All About The First Ever, Work From Home Boot Camp

Interact, Participate, Resolve, Reinvent, Take Charge: When SHEROES.in welcomed women to the first-ever, Work From Home Boot Camp.

Kickstarting Change

As our founder and CEO, Sairee, says: “We are community because we interact and participate. We have something to share with each other. Our individuality matters, our career matters.” So we called to out all women professionals, organised the bootcamp, let them interact and take charge.

It is well said that one should focus less on whether bootcamps are “worth it” and rather focus on what you want to achieve out of it and what resources you have at your disposal. And this was the exact agenda behind organising the bootcamp.

The question..

What makes for a good bootcamp? A motivational recharge that lasts long, and that the goal appears clearer and achievable.

What makes for a great bootcamp? An interactive community, which shares thoughts, ideas and puts them into words, a community which reaches out to kindred spirits, who will lean in, and who walk the talk with you.  

Forgetting the Old School, starting afresh…

Bootcamp Delhi, conducted by SHEROES.in founder Sairee Chahal, was attended by women professionals seeking expert tips on careers.

Over 70 determined and charged up women attended the SHEROES.in ‘Work-From-Home Bootcamp’ held on June 11. The bootcamp was one of its kind, never initiated by any group or company or organisation in the history of women’s career--or, for that matter, anybody’s career. As they say, they came and they conquered; these women were ready to share information, and more importantly, they shared their stories and left the boot camp feeling charged.

Some came armed with questions, some seeking to rediscover themselves, some to make sure they are in the right place, some to see that work from home is really happening and someone is taking charge of that, a few others with practical answers, thus setting an example for everyone there. Almost all of them were unanimous in their recognition of what is a steadily growing work culture in India, and abroad.

Work from home culture in India...the trend

Gone are the days when work from home meant you are excused on medical grounds or some emergency. Work from home, over the past few years, has grown manifold, boosted by the growing internet connectivity, especially in India. Now, companies offer such opportunities to promote a good work-life balance and it actually enhances productivity.

The Bootcamp…

Around 70 women attended the bootcamp, and were from different fields, with different career choices, family backgrounds, but what they had in common was the desire to work from home and thus get back to work.

The digital ecosphere has enabled a virtual office these days. The traditional work infrastructure is changing--all you need is a computer and a reliable internet connection, and you are all set.

Of these women, many wanted to return to work after a sabbatical, and some were looking to follow their passion and transition to a different career. While such thoughts are not new, it is only recently that they are being put into action. And SHEROES has provided them a platform to realise their dreams.

The opportunities for those who want to work from home are plenty. 'Work from home' is one of the most popular sections on the SHEROES.in Job Board. This validates the need to put women's career on a priority, in India. When women take charge, the economy improves. True for home, truer for the nation.

A Mckinsey report validates this point. According to this report, India could add 60% to the GDP by 2025, just by bridging the gender gap at work. It also says that equal participation by women would add as much as $28 trillion, or 26%, to the world’s 2025 GDP in a best-case scenario—roughly equivalent to the size of the combined US and Chinese economies today—or 11% in a best-in-region scenario.

The Opportunity Forecast

The top sectors providing work from home opportunities are digital content, technology, food services, healthcare, apps, logistics, analytics, fashion, education, pharma and more--each offering multiple opportunities for all kinds of professionals. “Who would have thought a doctor could be available online,” said Sairee, on the changing consumer behaviour. (You can now find this on SHEROES, as Doctors Destination!)

This rise in work-from-home opportunities also feeds on the trust built online by professionals. As a professional, you can build that trust in one simple step: Get the job done within the deadline, and with the use of right resources. SHEROES is taking another initiative to give the “work from home certification” to the women. It's in the process and we will come out soon certifying women to work from home without any hassle.

“How will Work From Home scale?” Sairee threw a question to those attending the bootcamp. The answer was a unanimous: “Work ethics, and setting a benchmark.”  The women professionals had their fundamentals sorted. We need to own it.

The point here is that designation is just a metric. The job just needs to be done. Responding on a real-time basis is another important factor. Companies are looking for these factors before offering work from opportunities.

This level of professionalism has already made an impact. Corporates have begun to benefit from and recognise the concept of flexible work hours and employees who work from home.

“We use the work-from-home concept to the hilt at Sunstone B School”, said Rajul Garg, entrepreneur, and an early SHEROES.in investor. He showcased how the concept increased productivity at his company, and added to the professional growth of the employees. Employees from the work-from-home community at his B School have even risen to become managers. “We are listed on SHEROES.in. We have a great work-from-home force,” added Rajul.

"With this great shift in the corporate world, large organisations are promoting work from home, as technology and communication have become easy, and companies becoming more mobile,” he said.

The idea exchange came not just from the speakers, but also from the community attending the bootcamp. “The only thing to do for success in work from home is to DO THE JOB!” an emphatic shout-out came from entrepreneur Priyanka G, who will soon launch her own start up.

Another community member, Piyusha Vir, a mom and a budding writer, spoke about going back to basics: “Do what you love.” For her, this is writing and reading, and she's now creating a blog and writing her first book, a romance novel.

Skills That Help Win Work From Home

A- Analysing information

C- Collaboration

T- Technical aptitude

I- Intuition

O- Ongoing education

N- Negotiation

“There is less hierarchy in the workplace and the focus is on work relationships, and results,” she added. These hierarchies are non-existent in the online workspace--results and wins speak the loudest.

The bootcamp also busted a few myths such as 'Work from home does not pay well'. “That's not true. We have many high-paying jobs online,” said Sairee.  Skills need to be upgraded, and pace be maintained. “Your education never stops--upgrade skills and reinvent. Businesses are changing every quarter and we must keep pace,” she added.

All you need to do is be proactive, and accountable, be creative, act fast and reinvent as needed. Most importantly, communicate, leverage your idea, start up, TAKE CHARGE. “Use the social media, pitch, reach out, start a conversation,” said Sairee who walks the talk and engages regularly from her own twitter handle, @Sairee.

It may have been called a 'bootcamp', and it was one in the intensity and concentration. However, it was the community interaction and feedback that morphed it into a constructive conversation. We, at SHEROES.in, thank you and look forward to seeing you at the next bootcamp in person. Till then, please do also reach a SHEROES.in coach on our app. Download here.