Posts

4 Ways that Businesses Can Improve Employee Satisfaction

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your People |Employee Satisfaction|4 Ways that Businesses Can Improve Employee SatisfactionAside from clients or customers, employees are probably the most important people responsible for the success of a business. Happy employees lead to a productive work environment, great results, and happy clients. Unhappy employees lead to a high employee turnover, and less desirable results. So, it’s pretty clear that employee satisfaction should be a priority for every business out there. If you’ve noticed lowered productivity, or an increase in employee turnover, it may be due to the fact that your employees aren’t satisfied with their work environment. Keep reading to see what you can do to improve upon this.

Vending machines

It may seem like such a small thing, but for many employees, the small things are what matter. Most employees spend the majority of their time in the office, so making that a comfortable place that requires nearly everything they could want is a great way of ensuring happiness amongst your employees. If you’re able to acquire vending machines with healthier options – even better. Your employees will know that you care about them and appreciate the fact that you’re taking an interest in their health. Get in contact with a vending machine business to see what they can do for you.

Incentives

Effective incentive programs are a great way of increasing productivity as well as employee satisfaction. Employees may feel underappreciated if they’re going above and beyond and not receiving anything in return. One way to fix this is to offer incentives for employees. Incentives don’t always have to be financial, although financial incentives are definitely the most desirable amongst employees. Knowing that their hard work is being recognized and rewarded will certainly improve an employee’s opinion of their working environment. This will also likely lessen your employee turnover and thus lead to a more stable work environment.

Better medical benefits

One massive factor when it comes to employee satisfaction, is the benefits that they get. Do they get a pension? Do they get a discount? And, most importantly, how do their medical benefits look? Many businesses opt for giving employees a weaker medical scheme, as this is much cheaper. But investing in a better medical aid for your employees can only do your business good. You’ll have healthier employees, a lower employee turnover, and employees who are generally loyal and productive. This is also a way of showing your employees that you care, which will help build better relationships between management and employees.

Workplace counselling

Once again, this is a way of improving your relationship with your employees. Workplace counselling has many benefits, both for you and your employees. Employees who are struggling with their mental health may not be performing as they should, and as an employer, you want the best for them. Workplace counselling has shown to be very effective. Keep in mind that your employees may be hesitant about counselling in the workplace, but once you assure them that everything will remain confidential, they may be more open to the idea. This will definitely help your employees become happier individuals.

The Key Software Tools Modern Business Owners Should Embrace In 2021

/in /by

The modern business world relies on technology and with the rise in remote work, caused in part by the Coronavirus, more companies across the corporate landscape have needed to embrace innovative software solutions to stay productive and cost-efficient. Software is a scalable, cost-effective solution that saves time and effort, but only if businesses choose the right ones.

With so many different software products on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right software that will support your business. If you’re unsure what solutions are available and how they can benefit your business, then keep reading.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most popular and innovative types of business software on the market, and how you can choose the right ones to enhance your organization in 2021.

Customer Relationship Management

Customer relationship management tools, usually known as CRM solutions, are a handy way for businesses to keep all of their customer communications and orders in one place.

Any CRM user can view every aspect of the customer’s order, which helps to streamline the customer experience from initial onboarding through to order completion and beyond. As customer retention is vital for any organization that wants to grow and flourish, a CRM can drastically improve your company and act as a scaleable tool to assist your growing business.

Cloud Cost Management Solutions

Cloud storage is a digital tool that allows your business to store its files on the cloud rather than using a physical server. Cloud data storage is secure and convenient, but it is easy to pay a lot of money for your cloud storage, especially if you have a lot of data. As such, all businesses should consider cloud cost management software.

Many major corporations, including Netflix, Slack, and Lyft, all use cloud cost management tools. Cloud computing specialists CloudZero have put together a case study on how these large companies use cloud cost management software so that you can understand the benefits of these tools and how they can be used by your organization.

Project Management Tools

Managing your projects, particularly if they require skills from multiple departments, can be a time-consuming and challenging task. Project management software can help you to view the entire project on one screen and see what work remains and what has already been completed. As such, you can streamline the process of running your projects and make communication between departments much easier and more cohesive.


Video Conferencing Software

As remote work becomes more popular and travel becomes more challenging and more expensive, video conferencing software is becoming increasingly important. Choosing secure, reliable software that offers all of the functions and features that your business needs is essential.

Many companies offer video conferencing software, so you should check out the best video conferencing tools on the market in 2021 to find the one that will benefit your business the most. You can then use this tool to communicate with both staff and customers quickly and efficiently despite the geographical differences between you all.

Payroll Software

One of the most time-consuming business admin tasks is payroll, particularly for businesses that offer flexible working hours, bonuses and paid overtime to their staff. Thankfully, there are many payroll software products on the market that can help you to save time and reduce the chance of human error, meaning you will make fewer, potentially costly, mistakes. Many of these tools can also help you to manage tax and national insurance payments, saving your business even more time and hard work.

Accounting Managers

Payroll is only one small part of your organisation’s accounting admin. If your business struggles to deal with its accounting and finances, then you could consider using an account management tool. These often include payroll management solutions so that you can get this function and additional features, such as bill payment management, in one handy software product.

Cybersecurity Software

As companies have embraced software solutions such as those on this list, they’ve also made their data more vulnerable to attack. After all, with their information in multiple online places, there are more opportunities for cybercriminals to steal their data and use it nefariously. There are many different cybersecurity software solutions on the market, so you’ll be able to find the ones that will suit your business and keep your precious information safe throughout 2021 and even further into the future.

Preparing Your Small Business for the Post-Covid Era

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Post covid|Preparing Your Small Business for the Post-Covid EraBusinesses have been one of the major losers to the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the world. Small businesses, especially those who were fledgling, have been forced to either shut down or reduce operations to the barest minimum. This is definitely not the best situation, but things will eventually turn around. In this article, we shall be looking at how to prepare your small business for the post-Covid-19 era by asking some relevant questions.

Where Do you See your Business after the Pandemic?

Making smart strategic moves means that you comprehend the position of your business in the current economic disposition. Know where you stand in the industry, understand your role, and who the competition is. You must have a clear vision of where you want to be and make those strategic decisions that will get you there.

When your competitors and other industry players doubt the future, let your vision remain clear. Do not lose focus and follow a roadmap to attain your goals. Remain resilient and ensure all members and employees of your organization feel the same way.

How do you plan to recover?

Of course, your short-term and long-term plans have been thrown off-kilter by the pandemic, but what is your plan to bounce back? If you have insurance for small businesses, that may be a start as it can serve as a cushion to allay your losses. Your roadmap to recovery should include the steps you will take to attain the vision you set in the previous point above. Not having a plan will only keep you disoriented and leave you unable to take advantage of favorable situations when they arise because you are unprepared.

What changes must you undergo?

It will be difficult to come out of this economic downturn without undergoing a significant identity change as a small business. The pandemic has ruffled through every fabric of life and society; as such, change is necessary. Through resilience and focus, you can attain your goals, but change is also difficult and may cause some friction. As an organization, your primary focus should be the customer. Any change that you have to undergo to remain customer-focused necessarily is worth it.

Do you have any new projects?

If you do have any new projects you want to launch, run or coordinate, you will have to sit back and restrategize. What you first need to do is prioritize projects that will secure the future of the business. Stick to the most important projects, and do not over-stretch yourself. Trying to do many things at the same time will only leave you frustrated and drained. Before launching a project, make sure you have the manpower, logistics, and expertise to accomplish it. Be critical also of the timing of such projects to maximize their impact.

With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic unprecedented, leveraging what you can accomplish now to prepare for the predicted post-covid-19 economic boom is the best line of action. So, plan, adapt, execute, and keep in mind the vision you have set for your small business.

How Technology Has Advanced The Cosmetic Industry

/in /by

StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article |Technology|How Technology Has Advanced The Cosmetic IndustryAs we head further into the digital era, the use of technology has continued to revolutionise our lives in so many ways. But how has it changed the medical sector? In this article, we will be providing you with insight into how technology has advanced the cosmetic and medical industry in the last 10 years.

Ai And Computer Technology Has Improved Customisation

When looking at the cosmetic industry, there has been one common problem that several people have faced, finding the perfect shade of foundation that matches their skin. The use of AI and computer technology allows for you to scan the skin and determine the base colour as well as the undertones to find the perfect match.

Video Calls Have Improved The Consultation Process

In addition to the use of computers in-store to find the perfect shade, the world of technology has also allowed for computers to be used in the consultation process. This has been used by several medical practices in the UK as well as those providing a hair transplant procedure in Turkey to speed up the consultation process and limit the amount of travel that is needed to get to and from appointments. This way of communicating with medical staff is only set to escalate soon as we continue to adapt our way of life to accommodate Coronavirus and the social distancing restrictions that have been put in place.

Increased Performance For Cosmetic Procedures

Technology has also allowed for several cosmetic procedures to be completed in half the time that they would have been 10 years ago. With state-of-the-art technology and all reporting is done electronically, this has significantly decreased the time spent in surgeries as well as reduced the time spent recovering. For example, the use of Keyhole surgery as a replacement for several other surgical procedures has helped to limit the risk associated with some of these surgeries as well as improve the overall healing process for their patients. As a result, this has also sped up the process of patients returning to their everyday lives following a surgical procedure.

Virtual Try-On Will Replace The Traditional Samples

The final way that technology has advanced the cosmetics industry is through virtual try on. With the pandemic leading to the removal of makeup testers in stores, many brands have turned to computer technology to provide a virtual try-on to those shopping online. This has benefitted several smaller brands as well as larger companies such as Charlotte Tilbury as this is capturing not only the digital market but providing a new experience for customers to try when they return to physical stores. This is a huge benefit for so many companies as it provides them with an experience that they have never had before.

With so much to change in the next five years, there are several ways that this is set to continue in 2021. How do you think that this will continue to change in the not too distant future?

Thinking about expansion? 6 considerations to help you decide

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Expansion|Thinking about expansion? 6 considerations to help you decideIf you’ve been fortunate enough to withstand the financial shocks which rocked many businesses in 2020, and even managed to thrive, you may be thinking that this is a great moment to expand your business. Assuming that you have already had a good idea of the direction you want to go in, just ensure that you’ve taken the following into consideration in your planning.
Are we focused on our core business?

A strong recovery is forecast by many analysts but is by no means guaranteed. What are the factors that have created your success so far? Given the climate of uncertainty, building on your core strengths will be far less risky than venturing into the unknown. That means delivering more of the same, but better and faster. Of course, if you’re an entrepreneur with an idea for a product or service that will disrupt the market – decide whether it’s a risk worth taking

Do we have adequate finance in place?

While recovery is still uncertain, it simply won’t be enough just to cover direct costs of expansion. If your customers have been affected by the prolonged pandemic response, could this have a knock-on effect on your business? Ensuring you have the finance in place to carry you over a period of suppressed demand is essential. Specialist companies such as HS Finance can help with secured business loan applications to make sure you don’t find yourself in a cash flow crisis after making a significant investment in your expansion.

What about workspace?

Are your current premises adequate, or will you need to find larger ones? Or, could you reduce the amount of space you use? With the increased need for social distancing, and many people now working from home, at least part of the week, expansion may result in reduced costs.

Investing in people

Linked to the above. If you’re shifting to a remote working model, keep in mind the duty of care you’ll still have for your home-working employees. They’ll need appropriate tools and equipment to do their job efficiently and safely. Make sure you include these expenses in your plan, along with additional training and support.

Are your systems fit for purpose?

When you expand, will your current systems be able to cope? Ensure any new software you invest in is scalable. New cloud-based PaaS systems, such as MS Azure, are cost-effective, flexible, automatically updated with the latest apps and services. As they typically charge on a monthly, by-usage basis, there’s no need for huge up-front investment.

Do we invest in marketing?

Once you’ve expanded, you need to get out there and sell! How are you going to let customers know about your new services? Is your webpage up to scratch? How are you managing social media for maximum exposure? Consider factoring in the cost of a marketing company into your plan to help generate the best return on your investment.

To be considering expansion, it’s clear that you’re energized and optimistic about the future of your business. With careful planning and a healthy dose of realism, you’ll be ready to reap the rewards of your hard work.