Home, Where the Office Is
by Ronnie Citron-Fink

Home is where the heart is—and the computer, the fax, scanner, conference phone, answering machine, file cabinets, UPS and FedEx truck… It’s morning in my office and it’s business as usual. The computer is clicking away, the phone is ringing, the daily to-do list sits prominently next to my work area as my assignments pile up. There is a meeting in my office at 10am. Just a typical work day, but I’ve got my pajamas on, the dogs are snoring loudly at my feet, the iPod is singing, and I stop to stretch and gaze out at the frozen pond. I am pretty sure I’ve waited my whole work life for this moment. For someone who commuted almost three hours a day, now I have the perfect commute, and it is right upstairs in my home office.

Working in a home office can be a freeing experience, but what is the driving force behind the growing trend of people working from home? The US Census Bureau finds that the number of self-employed Americans has been rising rapidly for years. With 2,356 Americans deciding to go into business for themselves and the current statistics showing that more than 20 million Americans are self-employed, the trend keeps growing. This also seems in line with what economists have been telling us: that due to job losses, more and more people are choosing to join the working class of the self-employed.

Unemployment figures in the Hudson Valley tell the local story. According to the New York State Department of Labor, “More than 90,000 residents in the Hudson Valley collected unemployment over the course of this year.” With national unemployment reaching 10.2 percent in October, it is hard to believe the media hype that there is relief in sight and the recession is almost over. Even if the recession is almost over, many people have already chosen work alternatives, become creative, and are working at home.

The face of employment is changing across the board. U.S. companies spent years outsourcing work to other countries. Now, employing more U.S.-based freelance talent is a growing trend. Could that be because so many folks are out of work and are willingly opting to work cheaper or part-time? With the number of freelancers and entrepreneurs working at home, and a resurgence in the corporate world for “independent contractors,” home offices are on the rise.

For some workers in large companies, “alternative employment arrangements” are being explored and implemented. The promotion of home offices by corporations seems to be a direct response to financial bottom lines, a commitment to employees, and the environment impact of running a large business. While many home offices are the work sites for freelancers (like me) or microbusinesses (like my husband’s), large companies are also offering employees the “work at home” option. One such company with a huge presence in the Hudson Valley, IBM, was one of the first companies to adopt telecommuting as an option for its employees. IBM’s program aims to help employees better balance personal and work responsibilities, and benefit the environment. Other large corporations have followed suit and allow for “flexible offices” for similar reasons. Along with putting less stress on the local transportation infrastructure, they find alternative work arrangements allow employees to form closer bonds within their communities by encouraging volunteering, mentoring, and contributing locally.

Other reasons behind the surge of work-at-home businesses that strike me: less age, gender and race discrimination; in the wake of September 11, 2001, a strong desire of some to move their offices to a safe place, like home; and, undoubtedly, the rise of the Internet.

The advantages of working at home are many. Let’s face it, your quality of life changes for the better. In some ways, working from home is like working in the anti-office. For many, working from home can ease financial burdens and lessen psychological stresses. You trade in your commute, break down the cubicle or office walls, and create your own working space. It is freeing to ditch the work formalities: you can work, eat, sleep and pet the dog on your own terms. One friend of mine says that since he’s started working from home, he realized that he hasn’t worn real shoes; only flip flops, slippers and sneakers for getting the mail. He discovered a new definition to define his quality of work life—how long he goes without real shoes! My husband has worked at home for many years. It was the practical solution when our kids were young and my job required me to leave the nest daily. When the kids came off the school bus, Dad was home. It is also more eco-friendly to work at home, as you have the ability and responsibility as a home office dweller to keep a green office. Not to minimize the more important green fact that telecommuting is the perfect eco-friendly commute.

There are practical things to consider before you set up a home office. For example, do FedEx and UPS deliver to your home? The health insurance issue plagues both the self-employed and freelancers. Many local Chambers of Commerce provide small businesses and freelancers health insurance for a fee. The Freelancers Union also has an array of plans available to those who work at home.

For some, the working-from-home paradigm takes some major shifting. It’s not for everyone. You have to ask yourself honestly, are you easily distracted? It takes a certain amount of discipline to work on a computer all day. Believe me, distractions come in many guises. Whether it is the constant urge to check your Facebook page, or the kids needing help with their homework, distraction is the killer of work time. The physical toll of sitting in a chair in front of a computer can also take a physical toll. I try to do yoga stretches almost every hour to take the stress off of my back and neck. Sometimes the household chores have to wait. Leaving your work behind at the end of the day can be difficult, as the boundary between home and office is fuzzy.

What I found most challenging was the lack of interaction with other people. Yes, I have Skype meetings and constant email chats. But I thought I was happily getting away from excruciatingly long faculty meetings and difficult parent/teacher conferences, and instead discovered that what I instantly missed the most was human contact. You do find a balance, but it takes some extra effort. For those faced with a similar dilemma, it seems important to find a routine that allows for time to get out of the office and socialize. Whether it’s going to the gym, coffee shop or just taking a walk, breaking up the day and seeing people helps alleviate feelings of isolation. Another useful tool is to join a professional group. For women, the local chapter of Women’s Circles, run by Rhinebeck resident Shirley Stone, provides a social networking beyond the computer.

You may find out that there are other unforeseen challenges about working at home. People who work with others need to live up to a certain set of cleanliness standards. If it is in your nature to accumulate clutter all over your house, you may not be a prime candidate for a home office that includes meeting with colleagues and clients.

You would think that the weather would not affect how you work from home—as in “No more snow days for me!” However, I found that last year’s ice storm changed the way I did business. There were widespread power outages in the Hudson Valley that shut down my electricity (and Internet!) for days. At the time, my main freelance client was in California, and for them the deadlines needed to be met regardless of what the weather was in the Northeast. With some creativity and a laptop, I headed out to the local Internet cafés and coffee shops. Some days, during the daylight hours, I wrote book reviews that did not require Internet connections. It was challenging, but my writing seemed to benefit from the jolt of caffeine and change of pace.

It’s a virtual world out there and the Internet has made working from home a breeze. Want to have a rush hour like mine and join the ranks of the working pajama class? Then move your office home.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Working At Home

Larry Berman, Milan resident, insurance adjuster who worked from home for many years and, now commutes to New York City:

“The best part was being able to schedule my work around our kids’ events, to be able to stop at 4 o’clock and go watch the game, then come back to work in the evening; the disadvantages are unless you’re good at compartmentalizing, your work is always there; that and the isolation factor.”

Peter Vinogradov, Hyde Park resident, computer technologist who recently went out on his own:

“Working from home is awesome, except for the working part, which requires constant discipline. You can work in your slippers and shave less often, but after a year of working from home, I find I miss being around people. Not enough to give up my slippers, perhaps, but I miss them.”

—The Editors

Self-Employment by Village in Northern Dutchess County, 2003 Census Figures

(Red Hook & Rhinebeck Village & Town Figures Combined)