out from the day to day, and still continue to make money. For example, digital nomads are on the rise as the modern day wanderers of the world. Take off for a year or two, travelling to a new place each month while continuing to work remotely, why not? All you need is a laptop and internet connection! 

Work/Home Life Balance

Admittedly, remote working seems to blur the lines between work and home pretty significantly but, if managed properly, the balance can be healthier than ever when working from home. 

Working in an environment like your home can make you feel more comfortable and in control than being in the office. You can plan your time more freely and efficiently and arrange your work and home responsibilities with more ease. 

Also, working from home, or anywhere but the office, can help your work life balance by getting rid of office politics and toxic office environments. If you have been dealing with tricky office situations, ditch the office for home and no longer deal with social work issues on your personal time. 

Owl Labs also reported that 22% of remote or hybrid employees were happier than office workers; due to less stress, better mental health and higher productivity. Similarly, a study done by Ergotron, a hybrid office, found that 56% of 1,000 employees found their mental health and work-life balance improve when adopting the remote or hybrid work model. 

Disadvantages? 

Although there are many benefits of working remotely, of course, it may not be for everyone. 

There are some downfalls of the remote working model, such as:

  1. Reliance on technology and WIFI

When working remotely, if you don’t have reliable, high-speed internet, or an up to date, smooth operating laptop, it can be difficult to complete tasks and stay connected to your colleagues and supervisors. 

  1. Lack of Social Interaction

Some people thrive in an office environment and may miss the day-to-day social interaction. Being at home all day staring at a computer screen can feel lonely and empty at times. 

  1. Work/Personal Life

Although it is possible, it could be difficult to draw the line between work and personal, making it harder to concentrate on either one. Drawing the line and setting boundaries is easy on paper, but harder in practice. 

  1. Self Discipline 

Successfully remote working requires a lot of self discipline, for example, sticking to strict boundaries, routines and work hours. For some, this may be easy, but for others it may be hard to stick to their plans and work when they are tempted by home distractions. 

Get A Digital Number For Remote Working

So, what makes remote working work? 

It seems to be a combination of boundaries, work and personal separation and routines to keep a healthy day-to-day schedule. 

Having the right technology, however, is also a major factor in successfully remote working. Marko Gargenta, CEO of PlusPlus, stated “it (remote working) gave companies a kick in the butt… they’ve had to upgrade their tech”.

Devyce is the mobile solution for remote workers. As a VoIP system, Devyce allows you to have a completely wireless, cloud-based number; meaning it can be used from anywhere.

For freelancers, digital nomads and more, Devyce provides a number that they can give to customers, clients and colleagues to stay connected while at home, on the job, or on the move; without dealing with physical handsets, country blocks or giving out their personal number. 

For companies, businesses can switch to a wireless communication system that gives employees a virtual work number, accessible from anywhere in the world, and monitor their call and text activity. Remote working has transformed digital communication in the workplace, and Devyce is the perfect solution for businesses who want to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and improve their communications by getting a cheaper, more efficient communication system that supports the remote work model. 

Learn more here: https://devyce.com/product/features/ 

Purchase a Teams or Solo package here: https://devyce.com/pricing/ 

Sources: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurelfarrer/2020/02/12/top-5-benefits-of-remote-work-for-companies/?sh=20e5d15416c8

https://www.lumapps.com/blog/remote-working/benefits-of-working-remotely/

https://www.itpro.co.uk/business-strategy/flexible-working/362187/how-to-keep-your-mobile-workforce-happy

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/02/01/remote-work-is-here-to-stay-and-will-increase-into-2023-experts-say/?sh=4254e52120a6

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/02/04/3-new-studies-end-debate-over-effectiveness-of-hybrid-and-remote-work/?sh=1684cda959b

How To Keep Your Work and Personal Life Separate

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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

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