Working from home… 5 ways how to avoid the “Aaaaaaaagggh” feeling!

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Not all of us wanted to work from home. Some of us actually enjoyed getting up in the morning, making breakfast, dropping the kids at school and then driving to work. We enjoyed meeting our co-workers (some of whom might have even been our friends, or better still, our arch nemeses!), socialising over a bad lunch at the cafeteria, meeting friends for drinks (or coffee) after work, and finally, getting back home at the end of the day for a good night’s rest.

Meetings with co-workers

On the other hand, some of us have dreamt our entire work life of working from home, waking up late, dropping the kids off at school in our pyjamas, not being stuck in traffic, not having to see the face of that irritating co-worker/boss, and having the time to explore other hobbies and interests.

Whatever your preference, COVID-19 has ensured that we all need to adjust to a new way of working. And for most of us, that way is to work from home.

Even after this pandemic becomes history, the impact of COVID-19 on the way we work and live will continue to remain. How we live today (or at least a version of it), might become the norm. So, understanding the challenges of working from home, and how best to overcome them, is important for us to continue to be as efficient and productive as working from an office.

The new norm

Challenges

When the day becomes the night and the sky becomes the sea, When the clock strikes heavy and there’s no time for tea.

Cheshire Cat, Alice Through the Looking Glass

COVID-19 has not only forced some of us to work from home but has also made us an island unto ourselves, forcing us all to stay isolated and locked in our homes. Now, man by nature is a social creature and even those of us who worked from home before the pandemic still had the option of going out and socialising to their hearts’ content.

All of this is no longer possible. Social distancing is what needs to be followed by us to truly beat this pandemic. But the result is that every day starts to feel the same, bleeding into each other, there is very little to break the repetitive cycle. In addition, for those of us who were thrust into working from home, the merging of the workspace with the living space proved to be an additional challenge to overcome.    

Working through social distancing

Going to the office provided us with a structure – get to office on time, morning meetings with the team, understand the goals to achieve on the day, check emails, coffee break, work, lunch, work, may be an evening meeting with the team to recap, and then go home. But with this structure removed, as a result of working from home, one of two things might happen:

  1. lose track of time and goals achieved, overwork yourself and burnout quickly or
  2. lose focus, get stuck doing busy work and don’t get any real work done

The following are 5 simple steps that you can follow that might help you overcome some of these challenges

  • Dedicated workspace: The first thing you need to do is create a dedicated workspace. Remove all distractions from this area and keep everything you will normally need to do your work close to you. Maybe set it up similar to the workspace at your office. If possible, set up the workspace in a room that no one else uses, a room with a door. Closing a door behind you can make a big difference to creating an effective and dedicated workspace.
  • Dedicated worktime (schedule): Even those of us that don’t actively keep a schedule or a calendar, inevitably follow a semblance of a schedule when we work from an office. Get to office in the morning, review the tasks that need to be done by the day’s end, monitor the progress of the tasks that need to be completed by the end of the week/month/year, do busy work like checking emails and other non-critical tasks, work on critical tasks, go on breaks (lunch, coffee, etc.), and finally windup for the day. So, a good way to focus is to pretend that you are still working from an office. Create a schedule that is similar to your workday. Start by assigning a time to begin work and a time to end the workday. Determine the tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day/week/month and review where you currently stand and what needs to be done to stay on schedule. Take a break for lunch and coffee, like you would do at office, but do not exceed the break time.
  • Set boundaries: This step might be a little emotionally difficult. Getting your family, especially kids and pets, to understand that you are working and not having a day off might be a little difficult in the beginning. But once they understand your schedule and that the workspace is for you to work, over time they will give you space to work.
  • Celebrate the accomplishments: Many of you might not have noticed it, but at the office, when you complete a task and it is submitted to your manager for review, or announced in a team meeting (or for sales people, when you reach your target), there is a weight that is lifted from your shoulders. When you work from home, for the most part, you are on your own. There is no one acknowledging your success or failures on a regular basis (at least not as regular as in your office), and there is no relief to that weight on your shoulders. So, figure out ways of doing this yourself. When you have successfully completed a task, realise that you have, and acknowledge this fact! Stand up and dance like nobody’s watching!
  • Use the extra time: You are working from home, that means you will have extra time on your hands. On top of that, COVID-19 has enforced self-isolation and social distancing. So, breaking the monotony is important to remaining focused, motivated and sane. Take up something that will challenge you, something that you always wanted to do but never had the time before, something that will push your boundaries. Maybe learn how to cook/bake, workout and get fit (haha), do online programmes and learn new things, may be get that degree you have always wanted.

If you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree, to challenge yourself and keep motivated, while at the same time being better qualified and prepared for the challenges to come, have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that could help.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time.

Corporate governance practices are important for companies. Here are 5 reasons why!

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Let me start with the basics.. 

What is corporate governance? Well, corporate governance can simply be defined as the systems by which companies are defined, directed and controlled. As the name suggests, it is the practice that governs the corporates to comply with legal, regulatory and risk requirements and meet the business demands. And it is mainly the responsibility of the Board of directors. It is important that the board takes on board (pun intended) the intertwined roles, relationships, and interests of the company’s various stakeholders.

A corporate has both internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders include the company owners, management, executives, board of directors, shareholders, and employees. And the external governance stakeholders include the society and community, customers, suppliers, vendors, and debt holders.  
 

Because the corporates ( with the exception of s non-profit organizations) operate for profit, one of the main focus areas of corporate governance is to make the business leaders manage the finances in the most effective way, and in the best interest of their internal and external stakeholders. There are several laws and external regulations that monitor this aspect of corporate governance. However, many companies establish their own internal framework and regulations to ensure smooth and ethical operations of the organisation. 

Regardless of how big or small a company, it is important to have an established set of practices that dictates good corporate governance. It also looks good on the part of the company that their finances are well accounted for, and they have done some good deeds for society.

Now many argue that corporate governance does not affect the bottom line of the business and is not ‘necessary’ for running the business, as it does not affect the operational or financial performance of the company. It is difficult to put together and implement a customised corporate governance plan. The additional practices cost a lot of money and time going through the administrative procedures of organization’s bureaucracy.  

The other side of these arguments, however, stresses the importance of corporate governance practices and the impact they have on the successful running of a business in the long term.  

How corporate governance benefits a company 

Corporate governance is the foundational stone of any good business. There is a direct correlation between good corporate governance and enhanced shareholder value in the long term. It is an important tool in managing the business in an ethical way, and leading to its growth.  

Some of the key benefits of good corporate governance are as follows:

1. Power packed board of directors 

        As I mentioned above, the board of directors are responsible to oversee how the corporation runs. Good corporate governance focuses on establishing a strong board for the company, comprising of directors who are knowledgeable, competent, qualified, matter-expert and who hold strong ethical values. The board will then be able to provide strong and dedicated leadership, and vision to the company.  
 

Corporate Governance ensures the corporation has a strong Board of directors

2. Promoting ethical culture and corporate integrity 

     Good corporate governance practices lay much emphasis on integrity in all business dealings and ensuring the company is socially responsible. They ensure compliance with the law, and an ethical business code of conduct.  

3. Enhanced public image 

     In todays competitive business environment, having good corporate governance can prove to  be a differentiating factor working in favor of the company. Being socially responsible, contributing towards the environment, implementing sustainable practices, and other societal benefits, paints a good image for the company and builds confidence for both the internal and external stakeholders of the company.  

4. Boosts new investment 

     The venture capitalists and investors feel more confident in investing in a company with good corporate governance practices. They ensure good return on investment for the investor. Increased investments mean expansion of business, and create more employment opportunities.  

5. Effective risk management 

     A board of directors with a strategic vision is imperative in identifying potential risks faced by the company, such as industry specific risks, global markets, operational, legal, and financial risks. By evaluating risks, and implementing timely plans, good corporate governance practices can help mitigate risks for the company. 

RKC boasts a strong portfolio of online master’s programmes, offering online MBA, MSc and LL.M programmes. The students have a wide range of 18 MSc, 23 MBA and 3 LL.M programmes.

You can chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme, the application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time.

Women in RKC – Elizabeth (Liza) Rudolfsson, MA Leading Innovation and Change, York St John University, UK

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Continuing with our blog series featuring our female students, we asked our students to share their experiences with us – the challenges of getting back to school, of managing work and study along with family, and the unique challenges they faced being female students.

Liza is a graduate of our MA programme in Leading Innovation and Change (MALIC) through our exclusive partnership with York St John University, UK. This programme has been discontinued, and has reincarnated as a 100% online MBA programme in Leading Innovation and Change. 

Liza Rudolfsson being the model student

Now, let us see what she has to say!

Who is … 

A short profile

Sahil Devasia (SD): Who are you, really?

Elizabeth (Liza) Rudolfsson (ER): Creative and hard-working business consultant with roots in the construction industry.

Getting back into education

Your story of getting back to do a Master’s degree

SD: What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?

ER: Interest in the subject. Hope that I could apply this new knowledge directly with my customers. Watched a test video with George Boak, which convinced me to choose YSJ.

SD: What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?

ER: People around me were surprised (I’m 63) but supportive. Luckily, I underestimated the time it would take, or I would never have started.

SD: What surprised you the most when you started your studies?

ER: How much time was required! The high level of ambition. The fun of having ‘classmates’ from all over the world.

SD: Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?

ER: Not really.

Getting the degree

The work to get the degree – what did you learn, how did you balance, what would you do differently

SD: Which programme did you do? Why?

ER: Leading Innovation and Change because I’m interested in – and work with – leadership, change and innovation.

SD: What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?

ER: A ton of interesting facts, theories and models, but the most important learning was scientific, critical thinking and how to handle sources and references.

SD: How did you balance work and studies?

ER: I cut down on my work.

SD: Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?

ER: I don’t know about other students, but I can’t see any particular challenges.

Life post degree

What changed, if anything?

SD: What’s new in your life since graduating / starting your studies? Any visible impact already?

ER: I sold a strategy project for small businesses right after the Strategy module. This is now a yearly event, thank you MALIC! Before, I had a lot of superficial knowledge and a lot of practical experience. Now I find that I have a steady foundation with deeper knowledge that also ties into my experience and brings it all together. I get a lot of comments from customers about my solid knowledge, and they appreciate how I reference everything so that they know where the information comes from.

SD: Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?

ER: I reference everything! I carefully separate information and opinion. I venture into new areas. I always did, but now with more confidence.

SD: Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the work place?

ER: Probably not in itself, maybe combined with other factors.

Advice for other women

Or other students, really.

SD: Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?

ER: Take the writing of assignments (and the feedback) seriously, that’s where most of the learning happens. Use your new knowledge right away to make it stick.

If you have been thinking about getting your master’s degree, proving to yourself and others that you CAN do it, now would be a good time to take the plunge. Have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that could help.

Hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this place for more similar blogs. You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time.

Top 5 differences between an MBA and an Executive MBA. Which one is better for you?

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Pursuing the master’s degree is a big decision in many people’s lives. Choosing which programme will be most beneficial for one’s career development can be nerve wrecking too. Because there are choices – too many choices! For example, one might decide to go for an MBA programme, however, there is a choice to pursue an Executive MBA (EMBA) too! As an aspiring student, which one should you choose? Let us explore the differences, pros and cons of both so that you can make an informed decision. 

1. Admission criteria 

One of the foremost differences between an MBA and the EMBA programme is the admission criteria. For most of the MBA programmes minimum experience required varies between 1-3 years. Sometimes, even fresh under-graduates can also apply for MBA programmes given a good academic record.  

On the other hand, an EMBA typically requires candidates to have on average 3 to 6 years’ work experience with at least 2 to 5 years of managerial work experience. Our current MBA students and alumni for example, possess on average 5 to 10 years of work experience, holding leadership and management titles in companies such as risk and quality managers, heads of sales, senior corporate trainers, marketing directors, lawyers, consultants, politicians and diplomats, company presidents and CMOs. 

2. Pace of study 

The MBA programmes are typically pursued on full-time or on-campus basis, and have very demanding schedules. They have more traditional and rigid course structures. An EMBA on the other hand, offers a more flexible study schedule, and are typically delivered in blocks (weekends, once a month, etc.) or online. The majority of the EMBA students are working professionals with busy work schedules. Thus, to optimize their time, EMBAs offer lecture sessions at rarer, but more intense intervals than their MBA counterparts. When done online, these really put flexibility at the forefront. 
 

3. Intensity of the programme 

While both programmes focus on the same core modules, the degree of intensiveness in both varies. For the EMBAs, I will use an analogy of a multi-vitamin supplement – a power packed mix of various vitamins all together in one. Similary, EMBAs are intensive, and one should be ready to absorb a lot of knowledge in a short period of time.  

A regular MBA programme however, spreads the modules over a period of time. The course material is widely distributed and thus is comparatively less intensive than EMBAs. 

Group of students at the Residency in Zurich (At the moment we are conducting Online Residency in light of Covid-19 restrictions).

4. Curriculum and focus 

In an MBA programme, since it accepts candidates with fewer years of experience, the focus is on teaching and developing management knowledge from the basics. It has a broader choice available in terms of the electives that a student can choose from. An EMBA programme, however, has a higher bar set in terms of experience from its candidates. While some of the core modules are same as an MBA programme, an EMBA programme has a more focused approach.  
 

Celebrating our Graduates – University of Cumbria

5. Financial implications 

An EMBA wins over an MBA programme any day when we talk about financial implications of both. Firstly, an EMBA candidate can continue their day jobs and get paid to support their education. MBA programmes with full-time study schedules make it more difficult for students to continue with their jobs. Secondly, since a large portion (or in our case, all of the programme) is studied online, one saves a huge amount of money in travel and living expenses. Thus, the return on investment on an EMBA is typically much higher than a regular MBA programme.  

Money matters..

There is of course the issue of programme cost – these vary wildly though, and you can find really expensive programmes in both EMBA and MBA settings. 

I hope the above provides a few points to help you make the distinction between an MBA and an EMBA programme. 

Robert Kennedy College offers online MBA programmes – which are much closer to EMBAs than they are to MBAs because of their flexibility and incredible value for money. We do that in exclusive partnerships with the University of Cumbria and York St John University. Check out the list of various MBA progammes that we offer and choose the one that best suits your interests and career.  

#DILO (A day in the life of) a master’s student – Folarin

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What is the best way to study online? Should you do an online programme? How to better manage time when studying online?

Questions, questions, questions!

These are all questions that we at Robert Kennedy College (RKC) get asked regularly by students who are looking to join one of our online programmes. Undertaking to do an online master’s degree programme will be an additional commitment on your time and finances, and it is smart to get information before hand, cross your T’s and dot your I’s, before making your decision. 

Through this series of blog posts, we asked some of our past and current students to share their thoughts and opinions, to give their feedback on how they handled some of these choices and situations. Hopefully this will help you to make an informed decision. 

Learning from those who came before you is smart. I am not asking you to blindly follow what they are saying, but to take what they said worked for them, and see if it will work for you, maybe make a few changes (or a lot). In the end, only you know what works best for you!

Learn from those who came before you

Folarin is currently doing our M.Sc. programme in Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, that we offer through an exclusive partnership with the University of Salford, UK, and this is what he had to say.

An Introduction

Who you are, really?

I am Folarin, from Nigeria

Which Uni are you studying with?

The University of Salford’s (UK), M.Sc. programme in Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Which programme did you choose and why?

MSc. Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management. I have been a professional in the chosen career since 1996, when I obtained the Professional Certificate of the Nigerian Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, now Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria.

The Study Plan

How did you plan to study each module, and what was the reality? How many hours did/do you have to put in each day/or in a week?

I planned to be flexible, juggling work and study! The reality for me was planning, and studying between work hours. I cannot specifically count the number of hours I study per day – I study according to time-window of opportunity.

What part of the day did/do you find most suitable to study? (e.g. early mornings, lunch break, evenings, weekends?)

I work tight schedules and was always exhausted during the weekdays. So, I found weekends most suitable to study – Friday evening through Sunday.

How much time did you devote for each assignment?

An average of one hour per day.

Travelling and Communication

How did travelling impact your ability to study?

Travelling helps me to relate life events with studying.

How were you able to interact with peers and/or professors given the time differences?

I explore IT facilities and internet resources – Email and WhatsApp messages.

A typical day as a master’s student

What does a typical day as an Online Masters’ student look like for you?

Dividing my attention, schedule, and activities to perform as both a Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management professional and as a student. Balancing work and study as a mature man with the responsibility to cater for a family of 6.

Any advice?

Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies.

Identify your area of core competence and/or SWOT analysis of your personality. Evaluate your financial capacity in line with your regular income before enrolment for the online master’s programme.

Hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this place for more similar blogs. You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time.