This morning, I should have been hosting a networking event alongside my business partner. Unfortunately, I woke up with a particularly bad cold - far more than just sniffles and feeling under the weather - which didn't improve as the morning went on. I asked myself what I would do if I had a "regular" job; the answer was "I would identify that I was well enough to work from home, but not well enough to go into a physical location." So, that's what I'm doing today, while my partner handles the networking event.
"But if someone's well enough to work from home, they're well enough to come in to work!"
"But if someone's well enough to work from home, they're well enough to come in to work!"
I'm not dying, and my vision is only minimally playing up (I have multiple active sight-loss conditions; it takes actual work for me to be able to benefit from the little useful vision I have left; that is compromised when I'm ill), but I am probably contagious, and have no way of knowing how what for me is a bad chest cold would impact someone else.
I can work in bed, in comfortable clothing, with the ability to go at my own pace, without judgement over the fact that I've needed to go to the toilet five times in the past hour and a half, and with the benefit of pillows, and the 30-40 degree elevation of my head that helps with two of my sight loss conditions when they're playing up more than usual. I can write, and think, even though talking is very tiring at the moment.
"Well, what about people whose jobs can't be done from home?!"
I can work in bed, in comfortable clothing, with the ability to go at my own pace, without judgement over the fact that I've needed to go to the toilet five times in the past hour and a half, and with the benefit of pillows, and the 30-40 degree elevation of my head that helps with two of my sight loss conditions when they're playing up more than usual. I can write, and think, even though talking is very tiring at the moment.
"Well, what about people whose jobs can't be done from home?!"
That brings us to the point of this article. With a change in perspective, and a revised understanding of what the point of "a job" actually is, everyone can work from home on occasion. Absolutely, not everyone can always work from home, but everyone could work from home when they need to.
If we moved from "people are hired for specific skills, which are put to use in specific, narrow ways", to a view that "people are hired to add to the profits, brand awareness, and sustainability of the business", then the ability for a supermarket checkout operative, a factory labourer, a construction worker, a veterinary nurse, a receptionist, or a hairdresser to work from home becomes much more accessible, obvious, and acceptable.
If we moved from "people are hired for specific skills, which are put to use in specific, narrow ways", to a view that "people are hired to add to the profits, brand awareness, and sustainability of the business", then the ability for a supermarket checkout operative, a factory labourer, a construction worker, a veterinary nurse, a receptionist, or a hairdresser to work from home becomes much more accessible, obvious, and acceptable.
Marketing strategies can be developed from home.
Problems can be identified, and solutions generated, by people working from home.
Business development plans can be drawn up from bed, or at the kitchen table.
Client approaches can be made from any telephone, or via email from any computer.
Content can be created, and research carried out, in pyjamas, with a favourite TV programme on in the background.
If we remove remits and job titles, and simply set the expectation that the people we employ are paid to move the business forward, and ensure its growth, sustained presence, and continued profitability, then we allow more people to find their place in the workforce, particularly those with disabilities, or who have kinship care responsibilities.
It enables businesses to set up in lower-cost areas, and to have smaller, lower-cost premises, because there is a reduced need to house the full workforce on-site.
We allow people to respond proactively and promptly to changing markets, reducing the numbers of people rendered unemployed (and, in some cases, unemployable) by sector shifts, and disruptive technologies.
It also makes it easier to identify the right wage to pay someone, because it is easier to track how an individual's personal efforts impact the business income; depending on the size and health of the business, a person's wage could be between 10-20% of the profit their activities on behalf of the business generate. For example, if someone's activities in employment generate an extra £5,000 per week, they should receive between £500 and £1,000 per week.
This allows minimum expectations for profit generation to be set (eg, each employee is expected to generate a minimum of £1,000 per week profit through their work-focused activities), which, in turn, makes it easier for businesses to identify the number of staff they actually need, easier for them to identify poor performers - and to identify, and reward, exceptional performers, and allows for a more reliable prediction of income and profits.
Businesses get to access the full range of peoples' skills, capabilities, and potential, rather than just "what they've spent most of their time doing for other companies."
People are more likely to commit long-term to one employer, rather than job-hopping, because there is a range of work to do, and a higher level of interest and engagement. They are also able to directly see how their work benefits the business, and they are rewarded in proportion to that benefit.
Leaders and leadership teams will also be able to very quickly see which areas of focus bring in the most profit - and which cost more than they generate - allowing them to proactively focus on the most relevant areas.
People become more easily able to work part-time, as they can target their efforts, and achieve more in fewer hours - which is a net benefit to the business, as well as facilitating employees enjoying a better work/life balance, without additional cost to the business.
Because there is a well-defined outcome, which has a fiscal metric applied to it, it becomes easy to see whether the work is being done or not, and whether or not it is being done to a high standard. This not only allows businesses to identify which activities are most profitable, but also which employees are performing best - and should reduce the incidence of poor employee performance, as people are easily able to change up what they are working on to match their strengths and interests.
"But how on earth would we construct interviews?! An interview is essentially an assessment of a particular skill!"
But it shouldn't be. An interview should be assessing the following:
. Passion
Problems can be identified, and solutions generated, by people working from home.
Business development plans can be drawn up from bed, or at the kitchen table.
Client approaches can be made from any telephone, or via email from any computer.
Content can be created, and research carried out, in pyjamas, with a favourite TV programme on in the background.
If we remove remits and job titles, and simply set the expectation that the people we employ are paid to move the business forward, and ensure its growth, sustained presence, and continued profitability, then we allow more people to find their place in the workforce, particularly those with disabilities, or who have kinship care responsibilities.
It enables businesses to set up in lower-cost areas, and to have smaller, lower-cost premises, because there is a reduced need to house the full workforce on-site.
We allow people to respond proactively and promptly to changing markets, reducing the numbers of people rendered unemployed (and, in some cases, unemployable) by sector shifts, and disruptive technologies.
It also makes it easier to identify the right wage to pay someone, because it is easier to track how an individual's personal efforts impact the business income; depending on the size and health of the business, a person's wage could be between 10-20% of the profit their activities on behalf of the business generate. For example, if someone's activities in employment generate an extra £5,000 per week, they should receive between £500 and £1,000 per week.
This allows minimum expectations for profit generation to be set (eg, each employee is expected to generate a minimum of £1,000 per week profit through their work-focused activities), which, in turn, makes it easier for businesses to identify the number of staff they actually need, easier for them to identify poor performers - and to identify, and reward, exceptional performers, and allows for a more reliable prediction of income and profits.
Businesses get to access the full range of peoples' skills, capabilities, and potential, rather than just "what they've spent most of their time doing for other companies."
People are more likely to commit long-term to one employer, rather than job-hopping, because there is a range of work to do, and a higher level of interest and engagement. They are also able to directly see how their work benefits the business, and they are rewarded in proportion to that benefit.
Leaders and leadership teams will also be able to very quickly see which areas of focus bring in the most profit - and which cost more than they generate - allowing them to proactively focus on the most relevant areas.
People become more easily able to work part-time, as they can target their efforts, and achieve more in fewer hours - which is a net benefit to the business, as well as facilitating employees enjoying a better work/life balance, without additional cost to the business.
Because there is a well-defined outcome, which has a fiscal metric applied to it, it becomes easy to see whether the work is being done or not, and whether or not it is being done to a high standard. This not only allows businesses to identify which activities are most profitable, but also which employees are performing best - and should reduce the incidence of poor employee performance, as people are easily able to change up what they are working on to match their strengths and interests.
"But how on earth would we construct interviews?! An interview is essentially an assessment of a particular skill!"
But it shouldn't be. An interview should be assessing the following:
. Passion
. Initiative
. Most effective management style for the individual
. Working style of the individual
. Working style of the individual
. Coachable-ness
. Eagerness to learn and explore
. Natural strengths and interests
. Areas for efficient and effective development
. Eagerness to learn and explore
. Natural strengths and interests
. Areas for efficient and effective development
Those are recession and future proof, they're flexible enough to withstand sector shocks, and to flow with paradigm shifts.
If you're interested in learning how to do business in a truly radical way, and giving your staff genuine flexibility, and space to explore, meet, develop and exceed their potential, drop us an email anytime: theproductivepessimist@yahoo.com, or call us Tues-Fri 8.30am-6.30pm, Sundays 9.30am-1.30pm: 0748 2017 927
If you're interested in learning how to do business in a truly radical way, and giving your staff genuine flexibility, and space to explore, meet, develop and exceed their potential, drop us an email anytime: theproductivepessimist@yahoo.com, or call us Tues-Fri 8.30am-6.30pm, Sundays 9.30am-1.30pm: 0748 2017 927
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