Working from home - the Pros and Cons

 

 

In the current economic state, people are finding it more and more difficult to find a job, either due to a lack of job availability, or because some employers simply don’t have space/resources to support any extra staff. However, at the same time, individuals are turning to opening their own businesses and running them from home, or coming to agreements with their employers to work from home to save company resources and time.

 

However, working from home may seem simpler in the beginning, because it saves you the time of having to commute, get ready, etc. (and in some cases, getting out of your warm bed on a cold winter morning). But you’ll soon find that this environment brings its own stressful situations into the equation, and these must be dealt with before any sort of work can be done. Here is a list of a few of the most common problems/downfalls of working from a home environment:

 

Work environment: Working at home makes it rather challenging to stay focused on the job and what has to get done. The problem with working from home is that there may be many distractions such as family, hobbies, chores, etc., to keep you from getting all of your work done.

 

You’d be amazed at what a clean organized room can do to your mood as opposed to a sloppy, crowded room. Treat your space as if it were a real office. By doing this, it can help with your work ethic. If you have family that nag at you, it’s important to talk to them and make them understand that you’re working and are busy, so that they don’t use up your time with daily tasks/chores. Setting up a time schedule can help sort things out (i.e Setting a couple hours dedicated to work/finishing up as many tasks as you can, then taking an hour break to do other things and have some time to yourself and/or family, then getting back to work for another couple hours), and so on. Following a work/time pattern can help with using your time efficiently. Last but not least, prepare and plan ahead of time.

 

Lack of self-discipline: Since we work from home, it is very difficult to fully understand and realize that we are actually at work. For example, we find it difficult to set appropriate work times and are often distracted from our own personal entertainment/leisure time, and considering we’re our own boss, we can get away with it and not have to worry about getting lectured or possibly fired from slacking on the job.

 

Setting daily goals of tasks that need to be done help a lot with staying on track. A good example of this would be to make lists, charts, calendars, etc. that contain all of the tasks/goals somewhere that is easy to access or even right in front of your face so you’re always reminded to get the job done! By doing this, you don’t have to over work yourself, since you can have the whole day to complete your goals and appropriately and conveniently work them in to your schedule.

 

Storage: Most companies have stock rooms or storage facilities that are equipped to hold whatever they sell or use to do business. Working from home means that your personal space will be used to store these things, and it may cause some tension, as it encroaches on your home life.

 

Prioritize your stock/materials/tools/etc. Don’t hoard things you don’t need. Doing a monthly clean out can really help make/save some space and keep things clean and tidy. If your stock is consistently expanding, look into some other alternatives such as renting a storage unit close by, which will save you the hassle of having to mission to go import/export stock.

 

With the negatives out of the way, here are a few of the more convenient reasons for running a business from home:

 

Flexible schedule: Since you’re not tied down to strict shifts, like your average employed worker, it allows you to bend your schedule and have more time on personal projects, without worrying about losing work hours or our pay getting deducted from having to take days off. This can become a disadvantage though when you lack the self-discipline and motivation to work.

 

Save money: Working from home means you have access to your kitchen, which also means that you have access to food, therefore you don’t have to worry about spending precious money on buying lunches or snacks on work breaks. Working from home also keeps your business rent-free, since your home is your office! Finally, you don’t have to worry about transportation fees, such as filling up on petrol, buying tickets for buses and/or trains, etc.

 

Being your own boss: Who wouldn’t rather work for themselves as opposed to working for someone else? Being the boss means you call the shots, and you get to run your business however you’d like without taking orders from anyone else. Not only does being the boss give you the power to share your business with the world and give people the opportunity to work for you, but you also get to live with the feeling of self-gratification and pride. It’s nice to be able to call something your own.

 

The Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce (ROCCI) is one of the biggest Chambers in South Africa, and is comprised of over 100 businesses in the Roodepoort area in Johannesburg. Contact ROCCI on (+27) 86 111 3304, send an e-mail for additional information, or visit the ROCCI website to find out more about what is on offer, or how it would benefit you to be a part of this ever-growing inter-business network.

  

Written By Wesley Geyer

Creative Writer for ATKA SA

 

Famous Young Entrepreneurs

 

In 2012, one of the most recognizable figures in the Western world is undoubtably Mark Zuckerburg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook. Not only is he one of the most successful individuals in the past decade (some might say he is number one on the list), but he is worth an approximated 14 billion US Dollars at the age of 28. However, he is only one of many young entrepreneurs making an impact on the world through their businesses (not to mention that they are all worth a lot of money). Here is a list (adapted from a list compiled in 2010 by Josh Dunlop from IncomeDiary) of five of the most notable young entrepreneurs (not including the obviously notable Zuckerburg) who have made themselves known through hard work and a whole lot of determination (and maybe some luck every now and then):

 

1. Dustin Moskovitz (28):

 

Worth an estimated $ 3.5 billion

 

Dustin may be a little less familiar to you than Mark Zuckerburg, but he’s definitely someone who has struck lucky. In fact Dustin was one of the co-founders of Facebook along with Mark. Dustin has since left Facebook (back in 2008) and has now set up his own business, Asana, a company that deals with the problems of workplace collaborations. The company is aimed at creating a social network that is suited to business relationships, instead of social relationships like its predecessor. So how much is he worth? An estimated $3.5 billion.

 

2. Andrew Mason (31)

 

Worth an estimated $1 billion

 

Andrew Mason is the founder and CEO of the online business Groupon. A site you have all more than likely heard about or used before. Andrew, at the age of just 29 years old was said to be worth an estimated $600 million due to the sites huge success. Founded in 2008, Groupon has been steadily increasing its traffic and it’s income for the grateful founder. The aim of the website is to offer out daily deals to people all over the world via an online coupon service. Each and everyday Groupon releases new “Groupons” to its customers allowing them to receive discounts on anything from Subway meals to laptops and much more. His previous employer gave Andrew in order to start this venture, which has now made them both a lot of money in the few short years it has been up and running. I’m sure we can expect more from him in the near future.

 

3. Matthew Mullenweg (28)

 

Worth an estimated $40 million

 

Its nice to have someone with a simple background in the list. He, like many of us, does not have a degree in any sort of IT discipline, but rather chose the route of Political Science and Philosophy. Matthew Mullenweg is the founding developer of WordPress, a resource a lot of us use on a daily basis. Funnily enough his background is anything but technical, he went to a performing arts school, learned to play the Jazz Saxophone, and then he went on to created one of the best website and blog programs in the world. In 2005 he started the company Automatic, which became the backing force behind WordPress and Akismet.

 

4. Blake Ross (27)

 

Worth an estimated $150 million

 

Blake Ross is an American software developer, known best for his work with Mozilla Firefox. That’s right at the age of 25yrs he has been able to accumulate a total fortune worth $150 million. In 2005 he was nominated for the Wired Magazines top “Rave Award” opposite some very popular names including Larry Page and Jon Stewart. Blake also co-founded the company Parakey that was eventually bought out by, yes you’ve guessed it, Facebook.

 

5. Naveen Selvadurai (30)

 

Worth an estimated $80 million

 

You may not have heard about Naveen but rest assured he is definitely a big hitter. He made most of his money through a joint venture that you may have heard of, Foursquare anyone? However before co-founding Foursquare he had worked extensively with some very well known brands, Nokia, Sun Microsystems and Sony to name a few. $80 million, yes please!

 

The Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce (ROCCI) is one of the biggest Chambers in South Africa, and is comprised of over 100 businesses in the Roodepoort area in Johannesburg. Contact ROCCI on (+27)86 111 3304, send an e-mail for additional information, or visit the ROCCI website to find out more about what is on offer, or how it would benefit you to be a part of this ever-growing inter-business network.

 

The Challenge of Funding for Young Entrepreneurs

Young entrepreneurs in South Africa play a vital role in boosting the economy and helping to lower the unemployment rate. However, in order to start a business, these young individuals (or groups) must provide capital that covers the initial costs involved in the setup process, such as copyrighting, employment, tools, premises hire, materials, etc. This causes a problem for individuals looking to start small businesses in order to sustain theirs and their families’ livelihood.

 

Capital funding and youth business development programs have been established by various organizations, including the South African government, in an attempt to increase small business growth and sustainability. These programs help fund small business ventures, both short and long term, so that the owners have a better chance of succeeding, without having to first build up enough money for capital.

 

The governments policy on Small Business Development, aimed at developing businesses through skills development, funding and institutional support, allows businesses of all sizes to gain funding and the necessary skill development to become self-sustained. Informal businesses that make up the ‘Survivalist Enterprise’ category, namely those that are generated through necessity from unemployment, incorporate low skill levels and have almost no opportunity for growth can be helped fundamentally by increasing skill levels and providing adequate funding for formal structuring.

 

As part of the Small Business Development initiative, many NGO’s and private sector donors have taken on the task of providing training and funding to businesses in various sectors of the economy. Apart from these organizations, funding is available from banks, provided a detailed business plan and formal request is approved. For these types of loans, there is aid available from various departments and NGO’s that enable inexperienced entrepreneurs to set up the appropriate documentations and procedures.

 

The Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce (ROCCI) is one of the biggest Chambers in South Africa, and is comprised of over 100 businesses in the Roodepoort area in Johannesburg. Contact ROCCI on (+27) 86 111 3304, send an e-mail for additional information, or visit the ROCCI website to find out more about what is on offer, or how it would benefit you to be a part of this ever-growing inter-business network.

  

Written By: Wesley Geyer

Creative Writer for ATKA SA

Customer Service: Tips that could save your business!

 

Everyone has been on the receiving end of bad client relation service. It always ends up sounding a lot like “I would have been able to handle that situation a lot better”, or “This would never have happened in my office, or with my team”.However, there are always unseen circumstances that come into play, and no matter how much we try to guarantee that our own client service relationships are top notch, we all end up having to make up for some kind of mishap.

 

Tension arises with clients when expectations are not met in the eyes of the client. If this is not possible, it is not worth doing business with the client, whether you are doing sales, marketing or development work. Here are a few tips (adapted and compiled with the help of About.com and DesignConstruct) that will help you manage client relations both short and long term:

 

1. When things go wrong and the client knows, call. Email does not always translate circumstances or feelings well as there is no voice inflection and a client usually places more value on a phone call. Discuss the situation and have solutions ready! Also have a time line ready for implementing the solutions and resolving the problems. Be sure you can deliver on the timeline; this will restore confidence. People in crisis situations feel less stress when they know what to expect. When you execute the solutions and the client is aware of this they will increase their confidence in you and relax more.

 

2. When things go wrong and the client doesn't know, it is still a good idea to let them know. This is not always the case, but in my experience, more often than not it resolves more potential problems than it causes and shows your integrity. The majority of the time your client will find out about the problem anyway. It also allows your client to suggest possible solutions that you may have overlooked, which can only be done if the client is aware of the situation or problem.

 

3. Have solutions ready for clients when there are problems. Do not expect them to tell you what to do. Offer them solutions and ask for their thoughts. This shows the client that you have thought about the problem and have it under control.

 

4. Do not promise what you cannot deliver. It is always better to “under promise and over deliver” as they say. This is critical in the above scenarios and always true with clients. Set realistic timelines and budgets and add a little padding so you can absolutely deliver what you promised and then some. This will pay off in spades. Clients will be more likely to refer you and more likely to use you in the future.

 

5. Add value to you and your business by bringing the client ideas. New pitches, marketing strategies, anything that is of value that will help move the client’s business forward will be appreciated. This may lead to additional revenue in your contract and increased loyalty. The drawback comes when a client starts spending a lot of your time talking about new ideas. It is important to be careful with this one. Be sure that the relationship is set up so everyone respects one another’s time.

 

6. Client/worker relationship can be described through work between two persons. How your clients perceive you as a worker can be easily translated to judging you as a human being if work is the only determinant for your relationship. With that said it is easy to fall into the habit of responding to requests or answer daily tasks like a pre-programmed robot.

Body Language in Business

Julie-Ann Amos, one of the UK’s leading business consultants, authors and personal business experts, (having authored multiple books on business management and personal business skills) gives the following advice to individuals involved in business on how to manage their body language, which is a key aspect of any relationship.

 

The following is an excerpt from an article written by Amos on the use an importance of body language and the different uses that relate to specific industries and situations. BodyLanguageExpert.co.uk published the article in question on November 15^th 2010:

 

“It’s tempting to lump all body language together when talking about the business environment but this would be a big mistake. Just as accepted non-verbal behaviours vary depending on the social culture or environment, so too do accepted non-verbal behaviours vary based on the culture of an individual business. If you want to determine the most effective body language to use in a business environment, you should first identify the dominant business culture in that environment.

 

Industrial Business Culture

 

The industrial business culture is somewhat mixed in many ways. It is typically divided according to job function, usually categorized as either management/administration or front line employee. Some examples of industrial business cultures include construction, manufacturing, maintenance, and the like.

 

In general, an industrial business culture rewards physical performance of work, attention to safety, and a larger sense of brotherhood or unity across the organization. This is reflected in the acceptable body language, which usually includes physical activity, self-confidence, and an overall willingness to participate and get the job done.

 

Conservative Business Culture

 

This is perhaps the type of business culture most people think of when they picture a traditional office environment. Conservative business culture is typical of banks, corporate offices, law firms, accounting firms, and the like. They are very structured in their hierarchy and processes, and very regimented in their schedules and activities.

 

In a conservative business culture the dress is often quite formal (suit and tie) and your attention should be clearly focused on business itself. The acceptable body language is also very formal and focused, such as showing deference to those in higher job positions, purposeful walking in the hallways, and no leaning, slouching, or excessive socializing.

 

Casual Business Culture

 

The casual business culture is most typical of modern, progressive organizations, especially those that are small to medium sized or involved in technology-heavy industries. A classic example is the ‘dot com’ company with ping-pong tables in the break room, beanbag chairs in the meeting rooms, and no discernible dress code. This is of course an extreme example, but it clearly illustrates the concept of a casual business culture.

 

Body language in a casual business culture is typically quite relaxed and often characterized as being light-hearted and fun. Most interactions are conducted in a more personal manner and with body language that is more relaxed, open, and some would say genuine. It’s okay to develop and nurture friendships in a casual business culture, and acceptable body language includes those non-verbal behaviors that are more social and relationship-oriented.

 

Academic Business Culture

 

While this might seem like a bit of an oxymoron, the academic business culture is alive and well in places such as universities, colleges, research foundations, and academic think tank/issue oriented organizations. The emphasis in this kind of culture is on creativity, thought, knowledge, and discussion.

 

Acceptable body language in an academic culture is usually open and thoughtful, not overbearing or dominant in most cases. Respectful but assertive non-verbal behaviors are quite common, and a great deal of emphasis is placed on face-to-face discussions and relationships. This means posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact are all quite important.

 

What’s Your Organization’s Culture?

 

Correctly identifying and adapting to an organization’s culture is important to job performance and overall career success. If your body language is out of sync with expectations in the business culture, you will likely be perceived as less capable, less qualified, and maybe even less trustworthy in some cases.

 

If you haven’t given any conscious thought to the business culture in your organisation, pause for a bit and do so right now. Make a list of cultural norms in the workplace, including examples of common body language and non-verbal behaviours. Look for patterns in these examples and then compare them to your own general body language and non-verbal behaviours. If there is a glaring difference between the two, start thinking about how you can better match your body language to the dominant business culture.

 

Many aspects of body language are integral to success in the business world. From the way you interact with co-workers to the way you interact with customers and beyond your body language is one of the most powerful and influential communication tools at your disposal. It’s reasonable, then, to learn all you can about enhancing your body language to enhance your success in the business world.

 

Body Language and Business Meetings

 

If you work in the business world, then you probably spend a fair amount of time in meetings. Staff meetings, sales meetings, planning meetings, project meetings, budget meetings, committee meetings, department meetings, group meetings – the list could go on and on.

 

Regardless of the type of meeting you’re in, quality communication is an integral part of your participation. That’s why it’s so important to consider your body language as part of your communication activities.

Your body language has a powerful influence on how you are perceived before, during, and after a meeting. Here are just a few of the ways in which your body language affects communication in meetings:

 

•    Where you sit

•    Whom you sit with

•    Whom you don’t sit with

•    How you sit

•    Whether you should even sit at all

•    What you do with your hands

•    What you do with your arms

•    What you do with your legs

•    Eye contact

•    Overall body position

 

Posture and Body Position in Meetings

 

Take a look around about halfway through your next staff meeting and take note of the different postures and body positions of others in the meeting. Chances are you’ll be able to ‘read’ their thoughts very clearly, such as their level of interest, their agreement/disagreement with the topic at hand, and the like. And of course, others can ‘read’ your body language as well.

 

So what should your posture and body position be? In general, your posture should be upright but not stiff. You don’t want to slouch, but you also don’t want to sit at what looks like military attention. Stay relaxed and even lean forward a bit, as long as you don’t lean so far forward that your arms are sprawled on the table itself.

It’s okay to keep your arms on the table without leaning on them, keeping an open body position and perhaps resting your fingers lightly together. If you have papers or anything else on the table in front of you, don’t play with them. Finally, if you gesture with your hands when talking keep them controlled and contained, preferably no higher than your chin level. If at any point you’re not sure about your own body language in meetings, recruit a trusted colleague to observe you and provide feedback. It might feel a bit awkward, but it’s worth it to make your body language as effective as possible.”

Youth in Business

 

South Africa has for a long time been part of a culture that has shown great entrepreneurial spirit. Young individuals throughout South Africa tend to show an intense willingness to learn, in order to get ahead in their respective fields. However, in the current economic climate, the ability of young hopefuls and businesses alike to handle new job opportunities has dwindled. Young people should not rely on internships or training programs to help them increase their skills or positions, but rather look to planning their own entry into the market.

 

Entrepreneurial upstarts by young individuals may not always be successful, but showing drive and initiative in this way will work in favour of anyone looking to gain experience in years to come. Although there is a financial risk involved, the payout that could be gained at the end of such an experience will make any résumé seem fuller.

 

Along with the various financial aid providers around the country that pride themselves on helping young individuals follow their dreams, there are various programs and organizations that offer guidance and help to young entrepreneurs looking to get their businesses started.

 

Initiatives such as the Youth Entrepreneurship Campaign run in conjunction with the South African Youth Chamber of Commerce planned on helping over 100 000 young entrepreneurs realize their dreams in 2010, as well as the BizJam.co.za online networking site that was run as a prototype for the campaign.

 

More recently, an online initiative by a website called KickStarter has allowed individuals to pitch their ideas to the public, and can thereby get their projects funded by individual contributors from across the globe. Some projects that have been funded by KickStarter.com in the past 6 months have raised over a million US dollars by only using the power of the social aspect of the site.

 

All of these initiatives and opportunities available to South Africa’s young entrepreneurs should provide for a rich future for any individual who puts their mind to the task. In the true spirit of South African innovation, there will no doubt be many inspirational stories to come.

 

"Capital is that part of wealth which is devoted to obtaining further wealth." Alfred Marshall