Virtual Office Resource

It sounds great, doesn’t it? Wake up in the morning, brew a cup of coffee and walk to your workstation, still in full pajama attire with no hope of getting your hair to settle down before noon. It’s the virtual office and you want to be able to eliminate the commute and the water cooler drama.

So attractive is this way of working that telecommuting has increased 103 percent in the last 10 years, according to U.S. Census data analysis completed by Global Workplace Analytics. Plus, this figure doesn’t take into account the self-employed who have no other option than the virtual office. For those 3.7 million employees who call home their office, where they live makes a difference in the likelihood of the telecommuting opportunity.

A recent Payscale report found that there are five states with the highest percentage of full-time telecommuters using a virtual office: Montana at 7.1 percent; Vermont with 7.1 percent; Colorado with 6.5 percent; Oregon with 6.4 percent; and Idaho with 6.2 percent. Many of the telecommuters in these states are working for giants like Apple, LiveOps, Oracle (News - Alert) and more.

While some may assume that the ability to work from home should eliminate geographical boundaries, the reality is legal implications or access to in-person training or client meetings can sometimes still determine location. In other situations, the virtual office is meant to supplement the physical office, providing telecommuting opportunities on a part-time basis. In fact, 15 to 20 million people in 2012 had jobs that allowed them to work from home part of their time, while just 2.8 million in the same year worked exclusively from home.

Such numbers suggest that the ideal job for those with virtual office aspirations may come in the form of part-time instead of full-time. For those who may have difficulty separating at-home responsibilities from those related to the job, starting off on a part-time telecommuting basis may make more sense than making the switch all at once. After all, the technology is usually there; it’s up to the professional to decide whether or not the self-discipline and organization is also in place.

Companies like Phone (News - Alert).com make the opportunities of the virtual office much more real for millions of workers. With a virtual number, it doesn’t matter where you set up shop – customers will always be able to find you on a branded line. Plus, you have access to all the features and capabilities of the enterprise desk phone at a much lower cost. Whether you’re still in your pajamas or walking into the physical office, your communication needs are instantly met.

If you’re ready to launch the video call, however, it pays to change into professional dress and spend some time on the hair. As much as we’ve relaxed our approach to professional attire by losing the jacket and often the tie, customers and colleagues still want to see you at your best.