Strategy 1: Working From Home

In 1994, 35-40 million U.S. workers worked from home. At that time this represented a growing trend. 29% of these workers were self-employed and 10% were sales people.

Corporate America become very interested in claims of monthly cost savings from $3,000 to $8,000 per employee over 'traditional' office space as well as the elimination of long term lease commitments. Some of these companies decided to proceed on a limited basis to see how this would work.

What they found was that while working at home seems to suit some people very well, others become quickly disenchanted with the lack of social interaction and resulting loss of morale.

Upper management executives were concerned about the cost effectiveness of sales executives who were spending much of their time running errands to the post office and the office supply house, as well as packing and shipping their own parcels. Many expressed a concern over the loss of discipline due to an individual no longer being in a 'work' environment.

So what's the bottom line?

If your executive will spend from 4 to 4 1/2 days out of the office, the Home Office may be a good fit. Check the local Yellow Pages under Secretarial Services. For around $200 per month, you can support your employee with:

• a prestige mailing address,
• live telephone answering,
• meeting rooms and conference facilities, and
• secretarial assistance for mailings, presentation graphics, courier services and high volume copying.