Most of my 8 years in the performance marketing industry, I have been working from home. I have worked in a small co working office, started a new office in Atlanta, and now expanded back to New Jersey. In between I have worked most of my online career from home.
It came to a point where I was fed up from working at home. Now, I have a bigger team. I have bigger projects. I need more control. I needed things more in house. Now how do you transition yourself from a work at home entrepreneur to a boss in an office?
It all depends on the vibe you want to bring to the office. Quick video...
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqLtOsoNPnU[/youtube]When you are home and working you tend to do what you want. Wake up check email in boxers, if you do wake up with boxers on. You get to brew yourself your own coffee and chug down milk from the container. Reality, you can not do that at an actual office because you are being watched. Someone is peering at you from their side eyeball.
Leaving the comfort of your home to an office can be a hard transition. Some entrepreneurs like to wake up early and start their day while others are night workers and stick to the night to work. When you have an office with employees, habits needs to change and examples needs to be set. Lead by example.
There are people that set rules but do not even follow their own rules, yet they expect their employees to do them? If I was an employee, which I was 10 years ago, I would be piss and just do what I wanted. My reasoning would be he sin't even doing it, so why should I.
Being that I was an employee gives me that mentality to see from both sides. I am a boss, but I also have to be considerate of my team. My team makes my company, the people I hire make my company, the attitude makes my company and that is why I have to show by example the expectations that is expected. I can not say to everyone come in at 8am when I can't even do that. My morning schedule consists of going to the gym first to even starting my work day.
This is the reason why I ask and most come in at 9am-10am. While some members accept those hours, some also asked if they can come in at 6am to start their day. I am fine with that. Transitioning from your home office to an actual office isn't hard, you just have to adjust your habit a bit more. Make your habits more solid, so everyone knows what is expected. Once expectations are set, the vibe will follow.
Influencing is powerful, as long as it is beneficial all will follow. Even out of curiosity, people will try and engage to understand why you are doing such things. For example, I stand all day, I have a standing desk at the office and a standing ikea hack desk at home. My team was curious as to how I am standing all day, until one person decided to try it, then another and then another.
It almost becomes a virus, influencing by curiosity and educating them as to why I am doing such thing. This is how to create the perfect office environment that you want to work in. As long as goals are being kept and met, then office culture can always grow and cultivate.
