Life after Redundancy

It's hard not to feel upset when your role is made redundant and your self-esteem certainly takes a battering, even if you are usually a stoic, positive person. However, it's important to remember that it is the ROLE and not YOU that has been made redundant. Also keep things in perspective, redundancy is a situation that features in the life cycle of most businesses. Financial crisis and technology are just two reasons why your role may no longer be required. But businesses always need people and are looking at ways to redeploy people - redundancy is usually the last resort after all who wants to see all of that experience and knowledge walk out the door? Having said that, there is no such thing as "a job for life" any more and people are realising that if they must remain positive and open minded about next steps down the career path.

There are steps you can take to ease yourself through this challenging transition.

Prepare Yourself

Seek professional advice if you are unsure of your rights. These professionals will advise you on what your rights are, how to negotiate with your employer if necessary and help you sort out your finances for the road ahead.

Before going to see a professional career advisor, employment lawyer, or financial advisor do your homework and work out your budget. Separate what are essential costs like mortgage repayments etc and non essential items such as holidays or eating out.

Remain Positive

As much as we know it's not personal it's hard not to take redundancy as such, even people who take volountary redundancy face a dramatic change of life and most of us go through this change cycle feeling at first denial, followed by anger and grieving before we learn to accept the new situation. Try and remmebr this is a natural process that everyone goes through and try and remain positive. Seek the counselling of a good friend, your partner or a career development professional to help you through this tricky time. There's an old Buddhist saying "Everything passes" - remember this - time will too and that time is best spent remaining positive and optimistic throughout.

Don't Give Up

Persistence is a very important trait to develop if you are not naturally inclined. Remember as you go through the job hunting stage there will be knock backs but it's a case of picking yourself up, not taking it personally, and moving on to the next opportunity. If you do get knocked back for a job, always seek feedback from the agency or the employer. It's important to take on board constructive criticism and use that information for future applications. If your resume needs reviewing there are plenty of professional resume writers who will assist you and if your interviewing skills need polishing up seek the help of a professional or practice with your partner or friends. Filming yourself is a great way to get insight into how you come across during an interview.

Be Open Minded

I think it's important to remember that the world of work is changing and as mentioned before, we need to be smart about doing our research about the type of work our skills and interests are suited to, to understand our values and what is important to us from a new employer. Employers are now seeing the benefits of offering employees more flexible work arrangements such as part time, flexitime, hours off in lieu, work from home opportunities, etc. Remember to ask any potential employer what might be available at the time of interview. Even if it's not mentioned in the job ad it doesn't mean these type of benefits are not available.

A New World of Work

Hi there,

Sorry it's been a while since our last post...... I do hope you find the following as interesting as we did....

According to a recent article in The Age newspaper, nearly a quarter of employees do some of their job away from the workplace. This new trend of flexibility is allowing people to start living the life they have always dreamed of and allowing them the time to combine their hobbies, interests, family commitments, and volunteering resulting in a more rounded, balanced lifestyle that is satisfying all of their needs and wants.

Whilst one person is training for the Olympics, technology is allowing them to pull out their laptops, iphone or Blackberry and work from pretty much anywhere without missing an important email or phone call or deadline.

Figures from the Bureau of Statistics show nearly a quarter of Australian workers do some of their work each week away from the office.

Nearly 2.5million Australian employees take work home, fit it into weekends, or squeeze it in around training for the London Olympics.

Men in managerial positions were most likely to work from home (31per cent), followed by technicians and tradesmen (18per cent), while women working from home were most likely to be professionals (39per cent) or clerical and administrative workers (23per cent). This is encouraging news for our Virtual Angels who are mostly work from home professional mums.

Eight per cent, or one in 12 Australian workers, work more from home than any other place. The majority (83per cent) of those were aged 35 years or older, and most (55per cent) were women.

Most people are beginning to realise that without the flexible work conditions on offer from employers that they will just not be able to pursue and fulfil their dreams. They are looking for flexible employers who will offer this as part of the package at interview..

Why would an employer ask a person to choose between their passion and happiness when they can offer them flexible working conditions – after all they can only benefit from that persons positive and happy attitude at work.

There is a trend towards flexible working. Obviously technology is allowing it in many cases, but also people are a lot more savvy, and organisations are a lot more savvy - they are willing to create a good environment for people to work in.

Another example where working from home can benefit both parties is when an employee breaks a bone or perhaps cannot physically get to the office because of family sickness.. people often report that they actually do more work from home than they would in the office anyway, there are no distractions, no interruptions and no ciggie or coffee bar breaks. Overall, employers are realising that flexible work arrangements can result in high productivity and a rise in general well being, both must be high on the list for employee engagement and retention.

Technology has been critical in making it possible but now we need a shift in mindset from our leaders who only have to trial these flexible work programs to see the benefits for all concerned.

Until next time,

Caroline @ Virtual Angels

Work from home mums are helping the Economy

Women from all over Australia are leading the way in helping their families by starting their own business, taking work from home roles and considering part-time or job share opportunities. I have always maintained the people on our Virtual Angels database are mainly highly educated, experienced and professional women who value the flexibility of working from home in their chosen professions and maintaining their career and profile. Now more than ever they are exploring innovative ways of re-joining the work force albeit remotely and what is not widely appreciated is that not only is this helping to sustain their own families but they are helping to kick-start Australia’s economy in general.

Small and medium sized business has always been the life blood of Australian business but would it surprise you to know that in recent figures from the US around four out of five businesses are started by women and 80 percent are mums. Apparently the number of women entrepreneurs are growing at twice the rate of men. These figures do not surprise me in the least. I believe women are naturally more entrepreneurial in spirit, they have this ability to adapt themselves more readily to change and be innovative in the way they address the needs of their family. The old saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention” in itself is so true. I remember a conversation a friend and I had a while ago. She is from the country and her mother grew up in the country. I am originally from London and have always lived and worked in the city. Her mother’s comment was that I would make a good ‘country wife’ because in her experience the most successful country wives were those who grew up in the city because they went to the country looking for opportunities and then had the nous and drive to make it happen. I imagine this is what is happening out there at the moment and necessity is driving this growth.

When women work from home for other companies, they are still helping the Australian economy recover. Companies benefit when they allow their employees to work from home. When pay needs to be cut or frozen, “homesourcing” can serve as a form of benefit by allowing employees to enjoy the cost savings of reduced commuting expenses and flexibility and other benefits of working at home.

Companies that “Homesource” decrease their overheads by reducing office space, IT equipment and other associated employee costs.

Traditionally, outsourcing has meant shifting work to overseas companies and is basically a way for a business to complete internal business tasks outside of the office. The process saves time and money, allowing the small business owner to pay for services only when they are needed. Not only does this remove a salary from the budget but all of the associated employee benefits package, it limits tax responsibility and reduces required office space, supplies and utility bills. Work-at-home mums who are self-employed could save businesses large and small millions of dollars annually.

There is more support than ever for Australian businesses from companies like Virtual Angels with a database of over 1900 people who are ready to work, who do not charge their Angels to register who have experience and degrees in a wide variety of backgrounds. With technology, virtually anything can be done from one’s home office.

It’s a win-win situation for the businesses and the mum-professionals; not to mention an advantage for the economy.

For more information on how Virtual Angels can help your business survive in these uncertain times visit our website - virtualangels.com.au

The Fresh Ideas for Work and Family Grant

I thought in today’s blog we would just bring to your attention the Fresh Ideas for Work and Family Grant. A government initiative that you and your small business may be eligible to apply for and which you may not have heard about yet.

This initiative will assist small businesses put in place flexible work arrangements for their people. The program provides grants of up to $15,000.

To be eligible you must be:

• A small business in Australia with fewer than 15 employees
• A sole trader that employs between 1 and 14 employees

Family friendly work arrangements benefit both employers and employees. Employers benefit from improved efficiency, increased staff retention and better health and safety. Employees enjoy increased job satisfaction, reduced health issues and better work-life balance.

For more information go to:

http://www.deewr.gov.au/WorkplaceRelations/FreshIdeas/Pages/default.aspx

Have a great day!

Employ Local Vs. Off-Shoring?

One question raised by potential clients when thinking about taking on a local Virtual Assistant is “how will the cost of this local option compare to me employing a Virtual Assistant based overseas in India or the Philippines where hourly rates appear to be well under those we can offer at home?”

The answer, I would suggest, is that there is more to be considered than just cost when making this decision and that a low hourly cost may be an illusion when it actually comes down to how long it is taking your VA to complete the work.

Obviously, a $5 per hour VA who takes 20 hours to complete an assignment is less affordable than a $25 per hour VA who does it in just 3 hours. Lack of experience, lack of local knowledge, more learning time, re-doing work, are just some of the reasons why the cheaper option will in the end cost you more.

Cultural differences and communication breakdowns also may add to the time it takes to complete an assignment and although Time Difference is often quoted as a benefit to Virtual Assistance, i.e., “go to bed and the work will be ready in the morning when you wake up” it can work against you if you are having to wait until your VA is up to be able to get something done quickly in real time not to mention the inconvenience of working in the middle of the night with them when you are trying to make a deadline!

There are many things to consider besides hourly rate when looking to appoint your VA – cheapest is not always best!

If you would like more information, visit Virtual Angels

Until next time.....

Caroline & The Virtual Angels Team

Small Businesses Can Now Hire Virtual Assistants More Affordably Than Ever and Do Their bit for the Environment

I note from various recent press releases, particularly out of the US that virtual assistants are being used more and more of late and what happens in the US and the UK is usually a good indicator of what will happen in Australia.

A recent survey from the US suggested that some businesses have up to 50% of their workforce working from virtual locations. We still struggle here in Australia breaking down the mind set of employers and convincing them of the benefits of virtual workers, so I urge Australian business owners to not take my word for it but look at some of the comments coming from business owners in the US already benefiting from this under used resource pool. They talk about the convenience, flexibility, and financial benefits of remote work. Some of the media reports I have been reading have cited small businesses looking to replace their bricks-and-mortar staff with virtual assistants in order to save as much as 50% on office expenses in this uncertain economy.

When a small business starts to look for a VA, the process may be quite daunting as there are so many people out there offering these services. Virtual Angels offer a personalised, service to all their clients and take the time to understand your individual needs and will carry out a tailored search of our extensive national database to find you the most suitable candidate for you and your business. Our clients are assured of the best possible Virtual Assistant to fit their business needs.

Another obvious benefit that businesses may not have thought of is the reduction of carbon emissions that hiring a virtual assistant or team of virtual assistants can provide your business. We shouldn’t under estimate the amount of savings to be had by office staff not driving into the office every day. Gallons of fuel will be saved along with the harmful emissions into the environment. It may seem insignificant but it is a big start for businesses to be more environmentally aware and to build on this for the future.

For more information on how a virtual assistant can help you save time and money in your business, visit virtualangels.com.au

Have a great weekend!

Caroline

Resourcing in a Recession

As we can all see, hear and feel around us. Things are tough in the labour market. Hundreds are losing their jobs and organisations are suffering on under resourced trying to keep their heads above water, especially small to medium businesses. Hiring freezes are on and the costs associated with taking on another employee can make small business owners think twice about getting help - even though additional help is desperately what they need. For some struggling small businesses there is no choice, they simply cannot afford another person so business owners are forced to work longer hours and probably are not doing what they do best and that’s promote and sell their business.

An affordable alternative to hiring an employee, for a small business, is a Virtual Assistant – through Virtual Angels of course!

Essentially, we will find you a highly productive, professional who works off site saving you time and money. The virtual worker is available on an as-needs basis – whether it be 2 or 20 hours a week. . A virtual assistant can answer the phones once they’ve been re-directed, coordinate diary’s, design and deliver marketing campaigns, organise travel, proofread and format documents and presentations, update blogs and create newsletters, handle customer support, transcribe dictation, create a new website or logo and keep your book-keeping and accounts in order, and much, much more. If it can be done remotely using phone, Internet, email, and/or fax, a virtual assistant can take care of it.

I think it’s a shame more small businesses do not know this amazing assistance is available to them. For small and soloist business owners trying to keep costs down, there isn't a more low risk and affordable way to get work done and continue growing through this recession.

Until next time......

Caroline

Who has heard of Homesourcing?

Apologies…it’s been a while since we last blogged but things have been hectic to the say the least. However, interesting article and new buzz word has come to my attention that I thought I would share with everyone based on the fact this relates to exactly our field and sector.

Who has heard of Homesourcing?

I looked it up in good old Wikipedia and here’s the definition:

Homesourcing also known as homeshoring is "the transfer of service industry employment from offices to home-based employees with appropriate telephone and Internet facilities". Homeshoring is best thought of as a combination of outsourcing and telecommuting.

Homesourcing refers to hiring employees or engaging independent contractors. Homesourced workers are sometimes required to come to an office for training from time-to-time.

Traditionally, employers were most likely to homeshore call-centers and other customer service processes. However, this trend is changing as employers realize a wider variety of work is amenable to homeshoring. Knight Ridder Newspapers reports "it's no longer just call centers and information-technology jobs. Now it's architects, accountants, tax preparers and financial analysts."

According to researcher IDC Homesourcing is expanding by about 20% a year and homesourcing is "on track to explode".

Advantages of homesourcing

• Worker preference – homesourced workers often need to work from home or strongly prefer to work from home. They appreciate this opportunity, and therefore are loyal.

• Reduced costs for the employer as homesourced workers often provide their own telephone equipment and computer systems. Employer also saves on cost of office space.

• Using homesourced workers that are local to the area where they are calling precludes the prejudice that is sometimes created from regional accents, mannerisms and rates of speech.

• Possible tax advantages for the worker using part of their home for business purposes.

• it provides the employer the ability to provide work to individuals who through disability are unable to travel to a workplace

Well isn’t this just we have been talking about for 4 years now?! Suddenly there is a surge of interest for home based workers – not only by small to medium business but now the corporates are waking up to the idea. It certainly gives me hope that during these trying times for some families that our employers are beginning to wake up to the fact that this method of resourcing makes perfect sense – for all parties. Keeping costs down for employers and keeping Aussie’s working!

Speak to you soon

Caroline and the Virtual Angels Team

WELCOME TO THE VIRTUAL ANGELS BLOG!

Hello and thanks for viewing our blog.

We are new at this, so please bear with us..... We hope to keep you updated on all things 'working from home...'

Have you ever thought how having a personal assistant could help you manage your business or personal life? But perhaps you don't need someone all day every day, maybe you just need help for a few hours a week or month, or what about the time you have a deadline to reach - an ad-hoc project to complete. In addition to this, you might not have the facilities for an 'employee' a desk, computer etc. Wouldn't it make your life easier if you had someone to call on, someone who can work from their own home office, using their own computer, available to you for only the time it takes to do the job? If this is you maybe you've never even heard of a VIRTUAL ASSISTANT. But this is indeed the 'Angel' that can help you out of your quandary. They can be on call to you whenever you need them. And you are only charged for the hours that are worked. You do not pay for travel time, breaks, payroll tax.

If you need help from a Virtual Assistant or you would to discuss the benefits of utilising a Virtual Assistant, you can contact the team at Virtual Angels on 1300 659 802 or visit our website - virtualangels.com.au

Now, a bit about the company....

Virtual Angels was started over 3 years ago by Caroline McAuliffe & Suzanne Mulvihill. Both working mums they initially created the company to provide work for mums or more mature women who were finding it difficult to secure full-time work in the traditional corporate world. Interest has since widened its scope attracting all individuals wanting to operate in a virtual environment, uniquely enabling them to work on a flexible basis while achieving the lifestyle they seek.

The idea of a ‘virtual assistant’ and remote, home based workers is a relatively new one in Australia but has been rapidly growing in the UK and the United States. Virtual Assistants and home based workers have the ability to work independently away from the normal office environment and can save businesses, small and large, time and money. Administrative, secretarial, marketing, project management, company recruitment and event organization are only some of the services on offer from the Angels. Whether the client is a small business owner, busy executive, an overworked P.A., an entrepreneur, a lecturer, a journalist, or coach, the Angels can assist with a permanent role, working remotely or special projects or at times of overflow.

The traditional work environment has changed dramatically in the past few years; more people are looking for flexible working hours, and a better work/life balance, while companies are finding it harder to retain and engage good staff. Virtual Angels are currently recruiting fresh talent and intend to create a virtual arena that offers employers access to reliable, high quality resources without the hassle and expense of hiring a staff member. We currently have over 1400 'Angels' registered.

To become an angel all you need is to be self-employed with an ABN and a working home office. There are no membership fees or hidden costs. Simply post your resume online at virtualangels.com.au and let employers come to you. Your personal details are not displayed and you maintain full control as to who your resume is sent to.

Virtual Angels would value enquiries from interested contractors and potential clients. Complete the contact form at: virtualangels.com.au

Until next time, have a great day and remember, you don't need to stuggle on alone, contact Virtual Angels - heaven knows, you deserve the best!

The Virtual Angels Team