 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Surviving in the accidental office Ellena Galtos |
Like many people working from home alone, I eagerly await SOHO features in the computer press. Yet for all the hype about using computers in small business, SOHO articles rarely address my specific interests because they tend to focus on businesses with more than one worker.
The one-person business, or the freelancer using a computer to work from home alone, is the cottage industry of the 1990s. This is a rapidly expanding area. More organisations are contracting out work rather than hiring full-time employees. Opportunities to target niche markets for professional services are growing.
You need more than just professional skills and a computer to succeed.
Many people who own computers start working from home almost by accident. These businesses often work in a state of chaos. The ideal of drawing up a business plan before you start working from home is far from reality for most people.
Welcome to the accidental office.
Surviving the accidental office
The accidental office comes in various forms, the most popular being the solo worker at home. Many of us are former employees (often with little cash to spare) whose home computer and professional skills are our major business assets.
We get started in various ways. Sometimes working from home is a means of gradually returning to work after an extended break for illness. You may be a retrenched worker who invested a redundancy payout in upgrading equipment and software to start your own business. Or you may simply have tired of being a wage slave and thought this was the road to independence.
This article focuses on surviving work in a solo operation with little cash to spare. However, the problems are similar for accidental office workers of another kind: people working in temporary or volunteer operations, like low-budget film productions and community-based groups.
Technical support
Computer problems have a new meaning when you work alone. Familiarity with software and professional skills do not automatically mean technical expertise when it comes to the guts of your computer. In fact, getting timely technical support can become the bane of your life.
If you are used to working for an employer you may not realise until too late just how much you rely on in-house technical support. In the solo operation, you must confront problems with equipment and software alone.
Shop around for new equipment. Don't just purchase it cheaply. The short-term saving in buying from a small company on the other side of town may end up costing more in wasted time or lack of service. Assert yourself. Ask in advance about service and warranties, as well as potential software or hardware conflicts, before you buy that new modem!
Mucking around trying to fix a problem or making a supplier return your calls can cost time and contracts. Too many small suppliers run their own accidental offices. If you think you're getting the run around, call the manufacturer to complain. Threats of bad publicity can be useful. So too can a complaint to your state Office of Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs. But be warned, businesses are not always entitled to use small claims tribunals.
On the subject of technical support, remember two important things. First, don't let tech-head friends or shop assistants make you feel inadequate. Self-styled technical experts do not always know the best solution to your problems. Many regular computer users are more intimately acquainted with software shortcuts than the so-called computer whiz. Second, don't take advantage of technically skilled friends. Too many calls for free service are guaranteed to destroy your friendship. Instead, why not enter into a skills exchange? This way you can barter useful skills so you both benefit. This protects your friendship and, if used more widely, can help you develop a network of useful business contacts.
Staying sane
Many people working for themselves haphazardly discover administrative and technical responsibilities which previously their employer took on. Patience, self-discipline, self-confidence and old-fashioned commonsense are essential survival skills. And remember, technical solutions are not always the simplest or the most practical.
Think about your administrative and training needs. Learn how to customise your software to suit your work. Use manual systems where they make sense or if you have not yet mastered the high-tech alternative. Don't become addicted to upgrading software and equipment just for the sake of it. This can be expensive.
Set aside a regular time each week for administrative responsibilities such as invoicing, preparing quotes, computer maintenance and visiting your accountant. Make time to do some practical training. Don't make excuses. Developing your professional and computer skills will save time and earn you money in the long run.
If you are unemployed or a pensioner, injured at work or in a transport accident, you may qualify for training assistance. And, yes, low-income people do work from home, often as underpaid outworkers.
Coping with work as a contractor is an art in itself. Don't undersell yourself or give away too much information when quoting for contracts. Be wary of working with friends and former colleagues who expect mates' rates and pay slowly.
Health and safety
Be vigilant about occupational health and safety. Working at home doesn't mean you can slack off on workplace standards. In fact, you should be even more vigilant about stress and computer related injuries. You can buy good secondhand adjustable computer desks and chairs at moderate prices. Learn to adjust them properly. Don't be duped by fake ergonomic furniture commonly available in computer stores.
While we're on health issues, think about whether you work productively. Avoid undue stress and protect your sanity by taking regular breaks, planning your work and limiting the total hours you work each week. Taking breaks can actually help make you more efficient and happy.
Stress and panic are addictive. So don't drive yourself into the ground with workaholic habits. Research shows working long shifts and failing to take breaks or get adequate sleep can destroy your health. To stay sane we need a social life beyond work.
Useful advice
Don't despair. You may not have started with a business plan, but there's plenty of advice available to help guide you through life as a contractor or small business.
State government small business departments and some community-based organisations provide a variety of useful services. The Victorian Women's Trust Enterprise Connection scheme offers training and services to women in small business. TAFE colleges and universities also run useful short courses.
Many unions and professional organisations provide useful resources and advice for freelance and self-employed members. Membership fees are usually tax deductible. For instance the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (AJA section) has standard freelance contracts, a freelance employment register and runs free seminars for members on professional and technical issues. The Community & Public Sector Union Homebased Teleworking Information Kit includes an interim federal award and useful checklists.
Practical occupational health and safety information is readily available from Worksafe Australia (the National Occupational Health & Safety Commission), state OHS agencies and URCOT (the Union Centre on Office Technology).
Reprinted from the August 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
