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04 • B U S I N E S S & I N D U ST RY M AG A Z I N E

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ContentsTABLE OF

id you know there are over 38 million home-based businesses in North Amer-

ica and there are approximately 37 million households that have active home offices. More workers are plying their trade from home, as employers recognize the value of flexibility for their work force and more employees decide to enter the ranks of entrepreneurship.

D

HOME-BASEDWORKERS

E D I TO R I A L


A great office is a key to success for new

GOOD LIGHTING SETS THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS

The harshness of artificial lighting is a common complaint among people working in offices outside the home. A window in one’s office has long been a sign of prestige in cities across the country, and having abundant natural light in a home office is one of the many advantages of working from home. Natural lighting has a mood-boosting impact that’s been well-documented, making office

workers feel happier, healthier and more productive. What’s more, use of natural light can help reduce reliance on artificial lighting and trim utility bills accordingly.

If the space you’ve chosen for your home office is short on windows and adding them isn’t practical, skylights can be a good alternative, not only for lighting but also to save valu-able wall space for other uses.

Adding Energy Star-qualified skylights, can be as cost-effective as installing quality vertical windows, without creating the hassle of opening a wall. If you opt for a remote-controlled fresh air skylight, you can also use it to enhance the indoor air quality of your home office. Additionally, many of the features that make skylights appealing in other areas of the house - such as privacy in a bathroom or space conservation in a small bedroom - also make them a good choice for a home office.

LOCATION IS KEY

Without the need to fight rush-hour traffic during a twice-daily commute, you may think the location of your home office isn’t that important. Actually, it is. Where your office is located in your home can affect your productivity and even your personal life.

Choose a room that’s in your home’s heavy traffic lanes, and you could face frequent interruptions. Park your desk in the game room over the garage and you may feel isolated from the rest of the house. Try to stuff a desk in a corner of your bedroom and you’ll spend most of your life stuck in the same room - you may even feel less inclined to sleep there if you’re always working in your bedroom.

f you’re poised to become home-based, here are some things to consider as you’re putting your home office in order:I

You’ll need to balance personal and professional priorities in order to decide which room makes the most sense for your home office.

B U S I N E S S & I N D U ST RY M AG A Z I N E • 07

The number of people working from home is a continuing trend.

E D I TO R I A L


One study by a Chinese travel website found that working from home increased employee productivity by nearly 14 percent, according to the Harvard Business Review. Ensuring your home office is set up to inspire can help you achieve greater productivity and satisfaction as you work from home.

FURNISHINGS CREATE A FOUNDATION

Considering how much time you’ll spend in your home office, it’s important to invest in furnishings that will be functional, comfortable, inspiring and in step with your lifestyle.

If you prefer to sit while you work on a computer, the comfort of your office chair will be key. Prefer to get in a bit of healthful exercise while you work? Consider an ergonomic desk that allows you to stand while you type. Many versions of standing desks also can be lowered for use while seated.

Desks should incorporate storage and easy access to electronic components. Office chairs should be comfortable and ergonom-ically correct. Be sure your furniture choices not only fit your needs, but the room’s, too. A huge desk may make you feel like a Wall Street CEO, but your enjoyment will evaporate if you don’t have space to walk around the desk in a small office. It’s important to keep office furniture appropriate to the scale of the room you’ll be working in.


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hether you are a re-cent grad or someone re-entering a profes-sional work envi-ronment, building a

work wardrobe that strikes a balance between professionalism and personal style is key.

“Dress for the job you want, not the job you’re being hired for,” says Stephanie Thomas, fash-ion instructor at The Art Institute of California - Los Angeles, a campus of Argosy University. “Your job description, and that of the next step up your career ladder, should be the driving force behind your apparel purchases,” adds Stephanie Pierotti, fashion instructor at The Arts Institute of Las Vegas. To get you started, fashion experts from The Art Institutes system of schools offer tips to have you dressing for the corner office.

W

DRESSFOR SUCCESStips for building a professional wardrobe

E D I TO R I A L


SUIT UP

“I know it sounds boring, but a suit is an absolute must,” says Thomas. “Look upon your suit purchase as a long term investment,” adds Pierotti. “This is not an area where you’ll want to skimp. Seasonless fabrics, like lightweight wool, worsted wool and wool crepe are your best bets.” She recommends purchasing a suit in a classic colour such as black, gray, tan or navy blue and saving the more trendy colours and patterns for your accessories.

Thomas says to also think about the colours in your current wardrobe and look for a suit that can be inter-changeable with pieces you already own. For women, a suit with both pants and a skirt will offer more va-riety. You should also feel comfortable in your suit. A good fit will make you look polished, professional and more confident.

WARDROBE BUILDING BLOCKS

You will also need some staples that will serve as wardrobe building blocks that enable you to walk right into a new job. “Women should purchase two or three button-down shirts of a good fit and quality. Men may want to purchase five, if button-downs are a staple in their field,” says Pierot-ti. For women, a wrap dress is a great alternative to pants and a button down. Women can also incorporate knit shirts that will mix and match with their suit separates.

For men, a sports jacket in an all-weather fabric is a good in-vestment. “Think less trend, more modern classic that will cut across many seasons,” says Thomas. “Men and women need a great blazer and some type of sweater they can dress up or down.” Both men and women can mix in sweaters and cardigans to go with their separates. Pierotti advises,

“Look for versatile items that can take you from desk to dinner and from workdays to weekends. Also consider a dark or black jean for casual days at the office.

The chances of you finding a suit that fits you perfectly off the rack is slim to none, so be sure to budget some funds for tailoring.”

“


TAILORING & MAINTENANCE

Once you’ve built your wardrobe, you’ll want to keep it neat and polished. To make you clothing look custom made, find a good tailor who can make small tweaks to your garments. A garment steamer, a clothes shaver, stain remover sticks and fabric freshener sprays will help save on dry cleaning costs, by helping your garments looking and smelling fresh.

“Create a classic yet stylish work collection that makes you feel confident and professional,” says Pierotti.

E D I TO R I A L

Investing in core pieces lays a solid foundation for your new professional wardrobe,”says Pierotti.

“

SHOES

To put your best foot forward at a new job, make sure you also have professional footwear to go with your new wardrobe. Pierotti recommends two pairs of practical shoes for day-to-day work life and one or two for more formal events, in neutral colours such as brown, gray and black. And for women, 4 inches should be the maximum height for a professional setting.

ACCESSORIES

Don’t forget about accessories, which can add personality to your outfits. “Men should have a couple of ties with a little bit of personality, meaning different patterns or maybe a bold colour,” says Thomas. For women, necklaces and bracelets can add a pop to an outfit, but less is more when considering jewelry. Make sure you don’t forget to use an appropriate purse or messenger bag and no matter where you live, you should have a professional trench in your wardrobe.


nline comparison shopping has left you overwhelmed by options and contradictory reviews, and all you need is a little in-person guidance to choose the right product for your needs. At the store, you find a sales floor so deserted, you almost expect to see tumbleweeds rolling by. When you

finally do get help, it’s from a poorly trained sales associate who knows even less than you do. You leave the store unsatisfied and possibly empty-handed.

Then again, maybe you’ve experienced the opposite: an experienced, knowl-edgeable salesperson who knows how to help you find the perfect item. Retailers and customers alike have long reported that expert sales associates offering advice lead to happier shoppers and, in turn, more sales. Now, those reports have been validated in data that shows exactly how such knowledge can impact a customer’s sales experience - and a retailer’s bottom line.

O

EXPERT HELPNOT LOW PRICES

key to higher sales, more satisfied customers

E D I TO R I A L


High-quality help makes the biggest difference in getting a prospective customer over the hump from “just looking” to happily buying, according to the Retail Experience Survey involving more than 600 consumers. In fact, the data showed that nearly three-quarters of consumers walk into a store looking for advice from a product expert.

And just how much is a knowledgeable, helpful sales associate worth to a retail business? Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School recently set out to answer this question. The study - “The Value of Helpful Expertise in Retail”, followed more than 63,000 sales associates at 330 retail locations over two years to find out how salespeople who completed product training affected sales.

Sales associates received customized product training from Experticity, a network that helps them build their brand expertise and get rewarded for their knowledge by the brands themselves. The results of study were staggering. Sales associates who completed a single training course sold 69% more than those who didn’t.

And those who completed just six training courses sold a full 123% more. “Retailers that want to boost their sales and build loyal customer advocates must invest in great buying experiences by offering customers knowledgeable help, and right when they need it,” says Experticity CEO Tom Stockham.

These days, as brick-and-mortar stores struggle to redefine themselves in the face of online competition, putting a human face on helpful expertise is a smart way to stand out from the crowd and get customers in the door. That means making sure sales associates have the information they need to give customers expert advice right when they’re deciding what to buy.

“This study data provides evidence of what we’ve all experienced in our own lives as consumers,” Stockham says. “The way forward for retailers involves focusing on providing excellent, knowledgeable customer ser-vice that results in better, more productive experiences for customers.”

The role of store staff has changed from simply serving customers to informing and guiding their choices.”

- Tom Stockham

“


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