20 Simple Habits To Simplify Your Life

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

If You Need Meeting Space in Boise, Check out Silverstone Amenity Center

Conveniently located off I-84 in Meridian, Idaho, the Silverstone Amenity Center is the place for your next business function. Located inside the beautiful Silverstone Plaza building at the corner of Eagle and Overland Roads, the amenity center has everything you need for your next meeting. 

Silverstone Amenity Center offers more than 5,600 square feet of flexible meeting space to accommodate business meetings, conferences, holiday parties, and other functions. We have a dedicated staff for all your daily, monthly, or even yearly business needs. We can arrange for and coordinate a broad array of business services that include administration of the five meeting, conference, and boardrooms, as well as arrangements for food service and additional event suppliers

Additional details can be found in our brochure or by contacting us at 208-850-3401.

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Which States Get the Most Sleep?

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Be Careful of What You Post: Hiring Managers Are Watching

Savvy job seekers have known for a long time that some companies review social media before hiring, but it’s no longer just some. Social media has become a key component of many organizations’ evaluation process of potential employees. 

According to a recent survey of hiring managers by Resume Builder, an astounding 83% of hiring managers in the United States turn to Facebook to vet job candidates. And that’s not all; Instagram (50%), Twitter (31%), and TikTok (24%) are also used to determine if applicants are a good fit for their organization. 

Survey key findings:

  • 74% of hiring managers say they use social media to screen candidates
  • 68% of hiring managers overall say they use social media to find answers to illegal interview questions
  • 85% of those who screen using social media have passed on candidates due to information obtained

What exactly are employers looking for on social media? 

Mostly, they want to make sure the candidate is a good culture fit (55%), but they’re also on the lookout for illegal activity (45%), trying to satisfy their curiosity (34%), and see if the candidate is invested in their career (29%). 

A majority (57%) of hiring managers who use social media as part of their evaluation process say they view candidates’ social media before the interview, while 43% say they typically view it afterward. It’s clear that employers take social media presence seriously, as 85% of those who screen using social media have passed on candidates due to information obtained. 

In short, when considering a job, it’s essential to remember the power of social media — so make sure your presence is one you can stand by. 

Employers: Take note

Social media can reveal protected characteristics such as race, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability, and others that may not be evident in a resume. If an employer uses this information to influence their hiring decision, they could be liable for discrimination.

Of employers who admit to viewing applicants’ social media accounts, 38% sometimes take a peek in order to obtain details that can’t be asked in an interview. 24% rarely investigate in this way and 22% never do. Some of the prohibited info they try to uncover includes age (37%), political views (26%), gender identity (19%), marital status (19%), race/ethnicity (17%), disability status (17%), sexual orientation (11%), religion (11%) and pregnancy status (9%).

Employees: Be cautious

Be aware, job seekers: anything you post publicly can be seen by a potential or current employer, who may even use it to make hiring decisions. The safest option is to keep your accounts private, but if you feel discriminated against in the recruitment process, it’s wise to seek legal advice.

Here are some good social media hygiene tips for job seekers and current employees:

  • In the digital age, maintaining a professional online presence is crucial, especially when it comes to job hunting. 
  • Social media platforms can be a double-edged sword; while they can enhance your chances of landing a job, they can also jeopardize you if not managed properly. To safeguard your career, it’s essential to review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms. This includes checking who can see your posts, and what others see on your profile, updating your friend list, restricting access from third-party apps, scrutinizing your location-sharing settings, and considering what’s in your profile and what you share. 
  • Regular monitoring and cleaning up of your virtual presence is also recommended. When posting on social media, always think twice. Maintain a respectful tone and separate personal and professional accounts where possible. Inappropriate profile pictures, poor grammar, tasteless comments, and trash-talking your company can negatively impact your employment prospects. To improve your chances for future employment, use social media to showcase your personality, professionalism, communication skills, interests, creativity, and references. 
  • However, remember that employers may use these platforms as informal background checks, so ensure your online persona aligns with your professional image. 
  • Legal considerations also come into play; federal law prevents employers from discriminating against an employee because of their personal social media, but employers can legally terminate employees for reasons they may not disclose. Therefore, it’s important to keep your social media activity professional and respectful. 
  • In terms of specific platforms, Instagram, being a highly visual platform, requires a careful selection of images and videos. Twitter, unless set to private, is visible to anyone — including potential employers. Facebook, often seen as more secure, still requires vigilance about what users post to your wall or tag you in. TikTok, a rapidly growing platform, can give employers a sense of who you are, but content should remain appropriate and professional.

While social media can be a powerful tool in showcasing your skills and personality to potential employers, it’s crucial to manage your online presence carefully to avoid any negative impacts on your career prospects.

Portions of this article originally appeared on the All Work website

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

How Some Bands Got Their Names

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Low-Cost Marketing Techniques to Help Your Brand Grow

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If you want your business to grow, you’ll need to put some time and money into marketing. The good news is that this can be done on a budget with excellent results, particularly if you are looking to increase visibility on a local level.

1. Search engine profile

One of the best tools for getting your business noticed locally is by creating a search engine profile. By creating a profile, your business will appear in the top results when searched with a “near me” query. In fact, a 2019 survey of online users found that there has been a 200% increase in “near me” searches since 2017. And according to On the Map, an internet marketing firm, 98% of consumers used online searches to find local companies in 2022.

Up your profile by adding more personalization. Google Business Profile lets you add photos, posts, offers, and more to attract customers. Bottom line, with available optimization strategies like geotargeting and search engine optimization, local businesses can rank in the top results without spending any money.

2. Email marketing

While there is a proliferation of social media platforms and a plethora of websites available, email marketing is still a viable, targetable optional. Email marketing continues to deliver significant return on investment (ROI). It can be informational to promote brand awareness, or promotional. Both are effective, because, for every dollar spent on email marketing, businesses receive on average $36 in return.

3. Contribute to your community

By contributing to the communities where your goods and services are sold or offered, you are garnering respect and building a good reputation, which can go a long way in boosting your brand awareness. It also helps to make your community a better place to live and do business, something which will benefit both your business and those who work for you. Plus, helping others is a great way to connect and network.

Some ways to give back:

  • Work with local governments/chambers of commerce on environmental and recycling projects.
  • Volunteer for a non-profit or charity event.
  • Organize marathons, sporting events, or block parties to raise awareness for a cause.
  • Sponsor local sports teams.

4. Social media

Posting on social media platforms will build brand awareness. As of January 2023, there were approximately 246 million users of social media in the United States. The key is to strategize to achieve a positive ROI from your social media marketing efforts. Here are a few strategies for success:

  • Research the different social media platforms and their unique demographics. Then consider where your target audience falls and focus on those platforms.
  • Use the analytics tools (generally free) to understand the characteristics of your audience.
  • Engage, engage, engage. Post content that is entertaining, relevant, and useful to your audience. And remember, communication is a two-way street. When someone responds, listen to what they are saying.
  • Post consistently.

5. Mobile marketing

Over 90 percent of users access the internet on their mobile devices. They are accessing not only social media but also webpages. To make the most of mobile, implement these tactics:

  • Optimize your website and emails for viewing on mobile devices.
  • Create a mobile video (there are a number of free tools available).
  • Add stories and content to social media.
  • Generate SMS/text offers.

6. Custom print advertising

Custom printed items are a cost-effective brand-boosting form of advertising. It can deliver leads, sales, and create customer loyalty. Custom print includes traditional business supplies such as letterhead and business cards, to more promotional products like pens, water bottles, and coffee mugs. Here are just a few of the many ways to use custom print marketing, and remember, the sky’s the limit on creativity:

  • Stickers: Great advertising and can placed on your vehicle or business location.
  • Leaflets and brochures: Perfect for handing out at trade shows or community events.
  • Bookmarks: Place these in libraries or schools, and at checkouts in bookstores, or other locations.
  • Calendars: Keep your business top of mind all year long.
  • Drink coasters: Great for restaurants, cafés, or any other location.

Portions of this article originally appeared on the Quill website

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Mythical Creatures From Around the World

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Office Design Tips to Help Improve Mental Health

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Healthy and happy employees are more engaged and more productive. Therefore, companies that incorporate mental health wellness into their work culture led to more productive work environments. 

Incorporating Nature

One of the biggest office trends we have seen over the past decade is biophilic design. Biophilic design is a concept to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment through direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions. The more direct or indirect nature employees receive in the office place yields a happier workplace. The introduction of plants, wooden and natural materials, water, life such as fish, and natural light has reduced stress. Additionally, the introduction of raw materials can make an open office plan less noisy with multiple pathways and varying floor and ceiling heights that encourage movement throughout the office. 

If you don’t have outdoor space in your office and don’t want to move, you have the option to bring outdoor elements inside. When we chatted with our friends last year at Schrimmer Design Group and Lebel & Bouliane for our article on the “6 office design trends post COVID-19,” they told us, “The trend to healthier and greener interior spaces will continue. For many of our office interior projects, we include a landscape consultant …. incorporating plants and green walls into all our spaces allows for connection to the natural world, and calm, as well they practically deal with cleaning and filtering the air. Also, more open collaboration (and frankly talking 6′ apart…) will increase the need for better acoustically performing spaces, so more attention to acoustic materials and design will be key.” Beyond the materials, incorporating outdoor elements in indoor spaces has increased concentration and focus, improved creativity and problem-solving abilities, and increased happiness and retention.

Natural Light 

Natural light helps reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. Many offices are gravitating to open floor plans because it was a great way to increase natural light throughout the office. Natural light was usually reserved for executive offices and conference rooms for Clients. 

But let’s be honest. Not all office buildings were built thinking natural light was needed to increase employee productivity. Many old buildings were constructed not to include natural light. You can do things if you have a naturally dark office space, including circadian lighting that mimics the changing composition of light throughout the day. This has been shown to improve mood, concentration, and sleep quality.

Community

Arguably the most crucial part of any workplace is the office culture. Most businesses are built on the backs of the concept of office culture. And with COVID-19 causing many to work from home, office culture disappeared. Yes, some companies turned their zooms into happy hours or found ways to bring their employees together virtually (we have read a lot about VR ping pong tournaments), but overall, office culture took a slide. You must ask yourself what you are offering to your employees that is different from others, because why is someone working from home going to care much about what office or company they are working for? People work at Google and Apple for office perks. Office culture is and will always be tied to recruiting and retention, and if you want to recruit top-tier talent and wish to retain their talent, you must build community. Don’t abandon what makes your business unique because you have seen a headline or had a dinner conversation with someone about how everyone will be working from home and the office is dead. It’s not. 

Community is key in ensuring your employees feel useful, have agency, and have human interaction, which are all elements of better mental health. Additionally, it is vital for each human to feel like part of something bigger than themselves. Having a collaborative office environment will yield more employees feeling like they belong, which will lead to higher productivity and a healthier environment. 

Some employees can’t wait to be back in the office because of their mental health, while others have anxiety about returning 9-5. A good way to appease all parties is to allow for flexible work, which increases employee morale and overall productivity. Many employees have gotten used to working from home, and although most want to return to the office, it may not be practical for everyone due to child and elderly care issues. Additionally, some people may be more productive at home to focus on their mental and physical wellness. Each of us is more attuned to our health and wellness, and for many, we do not want to go back but instead move forward with what we have learned over the past year. Office spaces will need to accommodate those who work out of the office at times. Including floating desks, more shared spaces, smaller conference rooms, technology that makes the transition from home to office seamless, and office spaces that provide safe spaces. 

Portions of this article originally appeared on the Cresa website

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Mind-Blowing Facts About Bottled Water

The Sundance Company                                                              
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.

Book Your Event At The Silverstone Amenity Center

white laptop
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Located at the corner of Eagle and Overland Roads, the Silverstone Amenity Center is the ideal location to help your company if you are hosting a business meeting, corporate retreat, or company event. The venues at the Silverstone Amenity Center offer a variety of options. You will be able to choose the meeting room that is right for your purposes, whether you need a small room for an intimate board meeting or a large conference space with hundreds of occupants, the space for you exists. Additional on-site services include:

• Business Concierge
• Food and Beverage Catering Arrangements
• Presentation Equipment
• Commercial Catering Station
• Free Parking

Visit www.silverstoneamenitycenter.com for more information and to book a room for your next company meeting.

About The Sundance Company
Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.