StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employee Morale|Ways to Boost Employee Morale

Ways to Boost Employee Morale

StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employee Morale|Ways to Boost Employee MoraleIn a world where we are constantly working hard and striving to be the best versions of ourselves, it’s integral to keep the atmosphere of a workplace in its most positive state and morale at its highest level possible. A lot of employers struggle with this, especially as there is no one solution to please everyone. All employees are different and respond to different things so while it’s ideal to try and tailor morale boosters to each specific employee, this becomes near impossible when the number of employees in one workplace reaches double, triple, or even quadruple figures. Small businesses may find this easier as there are usually a smaller amount of employees to look after; but even then, choosing the right method to boost morale can be tricky.

Naturally, employees who are happy are more likely to perform better. This will only benefit the business so surely it’s a given to make an effort to keep employees happy, right? In order to do this, below are a few ways to help boost morale in the workplace and hopefully keep the large majority of your employees happy.

Praise

It’s a proven fact that children who are personally praised by an authoritative figure for doing well, perform better in school, in extracurricular activities or at home. So, why should this be any different for adults? Receiving praise for doing well is always a good feeling and makes one feel like they’re excelling. A more personalised method of praise like an in person interaction, works wonders and is easier for small business and large businesses. It only takes a few words, a smile and a gentle pat on the back on a regular basis to boost morale.

Team Building Activities

Whether it’s a team building retreat or an activity one day that involves getting all employees together and encouraging space for a friendly competitive spirit to come out can prove to be both fun and beneficial for your employees’ ability to work together. The fun side of it is also likely to boost morale and improve chances of employees genuinely enjoying their jobs.

Bonuses

Not all businesses are able to give every employee a bonus at the end of the year, but it is a great incentive to perform well on the job. It can also make employees feel like they are appreciated, which is incredibly important.

Showing Gratitude

Being thankful for someone’s hard work and actually showing genuine gratitude for it is so simple but works wonders for an employee’s motivation and morale in the workplace. Whether it’s being grateful for the extra work they agreed to do or for not making a fuss about having to do some employee drug testing, showing gratitude for your employees can go a long way.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |High Acceptance Loans|Find High Acceptance Loans the Easy Way

Find High Acceptance Loans the Easy Way

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |High Acceptance Loans|Find High Acceptance Loans the Easy WayWhen it comes to personal finance, finding the right sources when you need funds quickly is paramount. Finding a balance between a trusted lender and high approval rates can be tricky and making the wrong choice can end up costing you considerably more. With lawmakers reported to be looking to tackle high-cost, high-interest loans, you’ll want to be able to spot one before using one. So where can you still find a loan with high acceptance and affordable interest?

Search the Market

To be able to find lenders who offer high approval rates with low-interest rates, you’ll need to look at the market in general to compare the lenders. This way, finding high acceptance loans becomes a much easier task to navigate. You’ll find specialist lenders who can help with searching the market so that at a glance you can compare what’s available to you. You’ll want to ideally avoid the lenders who will charge you a fee during the application, only pursuing no fee lenders. One of the problems you may find is that some lenders will claim they can offer high acceptance even with poor credit and charge a fee to go through an application. This way, they will still make money from you even if you are declined. Be cautious with any of the fee-charging lenders and make sure you read their terms carefully before agreeing to a loan.

Avoid Payday Lenders & High Interest

As tempting as it may be to use a payday lender, you should consider all your options. Because payday loans are designed for the short term, they generally charge a higher rate of interest. This is why it is not advisable to take one out if you want to pay a loan over a longer period with more manageable repayments. Although they offer same-day funding and high approval rates, you’ll find better options when you start to look.

Budget Accordingly

This is important; you should be working out exactly what you can afford to borrow and repay each month before applying for any borrowing. Even if you think you know what you can pay or a loan term seems affordable, you should audit your finances to see what disposable income you actually have each month. The reason this is important is that some lenders who offer high acceptance rates may focus more on what you can afford than your credit rating.

Although your credit score will play an integral part in the approval process, you need to be able to prove what you can afford.

Responsible lending is vital in 2020, with more and more lenders wanting to ensure that lending to you does not create financial difficulties. You should, for this reason, only use trusted lenders. If you’re unsure how to spot a trusted lender, then use the Better Business Bureau to see a list of them. Not only will you be able to see all the trusted lenders you should ideally use, but you can also find out about any current scams you should avoid falling victim to.

Don’t Go For the First Offer You See

There is searching, and then there’s searching well; because there are hundreds of online lenders available, it can be easy to go with the first offer you see just because the monthly repayments seem affordable. As the saying goes, if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. Fully consider your options, even when using a comparison tool.

Although a lender may come out as the top result in comparison, that could just be because it offers the lowest monthly repayment. It may miss out on other aspects such as the interest rate and length of the term. If you take your time and not rush into a loan just because you want the funds quickly, you can hopefully save yourself a lot of money.

Consider the Amount You Want to Borrow

With the loan amount itself, do you need to borrow that much? The reason you should ask yourself this question is that it can affect the chances of being approved. The lower the loan amount is, the higher the acceptance rate because the lender will be taking a much lower risk. You should consider whether the loan amount is enough to cover what you need it for, and secondly, that it is not too excessive. Some lenders will offer a higher amount by saying what they can offer up to, but you should carefully consider if you need to borrow more than you need.

Additionally, with higher amounts of loan, you may need to offer the lender more assurances, such as with a secured loan, and attach something as collateral to guarantee it. If you want to keep it unsecured, then keep it low to what you need it for and those high acceptance rates should still be accessible.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Grow Your Small Business|Simple Methods to Grow Your Small Business

Simple Methods to Grow Your Small Business

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Grow Your Small Business|Simple Methods to Grow Your Small BusinessEvery entrepreneur aspires to have a business that grows and generates a good profit. Fortunately, with a bit of careful planning, any company has the potential to become successful! To help you achieve success, here are some simple methods to grow your small business fast.

Use a variety of marketing techniques

Marketing plays a key role in business success. When done correctly, marketing campaigns have the power to advertise your products and services to a global audience, drive traffic to your site, and establish you as an authority in your industry. This should lead to increased sales and revenue potential. There are many different marketing strategies available to small businesses. You should aim to experiment with a variety of marketing techniques to find what works best for your business. For instance, try combining techniques like social media marketing with traditional print marketing, such as posters and business cards.

You can easily have printed marketing materials designed by searching for printing services near me online. Make sure you monitor the success of your marketing campaigns closely. That way, you will be able to identify what works well and tailor your future marketing efforts to make them more effective.

Hire a Professional Inbound Marketing Agency

There are several reasons why small businesses should hire an inbound marketing agency. Perhaps the most important reason is that inbound marketing can be highly effective in helping small businesses to generate leads and convert those leads into customers. Inbound marketing is about creating valuable, relevant content that will attract visitors to your website or blog. Once they are there, you need to engage them with compelling calls-to-action so that they take the next step and become leads. Finally, you need to nurture those leads until they are ready to buy from you.

Focus on your employees

Every successful business needs a team of productive, loyal employees. If your employees are dissatisfied in the workplace, then they are going to be far less motivated and committed to your business. This will have an obvious negative impact on your business in terms of productivity and revenue potential. For that reason, it pays to invest in your employees and take steps to boost workplace morale. Some simple ways to achieve this include offering rewards and incentives, holding regular career development meetings, and maintaining a welcoming, supportive atmosphere in the workplace.

You should also make sure that all of your employees have received adequate training and are provided with the correct equipment to enable them to complete their work tasks safely. You can find plenty of great advice on how to boost employee morale within your company.

Look for new opportunities

One of the easiest ways to grow your business is by identifying opportunities to gain new customers and increase sales. For instance, many modern companies are increasing profits by taking their businesses global with the help of international selling platforms like Amazon and Etsy. These marketplaces allow businesses to advertise and sell their products and services to customers all around the world. Many of the platforms offer packages which include order fulfillment and shipping to various countries across the globe. The profits can then be deposited into your business bank account in the local currency.

Expanding your business globally has great potential and can allow you to access a new marketplace and ensure continued growth. However, it should only be attempted after careful planning and plenty of market research. If you’re unsure which steps to take, then it may be worth consulting with a global business expert for specialist advice on how to take your company world-wide.

Provide quality customer service

Quality customer service is another crucial element of any successful business. Think about it – people aren’t going to come back to your company and spend money if they have a poor experience. Recent research by American Express found that 33 percent of customers will consider switching companies following a single experience of bad customer service. Businesses should also be aware that negative feedback travels extremely fast and far in the modern world, particularly via social media platforms. Even just a few examples of poor customer service can harm a company’s reputation and credibility. With this in mind, every business should strive to deliver the highest level of customer service possible. Finding ways to enhance the customer experience can be a reliable way to grow your business and generate more sales. Some simple methods to improve your service include installing customer service technology like chatbots, ensuring that your website is mobile-optimized, and offering customer loyalty programs.

Take the time to get to know your customers and truly understand their needs. You should also make sure that your employees receive sufficient training on how to interact with customers and provide a high-quality level of service.

Final thoughts

Every business owner needs a clear plan in place to help their company grow and reach its short-term and long-term goals. Fortunately, there are plenty of effective strategies and techniques that can be implemented to increase visibility, improve sales, and boost profits. Use the simple methods above to help you grow your small business today!

StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Industrial Machinery|5 Ways to Extend the Lifespan of Industrial Machinery

5 Ways to Extend the Lifespan of Industrial Machinery

StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Industrial Machinery|5 Ways to Extend the Lifespan of Industrial MachineryIndustrial machinery is heavy-duty, but it is not immune to wear and tear. Poorly maintained equipment is not efficient, breaks down frequently, and can be a severe safety hazard. Preventative maintenance can limit how often a machine breaks down and extend its lifespan. Below are five ways to increase the life of industrial machinery that help business owners reduce machine downtime, unnecessary repairs, and associated costs.

1.) Check Fluid Levels

When industrial equipment breaks down, it can cost the business a lot of money in lost productivity and expensive repairs. Simple measures, such as checking the Thermal Heat Transfer fluid levels, can help extend the lifespan of industrial machinery and decrease machine downtime. Thermal heat transfer fluid is often used to move heat to the outside to prevent overheating.

Another fluid to check regularly is a machine’s lubricant. Lubricants keep a machine running smoothly by reducing the amount of friction that occurs between moving parts. When lubricants run low, the machine can overheat and increase wear and tear.

2.) Clean Machines Thoroughly

The phrase “industrial machinery” often invokes thoughts of grimy, grease-laden machine shops. Unfortunately, leaving machinery filthy can cause them to break down more frequently. Dirt and debris will clog air filters, destroy the seals, and work its way into gears, causing the machine to become less efficient and eventually break down. Cleaning the machine thoroughly and often is a simple way to prevent this and extend the machine’s life.

3.) Check for Worn-Out Parts

Industrial machinery is exposed to extreme temperatures, constant vibrations, and extensive friction. These things will cause the parts of a machine to wear out quickly, which can cause an untimely breakdown. Regularly checking the machine for signs of wear such as warped belts, cracked seals, and loose bolts should be included in the maintenance schedule.

4.) Provide Extensive Operator Training

A machine is only as good as the person who operates it. A lack of training often means employees cannot operate or maintain the equipment properly, leading to wear and tear. Providing extensive training ensures that the machine is run properly and reduces the risk of downtime because of breakdowns and repairs. Proper training will protect employees from sustaining injuries because of improper operation and keep the facility in line with OSHA standards.

5.) Follow a Maintenance Schedule

Like a car, industrial machinery has a list of parts that need to be inspected regularly to keep it running efficiently. It is important for operators to know what needs to be checked and how often. The easiest way to keep track of the necessary maintenance is to create a schedule and train employees how to follow it.
Employees should not be asked to perform maintenance tasks best left to professionals, but they can perform operational safety checks. They should log every service that is performed on the machine in a logbook so that no maintenance check is overlooked, causing the machine to sustain more damage.

The Bottom Line

When industrial machines break down, it can grind production to a halt. Any pause in production can be costly for business owners. Proper equipment maintenance can reduce the number of machine breakdowns the experience and extend the life of their machinery. While there are some steps that operators or machine owners can take for themselves toward improving maintenance, in-house maintenance cannot replace yearly inspections and repairs provided by a professional.

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Digital Marketing|Digital Marketing Tactics You Must Avoid

Digital Marketing Tactics You Must Avoid

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Digital Marketing|Digital Marketing Tactics You Must AvoidWhen trying to get noticed online, it’s easy to resort to desperate measures. Here are just a few ‘desperate’ digital marketing tactics that could end up annoying consumers, as well as a few tips on what you should do instead.

Keyword stuffing

Keyword stuffing involves stuffing as many keywords into an online text as possible. The intended purpose of this is to boost one’s search engine rankings. However, keyword stuffing can often have the opposite effect – most algorithms will negatively rank your content if it comes across as too keyword-heavy. Excessive use of keywords also doesn’t look natural and could make text hard to read.

You’re much better off hiring an SEO expert and finding more subtle and natural ways to boost rankings. This could include off-page SEO and maybe even ways to improving your site’s speed.

Buying followers

Having business social media accounts with lots of followers can make your company look popular and successful. However, you need to be careful about how you acquire these followers. If you choose to buy followers, you’ll be deceiving people. Such followers are also likely to be inactive accounts, so may find that you’re not getting much interaction with your posts despite having so many followers.

There are many organic ways to build followers – such methods may be much slower and not always guaranteed, but it’s much more honest. Paid social media ads is just one example.

Faking reviews

Writing fake positive reviews of your company may seem like a way to quickly restore your reputation, but there are dangers to telling lies. If people find out that you’re lying, they’ll mistrust you even more deeply. You’re also lying to yourself by writing faking reviews of your company – and you’ll likely be left feeling guilty.

Rather than writing fake reviews, you should focus on encouraging happy customers to leave genuine positive reviews. There are lots of ways to encourage positive online reviews.

Pop-up ads

Pop-ups can be intrusive and irritating. This can be particularly the case with multiple pop-up ads. There are times when pop-ups can be used productively such as getting people to sign up to your mailing list or accept cookies. However, pop-ups of promotional deals and adverts can feel a lot like the virtual equivalent of hassling someone in a shop.

Try to use pop-ups sparingly and sensibly. A pop-up doesn’t have to take up the entire screen and you can trigger them to appear at different times.

Email spamming

Email marketing can be an effective way to convert customers. However, you should be careful of how many emails you’re sending per week. Several emails per day could be seen as excessive and you could find that you’re flooding their inbox. If they receive too many emails from you in too short a space of time, you could find that they unsubscribe.

As a small company, there may only be a need to send two emails per week. Focus on quality over qu