Category: job

Further training: Which criteria should a provider meet?

The range of seminars and training courses is immense; it is easy to lose track. In addition, profit is made from necessity: dubious providers promise education, but then reduce it to high costs without added value. How can you recognize reliable and reputable providers if not all providers are the same? This article provides answers and important points of criticism along the way.

First step: select the appropriate further training

In which area should the training take place? When it comes to soft skills, time management and personal growth, providers such as official distance schools are suitable. In addition to further training in the field of personality, these also offer language courses and school certificates. Even IHK-certified courses are mostly in the repertoire as well as certificates for further training in advisory areas, eg nutritionists or rhetoric. Such courses are ideal for strengthening your own core competence and for scoring points in the next discussion about a possible promotion.

If you want to study part-time, there are two options:

1. The State Distance University

In Germany there is a state distance learning university which, in addition to law and economics, also offers cultural and social sciences and psychology as well as mathematics and computer science. Because the university is treated like a state school despite the asynchronous course, the costs are a lot lower than from private providers

• private distance learning universities and distance learning colleges

Several private distance learning universities and distance learning colleges offer a colorful potpourri of courses. With the exception of medical fields, almost everything can be found and studied here. The first four weeks are usually free of charge, after which monthly costs of €200 – €600 should be taken into account. The costs vary greatly depending on the provider. It is not unimportant that special requirements often have to be met in order to start the course, eg professional experience or previous training.

Seminars and direct vocational training are often partially or completely financed by the employer. This can be workshops and symposiums, seminars lasting several days or further training lasting a few hours. Depending on the profession, there are also several portals that offer further training. These usually take place in attendance and on site. Your own employer or relevant portals of the respective industries can provide the necessary information. A new provider on the seminar market should always be checked for certain criteria. Important aspects are practicality and transparency.

What should be considered when choosing a provider?

The selection of a suitable further training and the cooperation with a provider should therefore be subject to a few points of criticism.

A small checklist for support:

1. The purpose or: where do I want to go?
2. What is the purpose of the training?

The exact purpose of the training should be known before blindly clicking on an offer.

• Am I just interested in a topic?

Further training can be considered not only for your own career, but also for expanding your personal horizon. Language or writing courses or more knowledge of historical facts are very popular and are already considered a hobby.

• Do I want to boost my career with it?

If the further training is to have a direct impact on work, it is advisable to speak to the supervisor before the course begins. A feedback discussion shows strengths and weaknesses. Accordingly, further training can be selected in a targeted manner.

• Should the training make me more confident and sociable?

If a new project is pending or if you would like to get involved in conflict management, further training in the areas of personality and soft skills are suitable. They can also help if you feel insecure in the team or would like to get more involved in other ways.

• The provider or: Who do I pay so much?
• Does the provider give his data in the imprint?

An imprint is mandatory. If there is none, it is simply not a reputable provider. Point.

• Does the provider allow monthly installment payments?

Experienced providers know that education is a cost-intensive good, but also that participants cannot pay amounts in the four-digit range directly. If the total price is less than one thousand euros, a one-off payment can also be made with certified and reputable providers. However, many private schools and institutions offer the option of paying in installments.

• Are there certain prerequisites or can anyone take any course?

A high school diploma is required to study (there are exceptions), certain training courses require specialist knowledge before beginning. The same is true of continuing education. There are certainly courses that participants can complete without any prerequisites. Nevertheless, the majority of specific further training is aimed at a specific clientele. Providers who offer all courses without prerequisites always require a closer look.

• Can teaching content be viewed before purchase?

A syllabus or rough content should be available before purchasing the training. After all, you want to know in advance what you are paying for. If there is no information about the content even when asked, it is probably not a reputable provider.

• How is the provider rated on rating portals?
  → Pay particular attention to the negative reviews

Positive reviews are often bought these days, it’s no secret. Therefore, when researching, it is important to pay attention to the negative experiences in rating portals.

• Does the provider have certifications such as TÜV, ZFU, ISO or test results from newspapers?

In order to receive a valid certificate, the provider must be able to offer certified further training. The state central office for distance learning (ZFU) is the right contact and can tell you whether a provider is approved or not. If a provider is approved, the certification can also be found on the website.

Conclusion: further education yes, but right

Although there are black sheep among the providers, some distance schools, universities and other distance institutions have survived for several years. If you are interested in such educational offers, you should carry out a thorough check of the providers and ultimately make a well-founded decision.

Make money with call options

What exactly is an option?

An option on an underlying asset, such as a stock, is the right to buy or sell that underlying asset at a specified price within a specified period of time. A call option represents the right to buy. The opposite is a put option, which entitles you to sell. In both cases there is only a right but no obligation to trade, which distinguishes options from futures. For more information on call options, see this post.

types of options

Options differ first according to their underlying value. It can be a share, but commodities and other values ​​are also possible. A distinction is then made between options according to the type of permitted exercise. American call options certify the right to buy within the term, European options can only be exercised with a purchase at the end of the term. The difference is smaller than it might seem because an option can be traded as a security during its lifetime. If you want to exercise a European option before the end of the term, this corresponds to selling this option.

Possibilities of call options for investors

The price of an option, i.e. the option premium, is very often much lower than the price of the underlying asset itself. This is also plausible, because the option, in contrast to ownership, only allows a significantly limited disposal of the underlying asset. This means that the investor can earn a price gain on this value as a return with much less capital than for an acquisition of the underlying asset.

Conversely, the investor’s risk is naturally high. If the price of the underlying develops differently than the investor had predicted, the option is worthless and a total loss of the invested capital occurs. This is the case with a call option if the price of the underlying falls. Then the option to buy is worthless if the spot price on the market is lower than the agreed strike price of the option plus the option premium.

Behavior of call options in different price movements

The investor purchases a call option. He thus benefits from a rise in the price of the underlying asset. The maximum loss is the capital used for the option premium, the possible gain is just as unrestricted as the price increase of the underlying asset.

The investor sells a call option. He then benefits from a fall in the price of the underlying. In this case, the option holder will let the option lapse and the investor reaps the option premium. If the investor does not own the underlying asset and has to purchase it on the spot market when exercising the option, the loss in this case is just as limited as the price increase of the underlying asset.

This way of selling an option is less risky if the investor owns the underlying asset and can expect the price to remain the same or fall.

The prices of options

When trading options, the limit to profitability depends on the option premium. Exercising an option only pays off if the price moves so far in the predicted direction that at least the option premium accrues as a return.

But how do you determine a realistic price as an option premium? A first heuristic consideration is that the premium should increase with the intensity of the currently observed fluctuations in the price of the underlying asset. Then you expect a higher probability that the strike price of the option will be reached.

Of course, this is by no means sufficient for a quantitative formulation. In 1973, economists Fischer Black and Myron Scholes proposed what they called the Black-Scholes formula for determining the option premium. However, it only applies if certain assumptions are met, which is often, but not always, the case. For other cases, the question of a realistic price for an option is still an interesting area of ​​research today.

Economic consequences of the corona virus on the labor market

increase in unemployment

The economic consequences of the corona virus on the labor market can be seen particularly clearly in the rising unemployment figures. However, this effect does not come as a surprise. In April, the statistics here shot up by around 300,000 to 2.65 million. However, this rapid increase was not due to layoffs alone. Instead, many job seekers had to interrupt ongoing training and other measures. As a result, they could no longer be calculated out of the unemployment statistics.

Early Warning Signs

The Ifo Institute from Munich conducted a survey of German companies at an early stage. This showed that around 20% of all employers had decided not to renew current fixed-term contracts. In addition, the first layoffs have already been decided due to the economic slump resulting from the Corona crisis. Experts from the IAB (Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research) estimate that it will get even worse. Depending on how soon the economy can return to more or less normal operations, experts expect unemployment figures to grow to more than 3 million in the coming months.

The big losers

The catering and hotel industry as well as the events industry were by far the hardest hit by the consequences of the corona virus on the job market. They suffered and are suffering more than other companies from the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. 43% of all organizers see themselves forced to make layoffs. In the hotel industry it is even 50%. The unfortunate leader, however, is the gastronomy sector. Here, 58% of all companies are planning to cut jobs in the near future or have already done so. However, layoffs also appear to be inevitable in most other sectors. Even if restaurants and cafés are now open again: Wherever many people come together, the distance rules will probably have to be observed for a long time. This applies equally to gastronomic facilities, hotels and event venues. Hardly any establishment will therefore be able to exhaust its capacities again in the foreseeable future. If the premises are already tight, the operation may not even be worthwhile for many owners. Fewer guests does not just mean less sales. The number of service staff required is also reduced accordingly.

the retail trade

Compared to other sectors of the economy, the German retail trade is hardly affected by the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. Nevertheless, many businesses are suffering severely from the economic consequences. That should be the tense situation of many people. After all, anyone who has to fear for their job or has got into financial difficulties due to short-time work has little desire to make large new purchases unless they are absolutely necessary.

Low earners are particularly at risk

Economists, however, fear a worsening social imbalance. Because of layoffs, the people who earn little anyway are affected or threatened. Political measures must be taken urgently here so that the situation for the people does not deteriorate further.

Significant increase in short-time work benefits during the Corona period

To ensure that the economic consequences do not get too out of hand and to secure as many jobs as possible, the government made important decisions at an early stage. At the beginning of the crisis, for example, support for employers with short-time work benefits was decided. Small and medium-sized companies in particular could and can only keep many of their employees as a result. However, it is uncertain how long this will work. However, the great financial crisis of 2009 already showed that short-time work benefits can at least temporarily keep jobs. While the economy collapsed worldwide and the number of unemployed skyrocketed, it rose by just 0.3% in Germany at the time. The consequences of the corona virus on the labor market are likely to be significantly worse. Between March and April – i.e. at the beginning of the crisis – German companies had already applied for short-time work benefits for more than 10 million employees.

Emergency aid for entrepreneurs

With the short-time allowance alone, the economic consequences of the corona virus on the labor market would have been much more serious than they are now. The various emergency aid programs are an important factor in rescuing companies and the jobs associated with them. Despite the initial chaos and some uncertainties, many companies and self-employed people received financial aid. To this end, the federal government and the individual states had put together several rescue packages. Even if not everyone could be reached, for many companies the short-term economic losses were at least compensated a little.

As can be seen from the infographic, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the number of unemployed. According to reports, the effect is now diminishing somewhat. It remains to be seen whether and how quickly the economy will recover completely and to what extent, in particular, the consequences of the coronavirus on the labor market will return to normal. Because a second big wave of new infections is now considered very likely.

Time management in the home office: work efficiently at home too

Productive in the home office: Organization is everything

When the company says that from now on they should work more or even exclusively in the home office, many employees are happy. Home office – this promises flexible working hours, more freedom and a lot of time savings, since there is no need to go to an external workplace. In practice, however, it is not automatically easy for everyone to adjust to the new circumstances. The fixed structures in everyday office life are missing in the home office: With the freedom and flexibility gained comes an additional responsibility – namely that of organizing oneself and coping with the work that needs to be done despite the home environment and the distractions associated with it. It is advisable to draw up a plan before starting work, which includes fixed office hours, among other things. These can be based, for example, on previous working hours or on the individual biorhythm. It is important that you stick to these times even without control and specifications from the boss in order to work as efficiently as possible.

Students, who are now also increasingly sitting in front of the computer due to online lectures, should pay attention to a correct workplace design and good daily planning. Because this is the only way that studying 2.0 can be successful in today’s world.

Integrate break times and promote concentration

Of course, you can’t be productive if you don’t take breaks in between. This applies in the home office as well as on site in the company, but also when learning and studying. Experts recommend building break times into your schedule so you don’t accidentally forget it’s time for a little break. Of course it is possible to flexibly adjust the break times to the work. If you’re on the phone, you don’t have to interrupt it to have a coffee – but basically you should stick to the set times if possible. It is advisable to use the break for some exercise and not to sit at your desk. In this way you relieve your eyes (this is especially true when working with a computer) as well as your back, neck and shoulders. In most cases, breaks of 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon and a lunch break of at least 30 minutes have proven to be relaxing and regenerative. When exactly you take breaks in your everyday work or study life is of course ultimately up to you: Here you can benefit from the flexibility of working from home.

Enter important appointments and deadlines and don’t forget anything

Even everyday work in the home office can quickly become stressful. Even if you don’t leave your own four walls, there are appointments and deadlines that must never be forgotten. So that you do not lose track, it is advisable to enter all important times, dates and appointments in a calendar. This is easily possible via Microsoft Outlook, for example. In this context, you can also create a reminder that alerts you with an alarm tone that a deadline is approaching or a video conference is due. It is also advisable to draw up a timetable for the coming week in order to allocate a corresponding time window to each task that arises. Don’t forget to factor in sufficient time buffers: This can absorb any delays and significantly reduce potential stress. If you finish the task earlier, there is more time for a longer break or for an earlier end of the day.

Avoid distractions: Put your smartphone away!

Distractions are literally lurking around every corner in the home office. One moment the courier rings, the next the children are in the door: if you want to be productive in your home office, you sometimes need a “thick skin”. In most cases, the smartphone is probably the biggest distraction. We react automatically to every notification from WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook because we don’t want to miss anything. It is therefore strongly advisable to mute these notifications during working hours in the home office. This way you avoid having your concentration interrupted every time. During the breaks you have ample opportunity to read and reply to the messages. If there are children in your household, it cannot always be avoided that the children are also present during office hours. Experts recommend explaining to children that mom or dad will be at home but not available when you are at work. A colorful sign with the fixed working hours on the door of the home office also makes it clear to the little ones how important it is for the respective parent to be quiet and not to be disturbed while working.

Earn money as a student

Student life is a time that is sometimes relatively expensive. Clothes, books, fees, you might move into your own apartment and you might want to go to the disco. Students belong to the poorest part of the population, but still want to participate in life during this special time, which is why money is needed. Not all students are financed by their parents, most of them have to take care of the financing themselves. However, there are various ways to save money or earn a little on the side.

Study costs: How much money does a student need?

First of all, however, it is important to clarify how much money is actually needed. To do this, you should draw up a financing plan before you start your studies, in which both the fixed costs such as rent and tuition fees are entered, as well as running costs and reserves for unforeseen expenses. Incidentally, two thirds of the rental costs can be saved if you don’t live alone, but move into a shared flat or a dormitory. The semester fees are also due in any case, these usually amount to around 130 to 400 euros.

Cost of living as a student

The costs that a student needs in addition to living amount to an average of 794 euros. If you live in a big city, you often have to pay even more money. In addition to the rent and the semester fees, there are of course insurance contributions and above all the everyday expenses add up quickly. This includes, for example, groceries, for which an average of between 150 and 170 euros is due each month. You also have to plan around 20 to 60 euros for learning material, you usually need a laptop, books and other writing materials. However, the specialist literature can later be sold again used, so that these editions are only temporary. There are additional costs for internet and mobile phones, as well as for new clothes. Studying costs between 570 and 1,175 euros per month, depending on how you live. Of course, this money has to come from somewhere.

Save money as a student

Instead of juggling several part-time jobs, you can save a lot of money with simple tricks. This is a great way to sell books you no longer need. Above all, used specialist literature can be sold excellently and brings in quite a bit of money. If you bought the books new, a large part of the money can be recovered. You can also buy the books used and sell them later to save even more money. This principle also works with new clothes, branded clothes are still perfect second-hand and can also be sold again via online platforms. Used furniture is also very cheap compared to buying new. However, you should not smash the extra money on the head, but either save it or even invest it sensibly.

How can I earn extra money as a student?

Before looking for a part-time job, you should always try to apply for BAföG. This government grant is available to some students, giving you half the money as a gift and half as an interest-free loan that you pay back later. This way you can fully concentrate on your studies and still receive financial support. However, there are various criteria that decide whether you get BAföG at all and the application is also relatively complicated. If this was rejected, then a part-time job or short-term full-time employment must be resorted to.

Student jobs classic

Classic jobs for students are, for example, waiting tables, making calls or promoting. But there is also a constant need for temporary workers in supermarkets or at gas stations, and you can also work as a driver. The selection is relatively large and as a student you often have a good chance of being accepted for such jobs. Of course, you can also work as a working student in your department, but you should always pay attention to the income limits. Incidentally, you can also work full-time for a short time during the semester break if the applicable limits are observed. In this way, a lot of money can be made in the lecture-free time. So if you save money, for example by selling old textbooks and go to work a little on the side, then you can make ends meet as a student.

Construction financing despite a negative SCHUFA entry – is something like this even possible?

Most people understandably assume that a borrower usually has to have the highest possible credit rating in order to receive mortgage lending from the bank. If you have debts, current loans or even problems with the SCHUFA, you will most likely be denied such a building loan. However, this is a misconception, because although a negative SCHUFA entry and the associated poor creditworthiness can lead to problems, not all banks automatically reject the loan application. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that not all entries in the protection association for general credit protection (SCHUFA for short) are up-to-date or actually correct. On the other hand, the bank often only rejects the mortgage application directly if the potential borrower has committed serious violations or other misconduct in the past.

Construction financing with a negative SCHUFA entry? How exactly does it all work?

Before we go into more detail on the question of how construction financing is possible despite a negative SCHUFA entry, it should be said in advance that the protection association for general credit protection is a so-called private credit agency whose main purpose is to inform its contractual partners about the creditworthiness (also called creditworthiness) of third parties. According to SCHUFA, the data has so far been collected from around 80 percent of all German citizens, which is then made available to banks and various other companies, among others. Each consumer is assigned a so-called score value, which is between 1 and 100. And the lower this value, the higher the probability of default of the person concerned.

For a negative SCHUFA entry to come about, it is often enough if you do not pay the bill, ignore reminders for too long, miss installment payments or other problems arise when repaying a loan. Incidentally, this SCHUFA entry remains even after all open invoices have been paid – for a total of three years. Unfortunately, there are always incorrect entries, mix-ups or forgotten deletions of outdated data. It is therefore advisable to check your own SCHUFA entry for any errors before you apply for construction financing at the bank. Incidentally, this inspection is possible once a year free of charge. And if incorrect or outdated entries are discovered during the check, you can request a correction to improve your score and restore your creditworthiness.

What options are there to obtain construction financing despite negative SCHUFA?

If there are complications when checking creditworthiness (e.g. due to a negative SCHUFA score), the borrower will be informed by the bank and can then comment on it. But even if it is actually a legitimate entry, the borrower still has the opportunity to receive mortgage lending. To do this, he can either propose a guarantor who is considered by the bank to be sufficiently solvent to financially cushion any complications in the repayment of the real estate loan – or name a second borrower who has no negative SCHUFA entries and, ideally, also over has a certain amount of equity (e.g. the spouse).

Furthermore, construction financing can be approved despite a negative SCHUFA entry if the borrower can prove a high level of equity (e.g. in the case of an upcoming inheritance) and also a secure income (permanent permanent position). In addition, the borrower could also take out a loan from a foreign bank, since the SCHUFA score does not play such a crucial role in many other countries. However, as a rule, not only are the interest rates significantly higher than at a German bank, the constantly fluctuating exchange rate of foreign currencies and other economic problems can also lead to unforeseen complications. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether such a high building loan from a foreign bank is actually a good idea.

What are the potential consequences of building financing with a negative SCHUFA entry?

If the bank actually enables the borrower to obtain construction financing despite a negative SCHUFA entry, the future homeowner must expect significantly higher construction interest. Interest surcharges of three percent and more are not uncommon, as the bank protects itself from possible losses and potential defaults in this way. On the other hand, the house or condominium must be a so-called valuable property. If, for example, the single or multi-family house is dilapidated or the condominium you want is in a bad location, the bank can refuse construction financing without further ado. Likewise, a certain equity of at least 20 or ideally 30 percent of the total purchase price should be available so that the borrower can minimize his own financial risk. And since, in the worst case, there is a risk of personal bankruptcy if something goes wrong with the financing or the repayment of the loan, you should think very carefully about whether such a risk is actually worthwhile.

Setting up a home office: These things should not be missing

hard factors

Setting up a workplace in your own home involves more than just sufficient light and a quiet atmosphere. Because it also needs the right materials to work effectively. People are often not even aware of how much they need at home when they start working from home for the first time.

This includes paper, pens, markers, drawing materials, hole punches, staplers – all the things that are otherwise provided by the company. Sometimes there is the possibility of obtaining these from the employer anyway. It is important to organize them somehow so that the hole punch is not missing in the middle of the concentration phase.

Other items that may become useful:

• Binder
• bookshelf
• radio
• Wifi booster
• High quality office chair

Also indispensable for many people: their own printer. Which printer is the best for the home office naturally depends on the requirements. The choice is large (inkjet printers, color laser printers, LED printers) and some time should be invested in the search. Experience reports, such as the color laser printer test from tonerdumping.de, often help.

soft factors

For an ideal home office environment, you first need a designated workplace. Ideally, this is a study. However, a room is not always available just for working. Then the desk you work on should still be separated from the rest of the room or apartment in some way. This increases concentration and strengthens the distinction between working hours and free time. Partition walls, curtains or a cleverly placed closet can help.

Other things to consider:

• No pollutants in the walls
• Regular cleaning of the room and especially the work equipment
• Create pleasant smells
• Ventilate regularly

Another important point: the right light. Workplaces that are too bright or too dark can cause severe damage to the eyes and thus to the eyesight. Since this happens over months and years, many people underestimate this danger and only notice the problems when it is already too late.

Two other factors to be controlled are: volume and temperature in the workplace. After all, if you constantly have to put on or take off clothes, open or close windows and take a hot or cold shower after a few hours of work, that doesn’t make life any easier. An indoor/outdoor thermometer can help. A quiet time can be set up in the house to regulate the volume, headphones can help or even insulation can be installed in the study. If the study is to be used permanently, it can be a sensible investment.

human factors

The workplace has been chosen and optimized, all important materials and devices are waiting to be used. But something is still wrong. This can happen if it is underestimated that everyone has different needs – even in the home office there is a person with problems and wishes.

The great thing about the home office is that you have full control here. This means, for example, that everyone can choose their perfect workwear themselves. If you need a suit to feel like working, you can work in a suit. Is that too formal? Then sweatpants might be better. It is important to make a distinction between everyday clothing and work clothing. There is a lot to be said for having an extra set of loose work clothes for the home office.

In addition, food needs to be considered. Snacks and drinks should be within reach. Otherwise, sooner or later you will be tempted to make a detour to the kitchen, losing valuable time and concentration. The same applies to the decoration of the workplace: if you are easily distracted, you should think minimalistic and not have too many odds and ends on the table and on the walls.

Jeans in the office: hip or taboo?

Industry, dress code and model are decisive

First and foremost, you should consciously ask yourself: Are cheap stretch jeans for men from Wrangler any good for facing my colleagues, my boss or possibly customers? Important in this context is on the one hand the industry in which you work and on the other hand the official or unofficial dress code in your office. Do your colleagues only come in trousers and a shirt or blouse? Or is it common for everyone to wear exactly the clothes that they like best and are comfortable at the same time? If the last option is the case, you can reach for any jeans that fit and suit you.

Before you buy new Angels jeans for women at Jeans-Meile.de, you should not only think about the dress code in your office, but also which model is suitable for everyday business. You can hardly go wrong with jeans with a modern, straight cut in black. You should avoid eye-catching decorative seams, rivets or patches if you want trousers for the office that have to be elegant rather than fashionable. Depending on which model you choose, the new jeans go well with both a casual shirt and a snow-white blouse.

Combine jeans correctly for the office

Not only the jeans themselves contribute a western part to the fact that your outfit looks professional or looks more like leisure. If you combine jeans that are light blue, dark blue or black with the right top and matching shoes, it can look very elegant. Because jeans aren’t fabric trousers, you shouldn’t dress too casually at the top. If you opt for a blouse and a jacket, the jeans look completely different than with flip-flops and a spaghetti top. Regarding the shoes, you should stay true to yourself. If you usually prefer to wear sneakers instead of heels, then continue to wear them – regardless of the pants. The accessories can also range from casual to chic. Discreet earrings in gold or silver to match the necklace and the earrings complement the jeans outfit perfectly.

Choose the right color

Very important: The jeans must not have a conspicuous wash or color. Instead, fashion-conscious people resort to jeans that are evenly colored. The problem with black jeans is that they fade after just a few washes. It doesn’t look fancy at all! That’s why it makes sense to go for dark blue or dark gray jeans. These go with everything and stand back visually without being boring. Of course, so-called destroyed jeans with patches or fashionable holes are not appropriate in the office. The only exception: you work in an office where all employees are dressed like this because it is part of the image of a brand or a company. In that case, flashy pants are of course perfectly fine.

If you don’t always want to wear dark pants, then it’s best to wear white jeans in summer and spring. However, this should not be transparent and must be perfectly matched to the top. White stains easily!

Work-life balance in the home office

The advantages are obvious: You save a lot of time because there are no longer any commutes. You also spend less money on fuel costs, which is better for the environment at the same time. One problem, however, is switching off after work. A healthy work-life balance is often difficult to achieve when the workplace is omnipresent.

The problem with the home office

In addition to all the advantages, switching off after work in the home office is a real problem. Most of the time, people who work from home work longer hours and accumulate overtime. The working day lasts on average 48.5 minutes longer than in the office. But even after the work is done, telecommuting can still have negative effects. It’s harder to separate private life and work. The result can be stress, which usually affects health.

This can often lead to burnout, one of the most common reasons for disability. It is therefore better to take precautions and to keep a clear separation between work and private life after work. In addition, short breaks should be taken from time to time to clear your head and at the same time become even more productive and concentrated.

Separate the end of the day from the working day

It is often difficult to separate work from private life. Especially if the office is a niche in the living room or bedroom and not a separate room. So you are still confronted with it after work. However, you can do something about it. On the one hand, the workplace should under no circumstances be set up in the bedroom. Sleep disorders are otherwise inevitable. If you work in the living room, you should provide privacy after work, for example in the form of a screen or another room divider.

A clear cut through housework

In this case, work is not just work. Whether it’s during the lunch break or after work, you can distract yourself from the job perfectly if you devote yourself to household chores. When cleaning the apartment, you can switch off your head in peace and in this way create a transition to office work. At the same time, a tidy and well-organized workplace also creates a better atmosphere and can promote productivity.

So what’s the best way to start? Clearing out old, unused things is particularly helpful. Whether on the bookshelf, in the wardrobe or in the storage room – there are things hidden all over the apartment that have not been used for a long time. It is best to sort these things out straight away and separate them into two piles: in good condition and broken. If the used books, films or CDs are still usable, they can quickly be sold online at a fixed price. The broken things, on the other hand, should be properly sorted out and recycled.

Schedule active breaks

When working from home, you can usually organize your working hours more freely than in the office. This can often become a problem if you don’t plan to take a break every now and then. Because if you don’t take a break from time to time, sooner or later you will make mistakes, work more slowly and suffer from a higher stress level. Small, intensive breaks throughout the working day can help. After 60 to 90 minutes you should rest for five minutes in order to be able to continue with concentration.

After 6 hours you should take a longer break of at least 30 minutes. Those who find it difficult to observe rest periods can plan them directly into their daily calendar or into their smartphone as a reminder. That’s how you think about it for sure. Basically, you should pay attention to the warning signals that your body gives you when it calls for a break. This can be tiredness, irritability or lack of concentration.

exercise and stretching

The time-out shouldn’t just consist of staying seated. Ideally, you walk a few steps, maybe even in the fresh air. It ensures that the brain is properly supplied with oxygen again. At the same time, the sun’s rays stimulate the production of vitamin D in the body, which strengthens our immune system and makes us less susceptible to diseases. You listen to a little music and you get completely different thoughts. If you don’t feel like going out, you can simply open the window for 5 minutes and stretch at the table or sofa instead. The neck and shoulders in particular are strongly influenced by working on the PC. For this reason, a few light exercises should be done at least every two hours to relax the muscles and increase blood flow.

Sport as a balance to work

If you want to relax even more during the lunch break or after work and at the same time reduce stress, you should do sports. It doesn’t matter what sport you do. Nevertheless, endurance sports are probably best suited. The stress is converted into kinetic energy and reduced. At the same time, the body releases happiness hormones that make you forget the stress of the working day. Sport also offers a whole range of health benefits.

Healthy snacks for more concentration

The break can be used for a small snack. It can replenish the energy reserves and bring new strength. However, it is important that this snack is not too unhealthy. Nuts, avocados, vegetable sticks, yoghurt with fruit or whole grain products are particularly popular. You should avoid too much sugar and saturated fats. They are heavy on the stomach and provide a short energy boost. Light fare is also recommended for lunch. A salad with strips of turkey breast or a baked potato with low-fat quark is particularly digestible and has lots of vitamins.

The digital change in the company – stay on the ball through further training

Experts now assume that the acceleration of digital change due to the corona pandemic has been shortened by a good five years. Surprisingly, however, many companies coped with the inevitable process better than one would expect. However, it turns out that not every employee can handle this pace.

However, those who are well trained and prepared for digital change now have the better cards in their hands. With targeted further training support for employees, many possible sources of error could be cushioned in advance. Even during the lockdown, those employees who were better able to cope with the relatively short-term switch to working from home gained self-confidence and competence. Due to the decentralized cooperation, many were forced to make decisions more independently and thus gained valuable insights into their individual worth as employees.

Further training: The key to success in Corona times

How important it is to be well positioned digitally was also shown on the other side of the entrepreneurs, that broad front of services that were suddenly offered and requested via the Internet. Those who could, made an online shop available within a very short time. Months beforehand, many companies considered whether such a shop would even be worthwhile for their target group.

As a result of Corona, there was suddenly a need that well-trained employees can optimally cover. In addition, regular training courses, whether online seminars or face-to-face events, also give employees more security. Flexible action and good communication with already overwhelmed customers, who in turn had less to do with online purchases, were in demand like never before.

Sector weighting shifted

The lockdown has shown something else. Sectors that previously seemed unassailable, such as aviation or gastronomy, experienced turbulence. Global trade has come to a standstill due to the supply chains being overwhelmed and air traffic being restricted. Regional entrepreneurs find opportunities here to train their employees accordingly in order to be better prepared for crises like this one and to really be of support to their customers. Instead of shopping online, personal contact – with a mask and distance – had now become more important.

Buying regional products instead of ordering elsewhere, factoring in longer waiting times, supporting the bookstore on the corner with an extensive book order – all of these are also positive aspects of the corona crisis. And again it shows that those who have employees who understand their job and who have optimal customer service in their blood draw their trumps here.

Rediscovered channels and new platforms

How can customers make contact, how are they best advised? These core questions were and are indispensable for entrepreneurs. If you are tech-savvy and know what the actual requirements are behind the term SEO, search engine optimization, you will win new customers. However, the company must also be easy to find on social media and online in general. Digital jobs are currently gaining attention, as are employees who can work well from home.

Online shops that are installed too quickly could lead to legal problems, because here, too, data protection and compliance have priority. The customer needs to know how their data is being used and protected. Everything is also aimed at ensuring that online customers have a positive experience when shopping. However, this also requires the right know-how in order to optimize decentralized data storage and enable transparent communication.

Optimal preparation for the employees

Digitization was a nightmare for many employees, because not everyone can handle the speed. However, working at a distance and a certain flexibility in where you can work offers many advantages, as has just been shown in the corona crisis. However, some employees may experience some form of stress. The so-called technostress has long been an issue, because many feel the constant accessibility via smartphone as a curse.

However, those who can tame the flood of these influences and know which tools they can use to create a relaxed working atmosphere score points here. A good balance between workflow and processing e-mails or appointments creates time windows in which concentrated work is possible. However, the prerequisite is that as an employee you know how best to work as a digital nomad.

Digital change in times of further education

Of course, digital change also shapes the corporate culture. Many companies are noticing that there is a need to catch up. The competition never sleeps and those who are fit in this topic related to digitization also have good job opportunities. Appropriate further training for digitization is therefore a sensible, good investment in your own career, even in the long term.

However, problems related to digital change must also be overcome. Big data and broadband are considered to be the challenges for companies. The organizational structure must also become flatter in order to be able to make faster decisions and enable agile working. Managers are important role models here. They increasingly use further training for themselves, but also for their employees.

There is a particular demand for further training in online marketing, technical know-how and project management. Whoever leads wins. However, you do not necessarily have to hold a job as a manager yourself, but rather distinguish yourself through soft skills and individual competencies.

Smart, smarter, digitization

The digital change also aims at the efficiency of work. The smarter you use the new tools and offers, the more purposefully you can work. Even if the machine is still faster, one should bear in mind that, despite advancing technology and digitization, not everything can be done by machine. Control by the person at the desk, but also communication between customers and employees is a broad area in which real-time contact will continue to be of the utmost importance.

Where the monologue used to be in the foreground, and employees demanded a feeling of security and order, today the focus is on dialogue. Therefore, it is now much more important for an employee to find out which values ​​the future employee considers important. The meaning of one’s own work also needs to be clearly understood, why and wherefore has become more important in times like these, when further training is becoming an indispensable stepping stone to a career.