Work from home jobs for caregivers have been on the rise in recent years, and for good reason. A recent study by Mother Honestly and Care.com found that 73% of caregivers use the time they save from working from home to care for their children, and 70% use it to spend more time with their partner or spouse.
This report shows that remote work can be vital for work-life balance, and employers must take note of these findings before deciding to eliminate remote work. Having helped 21 organizations as a consultant in implementing hybrid work, I talk to a few leaders every week about how to manage their workforce talent strategy. And inevitably, parents and other caregivers come into the picture.
One of the main benefits of work from home jobs for caregivers is that it levels the gender playing field. Traditionally, caregiving responsibilities have been shouldered by women, but the ability to work from home has made it easier for men to contribute to child care and household chores.
The study found that 47% of men with a child under 15 felt they could spend more time with their kids and better help out their partners. This is a significant shift and it means that more opportunities are opening up for women to slow down on the homefront and ramp up on the workfront.
Additionally, managers and caregivers are on the same page when it comes to remote work. The study found that 77% of managers and 76% of caregivers agree that remote work improves workers’ overall quality of life. This is a significant shift as it shows that remote work has finally proven itself after three years of uncertainty from leaders.
It’s important to note that remote work doesn’t have to have a downside. Many workers and leaders are worried about the threat remote work poses to career advancement. The study found that 58% of women and 64% of men say remote work limits their career, while 48% of managers believe showing up to the office equates to more advancement opportunities. However, if employers truly commit to implementing a flexible and inclusive workplace, remote work can be a win-win for both employees and employers.
One of the challenges that companies face when implementing remote work is cognitive biases. Attentional bias can play a role, as managers may only pay attention to the negative aspects of remote work and ignore the positive benefits, despite the new research about the benefits of remote work for caregivers.
Another cognitive bias that can impact companies is the status quo bias. This bias can lead managers to prefer the status quo, even when it’s not the best option. For example, a manager may prefer to keep their employees in the office, even though remote work would benefit both the employees and the company through helping caregivers stay at their jobs.
Functional fixedness is another cognitive bias that can impact the remote work discussion. Managers may view remote work as a fixed concept and may not consider different variations of remote work, such as a hybrid model, that may better suit the company’s needs and help to provide work-life balance for caregivers.
The empathy gap can also play a role in the remote work discussion. Managers may not be able to fully understand the challenges that caregivers face and may not fully appreciate the benefits of remote work for caregivers.
It’s important for employers to understand that remote work can level the gender playing field, with men stepping up more than ever before due to newfound flexibility. Remote work also improves workers’ overall quality of life and can be a win-win for both employees and employers if implemented correctly.
However, employers must also be aware of the potential downsides of remote work and how cognitive biases can impact their decision-making process. It’s essential to consider different variations of remote work, such as a hybrid model, that may better suit the company’s needs.
Additionally, employers must understand that remote work can also have a positive impact on the company’s bottom line. A recent study from Stanford found that companies that offer remote work options have lower turnover rates, which in turn can save the company money in recruitment and training costs.
Work from home jobs for caregivers are becoming increasingly important as the need for work-life balance becomes more pressing. Employers must take note of the benefits of remote work for caregivers, and be aware of the potential downsides and how cognitive biases can impact their decision-making process. By implementing a flexible and inclusive workplace, employers can reap the benefits of remote work for both employees and the company.
I help leaders use hybrid work to improve productivity and retention while cutting costs as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster
For most business owners, the saying “one step forward, two steps back” sounds miserable, but in many cases, taking a step backward can propel you forward and actually change your life for the better.
As an entrepreneur, you have responsibilities outside work. These might include providing for your family’s needs, teaching your children values and growing your relationships. It’s a lot to manage, especially when you’re bogged down fixing issues in your business or exhausted from overwork.
If your business demands so much time that it becomes the obstacle that keeps you from doing the things you’ve always said you wanted to do, it can leave you feeling defeated and depleted, no matter how “successful” you are.
Business owners who feel stuck in their business must first create systems. These systems not only benefit you and your family. They benefit the people in your business and can fuel the growth of your business like wildfire when implemented properly.
My company recently walked a client through this process. I hope following this process will be transformative for your business and life, as well. The client and his family lived a life that from the outside would seem normal. They would take a vacation once per year and go out to dinner once or twice per week.
They would spend as much time together as they could, but something was missing, causing him and his family to suffer because of it. As a business owner, you can likely relate to this story. Things are going well enough — but not great. It’s not what you envisioned your life looking or feeling like.
Our client was a reliable and diligent business owner. He showed up when he said he would. His attention to quality fed his business so he got most of his business through word of mouth. In fact, he would have to turn business away because he was too busy. So, where’s the problem?
The problem was that he was the business. He had a couple helpers working for him, but it was just one small crew. If he couldn’t schedule something on his personal calendar, it couldn’t get done. He came to us looking to outsource his accounting. It was his first step to buy time back.
Over a few calls, he opened up about how much he hated his current business situation, so I asked him, “Why don’t you do what you did with your accounting and unload more of the workload and responsibilities in other parts of your business?”
The first step is always the hardest, because oftentimes, it’s a step back. Most business owners know that if they can start delegating in more areas of their business, they will be able to do what they want. They can live a life of financial freedom and time freedom. They can create more memories with their family and take back control of their life.
After some review, I explained to our client that he would easily qualify for equipment financing with little upfront capital. This would mean he could hire another crew, doubling his ability to serve his customers.
The key to duplicating yourself is duplicating the systems and processes that allow for quality of work to remain high. For most, this is the biggest step back. You see margins drop and your time expenditure temporarily increases. It is predictably more chaotic and uncomfortable.
On the other side of that hard work, though, is a fully operating replica of your workmanship without you doing the work. For people like the client above, this means not having to turn down jobs or work overtime. You can then duplicate your craftsmanship as needed to service growing business inquiries.
To do so, there are a couple of steps you can take in your business to help ensure it stays healthy as you grow. First is ensuring you have a personal runway: Lower margins will mean less available money for you as the owner. Be ready for this with your own finances by not making any large personal purchases that will overextend you before scaling. This should be obvious but can get you into trouble if you’re expecting to be able to pay yourself more in the beginning of the scaling process.
If you’re financing equipment and hiring more crews, your monthly expenses will increase drastically. Be prepared for this by ensuring you have a full pipeline. Make sure you allocate some of your budget to ramp up your marketing, and pay attention to the number of projects you earn from word-of-mouth referrals so you can estimate how many leads you’ll get per project your first team accomplishes.
Also, ensuring you have a lead generation system in place that you can dial up or dial back is key. Not just relying on word of mouth but having an avenue of getting leads through paid ads and understanding how much those leads generally cost and how many convert to customers will also allow you to have more security in scaling. It will feel less risky and you’ll have a feeling of investing your money into your future instead of risking the future of your company trying to build it bigger.
Eventually, you will be able to fully step back and own the business instead of being owned by the business. But how? Create leaders from within your organization. Train them to take ownership of their work by incentivizing with bonuses tied to profit earned and created. Create bullet-proof standard operating procedures that allow high-quality work to be replicated on every job. Invest in your team members’ success so they’ll invest in yours.
What happened with our client? Within 18 months, he has four crews and only has to work 20 hours a week doing the creative stuff he prefers. The best part? It’s attainable for you, too, if you are willing to take the leap of stepping back to skyrocket your business growth.
Cofounder Easier Accounting & Real Business Owners. 20+ years of experience growing & running multiple businesses. Author & public speaker. Read Kale Goodman’s full executive profile here.
With more and more teams being understaffed, chances are you’ve been asked to take on more work. Top performers are a prime target for additional requests. But you need to be careful about what you agree to take on. In this piece, the author outlines when it’s best…
Consider your average work week. What percentage of your daily tasks fit into your job description? If you’re like most high-achievers, chances are that over time you’ve assumed many responsibilities outside your main scope of work. But how much do these new obligations contribute to your professional advancement versus running you ragged?
In the wake of the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, and major layoffs, many professionals are being asked to do more with less. When organizations are understaffed, the workload is typically redistributed to remaining team members. While an increase in scope can temporarily boost individual commitment and performance, in the long-term it can lead to burnout and hurt the organization’s results as a whole.
Top performers are a prime target for additional requests. Not only do they enjoy a challenge and the opportunity for growth, but in my experience as an executive coach, I’ve found many high-achievers are motivated by a need to please and to earn the proverbial gold-star for going above and beyond.
Take Irene, a project manager whose team headcount was recently reduced by 15%. Kind, generous, and loyal (sometimes to a fault), Irene wanted to look like a team player and to ease her boss’s stress at this moment of crisis. She volunteered to assume three major initiatives within 48 hours of her colleagues’ departure, rendering her over capacity. Irene soon found herself living at work, moving through each day with a cloud of dread hovering over her head, unable to find time for herself, family, or friends.
While there’s typically nothing wrong with pitching in to help when the organization or your team is short-staffed, you need to make sure you’re saying yes for the right reasons. If you’re someone who, like Irene, tends to agree to every additional request that comes your way, here’s how to gauge when it’s appropriate to push back and how to do so with grace and professionalism.
Say no when … your primary job responsibilities will suffer.
Let’s say you work on the product team, but you’ve been asked to help with marketing. You may soon find yourself spending so much time reviewing promotional material that your primary job responsibilities — things like user research or strategy — suffer.
If an assignment would detract from your core responsibilities or would compromise your ability to consistently deliver high- quality work without any significant upside in terms of learning or skills acquisition, it’s best to decline and focus on what’s already on your plate.
Avoid saying, “Sorry, this isn’t in my job description.” A better approach is to use a strategy known as the relational account, or explaining why your refusal is in the best interest of everyone involved. Put simply, this means you say “If I helped you, I’d be letting others down.” Or more specifically “I would be unable to do a good job on your project, and my other work would suffer.”
Research shows that this strategy can help you be viewed as caring and conscientious. For example, you might share, “I have to say no, because if I devoted time to marketing activities, then we’d miss several key product launch dates and our revenue goals would suffer.”
Say no when … it’s someone else’s work.
In an age with matrixed teams and highly collaborative workflows, it’s easy to get sucked into doing work that isn’t your job, like the sales rep who finds themselves fielding customer service calls. Irene, the project manager whose story I shared earlier, found herself being dragged into solving issues their director of operations should have been overseeing.
She approached her boss to find a workable compromise and explained: “It’s not possible for me to continue executing these operational duties, nor is it within my purview. Continuing to do so only creates confusion. I’m happy to put together detailed documentation so that the operations team can take over.”
If you don’t mind doing the additional work or feel it contributes to your growth in a meaningful way, clearly outline what you expect the new responsibility will result in, such as better assignments in the future, a move toward a promotion, or a mention at the board meeting. Consider a compensation adjustment to reflect your added value. You could say, “For the last six months, I’ve assumed responsibilities A, B, and C. What’s the best way to ensure my compensation is commensurate with my increased scope?”
Say no when … there’s no clear exit strategy.
Only take on additional responsibilities when you understand the full scope of what’s involved. You want to avoid miscommunication down the road and you don’t want it to be an open-ended arrangement. Perhaps your boss asks you to participate in a new initiative. Get specifics. How long will you be needed on the project? What meetings will you be expected to attend?
If after receiving clarity, you determine it’s not a fit because the opportunity of saying yes is too great, you can lead with gratitude and say, “Thank you for the opportunity. It sounds like an interesting project, but it would be out of integrity for me to commit to it knowing I wouldn’t have the bandwidth or resources available to achieve the goal.”
You might also offer to help in some smaller way. Could you attend brainstorming meetings or agree to consult on drafts of the business plan? Pitching in where and how you can proves you’re a do-er and shows you’re a team player.
Say no when … the ask is unreasonable.
Maybe senior leadership has requested a business plan from scratch within two business days. You know that’s not possible, but what do you do? Try a positive no, which allows you to protect your time while still furthering the relationship. In response to senior leadership’s request, you could explain what you can get done in the time allotted. For instance: “It’s not possible to deliver the entire report by Friday afternoon.
What I could do is have a first draft of section one. How does that sound?” Or, you might offer to adjust the timeline, saying something like, “I hear this is important. Friday isn’t possible, but I can have everything for you by Monday afternoon.”
Perhaps you offer to introduce the person to a coworker who can help or a contractor they could hire. This may sound like, “This isn’t my zone of expertise, but I’ll email you the name of a colleague who I would suggest working with.”
You can’t say no to everything, but saying no for the right reasons can help you feel more confident and empowered.
To the uninitiated, a professional cook and a chef may look similar. They both wear chef’s coats, work in a kitchen, and prepare food. But the day-to-day responsibilities of these two roles are vastly different. One is a skilled tradesperson, while the other is a leader—and often a visionary.
Discover the important distinctions between these two kitchen roles and the skills necessary for success in each. Keep reading to explore the main differences between a professional cook and chef!
A Professional cooks are skilled technicians who prepare and make food. Most of their work is hands-on, transforming ingredients from their whole states into finished dishes. There are many different types of cooks, each with varying responsibilities. A prep cook, for example, does supporting work like chopping vegetables, pre-portioning cuts of protein, and concocting sauces or dressings. Line cooks, on the other hand, are responsible for the cooking, plating, and completing dishes for service.
Professional cooks are also sometimes defined by their work stations. A fry cook runs the fryer for a steady supply of hot, fresh french fries and other crispy snacks. A grill cook is in charge of grilled items like burgers, chicken, steaks, and some vegetables.
A professional chef is a trained, experienced culinarian who has worked in a professional kitchen setting and usually occupies a more managerial role, either running a single-person department or leading a team of cooks. Chefs have a higher degree of responsibility than cooks and must be leaders as well as culinary experts. This means that they also must possess a high skill level of problem solving while under high pressure — being able to assess situations and create solutions quickly is imperative.
A chef often spends a great deal of their time supervising and managing the rest of the crew, rather than cooking. They must be able to jump into any position when needed and mentor other team members. But they may also get to create their own recipes and menus, influencing the restaurant’s reputation and helping shape its concepts. Therefore, while they have greater responsibility than cooks, they also receive more credit when a kitchen performs well.
The ultimate difference between a cook and a chef is their level of responsibility. A cook completes the tasks assigned to them in order to deliver a chef’s recipe. To do so, they should have the basic skills needed to execute the menu. This can include simple tasks like chopping or mixing, but it can also require more advanced technical skills necessary for complex, multipart recipes.
A chef, on the other hand, is a manager, ultimately responsible for the food that comes out of the kitchen. This title includes the executive chef, who is the top leader of the kitchen and has control over the menu and overall direction of the restaurant’s culinary program.
It can also include additional chef roles. Some kitchens have a chef de cuisine who manages the day-to-day operations. Most have a sous chef who serves as the executive chef or chef de cuisine’s “right hand.” There could also be a pastry chef who creates the desserts and may run a small team of pastry cooks.
Professional chefs usually start out as cooks and earn the title of chef later in their careers. They are often the people in the kitchen with the most culinary education and experience. Chefs may have attended a formal culinary school, or they may have worked in the industry for many years to grasp the necessary skill set. There is no degree or certification that automatically moves a cook into the realm of the chef. Instead, it’s a multi-faceted combination of education, experience, and leadership abilities.
A professional cook’s skill level can vary quite a bit, from entry-level to the most expert cooks at high-end restaurants. Cooks should know the basic cooking functions, like baking, roasting, steaming, broiling, and poaching, and when each is appropriate. They should also know the different kinds of cuts, so that when the chef asks them to chiffonade some basil or julienne a carrot, they’ll know what is being asked of them. Professional cooks should know additional foundational skills, like how to make an emulsion, which knives are appropriate for which tasks, and the basics of seasoning.
Additional skills can vary based on the cook’s position. A line cook must know how to identify “done-ness” in a cut of meat, for example. And a prep cook should be skilled at rapid chopping and pay close attention to labeling and dating their work.
When cooks attend culinary school at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, they can graduate with many of these skills in their toolbox. During their hands-on industry externship, which is required in order to graduate, students can work in a professional kitchen where they can practice their skills in a high-speed commercial environment. With this type of preparation, cooks can become ready for their first professional job, where they can then continue to build on their skills and discover new techniques.“A student who graduates from Escoffier can be able to participate in much better culinary conversations and understand a lot more about not just cooking, but how a business is run.”* Escoffier Chef Instructor Jesper Jonsson
A professional chef must have extensive proficiency to earn this title. They should have expertise in every skill that they expect their cooks to employ, so that they can provide precise instruction and guidance. They may also be specialists in a single type of cuisine (like French or Japanese) or a certain cooking style (like barbecue or plant-based cooking).
The responsibilities of a chef go far beyond the food. They should also be skilled in menu planning, since they could be responsible for the final restaurant menu–from appetizers to desserts. They may also be required to create dishes that are both delicious and profitable, keeping labor and food costs in check. They need to be strong leaders, inspiring their employees and keeping them motivated to put out excellent food, day after day.
Some chefs are also independent business owners. For example, private chefs and personal chefs often run their own small businesses. Some chefs are also owners of restaurants and catering companies, so they must manage the business as well as the food.How does a professional chef discover all of this? It can start with enrolling in culinary school. At Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, associate degree students can begin their culinary education with cooking fundamentals and then move on to explore menus, leadership, communications, foodservice math and accounting, and entrepreneurship. While students do not graduate as chefs, they can start their culinary careers with a great breadth of knowledge to draw on as they progress through their careers.
A credential, like a degree or diploma, or a culinary certification from an industry association, can also help to prove to future employers that the recipient obtained a heightened level of proficiency. And this can demonstrate that the chef is passionate about growing in necessary competencies and in their career overall.
“Every time I was approached by a food blogger or press, I was referred to as chef. I didn’t feel right having that title without the credentials. I was a really good home cook, but I lacked the confidence in my skills in a professional setting. The culinary industry is such a respected field and I wanted to be on an equal playing ground with other chefs that I had an opportunity to work with.”*Nahika Hillery, Escoffier Austin Culinary Arts Graduate & Chef/Owner, Kréyol Korner Caribbean Cuisin
The short answer is no! While many cooks do have the goal of becoming the “boss” of the kitchen, others prefer the life of the cook. A cook must perform to a high standard on each shift, but they are not responsible for the overall success of the kitchen or food service establishment. Some find that this means a lower stress level and better work-life balance. Plus, cooks get to do more hands-on professional cooking. If your culinary dreams involve cooking all day, every day, then a career as a cook may be the right place for you.
Whether you want to be a professional cook or move up the ranks to executive chef, a culinary education can be a great place to start. Contact our Admissions Department to explore more about degrees and diplomas from Escoffier and how they can help you achieve your goals.
To discover more about a career as a chef or cook, try these articles next:
Eating a wide variety of healthy foods helps to keep you in good health and protects you against chronic disease. Eating a well-balanced diet means eating a variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups daily, in the recommended amounts. Find out more in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
Eating healthy food doesn’t mean giving up your favourite recipes. Some simple swaps and a little bit of planning can help you make life-long, healthy changes to your diet.
Some shopping tips to get you started:
Make a shopping list before you shop and plan what meals you’re going to eat.
Keep the pantry stocked with ingredients that are quick to prepare and easy to cook.
Choose the lower fat versions of a food if possible – for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
Choose lean meat cuts and skinless chicken breasts.
Limit fast foods, chips, crisps, processed meats, pastries and pies, which all contain large amounts of fat.
Choose lean meats and reduced-fat dairy products and limit processed foods to minimise hidden fats. Nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado are all healthier options because they include the essential long-chain fatty acids and these fats are accompanied by other good nutrients.If you add fats when cooking, use healthier oils such as olive and canola oil. And try these tips to reduce the amount of fat needed in cooking:Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.
Use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.
Use reduced fat yoghurt and milks, evaporated skim milk or corn-starch instead of cream in sauces or soups.
Use non-stick cookware to reduce the need for cooking oil.
When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables absorb during cooking.
As an alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying, it is good to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the grill for a minute or 2.
Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin.
Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
When boiling vegetables, use a small amount of water and do not overboil them.
Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).
Salt is hidden in many of our foods, but a high salt diet can contribute to a range of health problems including high blood pressure.
Suggestions to reduce salt include:
Don’t automatically add salt to your food – taste it first.
Add a splash of olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables – it can enhance flavours in the same way as salt.
Choose fresh or frozen vegetables, since canned and pickled vegetables tend to be packaged with salt.
Limit your consumption of salty processed meats such as salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, frankfurters and chicken loaf.
Iodised salt is best. A major dietary source of iodine is plant foods. Yet there is evidence that Australian soil may be low in iodine and so plants grown in it are also low in iodine. If you eat fish at least once a week, the need for iodised salt is reduced.
Avoid processed foods such as flavoured instant pasta or noodles, canned or dehydrated soup mixes, salty crackers, chips and salted nuts.
Reduce your use of soy sauce, tomato sauce and processed sauces, stock powders and condiments (for example mayonnaise and salad dressings) because they contain high levels of salt.
Work from home...Surface/Unsplash
