If a business is to grow, it needs to make a profit, and it needs to make more profit all the time. Losing profits is a sure way to damage your business, and eventually, if it keeps happening, the business will have to fold – you cannot sustain losses year on year and not be affected by it. Here are some simple but effective ways to minimize the loss of profits to help you stay on track and continue to grow as much as possible.
Don’t Launch Too Soon
In order to make more profits, every business needs to innovate and come up with new and exciting ideas. However, launching those ideas too soon can be a disaster; if the product is not ready, if there are problems with it, if no one is actually going to buy it, or if it is simply not cost-effective then you will waste money and not make any profits.
This is why testing your products with Digivante is important. When you do this, you will receive feedback that you can act on and ensure you make the necessary changes to help your product sell. You will also be able to fix any issues before launching to the general public.
Make Use Of Technology
They say that time is money in business, and therefore if there is anything that can be done to save time, you are likely to be saving money too. Using the latest technology to help complete tasks more quickly and effectively is a great way to stop losses from occurring. If you or your team are able to save time by using a machine or computer program, for example, you can use that time to be more effective elsewhere, maximizing your chances of selling.
Not only that, but you won’t need so many staff if a lot of your important tasks can be automated or done more quickly, and again this will help to save you money. Quite often, staff costs are the most expensive part of running a business.
Price Correctly
It may seem a simple concept, but pricing your products and services correctly will stop you from making a loss when it comes to your profits. If you haven’t calculated the prices properly, you run the risk of not making a profit at all, and therefore losing money.
This is why you need a budget before choosing to sell any kind of product or service. You must know what your bottom line is and what you are spending if you are going to be able to price your products in such a way as to make a profit but not alienate your customers. This can be a difficult balancing act, but it is well worth the effort to make sales and minimize losses.
Take It Seriously
Many people run their new businesses as a sideline while working a full or part-time job. This can mean that it is not taken as seriously as it should be, and you might not be pushing the business as hard as you would if you were running it full time.
In order to minimize losses, you need to take your business seriously, whether it is your full-time concern or not.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/success-1093891_1280.jpg9051280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-07-26 07:00:422019-07-26 00:22:58How to Minimize Loss of Profits
When starting out in their careers, many employees will want to ascend their company’s hierarchy with the aim of taking on more managerial roles in the future. However, to become an effective leader, there are a number of elements that you need to consider in order to both lead your employees and run the business to its maximum potential.
Business Growth
As a manager, you will be expected to focus on the best ways to improve the business and make large profits during your tenure by finding new ways to increase your margins. One of the best ways that you can do this as a manager is to cut the running costs of the business. There are many ways to do this in the steed of the business owner, and these include suggesting that you switch energy suppliers to cut down on your energy bills. If this sounds like the best option for your workplace, Utility Bidder allows you to compare business energy prices from multiple companies to find the right provider for your workplace.
You can also encourage business growth by managing the marketing team and finding new ways to boost sales. This can include holding competitions and promotional deals if you have a retail store, or utilizing social media and SEO to improve your digital marketing technique.
You can also make the business more efficient by replacing old machinery and equipment and by looking into the best modern machinery and technological office supplies.
How to Lead Employees
The most important role that you will have is to manage the employees under your leadership in an efficient way. There are many ways that you can boost employee productivity in a positive manner, and this includes methods such as offering rewards schemes and incentives such as pay rises, which you can agree with the business owner, and offering regular praise to employees. You can also help to boost morale by organizing payrolls and employee holidays efficiently, as well as making sure that there are always enough staff members to run the business efficiently on any one day.
You should also offer employees regular training days to ensure that they are able to hone their skills during their tenure and be reminded of some of the key processes of your business. It is also important that you are able to lead your employees by dealing with any problems. You can do this by holding an annual review meeting for every employee where you can discuss these issues and set targets for the future, which they will be able to work towards.
However, you should always remember to delegate responsibility to employees to make them feel valued and ensure that there is only a limited amount of pressure placed upon yourself.
Communication With Clientele
As a manager, you will also be on the frontline between your workforce and your customers, and so it is important that you are able to have customer communication techniques in place to help you deal with any issues. For instance, it is vital that you ensure that customers return to the business, and you can do this by sorting problems by offering promotions and discounts, as well as feedback and good complaints methods, to those who have had issues with your business.
You should also communicate with clients by using social media and e-mail marketing to tell clients new information about the business and make sure that they are aware of any offers that may be available.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/woman-2773007_1280.jpg8611280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-07-25 20:00:292019-07-25 13:34:13The 3 Most Important Responsibilities of a Manager
Being trapped behind a desk or in a cubicle every single day can be incredibly tedious, especially when you’re dreaming of adventures in far off places. Most people get a break from this monotony for only a few weeks a year when they head off on vacation. They spend the rest of their days getting work done and wishing they had the opportunity to explore those foreign places better. If you’re not happy with this life, then don’t settle for it. Instead, find a way to turn traveling into a career. With that in mind, here are thirteen of the best jobs for people who love to travel.
1. Pilot
Everywhere you go, people will give you reasons not to become a pilot. They’re quick to list the hardships and misfortunes that pilots have to face, as well as the dangers of the role. However, deep down, everyone knows that being able to fly is incredibly cool. What’s more, you’ll earn a good income from it. The training required to become a pilot is extensive, but the benefits are clear. Along with the money and cool points, you’ll get to explore new places almost every day.
2. Flight Attendant
Not everyone is cut out for the life of a pilot. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still work on airplanes. As a flight attendant, you will be responsible for the comfort and safety of every passenger onboard your flight. This means checking that the emergency equipment is working and that you have plenty of food and beverages. The requirements for being a flight attendant do vary between airlines, but you must be able to stand for long hours and reach the overhead bins.
3. Cruise Ship Worker
Being scared of flying shouldn’t hold you back from traveling or making money from it. If the air isn’t for you, then you could see the world from the water instead. Cruise ship jobs have a reputation for being some of the best in the world. There aren’t many careers that offer free room and board, as well as a competitive salary and the opportunity to see the world and meet new people every day. This might seem a perfect job, but it does require long hours and hard work.
4. Travel Agent
For a long time, the travel agency industry declined, as people began going online to book their own vacations. Over the past few years, however, it has made a comeback, mostly thanks to its expertise and solid reputation. The requirements to become a travel agent aren’t as strict as many travel-related careers. However, there is training that you must undergo. As a travel agent, you might receive discounts on travel, as well as opportunities to travel abroad for work.
5. Writer
Writing is a job that isn’t restricted to any one place. You can write from anywhere in the world, and travel as you do so. Some people even choose to use travel as inspiration for their writing. You could write a non-fiction book about a destination, for example, or a novel set in the country you’re exploring. Alternatively, you could create a travel blog. It can take time to make money from blogging, but quality posts and a blogging schedule will help you to grow your audience.
6. Tour Guide
Imagine roaming the streets of Paris or canals of Venice while making money by sharing your love of travel with like-minded people. As a tour guide, you can travel wherever you want to, sharing your passion for wanderlust with others on vacation. All you need for this job is local knowledge, and the confidence to share it with a large group of people. A lot of tour guides work as freelancers, but there are companies out there that hire guides to run their travel programs.
7. Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants do administrative work for small businesses and start-up companies. While this is typically done at home, there’s no reason why you can’t work from wherever you choose to. As long as you have a laptop, reliable internet, and phone connection, you even can do this job while you travel. Many businesses will allow you to set your own hours, but others expect you to be available during certain times of the day, so bear this in mind when you start.
8. Truck Driver
Fans of road trips should consider a career as a truck driver. When working as a long-haul driver, you will deliver cargo from one destination to another. Depending on the company that you work for, this might mean traveling to other countries. From mountain peaks to shorelines and everything in between, you will see plenty of landscapes as you travel, as well as architectural gems. You might not have much time to explore, but you won’t be stuck behind a desk.
9. Photographer
As important as it may be to remain in the moment, we all take photographs when we’re on vacation. Rather than keeping these to yourself, you could upload them to stock photo websites. Once approved on these sites, you will earn a sum of money every time someone uses one of your pictures. The trouble is, this is unlikely to make you enough not to work elsewhere. Rather than take up an unrelated job, you could work as a photographer for destination weddings too.
10. English Teacher
We all have knowledge or a skill that we can teach to someone else. When your first language is English, and you are familiar with basic teaching skills, you can teach English abroad. To be able to do so, however, you will need a degree and some teaching experience. As long as you meet these requirements, finding work should be relatively easy. Those that would prefer not to spend all day in a classroom can opt for a part-time position or teach over the internet.
11. International Aid Worker
Although it can be, travel doesn’t just have to be about having fun. No matter where you are in the world, you can make a positive difference in people’s lives too. All over the globe, there are people in dire need of help, due to famines, wars, and natural disasters. As an international aid worker, you would be able to assist these people. While there are lots of volunteer options out there, some organizations offer housing and a full salary for those that work for them.
12. Au Pair
While most common in European countries, like France, there are jobs for au pairs all over the world. Being similar to the responsibilities of a nanny, as an au pair, you would have to take care of the children of the family that you work for. You might have to prepare their meals, help them with their homework, and take them on days out. In exchange, the family would give you a free room and board. Some au pairs earn a small salary too, as well as other perks, like vacations.
13. Bartender
You can find bars, nightclubs, and restaurants all over the world, with the job descriptions for bartenders being the same nearly everywhere you go. You’ll find it much easier to secure a work opportunity in popular tourist spots, regardless of your experience. That being said, the more experience you have under your belt, the more opportunities will open up to you. Speaking the language will come in handy too, so you might want to attend a few language classes.
If you dream of exploring the world, then ditch your desk job and make a career out of traveling.
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In this day and age, a company’s online presence is absolutely crucial to its success. If someone wants to find out about you, chances are, they will google you – and what’s there needs to be impressive. So here are some tips on how your company can improve its online presence.
Create A New Website
First of all, if your website looks out of date, it’s time to create a new one. If you aren’t sure how to do it, hire a website designer who will be able to make it for you – you need to ensure that it looks professional and that it is user friendly. If you’d like to be involved, why not look up website design best practices so you can contribute some ideas? It’s important to consider what exactly is most important to you about your site. Some companies want sites that are extremely in depth about their products and what they can do, while others like to keep you guessing. No matter what you want, it’s important to make it clear what exactly your company can do for whoever is browsing its site, and you also need to make sure that your contact information is clearly on there.
Consider Your Company Voice
Chances are, your company has a few different online presences, from Twitter to Instagram to Facebook to your actual website, and it’s important that you make sure you have an established voice that reaches across all of these presences. You should be a complete brand and if the people running your website and your Twitter feed aren’t in touch with each other, problems will arise. Consistency is key to your success so you need to consider what exactly you want your company voice to be – whether it’s strictly professional or you’re planning to do some reality TV commentary on your Twitter account, you need to match it to your product.
Protect Your Customers’ Data
These days, privacy is something that is hugely important to people, so you need to make sure that your customers can have absolute faith in your company by carefully protecting their data. Cyber crime is a big deal and has affected a lot of people, so you need to beef up your online security so that your customers know they can give you their details without being worried that you will share it with other companies or – worse – that data could be leaked if your security is breached.
Improve Your Social Media
If you aren’t great with social media, now is the time to change that. It’s the top way that people will contact you – if they have a complaint or query they will tweet you, which means you need to be on it with your social media accounts. Check them every day and make sure you set up a few posts. Relentlessly promoting your products will turn people off, but so will irrelevant tweets – it’s a fine line to walk so it may take you some time to develop that social media presence. Scheduling posts with Tweetdeck, however, should help.
Your online presence is crucial to your success – these tips should ensure that your customers keep coming back for more.
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As a manager of a team, your primary responsibility is to make sure the people working for you are doing the best work they can be and are inspired to come to work every day to do so. If you’re doing your job well, your team will, in turn, do theirs well and will be more productive, efficient, and overall happier with their jobs. Happy employees mean less turnover, which can save the company money in the long-term — it’s a win-win for everyone.
The challenge is to balance managing and leading a team while still being able to find time to get your own daily task list completed. Maybe you were thrust into a management position without prior experience or much knowledge, or had to lead a team before and are still looking for new ways to be efficient, but regardless, there are some easy ways to ensure your employees are happy at work without spending too much of your time.
Be authentic
Nobody wants to be around someone they can tell is acting fake, nor would they trust that person and turn to them with work-related issues or to help solve a problem. Don’t come to work with a “work persona” or with a face on, but rather be yourself and be genuine – people can certainly tell the difference.
Lead the team how you’re comfortable doing so, not based on how others lead or by trying to copy a leadership style that doesn’t work for you. Find your groove instead of trying to mimic someone else’s, and your employees will value that, as well as feel they can be themselves at work too.
Appreciate good work
When someone feels as though they put in a good effort and don’t get recognized for it, they can quickly feel undervalued and start looking elsewhere for work. Colleagues are often caught up in their own workload that they don’t take the time to offer recognition to each other, so step up and be the one who appreciates and congratulates an employee on doing well at their job. It will ensure motivation levels are high, and also set the bar and encourage other employees to do the same, which fosters a positive and empowering environment for everyone. Even a simple “good job” can make a big difference.
Have a good break area
Taking a break from work helps relax your mind, detach from the stresses of the day or problem at hand, and then come back at it with a refreshed brain, ready to tackle it again. It can also help people take a look at a problem from a new angle they wouldn’t have thought of if they had sat there racking their brain for hours on end.
Having a space to encourage breaks, like a family-style kitchen eating area with a big table and chairs, or a “fun room” with activities like a foosball table, books, board or card games, or a fully stocked mini-fridge. Also, having water coolers around the office encourages employees to get up every once in a while to stretch their legs and grab a drink, and maybe socialize for a bit with a colleague.
If you have the boss’s ear, advocate for a good and fun employee break area. Or, you are the one who runs the show at work, maybe it’s time to rearrange some furniture or even get to remodeling the office space. It may seem like a big upfront cost, but happy employees are more productive, efficient, and you’ll have less turnover to account for.
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How to Minimize Loss of Profits
/in Managing Your Finances/by StrategyDrivenDon’t Launch Too Soon
In order to make more profits, every business needs to innovate and come up with new and exciting ideas. However, launching those ideas too soon can be a disaster; if the product is not ready, if there are problems with it, if no one is actually going to buy it, or if it is simply not cost-effective then you will waste money and not make any profits.
This is why testing your products with Digivante is important. When you do this, you will receive feedback that you can act on and ensure you make the necessary changes to help your product sell. You will also be able to fix any issues before launching to the general public.
Make Use Of Technology
They say that time is money in business, and therefore if there is anything that can be done to save time, you are likely to be saving money too. Using the latest technology to help complete tasks more quickly and effectively is a great way to stop losses from occurring. If you or your team are able to save time by using a machine or computer program, for example, you can use that time to be more effective elsewhere, maximizing your chances of selling.
Not only that, but you won’t need so many staff if a lot of your important tasks can be automated or done more quickly, and again this will help to save you money. Quite often, staff costs are the most expensive part of running a business.
Price Correctly
It may seem a simple concept, but pricing your products and services correctly will stop you from making a loss when it comes to your profits. If you haven’t calculated the prices properly, you run the risk of not making a profit at all, and therefore losing money.
This is why you need a budget before choosing to sell any kind of product or service. You must know what your bottom line is and what you are spending if you are going to be able to price your products in such a way as to make a profit but not alienate your customers. This can be a difficult balancing act, but it is well worth the effort to make sales and minimize losses.
Take It Seriously
Many people run their new businesses as a sideline while working a full or part-time job. This can mean that it is not taken as seriously as it should be, and you might not be pushing the business as hard as you would if you were running it full time.
In order to minimize losses, you need to take your business seriously, whether it is your full-time concern or not.
The 3 Most Important Responsibilities of a Manager
/in Management & Leadership/by StrategyDrivenBusiness Growth
As a manager, you will be expected to focus on the best ways to improve the business and make large profits during your tenure by finding new ways to increase your margins. One of the best ways that you can do this as a manager is to cut the running costs of the business. There are many ways to do this in the steed of the business owner, and these include suggesting that you switch energy suppliers to cut down on your energy bills. If this sounds like the best option for your workplace, Utility Bidder allows you to compare business energy prices from multiple companies to find the right provider for your workplace.
You can also encourage business growth by managing the marketing team and finding new ways to boost sales. This can include holding competitions and promotional deals if you have a retail store, or utilizing social media and SEO to improve your digital marketing technique.
You can also make the business more efficient by replacing old machinery and equipment and by looking into the best modern machinery and technological office supplies.
How to Lead Employees
The most important role that you will have is to manage the employees under your leadership in an efficient way. There are many ways that you can boost employee productivity in a positive manner, and this includes methods such as offering rewards schemes and incentives such as pay rises, which you can agree with the business owner, and offering regular praise to employees. You can also help to boost morale by organizing payrolls and employee holidays efficiently, as well as making sure that there are always enough staff members to run the business efficiently on any one day.
You should also offer employees regular training days to ensure that they are able to hone their skills during their tenure and be reminded of some of the key processes of your business. It is also important that you are able to lead your employees by dealing with any problems. You can do this by holding an annual review meeting for every employee where you can discuss these issues and set targets for the future, which they will be able to work towards.
However, you should always remember to delegate responsibility to employees to make them feel valued and ensure that there is only a limited amount of pressure placed upon yourself.
Communication With Clientele
As a manager, you will also be on the frontline between your workforce and your customers, and so it is important that you are able to have customer communication techniques in place to help you deal with any issues. For instance, it is vital that you ensure that customers return to the business, and you can do this by sorting problems by offering promotions and discounts, as well as feedback and good complaints methods, to those who have had issues with your business.
You should also communicate with clients by using social media and e-mail marketing to tell clients new information about the business and make sure that they are aware of any offers that may be available.
The Best Jobs For People Who Love To Travel
/in Professional Development/by StrategyDriven1. Pilot
Everywhere you go, people will give you reasons not to become a pilot. They’re quick to list the hardships and misfortunes that pilots have to face, as well as the dangers of the role. However, deep down, everyone knows that being able to fly is incredibly cool. What’s more, you’ll earn a good income from it. The training required to become a pilot is extensive, but the benefits are clear. Along with the money and cool points, you’ll get to explore new places almost every day.
2. Flight Attendant
Not everyone is cut out for the life of a pilot. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still work on airplanes. As a flight attendant, you will be responsible for the comfort and safety of every passenger onboard your flight. This means checking that the emergency equipment is working and that you have plenty of food and beverages. The requirements for being a flight attendant do vary between airlines, but you must be able to stand for long hours and reach the overhead bins.
3. Cruise Ship Worker
Being scared of flying shouldn’t hold you back from traveling or making money from it. If the air isn’t for you, then you could see the world from the water instead. Cruise ship jobs have a reputation for being some of the best in the world. There aren’t many careers that offer free room and board, as well as a competitive salary and the opportunity to see the world and meet new people every day. This might seem a perfect job, but it does require long hours and hard work.
4. Travel Agent
For a long time, the travel agency industry declined, as people began going online to book their own vacations. Over the past few years, however, it has made a comeback, mostly thanks to its expertise and solid reputation. The requirements to become a travel agent aren’t as strict as many travel-related careers. However, there is training that you must undergo. As a travel agent, you might receive discounts on travel, as well as opportunities to travel abroad for work.
5. Writer
Writing is a job that isn’t restricted to any one place. You can write from anywhere in the world, and travel as you do so. Some people even choose to use travel as inspiration for their writing. You could write a non-fiction book about a destination, for example, or a novel set in the country you’re exploring. Alternatively, you could create a travel blog. It can take time to make money from blogging, but quality posts and a blogging schedule will help you to grow your audience.
6. Tour Guide
Imagine roaming the streets of Paris or canals of Venice while making money by sharing your love of travel with like-minded people. As a tour guide, you can travel wherever you want to, sharing your passion for wanderlust with others on vacation. All you need for this job is local knowledge, and the confidence to share it with a large group of people. A lot of tour guides work as freelancers, but there are companies out there that hire guides to run their travel programs.
Virtual assistants do administrative work for small businesses and start-up companies. While this is typically done at home, there’s no reason why you can’t work from wherever you choose to. As long as you have a laptop, reliable internet, and phone connection, you even can do this job while you travel. Many businesses will allow you to set your own hours, but others expect you to be available during certain times of the day, so bear this in mind when you start.
8. Truck Driver
Fans of road trips should consider a career as a truck driver. When working as a long-haul driver, you will deliver cargo from one destination to another. Depending on the company that you work for, this might mean traveling to other countries. From mountain peaks to shorelines and everything in between, you will see plenty of landscapes as you travel, as well as architectural gems. You might not have much time to explore, but you won’t be stuck behind a desk.
9. Photographer
As important as it may be to remain in the moment, we all take photographs when we’re on vacation. Rather than keeping these to yourself, you could upload them to stock photo websites. Once approved on these sites, you will earn a sum of money every time someone uses one of your pictures. The trouble is, this is unlikely to make you enough not to work elsewhere. Rather than take up an unrelated job, you could work as a photographer for destination weddings too.
10. English Teacher
We all have knowledge or a skill that we can teach to someone else. When your first language is English, and you are familiar with basic teaching skills, you can teach English abroad. To be able to do so, however, you will need a degree and some teaching experience. As long as you meet these requirements, finding work should be relatively easy. Those that would prefer not to spend all day in a classroom can opt for a part-time position or teach over the internet.
11. International Aid Worker
Although it can be, travel doesn’t just have to be about having fun. No matter where you are in the world, you can make a positive difference in people’s lives too. All over the globe, there are people in dire need of help, due to famines, wars, and natural disasters. As an international aid worker, you would be able to assist these people. While there are lots of volunteer options out there, some organizations offer housing and a full salary for those that work for them.
12. Au Pair
While most common in European countries, like France, there are jobs for au pairs all over the world. Being similar to the responsibilities of a nanny, as an au pair, you would have to take care of the children of the family that you work for. You might have to prepare their meals, help them with their homework, and take them on days out. In exchange, the family would give you a free room and board. Some au pairs earn a small salary too, as well as other perks, like vacations.
13. Bartender
You can find bars, nightclubs, and restaurants all over the world, with the job descriptions for bartenders being the same nearly everywhere you go. You’ll find it much easier to secure a work opportunity in popular tourist spots, regardless of your experience. That being said, the more experience you have under your belt, the more opportunities will open up to you. Speaking the language will come in handy too, so you might want to attend a few language classes.
If you dream of exploring the world, then ditch your desk job and make a career out of traveling.
Four Ways Your Company Can Improve Its Online Presence
/in Online Marketing and Website Development/by StrategyDrivenIn this day and age, a company’s online presence is absolutely crucial to its success. If someone wants to find out about you, chances are, they will google you – and what’s there needs to be impressive. So here are some tips on how your company can improve its online presence.
Create A New Website
First of all, if your website looks out of date, it’s time to create a new one. If you aren’t sure how to do it, hire a website designer who will be able to make it for you – you need to ensure that it looks professional and that it is user friendly. If you’d like to be involved, why not look up website design best practices so you can contribute some ideas? It’s important to consider what exactly is most important to you about your site. Some companies want sites that are extremely in depth about their products and what they can do, while others like to keep you guessing. No matter what you want, it’s important to make it clear what exactly your company can do for whoever is browsing its site, and you also need to make sure that your contact information is clearly on there.
Chances are, your company has a few different online presences, from Twitter to Instagram to Facebook to your actual website, and it’s important that you make sure you have an established voice that reaches across all of these presences. You should be a complete brand and if the people running your website and your Twitter feed aren’t in touch with each other, problems will arise. Consistency is key to your success so you need to consider what exactly you want your company voice to be – whether it’s strictly professional or you’re planning to do some reality TV commentary on your Twitter account, you need to match it to your product.
Protect Your Customers’ Data
These days, privacy is something that is hugely important to people, so you need to make sure that your customers can have absolute faith in your company by carefully protecting their data. Cyber crime is a big deal and has affected a lot of people, so you need to beef up your online security so that your customers know they can give you their details without being worried that you will share it with other companies or – worse – that data could be leaked if your security is breached.
If you aren’t great with social media, now is the time to change that. It’s the top way that people will contact you – if they have a complaint or query they will tweet you, which means you need to be on it with your social media accounts. Check them every day and make sure you set up a few posts. Relentlessly promoting your products will turn people off, but so will irrelevant tweets – it’s a fine line to walk so it may take you some time to develop that social media presence. Scheduling posts with Tweetdeck, however, should help.
Your online presence is crucial to your success – these tips should ensure that your customers keep coming back for more.
How to Ensure You Have Happy and Productive Employees
/in Talent Management/by StrategyDrivenThe challenge is to balance managing and leading a team while still being able to find time to get your own daily task list completed. Maybe you were thrust into a management position without prior experience or much knowledge, or had to lead a team before and are still looking for new ways to be efficient, but regardless, there are some easy ways to ensure your employees are happy at work without spending too much of your time.
Be authentic
Nobody wants to be around someone they can tell is acting fake, nor would they trust that person and turn to them with work-related issues or to help solve a problem. Don’t come to work with a “work persona” or with a face on, but rather be yourself and be genuine – people can certainly tell the difference.
Lead the team how you’re comfortable doing so, not based on how others lead or by trying to copy a leadership style that doesn’t work for you. Find your groove instead of trying to mimic someone else’s, and your employees will value that, as well as feel they can be themselves at work too.
Appreciate good work
When someone feels as though they put in a good effort and don’t get recognized for it, they can quickly feel undervalued and start looking elsewhere for work. Colleagues are often caught up in their own workload that they don’t take the time to offer recognition to each other, so step up and be the one who appreciates and congratulates an employee on doing well at their job. It will ensure motivation levels are high, and also set the bar and encourage other employees to do the same, which fosters a positive and empowering environment for everyone. Even a simple “good job” can make a big difference.
Have a good break area
Taking a break from work helps relax your mind, detach from the stresses of the day or problem at hand, and then come back at it with a refreshed brain, ready to tackle it again. It can also help people take a look at a problem from a new angle they wouldn’t have thought of if they had sat there racking their brain for hours on end.
Having a space to encourage breaks, like a family-style kitchen eating area with a big table and chairs, or a “fun room” with activities like a foosball table, books, board or card games, or a fully stocked mini-fridge. Also, having water coolers around the office encourages employees to get up every once in a while to stretch their legs and grab a drink, and maybe socialize for a bit with a colleague.
If you have the boss’s ear, advocate for a good and fun employee break area. Or, you are the one who runs the show at work, maybe it’s time to rearrange some furniture or even get to remodeling the office space. It may seem like a big upfront cost, but happy employees are more productive, efficient, and you’ll have less turnover to account for.