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.

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.

There’s a blog which provides lots of info – http://blog.coworking.info/

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.

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.

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!

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.

I hope it works out well for School for Startups.