Sunday, March 24, 2013

Six ways to make telework work at your organisation


Teleworking or working from home has been a hot topic lately with Yahoo coming out saying their employees need to be in the office and Richard Branson supporting the notion of working from home.
 
There are some great tips in this article from HC Mag on how to make telework work at your organisation. Every organisation is different and each person is different. Teleworking isn’t for everyone. It takes a certain type of personality to make working from home successful. Does your organisation support telework? How do you think it could work? Read the full article here



mums@work | 21.03.13
Image: HC Online

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Flexibility in the workplace: What can be learnt from the not-for-profit sector


Camp Quality are doing their bit to support their working parents and creating a culture of supporting work/life balance. Read about their initiatives and the creative ideas they have in place.

We especially liked the concept of10 ‘Fun Days’ (one day off a month for 10 months of the year) where they get the opportunity to spend quality time with their families and enjoy a healthy work-life balance”.

They employ working parents to tap into a pool of often unrecognised talent. As a consequence, they are experiencing higher levels of productivity in the workplace. This is a wonderful story about how a popular charity implements flexibility in the workplace. Read more.


mums@work | 22.03.13
Image: Photostock
 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

How online study can prepare mothers for work and balance family life


We welcome this week’s Guest Blogger from Martin College. Training and continued study is another challenge for ambitious mums, but there are ways to do it successfully. One of these is online learning where you aren’t required to leave the home for study.

How online study can prepare mothers for work and balance family life:
Returning to work for mothers can be exciting because it allows you to consider your options and seek out a career change. On the other hand, refreshing your skills while managing motherhood can be daunting. For Elena Zabellero, a single mother of two, who works fulltime and wanted to up-skill in her current marketing role, undertaking the necessary study required was always a bit of a challenge.

“Studying alongside being a full time mum isn’t an easy thing to do,” she says. “I knew that I couldn’t complete a course that took me away from home to study on a campus.”
This is a classic situation many busy mums can probably relate to. Juggling household commitments, motherhood and pressing priorities can all make it challenging for mums to make any time for themselves let alone adding study to the mix. But for mums thinking about a career change or re-entering the workforce, online study may be the perfect solution to balance the juggling act.

Why online study is a great way to manage your time and prepare for work:
If you’re worried that your professional skills may have become stale, or you’re considering a career change, studying allows you to refresh your knowledge. With a range of online courses available, you can also undertake flexible study to refresh your skills or up-skill to a new role. The at-home learning experience even allows you to get qualified while you’re on maternity leave or parental leave, so you will have the credentials to find a relevant job when you’re ready to return to work.

“I started work as a Marketing Coordinator in 2011 and was soon promoted to Marketing and Communications Manager after commencing the Advanced Diploma of Marketing at Martin College,” says Elena. “Studying online gave me the flexibility to study at home and plan my own study schedule around my hectic lifestyle, even if it meant many late nights reading and submitting assessments.”

Advantages of online learning for mums
Online learning is often the perfect answer for busy mums because it allows you to choose when and where you learn and you are in complete control of your study experience.

“Online study at Martin College gave me the added organisational and time management skills,” says Elena. “It was also made easier with Martin College’s Online Course and suggested study guides.”
Martin College offers a number of online courses ideal for busy mums and designed to help you re-enter the workforce and build new found skills and confidence. Available via the online platform, Study Smart, you have the flexibility to learn at your own pace as well as seek support from staff and fellow students.

“The teacher support was amazing; I never felt alone,” says Elena. “There were also many ways to communicate through online forums, Study Smart and the course email system.
“I intend to challenge myself to become a marketing strategist as I now have the tools in place,” says Elena. “Next in sight is an MBA – hopefully I can do that online too!”

About Martin College:
Martin College has been helping people to launch and revitalise their careers for 35 years. The College offers a number of industry recognised qualifications in Business, Management, Marketing, Graphic Design, Tourism, and Events. With a large cohort of students studying online learning and on-campus throughout Australia.

Find out how you can achieve your career goals with a Martin College online course. Contact our friendly enrolment team by phoning 1300 762 129 or by visiting Martin College
Useful links:




Image: Free Digital Photos, Marin
 
 

 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Employee Engagement


Engaging your employees is going to create a workplace with a great culture where employees are loyal and stay on for a long time. Our focus at mums@work (with the policies we recommend and procedures we help implement) is based around the benefits of retention and loyalty, which is the desired outcome when the right support is in place. Read 25 tips on staff engagement and find out more here.


mums@work | 20.03.13
Image: Freedigital Photos, Stock Images
 
 

 

 

 

Monday, March 18, 2013

Paid Parental Leave Review



As you know, Paid Parental Leave was introduced in 2011, with Dad & Partner Pay introduced in 2013 and so far, around 250,000 working parents have benefited. The government released an update with some more interesting outcomes. Read the rest of the article here.



mums@work | 19.03.13
Image: Freedigital Photos, Imagery Majestic