A week in the life of Sarah - SME Administrator

Easily described really; get up, get the kids up and off and ready for school or to my sister’s during school holidays. Travel into work, I let Wogan relieve some of the stress and boredom of the congested commute to the office.

Once in the office it’s the usual ‘all hands to the pump’ with me doing my bit mostly related to raising contracts, invoices, chasing payments, maintaining the website and occasionally helping with bids and mail-shots.

When the opportunity came along to consider working some days at home I jumped at it. Although the MD talked about the importance of happy employees and work-life balance I really think they were trying to solve the over-crowding problem at the office. The company has grown from just one to the eleven of us in just over three years and there simply aren’t enough desks and workstations for everyone if they’re all in at the same time. I know they were looking at new premises but apart from the extra cost, there was nowhere suitable nearby. There was talk about moving to Somersworth which would have meant an extra 15 miles on the journey for me which I wasn’t keen on. Not sure I would have stayed to be honest and I know a few others who thought the same.  So this Tele home, mobile Teleworking thing came just at the right time

 

It’s been just over a year now and I absolutely love it. We have now got twenty two staff on the payroll but we are still at the old offices. Alright, we sometimes have to hold staff or important client meetings off-site (though more meetings are done using video-conferencing) but most days there’s no more than eight or ten people in the office. I go into the office no more than once or twice a week and even then it’s mostly to collect files or use the fast printer.

I use my Broadband line to connect to the Company systems and they provided me with a desk and printer – well it’s their property actually so I had to sign for it and say I’d look after it etc. There have been loads of emails, setting up flights and meetings for the Directors (all easy using the Internet) and raising the sales invoices for the month. Even these go electronically to our clients now and they pay using the BACs auto payment system. We are selling quite a lot now from the website, especially accessories – we’ve even had orders from overseas this year – a first for the company.

Monday lunchtime and here I am working from home (still in my PJs actually!). Today has been a good example of why home working is good for me and the company. My eldest son is in hospital, so I was able to visit him twice today, drop off the youngest at school and still manage to do a 7 and a half hour day. It would have meant a day off previously.

Tuesday – I was meant to be in the office today, but horrendous traffic on the M27. So I pulled off, rang the MD and he agreed it would be better for me to work from home.

Wednesday – an office day, covering for Karen on reception so I got very little of my own work done.

Thursday – thank goodness for a home day today. I am so far behind on the database; I really need the peace and quiet of home to catch up. Answered most of the email queries too so a good day. I really am so much more productive when working from home though of course it doesn’t mean that the phone doesn’t ring several times. I get an ‘instant message’ to alert me to any phone calls received in the office. Not everyone has my home business phone number or my mobile.

Friday – the new database, which will allow people to order all our standard products on-line, is due to go live at the end of the month. So, boring, boring, its system testing for most of the day. Again, you need to be able to really concentrate on jobs like this. I’ve also got some of the guys to do testing in their areas, so being connected I can both chase them and note their problems down too.

Two things really strike me about working this way. Firstly, I am lucky to have a bedroom at home which I can lock myself into to do work (well sometimes I sit out on the patio in the Summer). That said, I do claim the £104 allowance for heat and light. But the kids know that when Mum’s in the work-room they don’t disturb me. Likewise, there’s no bad feelings amongst those who are office based. No one takes advantage and it’s great that the Directors trust us to get on with the job.