Category: Work Life

By Ian Cowley, Managing Director, cartridgesave.co.uk

Flexible working offers a lot of benefits both for you, as a business owner, and your staff. However, there are a few things to remember in order to make it a win/win for both you and your workers. Here is what we’ve learned.

1. Don’t say yes to everyone

Certain job roles like IT, sales, research and web design do not need to be performed in your office in order to be effective. However, we don’t let anyone in our contact centre or warehouse work remotely, because it simply isn’t feasible given their role.

You’ll know instinctively if a role is right for flexible working practices. Where it is, offer it without waiting to be asked. It will be seen as a great perk which helps ensure a happy, motivated workforce.

However, do be very firm in setting parameters for any flexible working agreement.

2. Put targets in place

It is important both you and your employee to know exactly what’s expected from them. Targets allow you to be very explicit and help prevent the remote or flexible worker from being distracted. It’s one thing to work from home, a library or coffee shop, but it’s quite another to be effective!

A set of daily goals to be accomplished should be spelt out. And employees should be made aware you will be regularly checking on their progress. In my experience, people will put up with this increased level of management in return for the perk of flexible working.

3. Create a ‘normal’ routine

Ensure you know how their day will be structured. There may be family reasons for their request for early morning/late evening working. Or maybe they like to break the day with a gym session, making up the time in the evening. Whatever the reason, it’s important you to know when they are available and you feel satisfied that this routine works with your needs.

4. Make them feel part of the team

Employees, even when working remotely, must maintain their presence within a team. Ensure they call, email, even Skype, regularly to keep their team updated on their contribution to shared projects.

Working flexibly is not shorthand for having a jolly and by demonstrating this through actions, rather than words, mutual respect between workmates will be continued. Furthermore it prevents gaps in service. Their colleagues feel able to contact their colleague at any time to deliver what was promised.

If employees work remotely for long periods of time, schedule set dates for them to come in. Face-to-face contact is extremely important for maintain good working relations between colleagues.

5. Keep in touch

Messages, updates and invites should all be extended to employees working remotely for long periods of time. This will ensure they remain invested in the company’s shared goals. Make a point of getting them to come to office nights out as this type of morale boosting, team-building exercise is vital to maintaining a strong sense of unity.

Article Contributed by Dr. Joey Faucette

“Do what you love and love what you do and you’ll never work another day in your life?”

Sounds great, but how do you do that?

Here are 3 Ways to Positively Love Your Work:

Love What You Do for Work

The physical and mental activity of your work must reward you emotionally in order for you to love what you do.

For some people, it’s mentally knowing a difference is made, whatever that might be. For others, it’s the physical exertion that creates an endorphin rush. You love your work when you intrinsically value it and enjoy most of the associated activities.

When that value is lost, you may have transitioned to another phase of your work. Working with a career coach around the current season’s purpose to your work is helpful to again love what you do.

Love Who You Work With

In the WEconomy, team is a given. You work with others to create and leverage more than your “I” can do.

You attract others to your team based on your core values, priorities, and unique contribution. Your core values and priorities create a commonality of why we do and how we do. Your unique contribution is complementary within the team.

Examine within yourself who you love working with and why and conversely who you don’t and why. Change what you can about the “don’t” relationship. Either accept what you can’t change or transition to another team or workplace. Working positive is challenging enough today without dragging yourself to work because of a stressful team environment.

Love Who You Work For

Ultimately you work for two groups of people: your customers/clients and your family.

Your customers/clients are those persons whom you attract into your business in order to solve a problem they have. They need or want something and you supply the product or service that conveys the answer.

Do you love your customers/clients? If so, tell them as often as possible. If not, find some more to your liking. You also attract them based on your core values, priorities, and unique contributions.

More importantly, you work for your family. You work to achieve some measure of financial independence to invest time into your family relationships. You work to provide responsibly for the needs and desires of the persons with whom you choose to enjoy your most intimate relationships.

Let your family know often, especially this week, how much you love them and love working for them.

As you do, you now know how to love what you do and do what you love.

Enjoy your Work Positive lifestyle!

About the Author

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), Positive Success Coach, & speaker who helps business professionals increase sales with greater productivity so they get out of the office earlier to do what they love with those they love. Discover more at www.GetPositive.Today.

Article Contributed by Korie Cantor

Being at the helm of a business means more than having a corner office and your name on a business card; as an entrepreneur, you have to believe in your mission and vision, and instill the same passion in your employees. And this can often mean having to put in additional working hours!

While your work can be challenging and rewarding at the same time, working after hours can take a toll on your family life. So it isn’t surprising to see a lot of women put off starting a family because they think doing so will help them concentrate on their career, or give up their career to give their family undivided attention.

If you are a woman entrepreneur contemplating which way to go, you need to know that having the best of both worlds is possible- you just need to balance them right! Here are six tips that will help you maintain a work-family life balance.

Know What You Want

A work-life balance is different for everyone- some women might find a balance in allotting family time on weekends while others may find spending a couple of hours with their family on a daily basis to be satisfying. Further, you can be just as happy noting down freebies you want to sign up for or splurging on a lavish dinner with your partner.

Knowing what works for you will help you plan your schedule appropriately so that you don’t end up checking work e-mails when spending time with your family or dream about a family vacation in the middle of an important meeting.

Set Clear Boundaries

Once you’re clear on what a work-life balance means to you, you’ll have to set clear boundaries so you don’t merge work time and family time.

Setting clear boundaries can be as simple as ensuring you leave the office at a particular time or refrain from checking e-mails after a set time. It also means not being constantly in touch with your subordinates when you’re on vacation; if you must check e-mails, do it in the morning or evening.

Setting boundaries alone won’t do the trick; you’ll also have to stay within them come what may. Make sure your subordinates know your boundaries so that your business can run without glitches. Also, work around your boundaries so that you can meet your responsibilities.

Learn to Outsource or Delegate

You can’t be there for your family and company at the same time and all the time. Accept this fact and realize that you need people to take care of certain tasks for you. If you cannot fit picking up your kids from school or activity classes into your schedule, don’t stress about it- ask a family member to do it for you or hire a driver.

When it comes to work, delegate tasks to employees who excel at completing them. Most importantly, trust your employees to get the job done so that you don’t waste your time and energy worrying about delegated tasks.

Additionally, don’t spend your family time doing things that can get on your nerves. For example, going grocery shopping with cranky kids in tow won’t do you or your kids any good. So go shopping for groceries and other essentials in your ‘work time’, get someone to do it for you, or order online!

Don’t Feel Guilty

Working mothers usually think that they are placing their career before their children and family and then feel guilty about it. Instead of doing this to yourself, do away with negative thoughts and think of how you’re positively affecting your family’s life by running your own business!

Be Open to Changes

Your family’s needs as well as those of your company will change over time. If you try to follow the same schedule for an extended amount of time, you won’t be able to maintain the work-life balance.

What’s more, your own needs are bound to change with time, so embrace all changes that come your way and tweak your schedules accordingly!

Take Care of Yourself

It’s easy to lose yourself in the daily hustle and bustle of life trying to achieve excellence both at work and at home. To keep your sanity intact, be sure to take some time out for yourself- daily, weekly, or monthly.

Above all, stay healthy by eating right and exercising regularly. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of your family and business!

Conclusion

As a career-oriented woman, you needn’t choose your career or family over the other. Achieving work and family life balance is absolutely possible- you just need to ensure you’re doing the right things.

With the tips given here, you now know what you need to do to have the best of both worlds. So get started on balancing your family and professional life!

Author bio:

Korie Cantor is a blogger and writer who blogs about fashion, family, business tips and lifestyle. She possesses a great sense of style. Being a fashionista, she loves to share her thoughts about fashion and it’s latest trends. Connect on Twitter at @koriecantor