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The Star, Weekender Section (October 5, 2002)

Could it be a reflection on Malaysian work culture that more people aren’t in a position to give happy testimonies about the home as one’s office? Working from home independently is a personal option, but companies could start the ball rolling by offering the option of teleworking.

Director of Asian-family.com Tiffany Tang, ever the managing director, thinks there’s plenty to be gained by companies. “It saves on office space and maintenance. Companies could set aside certain jobs that can be done at home, or have more flexi-hour jobs.”

She gives an example: “Employees could go home after lunch to do work, and based on the results, be allowed to work full-time at home. It will be difficult at first for companies during the transition, but it is workable.”

Reeza Abdullah, who works from home herself, suggests setting up a pilot scheme with guidelines (on progress, communication, etc) and increasing the pay of home workers; work after all, is not about a building but something to be done.

“Going to the office is a working culture which can be changed. We’re moving into a borderless world where communication is at one’s fingertips,” she emphasises. “The key element that should be taken into account is productivity and effectiveness. How many hours does an employee spend on cigarette and coffee breaks, chatting on the phone or with colleagues? Some don’t even do much in the afternoons because of sleepiness after a heavy lunch.”

Can You Work From Home?

Want to work from home but don’t know if it’d be right for you? This short checklist might help you make a better informed decision:

Self-discipline and temperament. Can you handle working by yourself, without supervision? “If you are self-motivated and work independently, it can be a good environment. If you need guidance, or a routine, I wouldn’t recommend it,” shrugs Adam.

Financial reserves. Can you afford to put aside more than six months’ worth of financial backup? How will you do it? What will you need to buy?

Identify niche products, services and interests. We have special skills or talents that can be used to make money. Tang cites event organising as an example. “Perhaps you are good with kids. Try organising a kids’ party on a project or freelance basis, then evaluate. Did you enjoy doing it? Could you foresee yourself doing it? If yes, you could discuss with the event organiser about doing this long-term, or think about doing it on your own.”

Marketing skills. How are you going to sell your products and services? What sort of strategies are involved? For example, if you set up a catering business, how will you inform others of it, and how will your customers receive the food?

Social interaction. Do you have a network of support? Some people need having others around, but there’s a difference between being alone and being lonely.

Hardware and software. Not a reference to computers, but the necessary equipment. What do you need? If you decide to sell say, cakes and cookies for profit, obviously you will need an oven, baking trays, cookie cutters, among others. And yes, you will need cooking skills! —

Working From Home, by Audrey Fong, Chong Sheau Ching, June Chan and Katharine Yip (who all work from home) contains much practical information on self-esteem, work options, getting started, budgeting, and networking. Two local websites on the subject are myhome4work.net, the website of the M4M support group, and flexxi.com.my. A quarterly newsletter is yours if you sign up on the former website.

The next Mothers for Mothers conference, “You Can Work From Home Too”, will be held on Oct 26 at the Singgahsana Hotel, Persiaran Barat, Petaling Jaya. For further information, please call PJ Point at (03) 7879 3754.