I wonder sometimes what a business needs to run well. And recently I’ve been wondering whether we need an office. And if we don’t, then are we a so-called “home-based business”? It’s a poisoned chalice of a description because it implies, quite unfairly I think, that we would somehow be less professional, less scalable, less real if we worked from home.
Emma Jones who runs the wonderful website Enterprise Nation (www.enterprisenation.com) which champions all things relating to home-based businesses, has been tireless in her efforts to get people to realize the benefits of working from home.
There is some evidence that things are changing. Regus, the global provider of temporary offices, have created a new “business lounge” to accompany their temporary offices which should cater to the web-workers of the world. They have fitted out their Bruton Street facility in London to accommodate teams that would use Regus as their focal point when they actually need to work as a group or meet someone face to face. And Mark Dixon their CEO has publicly announced their intent to put one of these Starbucks meets living room meets temporary office type facilities in every town of the UK. It seems eminently logical to me.
But of course when the office goes so to goes the esprit-de-corp. The sense of the team is partly embodied in the close proximity. The efficiency of the casual conversation, the ad-hoc meeting, the friendship ties all become attenuated when there is no common place for everyone. Or is that all just hokum?
Maybe instead what disappears is the endless gossip and office politics; the interruptions, the increasingly difficult transport efforts and compromises on quality of location of our homes so we can draw a rational line between our office and our home.
Of course, if the UK actually had broadband this might be a less difficult conversation. What we call broadband (500k and up) is laughable by South Korean or Japanese standards or for that matter by the standards of many nations. It is the rant of another day to question whether Britain is missing the boat by not focusing on making every home in the country wired at 1000x the broadband we have today.
But back to where I started. Do we really need an office? Well you can find out if you like. We certainly will. On August 1st School for Startups is abandoning its posh digs in Cambridge and everyone (all three and a half of us ) are going to be working from home.
And I shall keep you informed of the journey. If anyone has advice or ideas about great tools or tricks, we will surely welcome them….
Doug
Anne Marie McEwan
27 July 2009
8:35 am
It will be interesting to see how you get on. Ideas, tools or tricks – there’s so much advice and stuff out there that it would be hard to know where to start. And what might be useful would depend on what issues you face.
From a research study I led in 2004, it is no surprise to hear that robust and approriate technologies are a must in distributed working, as is swift support when the technology goes wrong.
Distorted perceptions arising from isolation, even among people who know each other well, might be something to look out for. Here’s the experience of a small IT services company:
http://www.thesmartworkcompany.com/pdf/SEEDA%20Case%20Study%203.pdf
Good luck! Anne Marie
Bill Roberts
27 July 2009
8:53 am
Our 2 person company has never had an office – we both work from home (about 4 hours drive apart) and get together one day a month for a face to face review and planning session. It’s worked really well for us and certainly saved a lot of money and needless commuting. I find I am more productive working mostly alone than I used to be when in an office all day, mainly because of fewer interruptions – and between Skype, IM, email and a wiki, it’s easy and cheap to communicate effectively with remote colleagues.
I hope it works out well for School for Startups.
Craig
27 July 2009
9:03 am
We’ve bootstrapped our early-stage mobile software business from home offices for a couple of years. Skype/MSN allows us to be permanently connected with each other and instantly communicate – but without the interruption that occurs in an office when a colleague pops across to your desk to tell you something. No time-wasted commuting into Cambridge to the office… easier to balance those extra long hours amongst the home-life… it has worked really well for us.
Also, we’ve held meetings at our home offices with large international companies who have then become partners with our business. They haven’t been phased by our “home office” credentials.
However, we are now going the other way – as we recruit more people we are setting up a small office in Cambridge to house the team and build the team spirit that will help shape the personality of the business as we grow. But I definately recommend working from a collection of home offices – its simply very efficient.
Tom Gaskell
27 July 2009
10:46 am
I have used a home office since last November and it can be both productive and lonely. I use Regus or hotel business rooms or St John’s Innovation Centre if I need offices for client meetings, but most usually I meet clients on their sites.
I find that you do need to get face to face with others regularly, even if it’s just at networking events such as Cambridge Network or Cambridge Wireless, to avoid becoming a hermit.
Stirling Essex (CRFS and Cambridge Wireless) told me “a phone call is worth ten emails, and a face to face meeting is worth ten phone calls”. I try to live by that… and often fail!
Nitin
27 July 2009
12:05 pm
It’s all about the mindset of the individuals involved in the business as to whether home office-based businesses can work. They can work through the VoIP technologies available now, and anyone starting a business in the UK today will no doubt also have a fast internet connection so this is viable.
The downside is the lack of opportunity to mix with people and interaction skills, but these can be more than made up for by using places like Regus and Starbucks as required for meetings, plus networking with appropriate groups. One downside is for graduates coming into the workplace today, who still need to learn some of these skills and going straight to the home office environment may not help them in understanding the politics of companies and customers/partners.
Interesting topic, I have worked out of a home office for over 7 years, and the advice I always give to people is to maintain self-discipline in routine, and set targets. Together they help you to achieve more and exploit the benefits of home-office working. Network too (within reason) in order overcome the feeling of isolation that sometimes prevails.
John Richards
27 July 2009
5:15 pm
Can’t you just Skype each other for esprit de corps?
Jules May
27 July 2009
10:28 pm
Through a series of businesses, both solo and in company, I have worked from home for nearly 20 years. Now I’m (temporarily) employed, I’m still doing most of my work from home!
On balance, I like it. It does involve less pointless politicking and much less stressful commuting. But there are difficulties and drawbacks.
Here’s what I’ve learned: The two most difficult things to learn how to do when I’m working from home is (a), to start, and (b) to stop! It’s really easy to procrastinate, to get up late, and to potter around the house before knuckling down. Before you know it, the day’s gone!
But then, having started, it’s very tempting to keep going until I’ve finished. Before you know it, a week has gone by! Trouble is: it’s not quantity of work that counts, it’s quality, and working like that, most of what I produce is junk!
Professionalism is the key. Not only do I have to maintain a professional attitude (and hours), but I have to train everybody around me to be just as professional. (Family, friends, even tradesmen will say “You’re at home – surely you can spare a few minutes” – but it knocks you off your pace).
I now have a properly-equipped office, with separate phone lines, broadband, and even access separated from the rest of the house. I’ve left strict instructions that I’m not to be disturbed unless and until dinner is ready
Regarding Espirit de corps: It’s true; it’s possible to become terribly isolated from the rest of a team. The danger is not just that you become distant and isolated: it’s that you stop being part of the team at all, and the professional communication breaks down.
I think that it’s necessary to take “affirmative action” to redress the balance. Regular meetings are the key: not just business meetings, but social interactions as well. At my (still temporary) employer, I take every opportunity to be part of social events, to deliver presentations, to be part of steering groups, and so on. Sometimes I go into the company’s office for no better reason that to mingle – I don’t even take my computer in! On a smaller (and more friendly) level, I’ve done the same in the teams I’ve worked in.
It’s about maintaining the personal relationships. Email is no better at sustaining a proper meeting-of-minds relationship than an annual Christmas card is! But so long as I can keep the social wheels turning, I’m part of the dynamic. One the wheels stop, it’s pretty difficult to get them started again.
Nicola Gammon
28 July 2009
8:02 am
We all work from home and meet regularly at the Royal Festival Hall (near Waterloo tube) which has great airy facilities, meeting tables and free WIFI. Handy tip if you work in London and want to get together with your team around a laptop.
Rosie
1 September 2009
12:25 am
It’s worth checking out the term coworking – it’s a global movement to create informal and cafe like spaces. Generally they are started from the ground up – ie by people not the traditional business spaces like Regus.
There’s a blog which provides lots of info – http://blog.coworking.info/
Tracey Clarke
24 September 2009
11:57 am
I hope more businesses take on board the home working ethic and start to work more with VA’s Virtual Assistants.
I’ve been running my VA business for nearly 4 years and love it, have some fabulous clients and have just secured work with a college in Rocklin, California, so now we’re International.
I seriously think the whole idea of the secretary/PA being resident on business premises will eventually move on, the Virtual Assistant Industry is huge is America and is steadily growing here in the UK.
The same with purpose built call centres, why can’t people provide the exact same service but do it from home. Ticks so many boxes.
Chris Mountford
7 February 2010
8:42 am
Interesting. Great to hear you’re trying it out for real. I’ll be following your progress with interest.
I’ve noticed enlightened offices are becoming more like homes. Perhaps this should tell us something.
One thing working from home makes easier is what one might glibly term “homing from work” – a tension for those with families.
Working out of home sees one calling to wish children goodnight, doing ones administrivia and not being able to properly relax to better pace a long day.
The best thing working from home encourages is being evaluated on meaningful results rather than hours.