Planning key to working at home

By HEATHER DOUGLAS

Many a home business is born with the sound of tiny feet about the house - or perhaps when junior goes to kindy or school.

Home business operators generally set store by lifestyle considerations, and being available to their children is, for many, one of the main considerations in establishing a home-based business.

But it also means the family have to come to terms with sharing their home with the business.

This may be as simple as keeping toys out of Dad's office so he can meet clients in a professional environment, or it may mean everyone helping to pack that urgent order.

It's also about things like answering the phone professionally.

And resisting the inevitable call of the office after hours or over the weekend.

Mixing family and business so intimately presents unique opportunities as well as challenges. To my mind, one of the greatest benefits is the insight it provides children into the working world.

From a young age, most children whose families share their home with a business help with folding mailouts, sticking stamps, adding up figures, printing, collating and binding material, filing and so on.

They learn to value customers, and to set high standards of customer service. As they grow up, they hear, and may be increasingly involved in, discussions about profit and loss, business planning, tax, marketing, and many other topics specific to the particular business. Almost by osmosis - and not least because they overhear their parents' phone calls - they learn to manage inquiries, complaints and negotiations.

By the time they enter the working world themselves, they are comfortable with a variety of basic business concepts. They make and stick to decisions. They set clear goals, and monitor them.

Although this is beneficial to children, the mixture is not always simple.

It is usually possible to do some work with babies or small children around, but most home business operators will need to make proper childcare arrangements for pre-schoolers and primary-aged children.

Planning is helpful in determining what arrangements you will want to make for childcare in general, and - if your children are in primary school or their kindy observes school terms - especially over school holidays.

* Heather Douglas is managing director of Home Business NZ.