Comments on: Not Just Pajama Parties: Making Remote Working Work

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:05:54 +0000

Elaine, Holly, Christine, Marisol, thank you so much for your comments on this issue. I think you’ve all summed it up – what works for one person doesn’t work for another. If flexible working is available, some people may take it up and others will find it doesn’t work for them. But having the option to discover what is your preference is the main thing, in my opinion.

By: Can you wait 58 years to earn the same as your male colleagues? | A Girl's Guide to Project Management

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:58:30 +0000

[...] Why is flexible working important? Because it gives women (and men) the chance to mould their working day to fit around the rest of their lives. Granted, it won’t work for all companies, or all project managers, especially those who need to be on a building site or with clients at certain times. But a lot of project management can be done from anywhere. It’s not that difficult to make it work. [...]

By: Marisol

Marisol — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:05:22 +0000

I enjoy working from home because it allows me to organize my thoughts and prioritize my projects. I agree, it does require discipline and a dedicated space or office to keep the “toolbox.” It is also important to set a working schedule and deadlines. I guess, the main advantage is that you minimize the interruptions and the office politics.

It works for me.

By: ChristineBrownQuinn

ChristineBrownQuinn — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:09:13 +0000

I recently set up my own consultancy business in my home after more than 20 years in banking. What a shock! I do miss the day-to-day camaraderie, but enjoy the ability to focus on one task for more than a couple of minutes at a time. Being disciplined and creating your own structure within a home office is critical as is staying in touch (including some face time) with your key clients and co-workers.

By: Holly - The Work at Home Woman

Holly - The Work at Home Woman — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:40:50 +0000

I love working from home! But if definitely takes a certain type of personality. You really need to be self-motivated, organized and flexible. You must also have excellent communication skills and be able to easily deal with distractions. Knowing what type of personality you have before hand can really make a difference between work at home success and failure.

By: Elaine Heyworth

Elaine Heyworth — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:38:28 +0000

For me working from home is really difficult. I get distracted by children, housework and domestic chores, despite the fact that my husband does all the housework and childcaring for us. Coming into the office allows me put on my “working” hat, and concentrate on the job at hand. I love mingling with co-workers, discussing what’s going on, sharing information about the business, and generally enhancing the culture of the company by being around. I don’t feel I need to be visible to my boss to be noticed – I just like to have “a place to work” as opposed to a place to be with my family. I don’t consider it healthy to have a work/life balance all in the same room.

I have no problem at all allowing my team members to work from home if that is what they prefer, and always support them in taking up that option. For me, delegation has never been a problem, and performance management is what it’s all about. I don’t need to see them every day to know whether they’re working hard enough – as long as I get the results I need, I’m happy with how they’re achieved.

However, it doesn’t work for me – I like to be able to close the working door when I reach my front door!

Just a thought from the other side of the argument.