Home Is Where The Office Is

With more and more people working remotely, searching for jobs online, and freelancing, it’s no wonder that effective collaboration in the workplace has become a hot button issue. Most recently, some of the top executives in business today, including Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer, have reconsidered company policy on working from home instead of bringing the workforce back to the office. Is the trend over? Not so fast.

Working from home does have its challenges such as feelings of isolation, cumbersome scheduling, and networking obstacles. That being said, the opportunities and flexibility that a remote workforce offers a company can balance the scales by providing adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and new levels of engagement that only social media can provide.

For some members of the Greater Glendale Chamber, striking a balance between effective networking and building a small business has paid off both in quality of life and in the level of customer service offered to their client list.

Laura Lieff, owner of Lieff Ink is one such member. A Greater Glendale Chamber Ambassador and longtime Chamber member, Lieff made the move from Denver to the Vail Valley over a year ago. “I’ve realized that mountain living agrees with me,” says Lieff. “I enjoy working from my home…and having flexibility.” Although she concedes that it can be an adjustment after seven years of active membership in the Chamber, “The work I did and the relationships I made are long-lasting.”

As her business has grown she has effectively bridged the gap through online communication, email, and phone calls. In fact, her client list includes local Denver businesses such as the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver and fellow Chamber member Foster, Graham, Milstein & Calisher, LLP.

Another active Chamber member working remotely but maintaining a working relationship with the Chamber is Casey Jones, owner of Casey Jones Communications. An actress living in Los Angeles, Jones has been a member of the Greater Glendale Chamber since 2009 and continues to collaborate with fellow members on strategy and sales, and maintains a diverse client list in Glendale, Denver, and as far away as Kansas, Missouri, and New York.

“Working from home can get lonely for me,” says Jones. “In fact, research shows that work friends positively affect job satisfaction, job commitment, and lower attrition.” Laughs Jones, “I love working from home with my sweet dog Hattie on my lap, but she’s not that great at rehashing last night’s episode of Game of Thrones.” Although Jones often misses the fun and direct interaction of the Chamber events, the bonds formed over the years have allowed her to pursue her acting career in a city she loves while building and maintaining her business on the foundation of the contacts she made at the Chamber.

“I’m still very close to my Chamber friends and collaborate often from a distance,” says Jones. “As for my business, social media allows for more flexibility in my communication with clients and my low overhead gives them access to high dollar work content at competitive rates.”

If you would like more information about Lieff Ink or Casey Jones Communications, please visit their websites or find them in our Business Directory on the Greater Glendale Chamber website. https://ggchamber.com/

Source Material:

Crabtree, Steve. 2014. Can people collaborate effectively working remotely? Gallup Business Journal. March 13, 2014.

Morrison, Rachel. 2004. Informal relationships in the workplace: Associations with job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intentions. New Zealand Journal of Psychology 33, no.3:114-128.

Schwabel, Dan. 2014. 10 workplace trends for 2015. Forbes.com. October 29, 2014.