Office News

Overview of Business in Los Angeles

A variety of industries help to make Los Angeles the successful economic center that it is. The city attracts businesses in the tourism, TV/film, hospitality and technology industries. These are not the only industries that thrive in the city, however. Traditional industries like law, finance and medicine also create jobs for residents in the city. Young professionals are attracted to the opportunities presented by the technology, medical and information industries.

International trade is also a major driver of the economy of Los Angeles, with its twin ports handling more than forty percent of both inbound and outbound containers for the whole country. More than one hundred and sixty thousand workers support the international trade sector in L.A. county.

Major Industries & Key Economic Drivers in Los Angeles

Technology continues to be a driving force behind the economy in L.A. and a number of major tech companies have their corporate offices in city and its surrounding areas. The information industry continues to provide numerous job opportunities for young graduates, in particular, the film and video gaming industries. The biotech industry is also combining with the information industry to create new applications that are beneficial for the health of society. Read More »

The city of Boston has histrorically had a reputation for its international ports and its textile manufacturing industry. Manufacturing in general has dropped in the US over the years, however while the textile manufacturing industry still remains very strong in Boston, other industries have become more dominant in the last 20 years, and Boston continues to be a viable economic center that is still experiencing growth.

Major Industries in Boston

The economy in Boston has seen a shift away from textile manufacturing and more towards technology manufacturing and service industry jobs. The major industries in Boston can be broken down into the urban industries and the suburban industries. In the city of Boston itself, the primary industries are finance and professional services. The city also contains much of Boston’s technology manufacturing as well.

The suburban areas of Boston rely primarily on technology manufacturing and national defense. The outlying areas of Boston are populated with a wide variety of skilled technical workers and military bases. Read More »

For several decades, Houston has been considered one of the most successful economies in the southern United States. In fact, and according to Forbes, Houston is the third best place to do business in the country. The city’s bustling and highly diverse economic scene is largely driven by the energy industry, and other important sectors include manufacturing, research and development, aerospace, information technology, and health care.

Being one of the most important corporate centers in North America, the city of Houston is well equipped to accommodate the real estate needs of existing and prospective businesses. This article looks at the most important trends affecting the commercial property market in Houston, having a special focus on the office market.

Key trends and developments in the Houston commercial property market

Generally speaking, over the past five years the Houston commercial real estate market has been characterised by high activity and construction levels and by increasing absorption rates. By the third quarter of 2014, the local market had absorbed 4.4 million square feet of office space, and by the end of the year a further 17.3 million sq ft of space were under development. The vast majority of new office developments were geared towards the needs of the energy sector, having a significant amounts of floor space being built at the city’s ExxonMobil campus and having a large number of pre-lease transactions closed by multinationals like BHP, Shell, and Nobel Energy.

Due to increased demand, citywide rental rates have been steadily climbing, and during 2014 alone they grew by an average 10.6 per cent. Higher increases were evident in commercial properties in the city’s business district. Vacancy rates have decreased from 12.9 per cent in 2013 to 11.9 per cent in 2014. While year-on-year leasing activity levels decreased during 2014, the figures are set to increase once again during the following 12 months. Read More »

The city of Dallas has become renowned for its plentiful job opportunities, low tax rates and affordable housing. Young college graduates and established professionals alike find the idea of working in this bustling city an excellent choice.

Several major industries have helped make Dallas a powerful business city in the U.S. and in recent years, Houston and Dallas have attracted thousands of new residents. Some of the key industries in the city include information services, goods manufacturing, telecommunications, media, logistics and food manufacturing.

Over 80,000 companies have made their home in Dallas, and many Fortune 500 companies have also chosen to place their main headquarters in Dallas. High-tech start-ups are growing increasingly attracted to Dallas due to it’s favorable tax laws and low rental rates.

Major Industries & Key Economic Drivers in Dallas

Other industries that make up the economic base of Dallas include finance, aviation and international trade. In downtown Dallas, you can find the offices of several major finance firms. Dallas is an excellent place for young professionals to seek opportunities in investment banking or law, with several large law firms having offices located in the high-rise buildings in downtown Dallas. Over 342,000 Dallas residents are currently employed in the professional and business services field.

The state of Texas is home to fifty two Fortune 500 corporate headquarters, with Dallas itself boasting an impressive seven Fortune 500 company headquarters including AT&T, Energy Transfer Equity, HollyFrontier, Southwest Airlines and Texas Instruments. Read More »

The office Christmas party is coming up and you want to have a good time, but you do not want to do something that you could regret. When the good times start to roll, it can be difficult to remember that you have to work with just about everyone at the office Christmas party and you will see them all year long. It can also be difficult to censor your language around your boss and his family.

The best way to have fun at the office Christmas party and still retain your dignity, and your job, is to have a plan in place before you head out to have fun. With a little preparation and planning, you can have a great time and be the life of the party without doing anything you would regret.

Eat Before You Head Out

If there will be alcohol served at the office Christmas party and you plan on enjoying a few cocktails, then eat before you head out to reduce the effects of the alcohol. If you eat a full meal with breads and meats, then you will have plenty in your stomach to absorb the alcohol you consume.

When you are at the party, you should have a few appetizers before you drink to add to your food buffer. Avoid eating to the point where you feel stuffed, but eat enough to help you control the effects of drinking.
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Since the discovery of oil in Houston, Texas in 1901, the city has relied on energy revenue for its growth and survival. That means that Houston followed the trends of energy prices, which took nose dives in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 2000’s. But each time, Houston was able to bounce back and open up new areas of energy exploration and refining that have allowed the city to grow. As time has gone by, Houston has learned to diversify its economy and a new Houston is starting to emerge from under the shadow of the energy industry.

Overview of Business in Miami

In recent years, Miami has begun to attract major industries and corporations. The low tax rates of Florida make doing business attractive for corporations. In addition, the state also maintains numerous tax incentive programs that provide refunds for corporations that create jobs for residents. Logistically, businesses also find that opening an office in Miami makes sense. Because Miami is located on the coast, it is easy for corporations to engage in trade with foreign entities. The Port of Miami has enabled the cruise industry to thrive in the state.

Major Industries & Key Economic Drivers in Miami

In Miami, tourism makes up one of the most popular industries. Tourism is also a popular industry for greater Florida. Miami features prime beaches and real estate. In 2003, about nine million tourists spent over $10 billion on vacationing in Miami.

Another reason Miami continues to be a popular location for major corporations is due to its location as a port. The Port of Miami enables businesses to engage in international trade. Numerous port brokers and customs agents are located in the area to facilitate the process of international trade. There are also two free trade zones located in Miami, which are the Miami Free Zone and Homestead Free Zone. Over 252,000 employees currently work in the trade and transportation industries in Miami.

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Who would have thought that the simple act of sitting could be so dangerous to a person’s health? But more and more medical researchers are releasing information indicating that sitting for long periods of time can cause a variety of physical ailments. Since many Americans sit for hours a day at their jobs, this kind of information can be both enlightening and frightening. There is a lot to be said for getting up out of your chair and stretching every once in a while.

Working too much has the potential to give a person unnecessary anxiety and stress. If you never take time for yourself on the weekends, you run the risk of depression, weight gain, anxiety and even a heart attack. Many industries are beginning to recognize the importance of promoting work-free weekends. A recently published Slate article indicated that even the investment banking industry has instituted work-free weekends for employees due to the manner in which they promote a worker’s health and productivity.

Promoting Productivity in the Office

Those who continuously work and fail to take time off of work are likely to suffer from burn out from their jobs. A two-day weekend gives a worker the chance to get away from his or her office responsibilities and recharge the batteries. After spending a weekend away from work, an employee can feel renewed and refreshed on Monday morning. An employee is able to focus on the task at hand and has increased levels of concentration.

Getting the Exercise You Need

The weekend gives many employees the opportunity to get in a good workout. During the week, some workers may find that it is nearly impossible to get to the gym. The weekend provides an employee with an uninterrupted period of time in which he or she can work out for hours at a time. Those who have to sit for extended periods of time may find that the weekend provides a welcome break from sedentary habits. Sitting for extended periods of time has been linked to serious health issues like heart attacks, death and cancer. Read More »

Highest and Lowest Tax Rates – 2014 State and Local Taxes

State and local retail sales tax rates can have an effect on an area’s population as well as its ability to attract businesses. There is a lot to be read from the tax data that is gathered around the country and there is a lot of important information that is revealed when you take a long look at how much others pay to live in an area.

What Does The Data Tell Us?

When we examine retail tax rates for any given state, it is incorrect to judge a state simply by its overall tax rate. There are tax laws on the books in many states that allow certain municipalities the right to create their own retail tax rate. For example, the retail tax rate in the state of New York varies from county to county and is a combination of the state rate and the local rate.

State and local tax data, when grouped together, will give us an indication of what the true retail sales tax rates are in an area. This can often be in great contrast to the numbers that are generated by only looking at state tax rates. Read More »