II class this as an Internet psychology topic because it is the Internet and mobile phones, pda's etc., that have allowed more people to start their own business from home or to work from home/remotely for their organisation.

Although the figures are unclear (because everyone seems to have a different term or definition - e.g. teleworking, mobile working, home working etc.) there is evidence of an increase in working from home, using technology to support communications. Professionals are the most likely to have some flexibility in this, working from home by choice some of the time and going in to the office when they wish. However for some there are real difficulties with working away from a main office (especially from home).

These include:

Social Isolation
Poor time management (end up either getting nothing done or working 24/7)
Friction with home life (no clear break between work and home)
Losing out on promotions (it is not all in the mind, it really happens)
Perceptions of not working (leading to constant interruptions in the worse case).

There are ways to help improve on all this, including setting clear boundaries, good time management, and regular face to face meetings. I will be posting up some more ideas and suggestions around this over the next few weeks – including whether some people are better able to cope with home working and whether specific types of training may be best - but questions and comments much appreciated.

Kind regards

Stephanie

__________________
Dr Stephanie Morgan
Crosslight Management
www.crosslight.co.uk

To follow-on from this I attach a brief powerpoint slideshow about the issues involved in home working. I have taken out a number of the pictures to make the file size manageable, but hopeully it all makes sense.

Comments and questions much appreciated - by the way let me know if these brief presentations are preferred (they are quick to read but of course lack detail) or whether you would prefer I did a more detailed 'white paper' on the subject (eventually I plan to do both but it would be handy to know who likes what).

kind regards

Stephanie

Attached Files

WshopVirtualRemmgmt2.ppt (591.0 KB, 4 views)

__________________
Dr Stephanie Morgan
Crosslight Management
www.crosslight.co.uk

I work from home on and off. At present, I have worked from home for the last 10 months or so but I am planning to get an office so that I can separate my home life from my work.
I have downloaded this PowerPoint, I will post a feedback once I have watched it.

I think PowerPoint presentation is quite good, for a lazy person like me its nice to sit back and watch a presentation rather than read a white paper. Thanks for sharing this Stephanie.

Hi Temi, I agree it can be hard to separate work and home, unles syou have a spare room for only the office stuff (and even then it is just too easy to pop in and do some more work).

I hear some people get their work clothes on to get them in work mode when working from home - does anyone know of this/do this?

Hi, all:

I've been working at home since getting downsized in 1993 -- and it has really been interesting. Technology has improved the ability to work, no doubt about that, but what a learning curve... I remember the first time I ever tried to send a document via modem. You had to call the business, ask them what protocol they were using, unplug your phone, plug in the modem, send, then call them back to see if they got the file. The instructions that came with the modem were impossible to understand; and to this day, I've no idea how I ever got that modem connected.

Every two years required getting a new computer (sometimes a laptop, sometimes a desktop)... It was so exciting when I first signed up for AOL in 1995 (I think) and also had a computer built that ran at 100 megahertz... It was my first Pentuim, but I had to go back to the shop twice the day I picked up up because they forgot to do something to make the mouse work. Technologically, I think the biggest challenge has been having to figure everything out for myself... including how to switch from WordPerfect to Word but especially being your own IT. The switch to Word wasn't so bad, but installing more memory in my first printer was very challenging. Except for customer support, there was no one to call when something went wrong -- and if you did connect with someone, the software manufacturer would blame the hardware manufacturer and vice versa. You just kind of jumped in and did what you could. It's nothing like when you buy a computer today and just hook it up.

The best advance, I would have to say, was being able to attach documents versus sending faxes. In 1996, I went through 20 reams of paper... much of it wasted because people would send back comments and include the pages that had no changes. Now, my work requires less than a ream a year (though studying takes more). Being able to scan documents has probably been the next best thing. It took quite a while, but I scanned the contents of six entire filing cabinets a few years ago, and what a difference that has made in being able to find things and gaining office space.

One challenge remains: Finding a hands-free telephone with reception that's clear enough to conduct interviews.

Still, all in all: I love it.... Yesterday two of my female clients asked me to write an article about fashion and professional dress for outside sales representatives. I reminded her that them that they were talking to someone who worked in her pajamas. Years ago, that kind of comment might have been unprofessional; but they laughed and said they were jealous.

Best,
Jan