Starting a Franchise - Working From Home - is it for you?
As an increasing number of franchise systems look for franchisees to work from home, Nina Moran-Watson, franchise consultant and solicitor, who runs her own practice from home, explores the attributes required in franchisees required to work from home and provides some useful tips to those contemplating escape from the daily grind of the office. 
There is no doubt that working from home has huge attractions:
- No more commuting
- Flexibility of working time
- More time with the family
- Low overheads
- Personal satisfaction
Management Skills
However, for those that think working from home is an easy life, think again! To successfully work from home requires supreme management skills and a massive amount of motivation. You must be able to switch off from your personal surroundings (household chores, children who want you to sit and watch Teletubbies, friends who want to go shopping or pop round for coffee etc, etc…). Your approach to work must not change from how it was in the office and the key factors to being able to do this are organisation and motivation.
Organisational Issues
Organisation involves trying to avoid distractions at home. Chores should be completed outside of work time, preferably by someone else, childcare must be worry-free and flexible to suit your needs as well as those of your children, and children, relatives and friends must be educated to understand that just because you are in the house, does not mean that you are free and available for them – it sounds harsh but it is fundamental that both you and your family and friends understand from the start that you are at work and are not to be disturbed.
Time Management
Of course you must have breaks, and the beauty of working from home is that you can use those breaks as you see fit, to take a nap, play with the kids, chat with a friend, watch a soap on TV, whatever, but you must be disciplined to go back to work after the break even though no-one is standing by the office door looking at the clock.
In the same way as working in an office requires time management, so it is for home working and it is vital that you plan your daily activities and set achievable daily goals. Franchisees should be assisted in achieving this management skill through adequate training from the franchisor and guidance in the Operating Manual. One of the beauties of working from home as a franchisee is that they are not really alone, they have others to talk to, either at Head Office or within the network.
Motivation
The single most important attribute for any person contemplating working from home is motivation. Most franchisors would say that this is also one of the key attributes which they look for in prospective franchisees. Anyone looking to operate his or her own business, whatever the workplace, will need to be motivated and there is no greater motivator than the prospect of earning money! Indeed one of the key reasons for businesses franchising in the first place is the ability to create a highly motivated workforce. Franchisees are inherently more motivated than employees and one could say that they are therefore ideal candidates to work from home.
Work output should be measured by the franchisee working from home as well as by the franchisor generally receiving a fee based on turnover. Fear of not reaching your own targets or targets set by the franchisor, or fear that you will not be able to pay for childcare or your mortgage, should provide sufficient motivation for most, but by far the best kind motivation is that derived from enjoying your work and having a passion for what you do. And the improvement in your whole life which comes from being able to work from home, and the desire to maintain that new user-friendly life, is also a major motivating factor. Most people who work from home never want to go back and will therefore strive to stay there. That may be motivation enough.
Working Dress Code
So there are many advantages to working from home, but one apparent advantage of being able to slob around in your pyjamas all day, should be dismissed at the outset. Your whole persona and attitude, albeit over the telephone, can change dramatically if you are not dressed for work. With many businesses now operating a “casual dress code” the transition from office to home is a little less stark, but the home worker should be advised not to adopt the attitude that since no-one will see you it does not matter what you wear. Indeed many people who work from home will dress differently depending on the tasks they have to fulfil that day – tie and jacket to speak to the bank manager, dark glasses to chase debts etc., in order to create the right image.
That may be taking things to the extreme but it reflects the need to treat working from home in the same way as you would treat working in an office; despite the flexibility and life style advantages, you are still there to work.
The author, Nina Moran-Watson, is an affiliate member of the British Franchise Association both as a consultant and a solicitor specialising in franchising. Nina can be contacted on 01255 830045 or e-mail: nmoran-watson@btclick.com.
