How to Win During the Great Resignation so Your Business Can Grow

If you are a small business owner, you may be feeling dizzy from all the economic news of the last year. Inflation is rising. Labor is in short supply, Americans are quitting jobs in record numbers and workers are asking for more from their jobs–more money, more flexibility, and more meaning. We expect these trends to accelerate into the new year.

To help you prepare as we head into 2022, we’ve gathered the HireMyMom team to round up the most common questions we hear and the answers from our team of pros. This Q and A style blog offers a window into what we see across clients and from our mom professionals. At the end, we include our best advice to make this strange moment work for your business. With knowledge about what’s happening and a solid strategy, your business could emerge stronger than ever and with your best staff.

Are people really leaving jobs, or is the Great Resignation a media term?

According to HireMyMom’s concierge team, the Great Resignation is genuinely underway. 

People are leaving their jobs in record numbers for a variety of reasons. Our recruiting team reports that people are parting ways with employers to earn more money and find better work environments. People who are being called back into an office full time or those losing work-from-home options or flexible hours are especially prone to packing up and moving on.

Kelly, who works on our recruiting team, said mom professionals tell her that working from home is no longer a perk but a requirement. She’s also seeing many highly-skilled women start a small business, so they have more flexibility to define their work lives. 

Many people used the time during the pandemic to reassess properties and take a fresh look at professional ambitions. 

Tesia, who also works in recruiting, recalled a woman she interviewed earlier this week. She said that had it not been for the pandemic and her experience working remotely, she never would have left her job. But, now that she’s back in the office, she misses the family connection and flexibility of her work-from-home job, so she’s looking for new opportunities. 

Our team is not alone in noticing the trend. According to data released by the Labor Department, about 4.2 million people abandoned jobs in October, which accounts for about 2.8% of the U.S. workforce. In September, a record 4.4 million people left a job. 

Is it really tougher to hire new people than it’s been in the past?

According to our CEO and Founder, Lesley Pyle, this is the most challenging hiring environment she’s seen in her 15 years of running HireMyMom.com. She observed that it’s truly an employee’s market. She said it’s more difficult to fill common jobs–like virtual assistant roles–than it was just a few months ago.

The National Federation of Independent Business Job Report said that 93% of small business owners reported few or no candidates for open jobs in November. And that was a slight improvement over the 95% of business owners who reported the same for October. 

Tesia said she’d seen this first hand, explaining that applicants are scarce for some jobs but stronger for jobs that offer higher pay and managerial responsibilities. High-quality candidates are getting snapped up quickly, she said.  

Overall, the Labor Department reported 11 million job openings in October and estimates almost 5 million more open jobs than people seeking work. 

Part of the shortage is that many mothers are still on the sidelines. According to the Associated Press, when the pandemic started in the spring of 2020, about 3.5 million moms with school-age children left the workforce, lost jobs, or took leaves of absence from work. 

And, many working women are still out of the workforce as child care and school schedules remain in flux. According to McKinsey & Company, one in three mothers may be forced to scale back or opt out of work because of the increased demands the pandemic puts on mothers.

What advice do you have for companies that need new employees or want to grow?

Building a team is one of the most important things you can do as a small business owner. Obviously, there are some headwinds as you start to hire. 

But, there are plenty of upsides, too. If you can offer the right combination of opportunity, pay, and flexibility, you could nab a superstar who has left another employer. The first step is to make your job stand out in a crowded market.

As you prepare to hire, here are a few tips:

  • Move quickly. Employers are snapping up top applicants fast. Hold off on posting your opening until you have a window of time to look at applications and move quickly on an interview and offer. It’s OK to take a few days to decide, but if you leave applicants hanging for weeks as you make your decision or get pulled in other directions, you are likely to miss out on your top choice. 
  • Make it easy to apply for your open role. Applicants with many options may not invest hours completing an online application or doing a skills test upfront. Save that for a final round of interviews. Also, consider if those activities actually yield better candidates and help you decide. If not–or if you aren’t sure–this may be the time to retire those practices.
  • Take a critical look at pay. Offering low pay will extend the time it takes to find the right person and reduce the pool of high-quality applicants for you to consider. Paying a bit more could save you money in the long term and reduce your turnover. 

 

Pay is tricky, but generally, higher pay attracts stronger candidates. Be realistic about the skills you are looking for and what the market is paying for those skills. You can talk with the pros at HireMyMom to help you find the proper pay range for your job. 

  • Be flexible. Candidates often look for flexible hours, which can mean many different things, from part-time hours to a shared job. For some applicants, it’s the ability to work different hours on different days. 

Before you post a job, think about what you need and be clear in your posting about your flexibility. The more flexibility you have, the greater the number of candidates you will likely attract. If you don’t think there’s much flexibility in your role, run your thinking by others and see if you can’t find some wiggle room to make the job more attractive to candidates.

  • Cast a wider net. As a small business owner offering flexible and meaningful jobs, there is a tremendous pool of workers that you can tap into–moms who are ready to leave the rat race and find work-from-home positions that meet their needs. 

To find mom professionals interested in remote job opportunities, partner with a niche job site like HireMyMom to access a dedicated pool of professionals looking for remote work. Because HireMyMom charges job seekers a fee to access job listings, all our job seekers are serious about finding work. And, the volume of resumes that flow in is more manageable than the numbers that arrive when jobs are advertised on free job sites.

And, follow these tips to help you tap into that resource.

What are you experiencing as you try to hire new team members? Drop us a line and share your experiences.

 

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One Simple Thing You Can Do to Ensure 2022 is Your Best Year Ever

The last two years have been tough–especially for moms. We’ve learned an entirely new way of life. Many of us cared for ill family members or got sick ourselves. We shepherded our kids through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, kept the meals flowing, and loved our families through it all. Oh, and we also worked from home to keep our professional ambitions alive.

On the cusp of 2022, it’s time to look back and say: “Wow! That was a lot.” 

But, life is returning to a pace that feels more typical and liveable. It’s time to exhale, peek our heads up over the horizon, and consider what’s next.

Given everything you’ve done the last two years, the HireMeMom team thinks it’s time for you to focus on yourself in 2022. It’s not selfish. In fact, it’s selfless to invest in your happiness and interests because it creates a deeper personal reserve you can draw from and give to your family.

But, we get that it’s not easy to make yourself a priority–whether you are focusing on health and fitness, financial or professional goals.

We know that support makes a difference. So, we’ve created a series of programs and offers that can help you focus on your goals next year. HireMyMom’s new Elevate You: Mastermind & Coaching programs are just the thing to help you get unstuck and take a fresh look at the possibilities for your life and career.

This blog explores why we created these programs and how you can use the new year’s fresh start to make 2022 your best year yet.

Moms are our passion

At HireMyMom, helping moms find meaningful work-from-home opportunities is our passion. It’s what we think about and where we put our energy.

As you can see from our blogs, we cover everything from questions to ask yourself to determine if a work-from-home job is right for you to helping you develop habits to be more productive each day. We share ideas about how you can save money on childcare, show you how to level up, and offer guidance on how to turn your idea into a business. And, we celebrate your success, highlighting moms like Jessika Soto and Nicole Smith as examples of how the system works. 

Over the last few months, the HireMyMom team has heard from several moms looking for more personal coaching and support.

We see (and have heard about) the desire for moms to be part of a group of women who want to move ahead in life and business. 

But, you aren’t just looking for any group–we understand that you are looking for a group of women outside of your immediate social and professional circle who can help you gain clarity and focus as you pursue your dreams and goals. You’d like to find a group of women to connect with over time as you explore what it means to find meaningful growth and success. You want to find a group of women you can cheer for as they cheer for you. 

Good news: HireMyMom’s new Elevate You: Mastermind & Coaching Groups are forming now, and they are just what you need. 

Invest in you

These programs, built around virtual meetings and an app, can help you gain the clarity and focus you need to pursue your dreams while connecting with a community of like-minded moms. 

Through the program, you’ll find the path for meaningful growth and success based on what matters to you. You’ll create deep and authentic relationships with women on the same path and benefit from coaching from our founder and HireMyMom CEO, Lesley Pyle. We will also have fun while supporting each other.

The program offers two levels:

  • Cultivate is specially designed for moms looking for remote work, transitioning from a traditional job, or hoping to start a freelance business. 

This group will meet weekly and focus on resume and cover letter writing as well as interview guidance. We will talk about the basics of starting a business–including finding the right productivity tools. Our private group app will help you track weekly events, connect with other members and quickly access all of the tools and resources that are part of your membership.

As a member of a Cultivate group, you’ll participate in group brainstorming, get support, offer encouragement, and enjoy the accountability and networking opportunities that come from meeting with other moms who share your goals.

If you are considering transitioning to a work-from-home lifestyle or launching a new business endeavor, Cultivate is for you. Join us in a Cultivate group, which is forming now for an early 2022 launch.

  • Flourish is perfect for moms who already have experience working at home and are ready to level up and grow personally and professionally. 

This group will meet weekly to discuss business growth, discuss ways to expand, and explore marketing ideas. The peer group dynamic will help fill you with fresh ideas and unique perspectives so you can develop new viewpoints and see your business with fresh eyes.

The group will explore ways to improve business systems, build better processes and automate your work. 

A private group app puts all the tools and resources at your fingertips. Group sessions will provide an opportunity to share thoughts, get support, and find encouragement. 

What’s more, the group sessions will help you stay accountable to your goals and will offer you a chance to network with other like-minded moms who you might not have otherwise met.

 Sign up now to be ready when the new group gets rolling in early 2022.

Consider coaching

If you aren’t ready to commit to a group program, individual coaching may be right for you. Working with a coach–even just for one or two sessions, can help you move to the next level. As a work-at-home mom who deeply values family time, finding the right coach is essential.

We all need support in business and life. It’s easy to feel stuck or overwhelmed–especially as you raise a family and navigate career space. An experienced, independent, outside voice can help provide feedback on what’s not working and give you the clarity you need on the best way to use your time and energy.

If you want to balance working at home with your family life, there’s a good chance Lesley is the right coach for you. You can benefit from Lesley’s 25 years as an entrepreneur and her insights into balancing work and family from a wife and mother who’s been down the road you are traveling.

Research shows that working with a coach is the most effective and efficient way to experience the breakthrough you need to grow personally and professionally. 

A coach can help you define what success means for you, guide you as you start or grow a remote career or business, and help you work through roadblocks or fears that hold you back. If you know you want to make a change but aren’t sure what you want to do, the proper support can help.

Join us!

We hope that reading about these programs has you as excited to attend them as we are to offer them. We think this is the ideal time to invest in yourself and consider what’s possible for you in the next year.

We can’t wait to celebrate your success! 

 

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Ready to Change Your Work Life? Check out These Top Secret Job Trends

If you’ve turned on the television, listened to the radio, or opened a newspaper lately,  you’ve likely heard about the labor shortage in the United States. Even if you’ve managed to escape the news in the media, you’ve probably seen help wanted signs hanging from virtually every shop, restaurant, and service provider in town.

What’s more, remote teams and work-from-home jobs have never been more popular with employers or employees. When the pandemic sent workers home, many employers were forced to rethink operations and have turned to home-based staff to get work done. And, many people–especially moms–found that working from home improved the quality of their family life and they want to stick with it.

The confluence of these trends means it’s a great time to find a work-from-home job. While a tight labor market can be challenging for employers, it offers an opportunity for job seekers. 

HireMyMom has been helping match small businesses with professional women who want to work from home for decades. Through our concierge service, we also help employers find the right candidate quickly. All of this hiring action gives us a good look at trends.  

Bottom line: It’s a great time to be looking for a new job. We see hourly rates creeping up and an increasing number of job posts as people leave their current jobs and look for better ones that offer more pay, greater flexibility, and the freedom to work at home. And, employers are moving quickly to snap up talent before candidates move on to other possibilities.

We talked with the HireMyMom concierge team members to find out what types of jobs are hot right now and what those employers are looking for in candidates. Consider this blog your secret job-hunting weapon as we head into 2022.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistant or VA jobs are perpetually popular, but we’ve seen a noticeable uptick in postings for these roles lately. As businesses grow, many entrepreneurs are eager to find support for administrative tasks. 

VA’s take care of many tasks, including email response, appointment setting, travel planning, and calendar management. It’s a great business model because it solves a problem so many business owners have–squeezing more tasks into a day. Small business owners looking for on-demand support or help with administrative tasks find VA’s indispensable.

It’s also an excellent lifestyle for moms who want to control their own time, skip the commute, and put family first while still keeping professional ambitions alive. For many moms, launching a business that provides economic security and flexibility is a top 2022 priority. 

VAs can work for more than one client on a part-time basis or for a single client. Some are employees, but it’s more common for a VA to work as a contractor. 

If you are interested in launching your own business, consider starting a VA service. There are some great opportunities for free training for aspiring VA’s who want to begin the journey. If you’re interested in exploring this career path with additional training, we’ve rounded up the best VA training options so you can find the one that works best for you.

Bookkeepers and Accountants

We are seeing an increasing number of posts for bookkeeping and accountant roles. These jobs are quickly moving to work-from-home positions.  

These jobs generally require a degree of expertise and training is available to help you learn more and decide if this is the right career path for you, even if you don’t have experience in the field.

Check out this YouTube video of our founder, Lesley Pyle, and founder of Stay at Home Bookkeeper, Tiffany Higgins, talking about getting started with a bookkeeping business. 

Online Business Manager

We are seeing strong and growing demand for Online Business Managers (OBMs). An OBM  takes over the daily operations of a business, freeing the founder and other executives to concentrate on growing the business and pursuing new ventures. The OBM steps in as the Chief Operating Officer for the company, managing day-to-day tasks across a broad spectrum of functions.

At the most basic level, OBMs lead a team. They understand the company’s objectives for the business and are focused on leading all elements of the team to understand that vision. Many businesses use OBM’s, including those that operate online and those with more traditional operations. OBM’s have a skill set that can be used to help run any type of business.  

OBM’s often have administrative backgrounds or experience in logistics. We see many work-from-home moms start as VA’s and grow their businesses to serve as OBM’s by adding additional services. 

Here’s a closer look at what OBM’s do and why growing small businesses love them. 

Social Media Manager/Specialist

Using social media to promote their business and specific offerings is a crucial strategy for many small businesses. But, managing social media accounts and conducting promotions require time and expertise, which are often outside of the business owner’s area of expertise. Because social media is a powerful and ubiquitous force that changes frequently, many small business owners are hiring social media managers to increase the quality and effectiveness of their social media efforts.

Social media managers work with clients to develop a social media strategy, set short- and long-term goals, select the right platforms based on those goals, offer promotional ideas, create social media content and assess results.

We are seeing robust demand for people with Google Ads expertise as company’s work to make their posts stand out in a crowded marketplace. Social media managers with solid Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experience are also in high demand.

To learn more, link to the Complete Digital Marketing Course.

What Are You Seeing?

Drop us a line and tell us about the jobs you think will be hot next year.

 

 

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Seven Surefire Ways to Thank Your Team this Holiday Season

The holidays are a traditional time to share thanks and appreciation, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to share some love and light with your team as 2021 turns into 2022.

But, when your team works from home–whether across town or the country–some of the traditional holiday options for thanking people are off the table. You can’t easily order lunch for a conference room party, bring in donuts, or drop off coffee.

If thinking about the logistics of thanking your team has you sitting on the sidelines, we are here to help. Over the years, we’ve watched many small business owners with remote teams share appreciation in ways that are big and small.

In this blog, we’ve rounded up our best ideas for saying thank you and appreciating your team members from afar. Some of these ideas require an investment of time, money, or both. Some are free or low-cost. All say “thank you.” 

The key is to find the right mix for your team and your budget. And, since we understand that you’re busy, check out our quick-and-dirty checklist at the end for a step-by-step guide to making the process of holiday appreciation a cinch.

 

Find a way to show your appreciation

There are so many ways to thank your team. Consider these options, all of which can stand alone or be mixed and matched depending on the size of your team, your budget, and your relationships.

  • Write heartfelt notes to each team member. Appreciation doesn’t have to come with a price tag. Taking the time to write and mail and note to each team member can go a long way to making team members feel appreciated. An email can work, too. But, a physical card serves as a tangible token of your appreciation.

In your note, include specific things you appreciate about the person. Stick with sincere appreciation for particular qualities that person brings to the team. For example, saying: “I appreciate your daily dedication and knowing that you’ll cheerfully complete any task on-time and with accuracy,” is more effective than “I appreciate all the things you do for us.”

  • Host a virtual holiday party. Set up an hour for everyone to come together for a holiday lunch. During the party, ask people to share their holiday and end-of-year plans, reflect on the year and offer your sincere thanks for the work everyone has put in during the year. If it fits your budget, send gift cards out in advance and ask team members to order lunch to make the experience more festive. 

Keep the mood light with a few easy games. Steer away from work talk as much as possible. Your holiday party is not the occasion to provide a quarterly update or launch a new idea. 

  • Share regional tastes. Food gifts are a holiday staple for a reason–people love to receive them and share them with their families. We love the idea of sharing regional specialties with your remote teams to provide the flavor of your locale with your team. For example, if you are in Chicago, share some world-class pizza by mail. If your office is in a southern state, your team members in the north will be thrilled to get some locally-grown citrus fruit this holiday. 

If regional tastes prove difficult, many companies offer treats to ship. Options range from baked goods to charcuterie platters to bacon flights. There’s something for every taste and budget.

  • Send a group gift. Selecting the same item for everyone on your team will make your gift-giving easy if you decide to go the route of a holiday gift. For virtual teams, we like gadgets that make it easier to work at home. For example, a wireless mouse pad or a unique coffee mug that won’t spill. If you have a large budget or want to splurge, consider a standing desk or a gift card for a new office chair. 

Subscriptions work well in this space, too. You can find monthly international snack boxes, seasonal home decorating kit subscriptions, and coffee clubs. Magazine and app subscriptions are always welcome gifts. A subscription is an excellent way to let your team know that you appreciate them all year long.

  • Share a personal gift. If you have a small team and know each person well, a personal gift can be a great option. This approach may take a little longer but can make a lot of sense on close-knit teams. 

A modest by meaningful option is to arrange to have flowers delivered to your team member. (A festive centerpiece right before a holiday is always a welcome surprise.) Likewise, a candle or piece of home or office decor makes welcome gifts that can be sent to your team member’s home.

Handbags and accessories, like winter gear and trendy jewelry, are lovely gifts if you know the recipient well. 

If you have a larger budget, consider experiences you know your team members might enjoy, such as concert tickets, a spa day, or even a weekend away.

  • Offer a holiday bonus. A holiday bonus is a classic move. This is a tried-and-true option that employers have done for years. Cash is always appreciated. But, it can be expensive and can seem impersonal. Also, extra cash in a paycheck has a way of blending in with other money and may get lost in the holiday shuffle.

Gift cards are a nice variation on the holiday bonus. Virtually every retail and online establishment now offers a gift card, making them easy to purchase and deliver electronically. If moms comprise your team, consider a gift card for a service that they might not buy for themselves–for example, a massage or a manicure. 

  • Surprise your team with time away from work. Give your team an extra paid vacation day to be used in the upcoming year, or offer a few unexpected days off during the holidays as a way to share appreciation. This unexpected gift of time will tell your team that you value them, appreciate their time each day, and encourage them to recharge with an extra break. 

Create an action plan

This is not the year to wait until the last minute to plan for holiday activities. This is especially true if you plan to send gifts and need to rely on shipping. Supply issues and shipping delays could turn your end-of-your gifts into Valentine’s Day gifts. 

Here’s your holiday appreciation playbook:

  • Make a list of all the people on your team. Compiling a list prevents you from inadvertently leaving anyone out of your holiday appreciation efforts. As part of this step:
    • Decide if you want to include part-time employees and contractors. There’s no right or wrong answer to this question and will vary based on factors like your relationships, how long you’ve worked together, and your budget.
    • Ensure that you have up-to-date physical addresses for people on the list.
  • Commit to an approach. The ideas listed in this blog are a great place to start. Consider if you want to:
    • Take a one-size-fits-all approach, which is popular for larger teams.
    • Send more personalized gifts, which can make sense and feel more intimate for smaller teams but is likely to take more significant effort.
    • Pursue a hybrid approach with different options for long-term employees and part-time team members or contractors. 

 Either can work. It’s really a matter of preference. 

  • Establish a gifting budget. You can set an overall budget, one for each team member or both. Starting with a budget will make it easier to find the right items and prevent splurging.
  • Schedule time to take action. Add time to your calendar to put your plans into motion. Whether you need to shop, schedule virtual parties, or write out cards, showing your appreciation at the holidays takes time. 

 

How do you say thank you?

We love to hear about all the ways people appreciate each other. Tell us what you do! Tell us about the best gift you’ve ever given or received.

 

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Seven Tips to Make Your Holidays Merry and Bright When You Work From Home

The holidays are right around the corner. Regardless of which holidays you celebrate, the end of the year is full of merriment and fun. As a mom or a small business owner, creating that magic often falls to you. That can mean hectic schedules, straining to-do lists, and little time to rest. And, unlike other holidays that come and go in a day or so, the holiday season lasts weeks–stretching from Thanksgiving to New Years Day. So, having a plan to thrive through it is essential–especially when you work from home.

When you work at home, the holidays can feel extra tricky because you’ve now added “making holiday magic” to the list of things to do in the same place where you live and work.

The HireMyMom team knows this feeling well and has developed strategies over the years to make the season easier. Here are our best holiday tips to help you feel festive, get everything done, and keep all the balls in the air as you work and make holiday magic all from home.

 

Just like Santa, make a list

Early in the holiday season, map out all the things you want to do before you hear your last sleigh bell for the year. Include activities that you must do and things that you’d like to do in two different columns. As you make your list, talk with your family about what matters to them this season–the places they’d like to go, the traditions that are most important to them, and the activities that feel essential.

Having this roadmap will make it easier to allocate your time along the way and help ensure that you don’t leave anything undone. Knowing what you want to do vs. need to do can help reduce the frantic feeling that often comes as the holiday inches closer. And, having a clear view of these things makes it easier to manage your calendar.

 

Shop early

Many Christmas carols romanticize the idea of stepping out on Christmas Eve morning to complete all Christmas shopping amid the hustle and bustle of festive shoppers. Clearly, these composers have never actually done this because Christmas shopping at the last minute is crazy town.

If you are shopping for holiday gifts this year, start early. The news is full of reports of shortages and shipping delays. Experts generally advise buying things as you see them. That advice matches our collective holiday experience as well. Waiting until the last minute adds to stress even in a typical year. As Christmas gets closer, the stores get more crowded, and you’ll feel more desperate. Shop early to avoid feeling the pinch that comes with having the shop at the end. 

Also, for many businesses, Christmas Eve is a workday. With all your holiday prep complete, Christmas Eve morning can be an amazing day to get work done and let you sail into the holiday with a sense of serenity that you’ve expertly prepared for the holiday and knocked through a good portion of your work punch list.

 

Consider holiday break child care

Most schools and daycares will close for at least a portion of the holiday season, with public schools closing for about two weeks between Christmas and New Years Day. Plan for this time now. Look at your work obligations and see if you can take time off. If the answer is no, line up backup child care. 

One of the many great things about the winter holiday season is that college students and older high school students are generally home and available to babysit. Take advantage of this season of plenty when it comes to childcare options. 

Also, don’t feel bad if you need to arrange childcare to work on holiday chores or take some time for yourself during the season. It’s a hectic time of year, and having extra hands to carry the load will make the season more manageable and fun.

 

Re-think your schedule

As an experienced work-from-home professional, you likely have a routine that you follow each day. When the holidays arrive, you may need to be flexible with your days. Get ahead of this by doing some pre-planning.

For example, consider how you can tweak your workflow during the day to accommodate a noontime run to the store for some quick gift shopping. If you are hosting and need to work while you have guests, think about how you can flex your workday so that you can still visit. Look to early mornings and evenings, depending on your biorhythms and schedule.

 

Plan to cut a few corners

Holiday celebrations can come with a lot of pressure. It’s easy to find yourself doing things you don’t value or enjoy because it seems like you should do those things. But, your time is precious, and there’s no prize in January for enduring holiday tasks.

We find it easier to let some things go if we plan to cut a few corners in advance. Planning to take these shortcuts makes it more deliberate and not a decision made in desperation at the last minute, which can be stressful. 

For example, if:

  • You don’t have the time or desire to make a full Christmas dinner, order it from a restaurant or grocery store. 
  • You hate baking, plan to buy cookies at a bakery. If you want to decorate them with your kids, purchase undecorated sugar cookie cutouts and skip right to the fun part.
  • You’d rather get a root canal than wrap presents, drop your gifts off at a wrapping fundraiser near you or pay the fee to have gifts wrapped at the store or by the shipper.
  • You grow weary of addressing holiday card envelopes, order them pre-printed or make address labels.

Also, remember there are no rules for how you celebrate. If you or your family want frozen pizza and a movie night on New Year’s Eve, go for it. You are free to make the holiday plans that work for you.

 

Make time for you

With all the planning and working going on, it can be challenging to carve out time for you. Don’t skimp on this step. If you do, you run the risk of sliding into the big days exhausted and stressed out. Plan to see friends, get some exercise, treat yourself to a pedicure. Do things that let you unplug and savor the season. 

If you are inclined to treat yourself to a holiday gift, may we suggest giving yourself the gift of a coach?

HireMyMom’s Mastermind & Coaching programs can help bring out the best in your business and your life. It’s specifically tailored for moms who want to work and home and find professional success without sacrificing family time. We think it’s the perfect holiday gift.

 

Bring some merry into your space and work-life

If you’re new to working at home, you may find that you miss the holiday fun and rituals common in offices. Check out these ideas for capturing some of that fun from your home office.

Drop us a line and tell us how you celebrate the holidays from home. Share the tricks you use to make the season more manageable and more joyful.

 

 

 

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Feeling stuck? Practice Gratitude to Love More and Feel Better

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, you are likely counting your blessings. Maybe you’ve even participated in a social media gratefulness challenge and spent the entire month listing all the ways you are grateful.

But, as a mom or business owner, you may also be counting your tasks. You could be feeling a little overwhelmed by the prospect of preparing a feast or traveling and then turning around to start the work that goes into making holiday magic.

The HireMyMom team understands these conflicting feelings well. Sometimes, it’s easier to count irritations than blessings. Raising a family while nourishing a career is a lot of hard work. And, let’s face it, the last two years have been A LOT. COVID-19 has upended virtually every aspect of life, and that takes a toll.

But, research shows that practicing gratitude and showing it to others has profound and lasting benefits for you and those around you. In the spirit of the season, today’s blog focuses on how to turn your list of “have to’s” into a list of “get to’s” and (we think) convincing data about why it makes sense to pursue a path that includes the practice of gratitude. 

 

Understanding gratitude

Gratitude is the act of noticing the good things in your life–even in the face of adversity–and putting your focus there for at least a few minutes each day. 

Many of us are familiar with feeling grateful in fleeting moments. Gratefulness comes from a lot of places–a neighbor stops by with vegetables from her garden, a friend sends you a birthday card, a stranger offers a compliment. All of these things can lead to a short-term feeling of gratefulness.

Likewise, many of us are in the habit of offering a thank you throughout the day. We do it at the grocery store, while running errands, and at the end of calls. But, that can feel more transactional–something we say reflexively rather than a true feeling of gratitude.

As moms, we know that feeling and sharing gratefulness is a critical skill. We train our kids to say thank you to the people around them. We insist they write thank you notes after birthday parties and to grandparents. 

Gratitude is different than these experiences.

Practicing gratitude means you proactively look for the good things in your life each day. Shifting to a mindset of gratitude doesn’t mean you are ignoring issues. It just means that you are reframing your focus away from what vexes you and onto the positive.

Why gratitude matters

According to Harvard Health Beat, people who regularly express gratitude are happier, healthier,  enjoy stronger relationships, and better deal with adversity. In one study, a group of people wrote about things they were grateful for each week, and another group wrote about the things that irritated them each week.

After ten weeks, those who practiced gratitude were more optimistic, reported feeling better about life, had exercised more, and made fewer visits to the doctor. 

We bet this is a feeling you recognize from your own life. When we take a few minutes to step back and consider the larger context of our lives in a positive light, it’s easier to have a sunnier outlook. 

Several different studies show that practicing gratitude can lead to a wide range of benefits, including:

  • Greater feelings of calm.
  • Better sleep and better health–both physical and mental.
  • Reduced stress and better emotional regulation.
  • Improved relationships at home and work.
  • Increased empathy and less aggression.
  • More relationships across all areas of life.
  • Greater career success and more opportunities.

Clearly, practicing gratitude is good for us.

How to practice gratitude

It’s one thing to know that regularly practicing gratitude can lead to a slew of benefits. It’s another thing to start doing it. The idea of shifting our thinking and practicing gratitude can feel foreign in a society that tends to focus on problems and issues instead of blessings and opportunities.

We talked among the staff and scoured the internet for ideas to get started. Here are some easy-to-try ideas.

Things to think about

  • Think of three things you are grateful to have in your life before you get out of bed each morning. If you aren’t sure where to start, tick off a warm bed, followed by slippers and coffee to start your practice.
  • Spend a minute thinking about the blessing of the modern, American bathroom as you move forward with your morning. Hot water and indoor plumbing are certainly reasons to feel gratitude.
  • Marvel at the conveniences available in your kitchen. Chances are you have an appliance that keeps food at the right temperature, another one to cook food, and a machine to wash your dishes. These tools are the unsung heroes of everyday life, especially the holidays. 
  • Consider the gift of good health and the way it makes your life more pleasant and more manageable.

Things to do

  • Say thank you more. Thank your family members and children throughout the day. Aim for three thank yous to each family member every day.
  • Set aside five minutes a week to send a note to a co-worker thanking that person for their work. Be specific and express your heartfelt appreciation for the ways your coworker enriches your life.
  • Offer compliments to those around you. Tell your neighbor that you noticed her holiday decorations and appreciate the way they brighten up the street.
  • Keep a journal on your nightstand and spend the last few minutes of each day recalling the good things that happened during the day. Recall the sweet moments with your spouse or kids, the funny things said over the dinner table, and even the excitement your pet displayed when you came back from a short walk or running an errand.
  • Take a walk and pause to admire the beauty around you. Breathe in the fresh air, look up at the sky, listen to birds singing, and take in the majesty of nature.
  • Give up complaining for 21 days to see how you feel. 

We are grateful for you

While we are discussing gratitude, we’d be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity to share how grateful we are to you! Whether you are a small business owner or a mom professional, HireMyMom wouldn’t exist without you. 

We are grateful for the chance to provide this forum for people to connect as they pursue passions, grow businesses, and raise families.

We wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving.

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How to Be Brave, Get Support and Level Up for Unbelievable Success

Congratulations–you are living the work-from-home life and thriving.

You know how to hack your day for maximum productivity, what pitfalls to avoid, how to get back on track when your motivation wanes. You outsource tasks, set boundaries, stay connected, use the right apps, work smart in the kitchen to save time, and manage through periods without childcare.

But, something’s not quite right. Maybe you aren’t finding the same level of fulfillment in your work compared to when you first started. Perhaps your children are getting older, and you are ready for meatier professional assignments. Or, maybe you aren’t sure what you need or want, but you know that the current situation is not quite working for you.

It may be time to call in a coach to help you level up for the next chapter of your life. Leveling up is different than a job change. It’s an opportunity to assess where you are, consider the future, set goals, create a plan, and tackle the opportunities you identify.

Here’s our best advice for knowing when it’s time to level up and how a coach can help you make your dreams a reality.

You Are Not Alone

The media regularly shares stories about the “great resignation” that’s underway this year. Many people are rethinking their professional lives as the pandemic starts to abate. Clearly, you are not alone if you feel the desire for something new. It’s normal and healthy to want more–even if you aren’t sure what exactly that “more” is right now.

Bottom line, if you feel a longing for something new, we suggest embracing the feeling and exploring where it leads you. You don’t have to walk this path alone because millions of people–many of them moms–are walking right along with you.

A coach can help you find the path that works for you and connect you with like-minded, work-at-home moms who can help make reaching your destination an actual labor of love and shared experience.

Be Brave

Maybe you know it’s time for a change but feel trepidation at the prospect of shaking things up. We get it. It can be scary to think about moving on to a different job, launching a business, or changing career paths. We find this is especially true for moms who work at home and want to keep it that way. So much emphasis is placed on finding a work-from-home job and making it work that it can be easy to get fixated on the job you have and lose sight of what you really want.

Feeding the professional side of your life is essential. As life changes and you change, your professional ambitions may change as well. That’s a normal and expected development, and there’s no need to feel bad about the desire.

If You Aren’t Sure

Sometimes you know it’s time to make a change. But, often, the desire to change is more subtle, and it takes a while to recognize. So, even if you aren’t actively thinking about a new job or making a professional change, watch for these clues that it may be time to move on:

  • You find yourself coasting at work. If you feel like you can do your job with your eyes closed or your workday feels mindless, a new challenge may help restore your interest.
  • Co-workers often come to you for advice on how to do the job. This is a sign that you are broadly perceived as an expert at the job and maybe a hint that you are ready for new challenges.
  • You are easily frustrated or find yourself complaining about your work. Often, frustration or venting are signs that it’s time to look deeper and determine if these are temporary frustrations or symptoms of a more significant problem.

If you recognize yourself here, that’s likely a sign that it’s time to do some work to explore essential questions related to work and life.

Now What

Moving on just for the sake of moving on is often counterproductive. If you jump to the next job or opportunity that comes along, you could end up feeling dissatisfied again in short order.

We find that a better approach is to take the time to answer some big questions to make sure you land in the right place and feel confident in your path going forward. Consider:

  • What does success mean to you in the next season of life?
  • How does that definition translate to goals?
  • How will you get there?
  • How will you develop a plan?
  • Who will hold you accountable for achieving your goals?
  • How will you find the support you need to make the changes to help you achieve your goals?

Answering these questions can help you move from where you are today to where you want to be in the future. Putting work in now pays dividends later.

But, these are BIG questions, and it’s often difficult to know how to answer them. That’s where a coach or group program can really make the difference.

Consider Coaching

Finding meaningful success without sacrificing family time is a team sport, and a coach can help you move to the next level of play. As a work-at-home mom who deeply values family time, finding the right coach is essential.

We all need support in business and life. It’s easy to feel stuck or overwhelmed–especially as you raise a family and navigate career space. An experienced, independent, outside voice can help provide feedback on what’s not working and give you the clarity you need on the best way to use your time and energy.

A coach can help you define what success means for you, guide you as you start or grow a remote career or business, and help you smash through roadblocks or fears that hold you back. If you know you want to make a change but aren’t sure what you want to do, the proper support can help.

HireMy Mom’s Mastermind & Coaching programs can help bring out the best in your business and in your life. It’s specifically tailored for moms who want to work and home and find professional success without sacrificing family time.

We currently offer two options:

  • Elevate YOU: Mastermind & Coaching for Women can help you gain the clarity and focus you need to pursue your dreams while connecting you with a community of like-minded moms. Through the program, you’ll find the path for meaningful growth and success based on what matters to you. You’ll create deep and authentic relationships with women on the same path and benefit from coaching from our founder and HireMyMom CEO, Lesley Pyle.
  • One-on-One Coaching with Lesley Pyle can help you move ahead in life and business. Research shows that working with a coach is the most effective and efficient way to experience the breakthrough you need to grow personally and professionally. You can benefit from Lesley’s 25 years as an entrepreneur and her insights into balancing work and family from a wife and mother who’s been down the road you are traveling.
  • Coming soon! Small Business Owners Mastermind, which is designed to support entrepreneurs as they grow their business. The group will start in 2022, but you can sign up for the waitlist now.

Join us!
This is the time to invest in yourself, your future, and your family. You won’t regret it. Your goals await.

 

 

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Four Powerful Habits to Boost Productivity and Get More Done Each Day

As moms, we understand the power of habits. We develop habits to help our families keep moving. We encourage our children to develop good habits as they grow. The habits we depend on make it possible for us to keep many balls in the air while guiding our children to adulthood with support and direction. 

When you work from home, habits can serve the same purpose in your professional life. Key productivity habits can help make your days easier.

Over the years, the HireMyMom team has observed the habits of highly productive and organized work-from-home moms. Here, we share their habits with you.

 

Set Goals Early and Often

In Stephen Covey’s famous and bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he advises “to begin with the end in mind.” In our experience, starting with that view when approaching your work from a home office can help move the needle on productivity. Having a clear destination helps to keep you on track. Knowing your goals enables you to make decisions that support your overall objectives.

We tend to think of goal setting as an annual affair. While it’s true that a yearly cycle can help you develop longer-term goals, one habit we often see in successful work-at-home moms is that they set goals regularly and often in multiple time increments.

For example, if you have a big project due in 30 days, finishing it could be a goal for the month. Breaking the project down into smaller weekly and daily tasks provides shorter-term goals that can make your work more productive and help guide your decisions around the actions that will help you realize your goals. 

For best results, write your goals down. Research shows you are 42% more likely to achieve goals if you write them down.

 

Make a List

There’s nothing better than creating a to-do list and then crossing items off as you complete them. And, for moms who work at home, regularly creating a to-do list is an essential tool and an important habit.

There are many ways to make a list–you can use pen and paper, dash off an online list, or use a phone-based app. The important thing here is to take all the tasks rattling around in your brain and dump them into one place that’s easy to access and quick to read.

Here’s a low-tech approach we often see used and many find effective.

  • Treat yourself to a fun or pretty notebook and designate it for keeping all your lists and notes together.
  • Write your long-term goals on the inside cover and any pertinent information that you need regularly but don’t always remember on the back cover.
  • Draw a line down the middle of a fresh page each day. At the top, write “work” on top of the left column and “personal” on the right side. 
  • Assign tasks into each category. This method differentiates personal and professional tasks, which helps you be more efficient when you sit down to work.
  • Fill in the tasks that you aim to achieve that day, using your goals as a guide. 
  • Place the most important jobs at the top of the list or put a star next to them, so they draw your attention.
  • Enjoy crossing items off as you complete them.

 

Establish a Routine

As a mom, you know that babies and children thrive on comfortable routines. As a work-from-home mom, a routine can help you feel a greater sense of control over your life and time. Knowing what comes next and when makes much of your day easier because you don’t have to stop and think about each step. Instead, you fall into a daily rhythm that helps you thrive.

Many work-related routines fall away when you work from home–there’s no commute, you don’t have to get dressed or pack a lunch. While that has a beautiful quality, it also eliminates powerful signals to your brain that it’s time to work.

As a work-from-home mom, create new routines to set the stage for productivity. Here are some ideas to establish a routine:

  • Set specific work hours and honor them as much as you can. 
  • Batch your work by dividing your day into increments for doing certain things. For example, start each day by checking your email for 30 minutes. Then move on to a block of time dedicated to project-based tasks.
  • Use a timer to help keep you on track. For example, if you designate 30 minutes for email, use a timer to help ensure that email responses don’t eat up a block of time set for another task. As your routine falls into place, you won’t need the timer as much because you will feel the transition times as they approach–that’s part of the power of a routine.
  • Set aside break times to connect with a colleague through slack or gchat or walk around for a few minutes–just like you would in the office.

If you find Mondays particularly difficult, check out these tips to start your work week off right.

 

Develop Rituals

It’s tough to transition out of mom mode and right into professional mode without taking a few minutes to reset. 

When you work outside the home, preparing for the day and completing your commute are rituals that help you with the transition. But, when your commute is just a few steps down the hall, you lose that time and process.

Developing a few short rituals to ease the transition can make you feel fully present as you start your workday and can help increase your productivity. Here are a few suggestions to help create rituals to begin your workday:

  • Pour a cup of coffee.
  • Sip it as your walk around the block.
  • Listen to a short podcast related to your work.
  • Check your goals as you sit down at your desk to ground yourself in the day’s tasks.

At the end of each workday, rituals can help you transition back into mom mode. When you wrap up your workday, try:

  • Closing any open documents on your desktop.
  • Review your to-do list and cross out any completed tasks.
  • Make a few notes for the next day.
  • Close your eyes for two minutes and reflect on the day. Try to leave any stress behind.
  • Shut your office door, physically or metaphorically, as you leave work for the day

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Tell us the habits that you depend on to maximize productivity.

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How to Make Money from Home and Save on Childcare

At HireMyMom, we work with mom professionals at every stage of their motherhood journey. We have moms with newborns considering their professional options and mothers with kids entering college who love working at home and can’t imagine any other way of working. 

One of the most common questions we hear from mom professionals with young children considering working from home is: can I work at home without childcare? And, we get it! Childcare is expensive, it can be tough to arrange, and using it can be a source of stress. 

The answer is that it depends on lots of factors. Let’s dig into what’s possible, based on our experience working with thousands of mom professionals as well as employers who seek them.

A General Rule of Thumb

If you have young children who aren’t old enough to go to school, you can probably work about ten hours a week without childcare. Any more than that is difficult because your kids need your attention just like your work. 

Without childcare, squeezing in those ten hours will take creativity and discipline. Many moms who work from home with little kids rise early to knock out work before their family wakes up. Others burn the midnight oil, and some are committed to working every second of nap time. Some moms establish routines that include specific hands-off kid activities that allow them to work while the kids keep themselves busy. 

The great news is that HireMyMom offers many part-time opportunities that can work with this schedule. But, if you find that you want more hours, you can likely find a part-time childcare situation that meets your needs and your budget.

Finding Part-Time Childcare

The prospect of finding high-quality, full-time child care can be daunting. But, there are several ways to find part-time child care, perfect for work-from-home moms. Here are some ideas:

  • Ask nearby family members if they are willing to commit to helping a few hours one or two days a week. 
  • Share childcare duties with another work-from-home mom who has similar needs. Take turns on kid duty a few hours each day or every other day, giving each set of adults a chance to work kid-free and the kids a chance to play with friends.
  • See if local churches offer a mother’s day out program where you can enroll your children and establish a regular work time while the kids attend the program.
  • Consider a preschool program that your kids attend a few mornings a week. Many pre-schools offer a session that meets from 9 to noon. Usually, you can pick the number of days your child attends, choosing between two and five-day programs.
  • Enroll your kids in a sports camp that meets a few times each week and work while they attend. 
  • Look for a local high school or community college student who could provide a few hours of support each week. Community college students often have a few free hours midday between classes, which can be ideal if you are looking for mid-day care.
  • Ask a neighbor to consider swapping tasks with you–trading a few hours of child care for a service you’d be happy to provide like shopping, cooking, or organizing.

Need More Childcare?

If you need more hours of child care than these ideas provide, consider partnering with another family (or two) to hire a shared nanny. This is an excellent solution if you both need a fair amount of childcare but don’t want to use a child care center or commit to a full-time child care provider. 

There are many ways to split the nanny’s time. One option is arranging different days/hours but ensuring the nanny will have a set number of work hours each week. Or, you could arrange to have the nanny take all the kids to alternating houses throughout the week. This type of setup makes it easier to find a professional, full-time nanny without having to shoulder the expense on your own.

If you go this route, do the work upfront to make the arrangement successful. Start by agreeing on a general framework for hours and days at the outset. This type of arrangement works better when everyone is on the same page in terms of schedules. But, be prepared to be flexible, as schedules and needs can change. 

Also, talk with the other family about general expectations for kid behavior and activities while the nanny is in charge. For example, will kids watch television with the nanny? Do you expect the nanny to supervise while the kids play or actively engage them in activities? Many nannies provide light housekeeping services like dishes and laundry. So, map out expectations in those realms, too. Discussing these topics in advance can ensure a smoother partnership.

Another idea: Invest in Yourself

Many moms with young children use the time when their kids are tiny to take training classes and launch a virtual assistant (VA) business. As a VA, you take care of many tasks, including email response, appointment setting, travel planning, and calendar management. These businesses are flexible and can be scaled as your family life changes and your children grow. 

VA work is catching on quickly. You can work as a general VA who does a wide variety of tasks or become one with a specialty in a particular industry or need. It’s a great business model because it solves a problem so many people have — squeezing more tasks into a day. It’s also an excellent lifestyle for moms who want to control their own time while keeping professional ambitions alive. 

At HireMyMom, we’ve partnered with four different training programs to help our members learn more about this business opportunity and acquire the skills needed to launch a VA business.

Find support

No matter how much you love your kids or how much you love your job, it can be tough to be a working mom. Join our Community of moms working from home and share your struggles, ideas, or best tips for managing child care and connecting with other moms like you.

 

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Great Leaders Share These Five Traits–Here’s a Peek and Their Secrets to Success

When you lead a team, you set the tone and establish the tenor. Strong leaders know that what they say and do can change the trajectory of a team’s future. As the owner of a small business, you are the leader for that business–and chances are you have a lifetime of leadership experience to call upon and guide your interactions.

But, when you lead a virtual team, the equation changes. Your leadership must be tweaked to ensure your efforts travel over the miles to guide, inspire and lift up your employees.

At HireMyMom, people leading businesses with workers spread far and wide across the country, spanning multiple time zones, inspire us each day. 

Sages have shared millions of words about the traits of effective leaders and how those traits translate to leading virtual teams. Along the way, we’ve noticed a handful of consistent traits and habits among those who do it well. Here’s a roundup of our observations.

 

A Long and Wide View

Vision is an essential trait of a remote leader. An effective leader looks further and broader than her team or business to see the bigger picture. This perch gives her a peek at upcoming trends–and issues–before others see them and provides the advantage of acting sooner rather than later. 

In many cases, this translates to being prepared to leverage new business opportunities. Sometimes this comprehensive view helps a leader spy a weak spot on the team and act before an issue develops.

John Maxwell, author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership, says that having the ability to see more than others before others allows great leaders tremendous advantages. One of the benefits of this skill is that great leaders can move into a cycle of test, fail, and improve. This cycle is a crucial component to keep businesses growing and reaching new heights of success. 

When you lead a virtual team, acquiring the vision that drives the success cycle takes special care and commitment. In our experience, openness to feedback, industry engagement, and frequent team communication help open this field of vision for business owners. Attend webinars, go to conferences and keep the lines of communication wide open. Overall, aim to be approachable and broadcast that you want to hear from people and welcome all ideas.

 

Authenticity

Authenticity is one of the characteristics that we often see among highly effective leaders. Those who inspire others embody the qualities and habits they promote. And, more importantly, they model those qualities and practices in public and private ways.

Team members see this match in words and deeds and find inspiration.  It’s easier to follow along when team members know their leader really believes in something and isn’t just paying lip service. This creates cohesive teams. 

It can be challenging to show team members these qualities when leading a virtual team because of limited in-person interactions. However, in our experience, leader authenticity still shines through the phone, email, and instant messaging- it just shows in subtler ways. For example, meeting with people individually by phone or video chat, sharing your enthusiasm and honest assessment as you discuss projects, providing constructive criticism, and jumping in to help when team members struggle are ways to show authenticity. 

Another way you can exhibit authenticity as a remote leader is to share positive stories and anecdotes about company culture when you talk with your team. It can be tempting to gripe, especially with a long-term team member. But, the best leaders of remote teams make a point to share their beliefs and positive messages with gusto. 

 

Building People to Build Business

Maxwell says that great leaders intentionally add value to people through skill development, and that’s been our experience, too. Great leaders see potential in people and invest in them so they grow. At HireMyMom, we see this in action when employers call us to replace a person who has grown into a new role at the business.

Investing in skill development for your team is good for people and business. Employees who know they are valued stick around and tend to be fiercely loyal to the leaders who helped them grow.

Looking at a team member and knowing how and where to invest in development can be trickier when managing a remote team. Mark Murphy, author of “Leadership IQ,” suggests that leaders of remote teams look for ways to extend their energy to be more open to coaching and meeting with employees across time zones. He says that leaders who successfully manage remote teams are “indefatigable” when it comes to coaching team members. If you find your energy waning, he suggests building breaks and flexibility into your day, so you have more time and energy for working with team members.

Also, this is an area where vision matters. Having a wide and long view helps you find the right people and invest in cultivating the right skills. 

 

Big Love

Great leaders love their people and value them deeply. This doesn’t mean they are never unhappy with their team’s work or never have a challenging employment situation. 

Instead, it means that great leaders know their people and share common ground as a way to connect. In some cases, leaders and team members connect over personal matters first, sharing experiences about parenthood, hobbies, or pets. That connection quickly spills over to a shared purpose around the business. 

When you lead virtual teams, take the time to connect with your people and show that you care about them and value them as people and team members. Your remote team members need as much–if not more–encouragement than those who you see regularly. There are several ways to do this. For example, discuss big projects as opportunities and help to paint the long-term vision. 

Remember that remote workers aren’t surrounded by a team, and it can be difficult for them to put mistakes into perspective without the benefit of seeing in-person reactions. When things don’t go as planned, show support by acknowledging the problem and providing assurance that you have faith in the employee or the team. For example, consider saying something like, “that project did not go as planned” when a mistake happens. Then, you can provide perspective by saying: “while we are all disappointed, I know you gave it your all. I’m certain that we will learn from this and get back on track. We will work together to make it happen.” 

These types of reassurances can help team members feel valued and appreciated.

 

Courage

All teams and businesses–no matter how well run–eventually experience challenges. And, when those challenges pop up, whether they are big or small, great leaders exhibit courage. 

When thinking of leader courage, we are reminded of the old saying that no one ever drifted to their desired location. Indeed, success is a road–sometimes a long one. Travelers need the grit to traverse the trail, and those travelers need a strong leader to drive and encourage. When leaders exhibit courage in the face of adversity, team members notice.

When leading a remote team, courage comes in a lot of forms. Sometimes, it means sharing constructive feedback that might be sensitive. In other cases, it means changing business directions or revamping teams. But, when leaders display courage, teams can solve problems, come together and thrive in the future.

Challenge yourself to be brave by practicing in everyday situations, like sharing constructive feedback or trying new ideas. This experience can prove valuable when things go sideways, and you need to dig deep to find all the courage. 

 

Please Share

The small business owners and entrepreneurs we see leading teams each day inspire us. And, we never get tired of hearing your stories. Tell us what leadership qualities make you an effective leader. Your observations and tips for growing leadership skills help us learn more and share what we see with others.

 

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