Regus, the global workspace provider, has opened its first business centre in Mozambique, at Edificio Millennium Park in Maputo. The launch will help companies of all sizes to operate in one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies.

Regus now supports businesses in 19 countries in Africa, following the opening in “high-opportunity”[1] Mozambique and recent launches in Botswana and Namibia. Globally, its network now covers 104 countries.

Over the past decade, Mozambique has delivered average GDP growth of 6-8%, and this is expected to accelerate in 2014, stimulated by investment in mining, transport, construction and financial services.[2] Regus’ arrival will allow companies to explore the opportunities, without upfront capital investment or long-term leases.

Mark Dixon, CEO Regus plc comments “President Obama believes that sub-Saharan Africa can be the world’s next major economic success story.[3] Regus’ expansion in Africa helps our customers be part of that story. Our launch in Mozambique opens the door to an economy with vast natural resources and great opportunities for infrastructure development.

“Both local and international companies will benefit from the assistance, facilities, products and networking opportunities Regus’ presence in Maputo offers them. By facilitating FDI and helping local entrepreneurs, Regus will also support economic development in Mozambique and southern Africa.”

Dr. João Martins, Managing Partner of PWC Mozambique adds “Mozambique is receptive to foreign investment and we are delighted that Regus recognises the excellent business opportunities here. We hope Regus’ impressive business facilities in Maputo will back the growth of local companies and encourage other companies to enter the market.”

About the centre

Regus has chosen the Edificio Millennium Park for its first location in Mozambique, just ten minutes from the airport, and with banks, restaurants and cafes on the ground floor. The Regus centre offers international-standard workspace, meeting rooms and videoconferencing studio.

[1] Ernst & Young, ‘Doing Business in Africa’, 2013.

[2] African Economic Outlook, ‘Mozambique’; IMF, ‘Press release 14/99’, 14 March 2014.

[3] The White House, ‘US strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa’, June 2012.

Regus, the global flexible workplace provider, has expanded its network to an unparalleled 103 countries, adding Bangladesh to its network. To maximise the convenience and flexibility for businesses, it has entered the market with two prime locations in the capital, Dhaka.

The two business centres will help both local and foreign companies invest in this fast-developing economy, and support efforts to attract FDI to Bangladesh. They also further extend Regus’ reach in Asia Pacific.

The two business centres in Bangladesh are at: the UTC Building in Kawran Bazaar, Dhaka’s busiest commercial area, and at Crystal Palace, on Gulshan South Avenue. Both centres are gateways to an economy that is growing faster than the average in developing countries,[1] and has ambitions to become a middle-income country by 2021.[2] Key growth sectors include pharmaceuticals, energy, ICT/telecoms, and energy.

By opening in Bangladesh, Regus has made it more attractive for customers to assess the market opportunities there. Businesses can access the ready-to-use offices with no upfront capital expenditure or long-term financial commitment. With no need to lock into long leases, they can explore the market flexibly and affordably.

The launch of the centres is also an investment in local businesses.  It connects them to Regus’ network in 102 other countries globally, which they can use to boost exports. With access to Regus meeting spaces and workspaces globally, they can do business and make new contacts around the world.

Mark Dixon, Regus PLC CEO, said:  “Bangladesh has seen average GDP growth of around 6% for the past decade and this is forecast to continue.[3] Investment in infrastructure will sustain growth prospects here, and Regus is very committed to promoting this growth.

By making it easier and more attractive for businesses to invest in Bangladesh, we’re supporting its economic development, as well as assisting businesses themselves. I look forward to watching both international and local companies use Regus’ facilities in Dhaka to achieve growth and success.”

Regus’ launch in Bangladesh further strengthens its presence in APAC, where it has rapidly grown its network in recent years, including the recent openings in Indonesia, Malaysia and China. It now operates over 300 business centres in Asia Pacific alone, as well as centres across Bangladesh’s major export markets in Europe and Canada, and beyond.

About the new centres in Dhaka

One Regus centre is on the 19th floor of the Grade A UTC Building, next door to the country’s biggest shopping mall, the Bashundhara City Shopping Complex and the five-star Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. The building is home to many multinationals including companies in banking, finance, consultancy and media.

The Crystal Palace Centre is in the heart of Gulshan 1, in front of Gulshan Avenue Road. The building is home to multinationals in banking, finance, consultancy and media, with easy access to the Prime Minister’s office, international airport and Baridhara Diplomatic Zone.

Facilities at the Regus business centres include fully-furnished offices, business lounges, meeting rooms, video communication suites, high-speed WiFi, and professional reception and support staff. On-site electricity generators ensures work continues uninterrupted during power outages.

[1] World Bank, “Bangladesh Development Update”, 9 April 2014.

[2] World Bank, “Towards Accelerated, Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Bangladesh”, 13 November 2012. 

[3] World Bank, “Towards Accelerated, Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Bangladesh”, 13 November 2012; Asian Development Bank, “Bangladesh: Economy”, 2014.

 [jl1]TBC

Regus, the global workplace provider, has opened its 2,000^th global location. The continued growth of its network illustrates the strength of global demand for more flexible and less fixed working. 

Mark Dixon, Group CEO and founder, Regus plc: “We continue to grow our network in response to strong customer demand, underpinned by the ongoing move to flexible working. It’s no surprise that our 2,000^th location is in the US, our largest market and also the one where we continue to see huge potential.”

Based on recent Regus global research, more than a third (34%) of global businesses want to shed their fixed office space this year. By switching to more flexible ways of working, they’re reducing fixed overheads on property and enjoying productivity benefits from smarter HR practices. Millions of businesses across 102 countries are now using the Regus network to reap these benefits.

By offering a global alternative to old-fashioned fixed workplaces, Regus’ unparalleled network of flexible workspaces enables firms to give staff more choice over where, when and how they work – whether they’re doing their job in Europe, the Americas, Asia or Africa. Globally, 75% of business executives believe flexible working practices lead directly to higher productivity, shows Regus research.

Regus’ 2000th centre is at 1434 Spruce Street, in Boulder, Colorado, in the USA. Regus continues to expand into new markets like Boulder, with a strong start-up community and a high number of home-based workers – two groups that, all over the world, are embracing the use of flexible workplaces and coworking spaces. The Regus network offers these groups instant access to professional facilities (at home or abroad); scalable workspace with no upfront capital or expensive long-term lease; and an opportunity to make new contacts and win new business. 

ENDS

Global flexible workplace provider Regus has extended its commitment to business in Africa, opening its first centre in Namibia at Maerua Mall in Windhoek.

Regus now operates in 18 countries across Africa – a sign of its firm belief in the business opportunities available here.

Regus’ presence in Namibia will help companies explore the opportunities in an economy predicted to deliver 5.3% GDP growth in 2014.[1] There are good prospects in sectors from mining to construction, agriculture and financial services, while the government is also encouraging growth in logistics, tourism and manufacturing.[2] The country also has ambitions to become a regional transportation hub, using its seaports, and rail and highway networks.

By using Regus’ flexible workplaces, companies can assess their prospects in those sectors without having to commit to long-term leases or invest upfront in property. Regus also offers ready-made professional infrastructure, saving clients the chore of having to find, equip and manage their own office premises. With a fully-connected workplace and trained professional support staff already in place, they can start work immediately.

Local entrepreneurs will also benefit from Regus’s opening in Namibia. The workplaces at the business centre will allow ambitious local companies to project a professional and international image. They can also use Regus’ network in Africa and beyond to develop intraregional and international trade.

Mark Dixon, Regus PLC CEO, stated: “Our launch in Namibia brings our network in Africa to 18 countries, and follows quickly on the heels of our launch in Botswana. Our investment in these countries will help both local and international companies benefit from trends such as infrastructure and telecoms development, FDI and growing local entrepreneurship. The economic potential of Africa is vast and exciting, and Regus is strongly committed to facilitating business here.

“In Africa, and globally, we will continue to increase our support for businesses in 2014 and beyond. We’ll extend our network to the places where they want us to be, and carry on developing the innovative products and services that back our customers’ growth and success.”

About the centre

The first Regus business centre in Namibia is at Maerua Mall. As well as being the largest retail development of its kind in Namibia, the Mall is a commercial hotspot, popular with legal and insurance firms. It is convenient for major roads and highways, and also for Hosea Kutako international airport.

Facilities at the Regus business centre include private and day offices, meeting rooms, walk-in business lounge, virtual office services, and professional admin and reception support. There is also reliable, high-speed wifi throughout the centre.

ENDS

[1] Bank of Namibia, ‘Economic Outlook Update’, December 2013.

[2] IMF, ‘Namibia 2013 Article IV Consultation – Staff Report’, February 2014.

South Carolina’s strong economic performance and its ability to successfully recruit new industries have fueled an emerging start-up scene while at the same time it has attracted larger corporations to the state.  Greenville, in particular, has benefitted from the state’s economic transformation.

“As the revitalization of Greenville continues, demand for our a la carte business services increases.  This has led us to our quick expansion in the city,” explained Donna Scott, Regus’ Regional Vice President.  “Professionals in the market are looking for space they can tailor to their specific requirements.”

Inside the center, customers will find a mix of open spaces purposely designed for collaborating along with offices and meeting rooms for times when individuals need to hunker down and concentrate or require a more private environment.  Equally diverse is the collection of businesses that visit the center for the hour, day or longer. 

“We cater to businesses of all sizes in Greenville and across our network of 1,700 locations,” said Scott.  “From the start-up business looking for space to complement its home office, to the international firms looking to establish a local presence in Greenville, our clients are surrounded by like-minded professionals and have the opportunity to make new connections every day.”

The trend of flexible working is becoming broadly adopted by businesses of all sizes, which are looking for a cost-effective, efficient and collaborative environment that workers can access when traveling or when looking for an alternative work location away from their company’s head office.  

As a member of the Regus network users can access any location, making it easy for mobile workers to be productive while traveling for business.

This year alone, Regus has opened four business hubs in South Carolina and has a total of six in the state.  Additional centers can be found in Bluffton, Charleston, Columbia and Mt. Pleasant.

Regus fosters a collaborative environment for its customers.  Common areas, including stocked kitchen spaces, open campus spaces and client networking events helps develop a sense of community for the workers using the space.  

About Regus

Regus is the global workplace provider.

Its network of more than 1,700 business centers in 100 countries provides convenient, high-quality, fully serviced spaces for people to work, whether for a few minutes or a few years. Companies like Google, Toshiba and GlaxoSmithKline choose Regus so that they can work flexibly and make their businesses more successful. 

The key to flexible working is convenience and so Regus is opening wherever its 1.5million members want support – city centers, suburban districts, shopping centers and retail outlets, railway stations, motorway service stations and even community centers.

Founded in Brussels, Belgium, in 1989, Regus is based in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.regus.com.   

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However, coffee shops are noisy and don’t provide much, if any, privacy and working from home can be incredibly distracting; so many workers are turning to co-working spaces. And those co-working spaces are doing everything they can to accommodate them. The spaces are designed to be what a worker wants, where they want it.

Regus has responded to the huge increase in flexible working by opening more than 230,000 square feet of co-working space in New York City this year alone, bringing the total amount of co-working square footage in the city above 1.6 million. They have 38 business centers in Manhattan alone, as well 87 in tri-state area, with several more slated to open in the next three months. Each space is different, ranging from the business lounge with a fireplace in the Coates building on Madison Avenue, to the ground floor 25,000 square foot co-working space at 747 Third Avenue (packed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily).

As New Yorkers continue to define the every-changing way we work, Regus will continue to open professional, flexible office space to meet the demand. 

Here are the hard facts from a survey of more than 6,000 U.S. business people:

• 79% would choose one job offer over another similar one if it offered flexible working
• 78% believe that flexible working improves staff retention
• 77% believe flexible working makes employees more loyal
• 77% believe that flexible working attracts top talent
• 72% feel that flexible working is helping to ease work-related stress (i.e. loss of sleep, illness, absenteeism, etc.)

Some examples of flexible working include working from home, remote working options, flexible hours and commuting alternatives to lead to a greater work/life balance. Companies from American Express to Aetna are topping lists with the most flexibility.

As employers work to keep the best talent in 2014, flexible working must remain top of the benefit list. 

This is partly because those in the younger management generations (Gen Y and Z) are demanding it. Even though conventional wisdom would suggest that younger cohorts might accept any job conditions in order to avoid the spectre of unemployment, in fact they are often refusing to accept the old rules. It is also because technology enables workers– even senior ones – to be contacted or stay in touch even if they are not physically on company premises. Younger employees, having grown up with the devices, know all about the possibilities they create, of course. As a result, they cannot understand why employers who have sought to make workplaces like university common rooms will not go further and allow them to work flexibly, saving time on commuting,enhancing potential productivity, and measuring performanceby results rather than time in the office. 

What will 2014 hold in the world of workplace and workspace? Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace, announces some trends moving into the New Year. Technology has changed how we work forever; we’ve shifted into a shared economy. We’re more mobile and flexible and our workplaces and work lives are racing to catch up. As we look ahead to next year here are the three workplace trends businesses can expect in 2014 from Regional Vice President Sande Golgart:

1.Rise of the third place: Between a third and half of all workers are mobile, according to Deskmag’s annual Global Coworking Survey. Furthermore, 71% of workers report a boost in creativity since joining a coworking space and 64% are better able to complete tasks on time. So a third place beyond the home, office or even distracting coffee shop is needed more than ever. Regus is now developing new types of business locations that offer conveniently located workspaces (airports, railways, retail sites) where people can drop in when on the move and be as productive as they are back in the office. Watch out for the rise of the Regus 3^rd place in the U.S. in 2014.

2.Traditional office redesigned:  The rise of the very open office design plan means the noise and lack of privacy can drive more people to want to work at home (where they face other distractions – like pets and kids).  Many companies also are creating more open meeting spaces that are fun, but may not have the privacy needed for confidential conversations. Our Regus clients tell us their “day office” requests as well as conference room space is on the rise everywhere. 

3.Laying off real estate: Office space is the second largest expense for businesses. Large companies, small businesses, startups and solopreneurs like Marlon Kirton are opting for non-binding, flexible arrangements like drop-in lounges or virtual offices to reduce overhead and better suit the needs of an the modern flexible workforce.

Regus, who has anticipated these trends throughout the last year, will hit 2,000 centers in 2014 and continue growth throughout the globe. 

Demand for flexible working drives Regus’ expansion in markets throughout Georgia

SAVANNAH – (December 2, 2013) – With a rapidly evolving economy that includes a growing number of independent workers, entrepreneurs and start-ups, the purpose of an office has taken up a new meaning.  The shift is changing work habits has sparked a growing interest in for customizable space.  In response to this surging demand, Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, today announced the opening of its first business center in Savannah.       

Located at 100 Bull Street in the center of Savannah’s business district, the new facility enables professionals from all walks of life to join the Regus network and have access to any workspace they need with no upfront capital expense and no commitment to a long-term lease.

“Businesses are operating differently than they were just a few short years ago,” explained Donna Scott, Regus’ Regional Vice President.  “Whether you’re a solopreneur working from home or a large firm looking to expand, today’s workers are mobile and they want access to professional space whenever and wherever they go.  Our environment makes our customers feel comfortable and connected to other professionals in the market.”

The trend of flexible working along with the diverse economy of Savannah prompted Regus to expand this year.  Savannah’s busy port along with its strong tourism and manufacturing sectors presents an attractive market for businesses.  

The center in Savannah comes on the heels of Regus’ stepped up presence in the Atlanta area.  A new facility close to the airport and new locations located in key commuter points were selected in order to provide workers with convenient drop-in work hubs that will shorten commuting times for many workers who battle Atlanta’s traffic daily.  Regus recently opened in Hilton Head as well earlier this year.

Inside the new Savannah center, customers will find a mix of open spaces purposely designed for collaborating along with offices and meeting rooms for times when individuals need to hunker down and concentrate or require a more private environment.  Equally diverse is the collection of businesses that visit the center for the hour, day or longer.  Professionals from the technology, legal and financial services industries are expected to call the center home in the coming months.

Regus’ promotes a collaborative environment for its customers.  Common areas, including stocked kitchen spaces, open campus spaces and client networking events helps develop a sense of community for the workers using the space.  

About Regus

Regus is the global workplace provider.

Its network of more than 1,700 business centers in 100 countries provides convenient, high-quality, fully serviced spaces for people to work, whether for a few minutes or a few years. Companies like Google, Toshiba and GlaxoSmithKline choose Regus so that they can work flexibly and make their businesses more successful. 

The key to flexible working is convenience and so Regus is opening wherever its 1.5million members want support – city centers, suburban districts, shopping centers and retail outlets, railway stations, motorway service stations and even community centers.

Founded in Brussels, Belgium, in 1989, Regus is based in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.regus.com.

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Entrepreneurs may not always have the financial resources or the need for a full-time office, but they still have to meet with colleagues, clients and venture capitalists (sometimes on the fly). Many find themselves hosting meetings in coffee shops or hotel lobbies (often incredibly distracting with lack of room and privacy) and don’t realize that a more practical and professional solution is readily available and affordable!

Regus is now offering six unique workplace packages conveniently available at every OfficeMax location in the country (847 nationwide). Each package is designed to meet the needs of what the entrepreneur is looking to do the next big thing with their business:

• General Contractor: Never miss another customer call again. This package gives your entrepreneur access to a professional call answering and messaging handling service for 2 months, plus 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.
• Home Worker: Create a professional business image without the cost or commitment of a physical office. This special package is a trial business address with a mail handling service for 2 months, plus 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.
• Mobile Worker: Designed for anyone who works on the go. Gives access to a meeting room for 4 people for 2 hours, plus 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.
• Sole Proprietor: Perfect for a small business, with access a fully equipped private office for half a day, plus 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.
• Business Start Up: Ideal for businesses starting out, with a trial of a national virtual office for 2 months. This includes a business address, local telephone number and professional receptionists to manage your calls and mail, plus 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.
• Business Expansion: Allows you’re entrepreneur to enter new markets quickly without huge set-up costs with an international virtual office providing a business address and telephone number answered in the local language for 2 months. Also includes 5 visits to a Regus Business Lounge.

So come this Black Friday, skip the crowds and chaos, sleep in and rest assured you’ve chosen a holiday gift will actually make doing business that much easier for your entrepreneurial loved one.

This year Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace, is helping employees increase their holiday productivity through the gift of flexibility.  The company’s recent survey noted that 75 percent of business people globally say flexible working makes employees more productive. Giving employees the option to work in a productive, professional environment – close enough to home, but far enough away from distracting kids and family, is a “holiday bonus” that doesn’t challenge the bottom line.

This is not just working at home (or at your relatives’ house).  Regus has more than 1,600 business centers across the globe where business lounges or offices by the day make it possible to work without distractions. Each center is equipped Wi-Fi, coffee, coworking lounges and a professional staff – all available with an inexpensive Regus BusinessWorld membership – about $1 a day (available Office Max). Centers will be open during the holiday season with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

If employees don’t have access to a Regus offers the following tips for those working from home during the holidays (which we can all admit is better than going to the office!):

• Create Parameters: Set rules with family and friends, and let them know when you are not available. Most importantly, ensure they are aware of any scheduled conference calls in order to limit any background noises and holiday music, so clients don’t feel you’re working in an unprofessional environment.
• Establish a Routine: The holidays are filled with dinners and family events, so set blocks of time where you can truly commit to work – and let the kids know tree decorating can wait until after the work is done.
• Keep Communication Open: Maintaining regular contact with colleagues and managers will ensure status of projects and deadlines are understood by all. Communicate when you are available and the best ways to be in touch (i.e. IM, email, text or videoconferencing).
• Don’t forget the eggnog (and brandy!): While working through the holiday week will help ring in a less stressful New Year and keep business moving, don’t forget to step away from the work now and again and enjoy the time with friends and family. It’s all about balance, and the holidays are no different. 

Take John Brooks, a real-life snowbird who leaves Minneapolis for Vero Beach, FL when winter arrives. John utilizes a Regus virtual office in South Florida allowing him to expand his business and his network. Warmer temps aren’t the only perk, John is able to leave his Minneapolis office on Monday and show up at the Vero Beach location Tuesday with his office set up and ready to go. Combine this with a prime business address (vs. a home office address), client referrals and networking opportunities, John is able to dodge Jack Frost, and soak up the sun without missing a beat. I’d be happy to connect you with John who can speak to his experiences of being a professional snowbird and the benefits from utilizing a flexible workspace.

And, for those planning to jet-set to sunshine states, there a few steps professional snowbirds should consider before slathering on the sunscreen. Regus, the world’s largest provider flexible workspace, has four pre-departure tips to help professionals maintain productivity.

• Take advantage of technology. While you’re warming up, don’t confuse clients with address changes – maintain a virtual office so they can continue to send mail and other items to one place year round.
• Inform colleagues and clients of your location. Letting people know in advance where you will be the next few months and how they can reach you will eliminate any uncertainty a client or colleague may feel about your physical absence.
• Check out a nearby flexible workspace. It’s great that you’ve escaped to warmer temps, but the need for a professional office setting will remain. Having a professional, secure workspace with a team on hand can take care of your phone calls and other necessary admin tasks you need assistance with.
• Manage remotely. While working remotely, ensure you have proper processes in place to continue to manage employees from afar including: regular calls, weekly status reports, access to IM. 

A new survey from Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace, found that U.S. businesspeople do believe managing at a distance works – but nearly half (49 percent) say it’s an art that needs special training. Several factors are at play - trust issues remain high as 54 percent of respondents say that management is worried about how remote workers spend their time. Sixty-seven percent of management thinks it slows junior employee development, while one-third says that it actually helps them become responsible faster.

Work/life balance expert Cali Yost notes this knowledge gap, pointing out that 82% of full-time U.S. workers say they have some form of informal or formal flexibility in how, when or where they work, but only 17 percent of employers train their people how to use it. “In a world without clocks and walls to tell us where work ends and the other parts of our life begin,” Yost says, “’when’ we are going to accomplish a particular action or priority is important. But you also have to focus on the ‘where’ and ‘how.’”

What’s the solution to this disconnect? Flexible working is not going away, and management must adapt. Here are rules from Regus for the effective management of a remote workforce:

Rule 1: Create an atmosphere of trust and responsibility

There is no point in creating virtual teams and then being worried about whether they will get on with their work, that you micromanage them. Set up a granular, but easy to use micro-reporting system so they can effectively monitor themselves. 

Rule 2: Establish clear goals and measure on outputs

Managers need to learn to manage goals and outcomes, not tasks.  Clearly establish what those goals are vital and analyze which elements of process (‘how an outcome is achieved’) are most important.

Rule 3: Provide professional local/flexible workspace

Research has shown that homeworking is often not conducive to productive working because of disturbances, distractions and lack of professional working facilities. Providing staff with access to drop-in professional workspace, close to their home or their itinerary, provides them with the combination of locality and professional working environment. 

Rule 4: Ensure the technology platform is robust

Virtual workers are dependent on technology, so it is essential that the technology you provide is easy to use, and is quick, reliable and robust.  Encourage the use of video conferencing so that people are not just remote voices to one another, but can see each other.

Rule 5: Actively discuss professional development

Managerial time should be regularly scheduled to discuss staff progress and performance.  This replaces the complimentary or disciplinary conversations that can more easily take place ad hoc in a fixed office.  Such conversations give virtual staff the assurance that their professional development is being taken seriously and that they are not ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

The move – designed to prevent abuse of flexible working practices – was instantly pilloried by commentators around the globe as reactionary and short-sighted. Yet Ms Mayer’s reaction to poor performance is a common fear in the minds of managers contemplating the task of motivating and managing staff at a distance. The more sensible commentators observed that abuse of remote working practices by employees is not the fault of remote working itself, but simply a failure of management. After all, the challenge of managing a mobile workforce will not go away. 

In 2013, Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace, will double its presence in the LA-area to help people take back those valuable hours wasted on the highway. The 50 centers in LA are strategically located throughout the area, across LA’s prime areas including U.S. Bank Tower, Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard –complete with business lounges, administrative staff support and virtual offices. For instance, Los Angeles business owners Ericka Lyons and Dan Lazar have ditched their cars altogether and walk to their nearby Regus for work.

To helps those who fight the traffic daily, this month, Regus is hosting a contest to crown “LA’s Worst Commuter” and give them a break from traffic with a free office for a year at any one of Regus’ 50 LA-area business centers (an up to $2,000 value). The contest, hosted on www.Regus.com/LACommute, launches Monday, Sept. 23 and runs for two weeks. Entrants will get to share their horror commutes through the website and on Twitter using the #LACommute hashtag.

UPDATE – November 26, 2013 – Regus has announced two winners to its “LA’s Worst Commuter” contest. Mark Rabins, new father and owner of startup – Haute by Mobilogue, Inc., has been named the runner-up to the contest and will receive a Regus Businessworld membership for one year.

Just in time for the holidays, the Regus membership will improve his home life too. While working from his home base in LA, Mark can now stop into one of Regus’ 50 LA centers. Rather than wasting time fighting the traffic, Mark can spend moments with his wife and young boy. This new Businessworld membership will not only provide a way for Mark to grow his business around the world, but give him back the precious time with his family.

The “LA’s Worst Commuter” contest winner is fashion and entertainment consultant Brittany “Bella” Graham. Instead of fighting traffic and competing for a parking spot, Bella will now be competing for the best clients,  hosting them at her posh Beverly Hillsus Re office at 9465 Wilshire Boulevard. “This goes way beyond cool office space. There’s receptionist to greet my clients – just the vibe I was missing.  Plus, I can focus on running my business instead of running around town,” she said.

Since launching her company two years ago, Bella has worked on a number of high-profile events in Los Angeles, including The Style of Social Media during LA Social Media Week and Shopcade during LA Fashion Week. When she’s not running one of LA’s premier events, you can find her restaurant reviews, fashion tips and music interviews on her blogs, Love & Biscotti or Lipstick, Lace & Lattes.

“This is such a great opportunity for my business,” she exclaimed.

Are you sick of your LA Commute? Check out one of our 50 Los Angeles Area Regus centers, here: http://www.regus.com/business-centre/united-states/ca/los-angeles

Furthermore, the research shows that men have more difficulty unwinding on vacation than women. Nationally, 54 percent of men will operate almost as usual on vacation compared to, and still significant 46 percent of women. A whopping 59 percent of men and 49 percent of women will work between one and three hours.

Don’t want to burn out and become part of that overwhelming percent?  

Here are five tips from Regus, to keep work afloat and still manage to enjoy your holiday weekend:

• Build your holiday weekend into your annual business plan. Pencil yourself in for once and stick to it. For some, taking a smaller amount of time off makes relaxing easier knowing you’re not away for an extended period of time.
• Make a date with your phone and laptop. Don’t take your phone, tablet or laptop everywhere you go. Choose a time to login and check both – but think of this as a speed date – scan through your emails, don’t read every one from top to bottom.
• Tell everyone you are unavailable. Set healthy boundaries and tell people you are offline for the holiday weekend. Coworkers will be aware of your time off and hopefully will respect your absence and your inbox.
• Get a virtual office. Have a team take care of your calls and your mail – they’ll maintain your professional appearance while you’re at the beach in your flip flops.
• Empower others to take on responsibility. It’s easier said than done, but empowering colleagues to take on some responsibilities will mitigate your guilt and the overwhelming feeling of returning to a mountain of work. 

Regus, the world's largest provider of flexible workspaces, has opened up an important and exciting emerging economy in Asia, by launching its first business centre in Nepal. The launch brings the Regus global network of workspace to 100 countries - that's 100 different markets where businesses can explore new opportunities without upfront capital investment or long-term risk, by using Regus' flexible workspaces.

Nepal, with a government eager to encourage foreign investment through measures such as trade agreements and investment protection pacts, is an exciting new business prospect for firms in many sectors. Its low wage costs and operating capacity also make it an attractive business environment, and it is increasingly drawing in investment from countries such as China. The opening of the Regus centre in Kathmandu, Nepal's industrial and commercial hub, provides a flexible and convenient springboard for companies to thrive in this market.

Nepal has good economic relationships with both neighbouring China and India, as well as with the US and the EU, and it has enjoyed steady rises in GDP, of around 4% annually this decade.[1] There are business opportunities across multiple sectors, with the greatest areas of capital investment being manufacturing, energy, tourism, minerals, construction and agriculture.

Respondents to this survey highlight that greater flexibility of working hours and location are the top two measures firms can take to ensure that valuable female staff does not drop out of work after maternity. Near-site crèche facilities, an increased use of video-communication instead of business travel and job sharing are the next most popular options. In this latest survey respondents also reveal that businesses retaining women in the workforce after maternity report improved levels of productivity.