Because of shelter-in-place orders, in March, our team was tasked with moving the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Convention from an in-person event expected to be attended by more than 2,200 people in Rosemont, Ill., to a virtual format in a mere 17 days. (ACI is AOE’s parent organization).  Despite the short notice, we managed to hold 179 online meetings during the week-long event, which was attended by 1,474 unique people for a total of 344 hours of meeting time!  Whew&helli...

The following was authored by guest blogger Brian Gallagher, Vice President of Corporate Development for AOE client, Graycor.As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the economy, businesses in the construction industry face dynamic  challenges. Many firms are tightening their belts and cutting expenditures. During challenging economic times,  communicating with prospects and clients is more important than ever. While activity has slowed, companies still need  resources, s...

While employers everywhere are reading blogs on the best ways to transform their teams with the new virtual environment, many tips are being shared on how to keep folks connected via video platforms, chatrooms and the like.  AOE has even written some of those blogs, offering tips on video meeting etiquette and staying connected with your team.  While these tips are needed as so many of us have quickly shifted to a work from home environment, the suggestions usually address productivity...

“The following blog was authored by AOE Marketing Assistant, Bailey Numbers.”A successful and productive remote team is reliant on a strong manager to lead them. It is challenging to coordinate all your team members from their off-site locations, but despite this, it is still possible to conduct a productive atmosphere among them. AOE knows this better than anyone: having run a virtual firm for 17 years with highly efficient and happy team members, we know what works and what doesn&r...

“The following blog was authored by AOE Marketing Assistant, Bailey Numbers.”Time management has always been one of the most valuable skills in the professional world. But when working remotely, these skills are more important than ever. Working from home adds a whole host of new challenges that can cut into your productivity: interruptions from family members, roommates or pets, asynchronous communication with coworkers (causing projects to take longer), lack of structure and genera...

“The following blog was authored by AOE Marketing Assistant, Bailey Numbers.”The best way to set yourself up for success while working from home is to get organized. Organizational skills are among the most transferable professional skills, helping you to be successful as a remote worker, back in an office setting and in your personal life. Organizational skills can be defined as “the ability to stay focused on different tasks and use your time, energy and resources effectively...

“The following blog was authored by AOE Marketing Assistant, Bailey Numbers.”This spring, given the current public health crisis, many of us are trading conference room meetings for virtual ones. If you’re new to video conferences, the idea of turning on your computer video camera and running a meeting through this medium can be daunting. Despite its challenges, the video conference is worth trying out for your group, as it is the closest you can come to simulating the in-perso...