Microsoft Ignite returned last week to Orlando, Florida and once again brought great excitement to the world of Tech. This conference is where Microsoft announces and demonstrates brand new applications. Many times they tease out these developments at prior conferences, but what makes this conference so unique is we can see the excitement and take it to work for us immediately as these applications are ready for the market. One of the exciting announcements from last week was Project Cortex. Project Cortex is an AI-based application integrated with Office 365 that brings relevant knowledge directly to where you are working.

Working from anywhere is the newest office trend, and honestly, some are even trying to make it a “right.” In some industries, it is more common than others, but we are starting to see more companies get on board with the movement. In a recent study, it was found that 66% of companies allow their employees to work remotely. Additionally, there are a growing number of businesses with multiple office locations? Many times, we struggle to connect with a productive meeting as our employees are all in different places. Travel is expensive and can sometimes be a waste of time to make sure everyone is in one location just for a meeting. There is a multitude of ways to host meetings that can incorporate other sites and even ways to customize your background to hide your messy office. Unfortunately, many times, the employees at remote locations or satellite offices do not feel connected to the actual team meeting. It is hard to stay focused when you are unsure of who is currently speaking, making it a challenge to understand what is being said and not welcoming to chime in from your location. Owl Labs wants to Inspire the work from Anywhere movement and thus have an incredible solution. The Meeting Owl is a cost-effective and straightforward solution to remote meeting dilemmas.

Using technology to help us manage our technology is the theme this month. Last week we took a look at the data compiled of Pendello President, Mike Jackson's work habits. If you might remember, it wasn't pretty. His work/life balance was definitely blurred, and his ability to recharge was lacking. This week we are taking a look into what Mike learned from his compiled MyAnalytics data and how he used this to "work smarter."

Technology makes working convenient. We set up offices so that employees can work remotely, and it is a huge selling point when hiring. Unfortunately, unless appropriately managed, having access to work anywhere can run you into the ground. As we pointed out in the blog last week, 2/3 of full-time employees admit to experiencing work burnout. That does not include those who are afraid to accept this fact! Working efficiently is challenging as we are always working. So how do we use technology to manage our technology to work smarter and have a healthier work/life balance?

Technology is everywhere. We have access to it 24/7 365 days a year in almost any location. Technology indeed can be a blessing and a curse. It offers us many advantages, although these same advantages can quickly turn into disadvantages. For example, being able to access our data from almost anywhere is helpful but it is also harmful as we can not escape our data and specifically work. No longer are we just working a 9-5 job. Instead, we put in our hours at the office and also check email and many other applications when we should be decompressing at home or on vacation. A recent study found that 2/3 of full-time employees admit to experiencing burnout at work. This is no surprise because we can’t escape work even when we are trying! That is why we are exploring the topic of using technology to manage technology. This might sound counterintuitive but bear with us for a quick read.

It seems only appropriate that October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). The month where we have traditionally tried to scare the pants off each other, we now place a focus on real-life terror! Cyberattacks are real and are happening everywhere. There are all types of attacks, and individuals and businesses are all at risk! Education is the frontline to keep yourself and your business safe. This month there is a unique collaboration between the Government and Industry to ensure all Americans have the resources to learn how to be safer and more secure online.

Options. Who doesn’t love options? This is why when selecting new monitors for our new Pendello Solutions office, we picked Samsung’s 36-inch curved monitors. Large monitors are not a new phenomenon, although one which allows so much customization is something new. Much like most of you, no day at Pendello Solutions is the same. Every client is different, and every problem which arises requires a different solution. Our new Samsung curved monitors give us the power to concentrate on one massive screen or have six screens in view at one time. These monitors put the power in each individual’s hand to have complete control over the desktop and the variability to modify as you change tasks.