“Take it from me, there’s nothing like a job well done. Except the quiet enveloping darkness at the bottom of a bottle of Jim Beam after a job done any way at all.”
― Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Recently Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, under likely pressure from the Board of Directors issued a referendum on employees working from home. This change has caused an understandable stir among employees who have grown accustomed to doing their jobs remotely, many of whom argue that they get more done by avoiding the bother and distraction of other employees.
I think in the position Yahoo is in, they need to make significant changes. Some of them won’t be popular but losing market share and failing to capitalize on that iconic brand does not a winning business model make. Volano does a good job of respecting work-life balance and understands that happy employees produce. But this is always a tough and blurry line. When is face to face better than skype? How critical is body language and the old-fashioned creaking of a turning chair to e-mail? Are inappropriate jokes better in person?
We’re interested in your thoughts dear readers. All 5 of you. Let us know what you think about requiring people work in an office. Or you can tell us when we get home from work too. Do ergonomically correct chairs factor into this discussion? Do certain types of jobs require physical presence? An airplane pilot for example or a Hollywood tour guide for the stars would be challenged performing their duties from the creature comforts of home? Maybe not. I am of the belief that presence matters, thought it may not always be possible.
June 13, 2023
Data is like a vast set of building blocks, each has different shapes, sizes, and colors. Just like each brick has its unique utility, every piece of data carries a unique piece of information. As a business owner, how can you possibly start understanding what all the pieces of data from those fancy reports mean? […]
June 2, 2023
For small manufacturing companies with less than 100 employees and revenues of around $20–50 million, several key factors contribute to their success. Here are some important considerations: By focusing on these key factors, small manufacturing companies can enhance their competitiveness, achieve sustainable growth, and maintain profitability. It’s important to adapt these factors to the specific […]
June 1, 2023
Several years ago, I was working on a product that required some attention from the software product teams. This happens to all software over time because a user’s needs change, features need to be added, and bugs happen (naturally). The undertaking was large enough, so our team agreed it would be ideal to talk with […]
May 30, 2023
There’s an ongoing debate: custom software versus off-the-shelf Software as a Service (SaaS). A few misconceptions tend to cloud everyone’s judgment and influence decisions in this area. It’s time to put these myths to rest and bring clarity to the conversation. Myth 1: Custom Software is Outdated Custom software is inherently outdated, which couldn’t be […]
March 15, 2023
Why continue to utilize a mess of spreadsheets to run your operations? We think there’s a better way. Here are the top 7 reasons you should switch to custom software.
February 3, 2023
Wait. What’s the problem again? Several years ago I was working in Healthcare for a tech startup. At the time, healthcare systems could not bill patients until a chart was signed off and locked by a provider (MD, PA, or NP). The provider had to step through every single screen and check a box regardless […]