Tag Archives: working from home

News

The joy of flex: Bolton energy firm celebrates success of letting staff work anywhere, anytime

Energy retailer Love Energy Savings is booming after giving its staff the ultimate freedom to set their own work location and working hours.

The new policy – dubbed flexible flexible – was introduced in the summer in response to the changing nature of work post pandemic.

And in the three months since, Love Energy Savings has seen its intake of new job applicants rise by 250 per cent.

More than two thirds of these new workers live more than a 12 mile radius away from Love Energy Savings’ HQ in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Before ‘flexible flexible’ that number was 79 per cent of staff living inside a 12 mile radius of the office.

The numbers of new starters leaving the business has also dropped by more than 60 per cent since the policy was introduced.

Being able to ‘flex’ when it comes to working hours and where you work from is appealing to people as they settle to new lifestyles following the disruptions of Covid.

Rosie Macdonald, from Leeds, started with Love Energy Savings last year as a Digital PR Specialist. She says: “Like so many people, I got a puppy in lockdown – a cute Red Setter called Chester – but I wouldn’t be able to look after him properly if I had a commute and regular office hours to factor in.

“It’s fantastic that I’m able to walk Chester every day during the day and get out in the fresh air. In terms of my wellbeing, I’ve massively felt the benefits.

“Work-wise too, I’m more productive, alert for longer and doing my best work. I’ve never worked anywhere like this, where you are trusted to this level to work independently. It makes me feel so loyal to the company.”

Linda Heslop has had a similar experience since joining the company in September. The Conversion Rate Optimisation Specialist says: “I live in Folkestone, Kent, so commuting to Bolton would have been a non-starter.

“Remote working never appealed to me before the pandemic and even in the early days of lockdown at my previous job, I struggled to switch off. However, it’s very different here.

“I feel as included as if I was in the office thanks to the way we work. It’s a great mix of group meetings and one to ones that allow our personalities to come across while being really clear about what we need to get done.

“I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m planning to visit the head office in Bolton before Christmas, which will be great to see people in real life and strengthen those relationships even more.”

This is the latest innovation to have had a positive impact on Love Energy Savings staff. The firm was hailed earlier in 2021 for reducing emails in favour of Instagram and WhatsApp – in a bid to engage better with its predominantly under 30 workforce.

CEO of Love Energy Savings, Phil Foster, says: “We knew that the 9-5 office routine was broken – and now we have the proof.

“Our new colleagues are working smarter, achieving the work/life balance they want and flexible flexible is here to stay.

“It suits our colleagues, it suits our customers to have access to more of our staff outside of conventional business hours, and that’s a win/win for the business.”

Education, News

10 expert tips on how to homeschool children while working from home

With a third national lockdown closing most UK schools, many parents will once again have to balance homeschooling while still doing their own work.

So how do you balance home education and working from home? Oxford Home Schooling, one of the UK’s leading home education providers, has given its ten top tips on how to do just that.

1. Don’t worry about recreating the full school day

When they’re at school, children aren’t learning from the second they arrive until the hometime bell – they walk between lessons, have breaks and spend time settling into classrooms. So don’t worry about making them work non-stop from 9 to 3:30. One-to-one teaching is more efficient than normal group lessons anyway, so even a couple of hours can be really valuable, and these can fit in around your work.

2. Make use of online resources

A great way to keep your child engaged is to utilise the amazing variety of resources available online. Too much screen time is unhealthy, but technology definitely has a place. The BBC, for example, has recently launched an incredible array of educational content on BBC Bitesize and your child can work through the exercises on their own.

3. Encourage independent learning

This is most relevant for older children, but you simply won’t be able to get your own work done if you are supervising your child all day. Whether you invest in workbooks or make use of content their school sent home with them, find some tasks that your child can complete independently. Check-in occasionally, but trust them to get on with it. This helps with self-sufficiency and time management, while also giving you the opportunity to work.

4. Be in the moment

Quality not quantity is the way forward. When helping your child, you need to be completely focused and in the moment, not answering emails at the same time or checking your phone. Give your child your undivided attention and then you’ll both get the most out of that time. Otherwise you’ll spend longer having to re-explain tasks and answering questions.

5. Help them communicate with their friends

There’s more to school than just work and your child will undoubtedly be missing their friends and the social side of normal life. So help them reconnect by setting up video calls. They can catch up, have a laugh and chat about how they’re finding everything, all while you’re being productive.

6. Share responsibilities

This might not be possible in all households, but if there is more than one person capable of overseeing the homeschooling, take it in turns. Split the day up between you so you each have a few dedicated hours where you can get your own work done.

7. Be flexible

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that there’s no strict time schedule, so there’s nothing forcing you to teach your child during normal school hours. If you work 9-5, maybe teach them for an hour at 8am and then do a couple of hours after you’ve finished. Or perhaps do a couple of hours at lunch and push your work back slightly if possible.

8. Talk to other parents

There are millions of parents in the same boat as you so chat to each other and compare notes. See what’s working for them and share tips on how to make the most out of the situation. They may even be able to virtually supervise your child for a while, before you repay the favour.

9. Make lists

Make a to-do list every day of the things you want to achieve before you go to bed, both homeschooling tasks and your own work. This helps you prioritise throughout the day and ensures you at least get the most important things done for both you and your child.

10. Play to your child’s strengths

Your child is more likely to keep themselves entertained if they are good at the task they are doing. So when setting independent activities, tailor them to their strengths, whether that’s reading, writing or drawing.

Dr Nick Smith, Director at Oxford Home Schooling, said: “Homeschooling is still a relatively new experience for many families and, while the routine will certainly take some getting used to, there are lots of benefits and hopefully our tips show that parents don’t need to sacrifice their own work to help their children learn.”

For more advice on how to get the most out of homeschooling, visit: https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/revision-techniques/improve-memory-concentration/