More and more women are looking at flexible forms of working in order to fit employment into their family life. From part-time work to home-working, we look at the options available
Gillian Nissim started www.WorkingMums.co.uk as a result of her own experiences. After the birth of her first son, her employer was unable to accommodate any kind of flexibility.
WorkingMums.co.uk is a thriving jobsite and community for professional women looking for flexible, part-time, office and home-based job opportunities. We asked Gillian to share her knowledge with iVillage members via a live web chat on the Working From Home board.
Can I work flexibly?
I want to work from home
My friend badgers me when I'm working
Help! I'm too disorganised
Can I get financial assistance?
My job is being moved 20 miles away and I have young kids. I suggested working flexibly and my boss said, 'push off!'
I've spent the last three years earning a degree in my own time. There are a lot of jobs in the paper I could do, but they are not part-time. Is it worth approaching them with a 'can do' attitude and chancing my arm on the hours I need?
jeni1974
Gillian Nissim: You may want to explore whether you can work for your existing employer on a flexible basis (perhaps part-time and/or with some home working, for example).
Depending on the amount of time they've been with an employer, parents who have a child aged 0 - 6 years, or a disabled child under 18, have the right to apply to work flexibly and their employers have a duty to consider these requests seriously.
You should check out what your employer's flexible working policy is and, in any case, there is a formal process to follow. Make sure you know your rights and those of your employer, and go to your employer with a well thought through business proposition.
If you show you can make flexible working work for both you and your employer, your request is more likely to get a positive response.
If that's not a route you want to follow and you do want to 'start again', there are a number of strategies to explore. More and more companies are embracing flexible working practices and the Internet is a good place to start. Job sites such as www.workingmums.co.uk are geared specifically to link employers looking for part-time professionals with mums who want to work more flexibly.
They offer a vast range of roles that vary from full-time home-based to term-time only, and these jobs span a wide range of industry sectors. Local papers can also be a surprisingly good source of quality part-time jobs.
Also talk to your friends and the 'mums network'. Is someone you know looking for a job-share partner, for example?
As you suggest, you could approach employers advertising for full-time positions with a part-time proposition. Another approach is to identify and approach companies that you know have a good record of employing people on a flexible basis.
A bit of desk research and speaking to friends can help identify these employers. These are companies who recognise that offering flexibility allows them access to a wider pool of talent, and it has great business benefits for them.
I am desperate not to go back to work since the birth of my son and really, really like the idea of working from home. Where can I find a job that allows me to do this and what type of jobs can be done from home?
mum2ethan
Gillian Nissim: The Internet is a very good place to start when looking for home-based roles and, with a growing number of employers offering flexible and home-based working opportunities, the range of roles that can be done from home is becoming more and more varied.
If you're looking for roles that go beyond direct selling, websites such as www.WorkingMums.co.uk regularly have a wide-variety of home-based roles. Past and current roles we've had advertised include virtual PA roles, business development directors, customer relationship managers and home-based telemarketers, to name a few.
Technology is making home-working a much more viable option for both employers and employees. This is great news for mums who want and need to earn an income, want a challenge, but also need the flexibility that home-working brings.
In many instances, home-based roles will require you to have a PC and broadband Internet access. It also helps to be up to speed with your knowledge of the Internet and familiar with the basic search engines.
Before you start looking and applying for home-based roles it's really important to decide how many hours you want to work each day or week, and what childcare arrangements you'll have in place for the hours you do work. Employers like to know that you've thought through the logistics and have childcare and support lined up for the time you will be working for them.
My friend badgers me when I'm working
Occasionally, I work from home. The problem I have is getting friends to recognise that even though I'm at home, I am working too!
One friend in particular continually calls in working hours. If I'm at home, she badgers me by text and then calls to ask why I haven't answered. Because we use MSN Messenger in the office to communicate with each other, she keeps popping up on that as well! I explain I'm at work and give very brief answers but it doesn't seem to sink in.
cl-thirdtimer
Gillian Nissim: I work from home - my friends know that - and sometimes I do have to explain and apologise for not making or taking calls when working, but they do understand.
Equally, the odd call is inevitable but in my experience friends don't mind it when I have to cut a call short and say I'll ring back later. Sometimes it's just a case of reminding people (particularly non-working friends) why it's hard to talk at certain times in the day.
For the 'repeat offender', my tactic would be one or more of the following:
- Screen calls (easy if she's calling your mobile) and divert her calls directly to answerphone.
- When she calls, text back with 'At work, will call later'.
- Ignore her calls completely if she calls during work time. She will soon get the message.
I've been trying hard to work while my son is at nursery but by the time I've done the household chores, there isn't much time left to do anything else!
Do you have any suggestions on how I can organise myself and my life better so that work time means I get something done?
merith
Gillian Nissim: It may sound obvious, but the key is to be really organised. Firstly, to be able to work efficiently, you do need to set aside a time in the day to work and stick to it.
You need to look honestly at what is keeping you from working and what the interruptions are, and are they avoidable? Having a room in the house you can use as an office, or at least somewhere you can go and shut yourself away from distractions, is invaluable and it may be that you also need to let family and friends know not to call you at those times of the day when you're working.
It may sound rather regimented but having plans, lists and timetables really does help. If you know what you're doing and when (work, chores, shopping, school runs, personal time etc) and have it all written down, you'll find it really helps your productivity, as well as helping reduce stress levels.
With children, there are inevitably going to be times when things don't go to plan, but I find that having a routine in place makes it much easier to get back on track quickly.
Can I get financial assistance?
I am currently re-training to become a counsellor with a view to seeing my clients from home. In order to do this, we will have to convert our existing garage to an office/therapy room.
I was wondering if you knew whether I would be eligible for any financial assistance, or if you could point me in the right direction to find out.
paula_no5
Gillian Nissim: Although I can't give specific financial advice, I can certainly point you in the direction of people who can. I would recommend you get in touch with Business Link.
They will also be able to put you in touch with your local Business Link contact. Not only should they be able to help with your query about financial assistance, they also provide really helpful advice and support to start-ups and small businesses, from business planning to marketing.
I found them very useful when I was starting www.WorkingMums.co.uk. Another great source of financial advice would be your local firm of accountants and I'd recommend speaking with them too.