The Challenges of Working from Home

THE CHALLENGES

of Working from Home

Story by Cindy Reid

As many employers expanded the use of telework, the percentage of employed people working at home has nearly doubled, rising from 22 percent in 2019 to 42 percent in 2020. The percentage of employed people who worked at their workplace fell from 81 percent in 2019 to 63 percent in 2020.

Both men and women were more likely to work at home in 2020 compared with 2019. The share of employed men who worked at home increased by 16 percentage points from 2019, and the share of employed women increased by 23 percentage points. As a result, about onethird of employed men and nearly onehalf of employed women worked at home on days worked in 2020. (www.bls.gov/ Bureau of Labor Statistics)

The trend towards remote, and workfrom-home, employment was already happening before the pandemic but in 2020 the trend abruptly became a reality for millions of workers as offices all over the world shut their doors and employees created home offices on their dining rooms tables. It appears that this temporary measure has become permanent for many workers, either through their employer or because their work could not be sustained at home, leading to self-employment and entrepreneurship, both of which are often home-based.

CATEGORIES OF WORK-FROM-HOME EMPLOYEES

Working from home is here to stay and overwhelmingly the numbers reflect that women make up the bulk of the remote workforce. But not all work-from-home is the same. Here are a few key categories:

Flex Employee

You are a direct employee of the business, and your position may well have been “in office” before the pandemic. You work from home some days and come into your employer's business on set days or for meetings. You live within proximity of the employer as you may be in the office once or twice every week, or even alternating weeks.

Remote

You are employed by a company, but you will never need to come to an office. Since you are part of a team, you often have a set working schedule. Software developers, computer programmers, customer service reps, copywriters, and virtual assistants are often remote

Freelancer

You offer a service to clients and are free to create the work from anywhere. Many writers, bookkeepers, marketing, and PR people are freelancers. Although you have a lot of freedom in terms of working routine, your income is not reliable as you must constantly look for new clients and keep existing ones. You need to adhere to your client’s deadlines and demands.

Entrepreneur

You are your own boss. You can start an Etsy shop, sell on eBay, do affiliate marketing or invent a new business concept. You may choose to rent an office space to meet clients but in general you are based out of your home office. You set your own goals and hours.

Independent Contractor

This is a huge category. For example, drivers in the United States working for companies such as Uber, Lyft, or Instacart are independent contractors. There are benefits to being an independent contractor, such as being eligible to deduct the costs of maintaining your home office and other expenses from your income tax.

CHALLENGES/SOLUTIONS

For each of these categories there are challenges. As more time goes by and more workers join the work-from-home workforce, creative solutions are being found. Some shared challenges—and solutions—are:

Overworked/In Charge

Many women who work from home report the lack of separation between life at work and life at home, leading to feelings of burnout, of living one endless day, with no time for themselves. Working mothers of small children typically spend five additional hours a day on household tasks than their partners, either with childcare, elder care, or housework. It’s no wonder women are so stressed!

On the plus side, most women find working from home is a money saver, which leads to less stress. No more long commutes, not needing an extensive work wardrobe and being able to brown bag everyday are just some of the cost savings. The biggest saving is in childcare if you can manage work and kids at the same time in the home. Having more control over their work schedules is often cited as the number one priority for most women, and working from home often provides that relief.

Isolation/New Friends

Being home—often in front of a computer screen for hours at a time—can be very isolating. Most office environments provide the ability to talk with co-workers, share lunch times, and stay caught up on what’s happening in the company. Without this common interaction, it gets harder to connect with others in your field over time.

However, as so many people are in the work-from-home workforce, there are many online—and in person—groups where you can share your experiences, trade tips, and support each other. And if that doesn’t work, many people can conduct their business while on the go- using Bluetooth while walking for instance. Sometimes just being away from the screen for 30 minutes helps. The key is flexibility!

Proximity Bias/Show Up

For traditional employees there is a new term—proximity bias—which means that the employees who are in the office can have a greater chance of promotion and inclusion than the at home workforce. Work-from-home employees can be seen as less serious and less career driven and that could mean less opportunities for women and eventually widen the already wide enough gender wage gap.

Some companies are already taking steps to address this. The executive team at Etsy, the online marketplace, is committing to flex time work for everyone, including the executives at the company, a rule explicitly designed to avoid proximity bias. On your own, you can make sure to network virtually and attend trainings or meetings in person as much as possible.

Health Insurance/Marketplace

Working from home often means you are working for yourself; therefore, no company health insurance plans exist for you. The only category in a work-fromhome business that would offer health insurance is as a traditional employee in a flex or remote position.

However, through the Healthcare Marketplace, many self-employed people— including those who work from home—can access individual health care insurance. (Check out www.healthcare.gov) This can work for small business owners, free lancers, and independent contractors.

Home Office/Think Small

Where to work in your house or apartment can be a big challenge. Some are lucky enough to have a spare room but just as many aren’t so blessed. Using your couch or dining room table isn’t a realistic solution because you need a place to concentrate and work, often eight hours a day.

For many, space is limited, and a quick internet will offer up many practical solutions, from turning your closet into a tiny office to installing a wall mounted desk in your bedroom. Or try a standing desk, which can be put away as needed. Most home offices are small as they only need to be large enough to accommodate your commuter to get the job done.

Technology/New Skills

You may have innovative technology, or you may be getting by with an old desktop and a cracked cell phone. Either way, be realistic about what equipment you need because that will trip up the home worker faster than any other issue. Try to get your employer to provide hardware, but if that isn't realistic, either finance or buy used to get started. There really is no way around it, most homebased work involves computers and phones all day long. You may have to learn new tools like Slack, Skype, Zoom, virtual check-ins and business specific software and apps.

Ask for help, watch YouTube videos, and keep at it. If you must be on group video chats, try and get a friend or relative, or pay a sitter, to watch the kids and or pets. The good news is that each tool is relatively simple, and you will need these skills in most jobs, so you are building your resume in a positive direction.

Working from home covers a lot of different jobs and issues. Nothing about it is “one size fits all.” But it is here and, for many women, it makes employment possible.

Important: when you start investigating home-based work, you will soon see many scams out there so don’t get fooled by ads or postings that sound too good to be true. Don’t pay to learn how to make money!

The good news is people report feeling less stressed and more disciplined or creative while working at home. Reach out. There are many Facebook and other online groups, where you can share concerns and ask for help. Good luck—working from home can be the best job in the world! n

CAROL LEGASSE: THE SALT TABLE

The Salt Table is a locally-owned brand of salts, seasoning blends, oils, vinegars, tea, and other specialty foods. The creation of Pooler residents Dave and Carol Legasse, the six Salt Table stores also carry hundreds of local specialty foods, almost all “Georgia Grown” (with a few from South Carolina).

It started as a gift. Carol made an original salt blend as Christmas presents for friends and family. It was a resounding success and when friends kept asking for more, the couple thought “maybe we are onto something!”

After several years of research and product creation, they chose historic downtown Savannah as the location for their first store.

“Tourists come here from all over the world, and they all want local products, which is exactly what we provide,” Carol says. The Salt Table now has six retail locations throughout coastal Georgia.

Original Creations

Carol creates about 200 of their own award-winning salt and seasoning products that are hand-blended and packaged in Pooler. New flavor profiles include “Totally Awesome” and “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning blends.

“You have to have salt so you should have good salt” says Carol.

Her first salt blend, “All ’Round Good Grinder Blend,” is still their number one seller. She created the popular “Jekyll Island Driftwood Beach Blend” after opening their store on Jekyll Island, and her “Tybee Island Coastal Blend” and “Leek, Chive & Onion” blends were winners for two consecutive years in the “Flavor of Georgia Contest.”

Carol says her ideas are often customer driven. “I love hearing from our customers, online or in person. Recently they asked for something different to season fish and so I created ‘Lime & Chili Sea Salt,’ a new customer favorite.”

“I think to be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to take what you’ve learned in your previous work experiences and apply it to what you are doing now,” she adds. Carol’s background is in operations and accounting, but she loved cooking as a hobby. “In order to really succeed you must be passionate about what you are doing.”

Community Involvement

Carol is very involved in the community, serving as Treasurer of the Pooler Chamber of Commerce, among many other volunteer commitments. In 2021 she was recognized as a Community STAR by Savannah Technical College, which “honors people who make our world a better place through their dedication to work, community leadership, or volunteer service.”

Carol says: “Women who want to succeed in business need to get involved in their community, because it’s a wonderful way to meet new people and give back.”

Carol and Dave are pleased with their growth and to be a local employer, working with people who are also passionate about The Salt Table. “We love what we do and feel we are in a ‘happy spot.’”

The couple enjoy traveling and recently took a Caribbean cruise. Carol says, “It was our first vacation in three years, and we had the best time.” They also love going to Jekyll Island, the location of one of their shops, and exploring Savannah.

The Salt Table won the coveted Tripadvisor “Traveler’s Choice Award” after receiving Tripadvisor’s Hall of Fame recognition for two consecutive years and its Certificate of Excellence award for seven years.

Visit them online at www.salttable.com or in person at: • Savannah Historic District Shop • Jekyll Island • Pooler, Factory Shop • Savannah Hilton Head Airport Shop • Savannah Hilton Head Airport

Spirits Shop • Savannah Convention Center

LATRICIA BROWN: Fashion Designer & Aspiring Member of the Board of Elections

Fashion Designer, Master Tailor, President of the SCAD Black Alumni Coalition, Greater Savannah Black Chamber of Commerce Board Member, and Owner of Trish B. Stylin’, LaTricia Brown has more than a decade of experience, including bridal design, men’s and women’s clothing design, and fashion show direction and production.

And if that weren’t enough, Trish has officially announced that she will be running in the 2022 Primary for the Chatham County Board of Elections. She has a BFA in Fashion with a minor in Accessory Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and a passion for ensuring her community receives transparency, accountability and trusts the voting and election process.

Trish B. Stylin’s services can be booked online or by calling for a consultation appointment.

Whether you’re in the market for a couture designed gown, bespoke tailored suit, or just need alterations for a special occasion, the team at Trish B. Stylin’ will be happy to assist!

(912) 239-7440 | www.trishbstylin.com | 1113 South Rogers St., Pooler, GA 31322

Speech, occupational and physical therapy services for children.

West Chatham Chapel

901 Highway 80 West, Pooler

(912) 748-2444

www.stricklandandsonsfuneralhome.com

Playing with Purpose

Check out our FREE developmental screening tool at chatterboxpeds. developmentchecklist.com

Presnell Partners

912.509.0621

PresnellPartners.com PresnellPartners@gmail.com 272 S Columbia Ave, Rincon

912.988.1526 | chatterboxpeds.com

110 Pipemakers Circle, Suite 115, Pooler, 912.988.1526 2453G US Highway 17, Richmond Hill, 912.445.5612