Is Teleworking only for Big Business?

More and more of the work-force in large corporations work from home, or have a “hot-desk”, they share with others while they are in the office. This trend is driven by the ever present need to feed the profit hungry shareholders of these often public companies. But is this trend only some thing big business should consider, or has teleworking a place in the small business?

If it is then what would the advantages are for micro business to allow teleworking for it’s small work-force? Here are some reasons why you may consider to allow your staff to work from home or on the road, with only a temp-desk in your office:

• Efficiency - you may come to the conclusion that your staff member does not need to be in the office to do their work, bookkeeping staff for instance, customer care staff can also work from home. They would save the trip into the office, saving time and money while reducing carbon footprint.
• Cost-effective - consider how much office space you could save, with that money on rent, furniture, heating and electricity, again reducing carbon emissions.
• Recession-proofing - having lower over-heads/fixed costs during times of an economic slowdown helps your small business to survive.
• Growth of Business - you could stay longer in the same property while your business is growing, with the same above effects, plus savings on time, money by not having to move. No to mention the business interruption before, during and after the move.
• Lean & Mean - is not only something that big business needs to worry about, if they could they would run the whole Microsoft, GE, Barclays empires with ten people, in order to boost profits. Ultimately that is why you run your small business too.
• Enabling disabled workers - this point is often overlooked. We are concerned with not having a educated workforce, while highly educated but disabled people sit hat home without adequate work, that seems a waste to me.

I think it is sometimes important to remember how good it feels to get up in the morning and go to your small business without any real financial worries. Unfortunately this is not the reality for many self-employed, sole-traders and other micro businesses, that is a shame. Making decisions about how and where your work-force works is part of that process that will get you there in the end.

After working from home full-time now for over nine years, only going to the office for meetings has not only be a financial success but also liberating. — ST.

Resources:

• OnlineOffice - run your office, staff and business from anywhere.
• Business Link - one of the best guides I’ve seen.

3 Responses to “Is Teleworking only for Big Business?”

1. Keith McMean
   http://www.keithmcmean.co.uk
   
   Said on May 16th, 2008 at 8:09 am

   Hi Stefan
   This is my first post and I take on a lot of your suggestions but how do you get over the fact that one of our biggest customers, with a lot of influence in the area decided to go with another company, outside the area, as they we seen as having ’swanky offices, lots of staff and credibility’ we could have offered the same services at quarter of the price but we were perceived as not being ‘a studio’. What’s the answer more staff and bigger premises?
   Keith

2. Stefan Töpfer
   http://www.winweb.com
   
   Said on May 16th, 2008 at 9:28 am

   Keith,

   Thank you for your comment.

   The way I see it, there could be a multitude of reasons, perception, better marketing and sales pitch, even a better service.

   But here is the thing, should you really care, does it really make that much difference to your business. Forget your ego for a while and focus on your business. Sometimes it is better to get rid of your biggest customer, because you try to please your customer and do what he/she wants you to do, not what you’re capable of.

   It has already made you think about what you could have done better, I’m sure you had some ideas, so it has already moved you forward. Get more and smaller customers, don’t get too many, so you can provide a good service.

   Keith, this all my sound harsh, but I lost one of my businesses - I had to close it down - after my biggest customer went into receivership, I’ve been there done it.

   Try and see this challenge as an opportunity, it may be hard now, but get through this and you will know what I mean. Keep your over-heads low, bootstrap, outsource non-essential business and office functions. It will keep your cash-flow and cash reserves high and help you to weather harder times.

   Hope this helps a little,
   Stefan

3. Keith McMean
   http://www.keithmcmean.co.uk
   
   Said on May 16th, 2008 at 11:40 am

   Hi Stefan
   Thanks for the reply and yes I agree sometimes its better to let the client go rather than ‘pander’ to them. I suppose the concern is that we have gained quite a lot of business through the association with them and I wouldn’t like that to suffer.
   Keith

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