Getting Respect Working From Home

How often have you been working at your home office, when your brother calls you wanting to chat, or a friendly neighbour comes over to ask you for some help? You’re working at home, but everyone seems to think that your work involves sitting around the home doing nothing all day but answer some emails or occasionally talking on the phone.

What can you do to stop these distractions so you can work, and even get some respect for your home business?

Set a Schedule at Home

If you have regular working hours, you can post them on your office door, inform your family and friends, and if anyone comes over to chat during your scheduled work time, you can politely ask them to leave. This schedule will help people realize you are working, and make your business look more professional.

Even better having these regular working hours will help you be more productive if used properly. By focusing on your work at a regular time everyday, you train your mind and body to go into working mode. If you you plan your work hours when you have the most energy, it’s even better.

Remember that this doesn’t have to be a 9-5 work schedule, play around with it at first to find out what hours are best for you, and then stick to it.

Dress for Success

Since the inevitable stereotype of working from home is a person working in his or her pyjamas, try to break the image by wearing comfortable business casual clothes.

You want to be comfortable while you work, but wearing clothes that are too casual, will make you appear less serious, and can make you feel a bit too relaxed to work at your peak efficiency. By wearing business casual, you keep the comfort, but if a neighbour, client, or family member drops by they’ll see that you are treating your work professionally and it gives you an advantage. If they see you wearing old jeans and a sweatshirt or worse actual pyjamas, it will be very hard to convince them that you are working.

Learn to Say No

Sometimes people don’t take a hint, you can tell them that you’re working, print up a super-sized schedule for your door, explain that you’re about to talk to an important client, but they still want to talk.
In this case, you have to firmly tell them that you do not have time to talk, go out for coffee or even let them in your front door. Try to be polite but firm when you do so, don’t tell them you don’t want to talk, simply say you are working but can talk to them when you are done. Give them your schedule and explain that between certain hours you are unavailable, but you’d be happy to talk after work.

Your at home business is important, and people need to realize that working from home actually involves working. So treat your job like a regular job and insist others follow suit, even if they disagree with you.

Dan Clarke is a business coach, specializing in helping people who work at home expand their business, solve problems and find a great work/life balance. Find out more about him at his website, Be Happy Working at Home.

 

 

Workplace Flexibility: An Interesting HR Concept

The world around us has changed so much that some of the things we see nowadays are things we would never have imagined. Workplace flexibility is a concept which if well nurtured will transform the world of human resource.

The whole idea behind the concept is to have some elasticity when it comes to when, where and how work is done. It affords the employee convenience to work at times when they are comfortable and from places where they feel comfortable. At the end of the day, tasks are completed and work is still done. A few HR personnel argue that work is done more efficiently because people work in a more relaxed environment.

What is Workplace flexibility?

It is basically an arrangement between an employee and employer where they agree to have some elasticity in terms of how, when and where work is done, provided that the objectives of the company are met. It should afford the employees some convenience, but at the end of the day they have to do all that is required of them, so as to meet all their obligations to the employer.

Possible ways in which the flexibility comes in

1.      How work is done

There are a number of options here. For example, when it comes to hourly jobs, the employer and the employee can agree to use a monthly or annual hours instead of the traditional weekly hours. This way an employee can take a 3 month holiday provided he gives the employer high quality hours as agreed. People are also at liberty to share one job, depending on the arrangement. One can work from Monday to Wednesday while the other works for the rest of the week.

2.      Where people work

The conventional style of working involves people waking up every day to go to work. Workplace flexibility allows employees to work remotely or from home. How it is effected is highly variable, but there should be an agreement on how many days an employee works at home, as well as how regularly it should be done. Working remotely allows the employee to work in a client’s workplace or from an office that is not his or her main workplace.

3.      When people work

Here, the human resource manager and the employee agree on the time when work is done. For example, if the employee has to work for 8 hours a day, then they could agree that the employee starts his day whenever he is comfortable as long as he is loyal to the dedicated hours. Thus an employee can come to work at 6:00 am and leave at 2:00 pm. He can come to work at 8:00 am and leave at 5:00 pm. Other forms of flexibility on when to work include part time working, part year and variable year employment arrangements. To further illustrate this, workers can put in more hours during peak seasons and less hours during off-peak seasons when there is less work. The amount of leave days can also be altered so as to suit the needs of employees.

Are there pitfalls?

For the arrangement to work, the employee must be very loyal so as to honor the arrangement. It therefore means it might be risky to have such an arrangement with an employee who you have not worked with before. Some employees will fail to honor their part of the bargain, which slows you down.

Sometimes, you need to have an employee around, who you can call upon to tackle emergency situations. This arrangement might not work in this aspect, more so because the employees might be away from the workplace at a time when you need them.

It is quite difficult to promote teamwork with this kind of understanding. Employers’ give up their control over employees, which makes it very difficult to assign an employee tasks which require him or her to work directly with others. Some online software however overcomes this problem by allowing people to interact and have conferences through these platforms.

All in all, it is a good concept. As long as both the employee and the employer agree on how to go about it, is something that should be embraced by human resource departments.

Featured images:

•  License: Image author owned

Sarah Filer has teamed up with Breathe HR to offer HR advice, Sarah has been in the HR industry for 3 years and Breathe HR is a cloud based HR management system.

 

 

Smarter Ways Of Working

Rising fuel prices, leaves on the line, crowded carriages and traffic jams – just a few of the things which can make the commute into work every day a complete nightmare. That’s even forgetting the added complications of flooding and the way the road network grinds to a halt when it snows. Most of us see a lengthy journey into work as a necessary evil and it’s hard to see any way of making the commute easier or cheaper. But there are some things which can be considered to make life better.

Working at Home

Not all employers are happy with the idea of staff working at home instead of in the office, so whether or not this will be appropriate will depend very much on what market sector your employer operates in. If you are primarily dealing with customers on the phone or by email and can just as easily work from the spare room or dining table as you can from the office, then there is no harm in asking your employer whether you can work at home for part of the week. Being at home will save you in terms of both time and money.

Flexible Working

If working at home isn’t an option, perhaps your employer would consider flexible working. Many employers are happy to allow employees to work their 37.5 hours a week over 4 days rather than 5, or to arrive early and leave early to beat the traffic. If you are thinking about approaching your employer about working flexibly, make sure you gather all the evidence to support your claim that you will be able to work as efficiently and get the work done in exactly the same way.

Season Tickets

If you have a regular commute by train into work, it is far cheaper to buy a season ticket than it is to pay the standard fare each day. Finding the money for a six month or year-long ticket is the main obstacle to doing this and many employers offer unsecured loans to help their staff meet the cost. Even if your employer does not offer this scheme, it can be worth approaching another lender for an unsecured loan as even with interest payments taken into account, you are still quid’s in.

Car sharing

One great way of cutting the cost of getting to work as well as lessening your carbon footprint is to share a lift with someone else travelling the same route. Many companies help put employees in touch with each other, and there are also several independent websites which will help arrange lifts too. The arrangements are generally left up to the individuals concerned, but a common arrangement is to pay the driver a set amount per mile, or to take it in turns to drive. Some forward thinking companies will even give drivers who car share a preferential parking space or other perks.

Cycling

Again it’s not for everyone, but if your commute into work is relatively short, going by bike could save you a fortune, be just as quick and could also help keep you fit too. Many employers are encouraging their employees to get on their bikes by offering cheap finance or unsecured loans to buy a bike, and by providing facilities such as lockers and showers on site. Buying a new bike doesn’t have to mean a huge investment, but when taking out an unsecured loan ensure that you factor in other expenses such as lights, a helmet and reflective clothing too. Given the levels of traffic on many city roads, cyclists often find that their commute is far quicker than colleagues who drive too.

Katie Latchford is a freelance writer who is constantly researching the latest financial advances in areas such as unsecured loans, credit cards, family finance and consumer rights. For more information, follow her on Google plus.

 

It’s Not All About the Money: How to Retain Great Employees

You have a terrific staff, a team that you feel can get your company to the next level. So how can you keep those employees within the fold?  You would think that money is enough to keep a staffer happy, but actually, money is just one of the issues employees consider when it comes to whether to leave a company. Here are some things you can do to keep your staff happy – and employed with your business:

Make staff feel empowered and important

People want to feel like they’re making a difference, and that what they have to say matters. If you never take your employees’ suggestions into account, if you micromanage them at every turn, if you force square pegs into round holes, your staff may leave as soon as they have a better opportunity. So whenever and wherever you think it makes sense, why not listen to what your staffers have to say, and empower them to make decisions?

Allow your staff to grow and learn

Back in the 1990s, many of the first people to lead their office into the internet age were not trained computer experts, but employees from all walks of life who had an interest in learning about the web, and helping their company move forward on the internet. These days , there surely are some things that your staff is interested in learning more about, and by doing so, they could move your company forward into the future. Encourage them to learn and grow, and your company could grow as well.

Keep the office on an even keel

You may be a great manager, but upper management may be making things seem mercurial and rocky. The more you can do to protect your staff from interference and office mood swings, the better. Stuff rolls downhill, but try to stop it from going any further downhill.

Offer better benefits

You should compensate your employees as much as you can, within reason, but money is just part of the equation. Things that can make your staff happy as well include health care, dental care, tuition reimbursement, and gym memberships. Of course, you may not be in a position to decide on compensation, but there are other things you can do to make employees happy. For example, when you get freebies from clients, like primo sporting events tickets, why not share them with your staff instead of hoarding them for yourself?  You want your staffers to feel that they have it good at your company.

Give your employees leave time and hours that work for them

Be flexible with work hours, including allowing flextime, work-at-home hours, and vacation time. Some companies are allowing unlimited vacation time, as long as the work is done. You don’t need to go that far, but working with your staff to make sure that you have great production, but they get to enjoy their personal lives as well, can help keep them happy.

Have an attitude of gratitude

If you let your valued staffers know that they are appreciated, and continually show your respect and approval for them, they may be much less likely to want to go elsewhere. But even if they do need to move on, still show how grateful you are to them. Who knows? They may come back one day.

Lisa Swan writes on a variety of coaching issues at MeredithHaberfeld.com.

 

How Comfortable, Stylish Office Furniture Can Increase Productivity

 

Many employers are looking for methods to help improve employee productivity. Individuals who work at home are also concerned with increasing their own efficiency. Enhancing the aesthetics and functionality of your office furniture is one creative way to boost employee output. Investing in ergonomic and stylish office equipment can bring in solid productivity to defray the cost of buying new furniture.

Ergonomics
Comfortable and ergonomic furniture is a great way to increase productivity in your business. If you or your employees spend the majority of the day sitting at a desk while using a computer, certain parts of the body may begin to suffer from stress injuries. These stress injuries occur from frequent repetitive movements, such as using a computer mouse or keyboard. These injuries can include wrist strain, an aching back, eye strain and headaches. Ergonomic furniture helps individuals perform their daily tasks in a form more natural to the body to help reduce the risk of injury. This furniture also helps to decrease the amount of time you or an employee must take off due to a stress injury, thus maintaining the continuous flow of productive work.

Office chairs are a good first investment for ergonomic furniture. Many computer accessories, such as keyboards, have ergonomic versions as well. Additionally, chairs and desks should be set to the correct height to keep an employee’s computer monitor at eye level.

A Stylish Look
Selecting stylish furniture can also help boost office efficiency. Sterile office spaces are boring and uninspiring. Workers are less likely to look forward to clocking in if they work in an environment befitting a hospital. Taking time to choose stylish furniture shows your employees that you are interested in investing in your office space. Today, it’s possible to find office furniture that is both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to use.

Mentally Stimulating
Interesting office spaces can prod the brain into having random bursts of inspiration. A bored employee who stares at a blank wall with no interesting visual features is more likely to fall asleep than feel the rush of a new idea. An office that features eye-catching furniture is far more likely to encourage a worker’s brain to think about challenges in a new way. Additionally, arranging office furniture in an appealing way can help stimulate the brain. Avoid the boring cubicle look to keep your workers interested in their job.

Just Like Home
An office space that is comfortable and pleasing to the eye is likely to make one feel right at home. Workers who are comfortable in their environment are far more likely to remain calm and relaxed throughout the day. A comfortable and stylish office space shows your employees that you are invested in their success. For individuals who work at home, a pleasant office space helps them to define the line between their home and their work space. A feeling of ease and style helps inspire many people to perform up to their potential.

This article was written on behalf of Cooper’s Office Furniture, a leading provider of global office furniture

 

 

What Virtual Office Space Can do for Your Business

When starting a company, managing office space can be a challenge. However, with a virtual office, you can present a professional image without the expense of renting office space or the hassle of managing the space. Virtual office space provides a company with the illusion of a regular office for customers and vendors while allowing you the freedom of working from home.

Present a Professional Image

For many people who work from home, it can be challenging to have customers call on the home telephone to hear children talking in the background or the television blaring. A virtual office provides you with the ability to present a professional image to your customers and other business contacts you may need to community with regularly.

Many virtual offices often include professional voice mail or someone who answers telephone calls for you, a fax number and virtual office computer applications. Professional voice mail alone can create a professional image of someone who is a serious business person, running a legitimate business. Virtual office computer applications provide you with the ability to send and receive business communications in a confidential environment.

Hire Remote Staff

A virtual office can provide you with the ability to hire remote staff to assist you with running your business. Remote staff is a method of outsourcing business functions without the need to have them in an actual office. By outsourcing staff, you can save money and still have a professional and experienced staff of assistants to help you with many tasks. This allows you to work more efficiently and dedicate your energy to other aspects of your business, such as marketing, developing products or other activities.

Remote staff can perform a wide variety of functions, including administrative support, scheduling, sales calls, telemarketing, writing routine correspondence and writing followup emails. A virtual office provides you with the ability to route telephone calls to the appropriate person, even if they are not geographically located where you are at the moment. Your staff can also work from home, saving you money on office equipment and renting office space, along with other expenses.

Reduce Expenses

Maintaining an office is an expensive proposition, particularly in the early phase of a business. Office expenses can include more than just rent. It also includes utilities, office equipment, office supplies, staff and other related costs.

A virtual office allows you the ability to avoid most of the costs related to running an office, yet still provides you with the ability to present a professional image to the public. Generally, a virtual office is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of running a traditional office space. A virtual office is available around the clock, which can make it possible to market your company globally and have people from around the world contact you no matter what time it is.

A virtual office provides you with the ability to create a professional business without the related expenses. For many people, working from home gives them the freedom to work on their own schedule. However, presenting a professional business image creates legitimacy for your business. When compared to the expense of running a traditional office, a virtual office can save you money, even as you expand your business staff.

Lisa is a successful Entrepreneur from Brisbane, Australia. She has used virtual office services in many of her startup projects to give them a professional appearance in their early stages. When she has some spare time, Lisa like to go to the beach and go shopping with her friends.

 

Going Fully Mobile As A Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants have the luxury of having plenty of options when it comes to their careers. A virtual assistant can work from anywhere in the world provided they have the right set up, and that’s something that not a lot of professions can boast. At the same time, it’s possible to work completely from home, which can be a huge benefit for stay at home moms and anybody who just wants to get away from the corporate rat race.This range of options that comes with being a virtual assistant is both freeing and slightly overwhelming at times. With so many choices you might be at a loss for which direction you want to take with your business. It may also be a little frightening, that feeling of having the whole world spread out in front of you for the taking. The best way to get past that feeling is to take a deep breath and think about all the benefits that really come from being a full time virtual assistant. You can literally work anywhere in the world. It’s not surprising that many virtual assistants take advantage of this and make the decision to take their business fully mobile.

Being a mobile virtual assistant means working without strings. Each client that you work for is on a contract basis, which means you are not tied down or obligated to stick with any employer if it doesn’t meet your schedule. You have the freedom to pick and choose whoever you want to work with, and if you’ve ever been an employee in a normal company with co-workers that you can’t stand, you know how important that really is.

Going mobile is a huge step, so don’t make that your first plan of action if you are first starting out, espeically if you have never been self employed before. The best way to handle it is to set yourself up in your regular home first and get a feel for the ropes. Traveling by itself can be hectic and stressful, and the last thing you want is the burdens of a full business hanging over your head when you don’t even understand the business yet in the first place.

Most virtual assistants like to wait a year or two before taking steps to go fully mobile and travel around the world, and that can be a very smart move. Doing this allows you to get a firm grasp on what kind of deadlines and work pressures are going to be given to you, and it allows you to build a relatively stable income before leaping off head first into the unknown.

The worst thing you can do is start your virtual assistant business and then buy a plane ticket to some new country the very same day. Take everything in its proper order and you’ll have a lot more success as a virtual freelancer. Once you have a firm grip on the business, then you should start looking for more variety.

Elisa Brent is an eminent blogger and she runs a virtual assistant business. she provides support to various virtual assistant companies. If you would like to know about Elisa’s assistants or assistant, please log on to her website

 

Five Tips to Help You Run Your Business from Home

If you’re a parent or live an otherwise busy lifestyle, working from home can make everything easier. Running your own business is never easy, but when you work from home, you’re able to make your own schedule, be available when your kids need you, and more – not to mention that this flexibility means you’ll have more time to spend with your family or doing hobbies since you won’t have a commute. Interested in taking the plunge and running a business from home? Here are five tips to help you get started:

Tip #1: Choose your business carefully.

There are a lot of scams out there that advertise specifically to stay-at-home mothers (and fathers). They take advantage of your wish to work from home, but unfortunately, you’ll never make any money with these scams and it is likely that you’ll even lose money. Common scams include data entry where you have to purchase a list, blogging where you’re paid per view rather than a base salary or per-post salary, and anything that requires you send a check or money order. You should never have to pay to work! Instead, look for legitimate opportunities that play to your strengths. This can include party-based sales (like Tupperware), freelance writing (where you’re paid per word or per project), taking surveys (make sure you research the company before signing up), and online community management or social media jobs.

Tip #2: Set up a no distraction zone.

Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can stop everything and referee a fight between the kids or make your spouse a snack. Set up a zone in your house, like a home office, where you can do your work – and while you’re in this area, your family is not allowed to disturb you, unless someone is on fire of course.

Tip #3: Professional communication is key.

Working from home might have some potential clients raising an eyebrow. Make sure your communications are professional. Get a business line if you can afford one or at least make sure your voicemail message is professional. Put up a website where people can see your services. Use an email address from either gmail or your own domain, rather than Hotmail, Yahoo, or another service. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to communicate seriously.

Tip #4: Learn how to say no.

When you work from home, everyone will automatically assume that you can do things for them. Relatives and friends will ask for favors like dog sitting or picking up their kids all the time. They won’t know that they’re annoying you and hurting your business unless you tell them, so don’t be a doormat. Most people are mortified to learn they’ve been inconveniencing you. They just equate being home with having free time. If there is an emergency like a sitter that cancels at the last minute or a neighbor who’s car needs a jump, the great thing about working from home is that you can help out a friend. But in non-emergency situations, learn to say no.

Tip #5: Prepare for business expenses and taxes.

Just because you’re running your business out of your home doesn’t mean that you won’t have business expenses just like any other business. Make sure you budget for these costs, which could include business insurance, travel, office supplies, banking fees, and more. You may also have to pay for childcare some days when you have important projects to get done and your spouse is at work. Also, don’t forget to budget for your taxes! They won’t be automatically taken out of your paycheck like at a normal job, so you’ll owe a lump sum every quarter.

Allison works with BusinessInsurance.org, where you can go to find cheap business insurance if you need a plan for your work-at-home business.

 

The Joys of Working from a Home Office

We just returned from a wonderful holiday weekend in Santa Barbara. Having left on Friday, I have 193 emails waiting for me in my in basket when I amble into my home office.  Several accounts have new business issues to be dealt with, and it’s going to be a bear of a morning.

My wife is tired from her long weekend, so she announces that she is going to be working from home today as well.

The trash is being picked up today, an arduous process that entails several starts and stops, and since I live on a cul-de-sac, they have to back up with the most obnoxious beep emanating continuously.

In the not to far distance someone’s car alarm has just gone off.  Oh how delightful.  Apparently they can get it fixed for a moment, but that ends up being just a tease.  It’s back on again.  I don’t have air conditioning as we live in the San Francisco Bay area, and really only need it when it gets over 85’ outside.  Unfortunately today is such a day, and it’s really uncomfortable with the window shut, so we get the mechanical concert outside.  It stopped for a second, so I’ll try to write a few more lines.

To join the concert, one of the neighbor’s gardeners has now rounded the corner with his gas hedge trimmer going in full regalia, followed by his buddies on the blower.

You might think this is made up, but the recycling truck just blew by with the beeper going in full reverse.

My wife called me on my business line to tell me that she had to take the car and move to another street to make her 10:00 conference call to New York.

OK, the car apparently has stopped now, or at least I can’t hear it over the leaf blower now.  Now its just the blower and the backing garbage truck.  I have to turn my phone off and shut the window.  If the phone rang, I couldn’t answer it in this may lay.

Looking out the closed window, I see that the cleaners have just arrived.  They will be shouting to each other in Spanish and spreading toxic chemicals over most of the rooms of my house.  It gets so bad I have to put a towel under my door to keep from asphyxiating.  Since the window is closed, I guess it’s a good time to go do my banking.

The leave blower stopped, and now it’s apparent t that the car alarm has not.

So far I have been at my desk for two hours, and I have to leave till after lunch.  Great productive morning!

This afternoon I’m looking for office space. Maybe somewhere quite, like next to a freeway.

There goes the car alarm again.