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Developing Performance Measures

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StrategyDriven Organizational Performance Measures Article | Developing Performance MeasuresA performance measure is a quantification that provides objective evidence of the degree to which a performance result is occurring over time. There are many definitions of performance measures, but this one accurately and broadly elucidates the meaning of the concept. In long term-projects, even short-term ones, it is imperative to have a system through which results are measurable. For this reason, performance measures are quite necessary.

Specific Advantages of Performance Measures

  • Productivity Increase: One great advantage of having performance measures is that it increases productivity in any given task or project, especially in a team.
  • Setting Standards: Performance measures can be instrumental in setting standards. For instance, by measuring performance, a person would know how much they can achieve over a given period of time. The assessment of this ability can help set the standard the next time the said task is performed in the same organization or a different one.
  • Determining Strength and Weaknesses: In an organization, setting up measures to track the performance of different tasks will help to determine which tasks employees are better at. This is a great way to foster specialization and division of labor; ultimately leading to effectiveness and productivity.
  • Supports Communication: Having metrics to measure performance ensures that individuals in an organization are more transparent and work as a team.

Types of Performance Measures

There are different types of performance measures. All these measures could provide a relatively accurate description of results. They can be categorized into the following: input measures, output measures, outcome measures, efficiency measures, and explanatory information.

  • Input Measures: Input measures comprise the resources consumed by a project such as the money and time spent. For instance, if the employers in a firm work an eight-hour shift daily, it makes up part of the input measures.
  • Output Measures: Output measures can be very clear. They simply depict the amount of work that has been executed as a result of the input. Comparing the present output with the former one can be instrumental in measuring standards and how employers work in different circumstances. Output measures usually consist simply of numerical values.
  • Efficiency Measures: Efficiency is depicted by the amount of work performed compared to the number of resources used in doing the work. It is expressed in units. Efficiency measures are not always very effective because there are usually a lot of factors affecting performance other than the variables involved in efficiency measures
  • Explanatory Information: Explanatory information simply involves other factors that affect the performance of an organization in any given situation. These factors might include environmental factors, incentives, the motivation of workers, etc.

StrategyDriven Organizational Performance Measures Article | Developing Performance MeasuresProcesses and Steps involved in Creating Performance Measures

The process of developing performance measures can involve many steps. Many different experts have propounded several theories to achieving this result. Here are some of the most important activities to engage in to arrive at a reliable measurement of performance in the long run.

1. Collecting Stakeholder Information

The developmental point of collecting performance postulates that the information and opinions of the stakeholders involved in the process are collected. Cambridge Dictionary explicitly defines a stakeholder as a person such as an employee, customer, or citizen who is involved with an organization, society, etc., and therefore has responsibilities towards it and an interest in its success. The list of stakeholders includes the following people:

  • Members of staff at all levels.
  • The customers or clients of the organization. If it is a public office, the information should be collected from the people being served.
  • Policymakers; are the people at the helm of affairs whose decisions affect the running of the organization.
  • The financiers of the service or the organization.
  • The evaluators of the activities of the organization.

This step is necessary because your stakeholders are the people who are most interested in the activities and success of your organization. Their opinions and suggestions are important to the running of the organization. Also, collecting stakeholder information helps you to know what they want from you. Through this, you can streamline your objectives and measure performance according to them.

2. Incorporate Various Types of Performance Measures 

To arrive at a holistic evaluation of the performance of the people/persons in a task, the types of performance measures listed above should be incorporated into your performance measurement. Nevertheless, this depends on a few other factors such as the type of project being executed. For instance, a holistic approach is not paramount if the task being carried out only affects one small unit of the organization.

3. Promote Top Leadership Support 

There is a high tendency that lower-level staff in an organization will not be in support of performance measures. Therefore, the topmost leaders have to regularly encourage the use of performance measures and bring the other staff members on board. If feasible, the leaders should also be subject to performance measures like the mid-level staff and other personnel. This exemplary effort will ensure that other staff members feel more comfortable in the use of performance measures to evaluate their work.

4. Establish Long-term Goals and Objectives 

Goal-setting is arguably the most important part of developing measures. What is the end goal of the project that your organization is involved in? By identifying these, you can develop measures that particularly check for them. Most projects in which performance is measured are usually long term. Hence, it is even more difficult for all the people involved to keep sight of the end goal. This can be made easier by documenting the objectives so that they can be read regularly by all the stakeholders.

Long-term goals can be documented in the form of a mission statement. The mission statement should be documented in clear and concise terms to ensure that all the parties involved understand it.

5. Establish Short Term Goals to Help Attain the Long-Term Goals 

Long-term goals are relative. Achieving long-term goals in some situations could take a few years. Therefore, special attention should be given to short-term goals. Firstly, the short-term goals should be formulated in line with the long-term goals. The achievement of short-term goals regularly by all the people involved in the process builds up to the achievement of the long-term goals. Again, the short-term goals have to be in line with what is hoped to be achieved in the long run.

In setting and matching goals, we can depend on the SMART acronym. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Professionals from different fields have used this acronym in many different situations and it has proven effective. If your goals fulfill the criteria in the acronym, there is every tendency that it is feasible.

6. Establish Performance Targets 

This is achieved by taking a look at past performances and comparing them to the present. In developing performance measures, it is important to have already set standards. These standards are gotten from previous tasks and projects.

7. Create a Simple Approach 

This step involves the following activities:

  • Ensure that your measures match your goals and objectives.
  • Take all the time needed to perform tasks.
  • Keep the number of measures you use at the lowest.
  • Decide what level of performance defines success.
  • Ensure that you possess enough resources for the project.

Conclusion

Developing performance measures can be very advantageous, especially in the long run. Nonetheless, it is important to ensure that the performance measures we use are effective and result-oriented. Note that the use of performance measures can also have some disadvantages.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Tiffany HarperTiffany Harper is an experienced writing guru who’s been working in the B2B sector for several years now. She loves to share her thoughts through blogs and social media. For her love of writing, she also provided some consultation while working with dissertation writing services from Assignment Masters.

How To Efficiently Protect Employees In A Warehouse

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Efficiently Protect Employees In A WarehouseWarehouses are characterized by much work that includes packaging, sorting, branding, and even storage. The workers who undertake these duties also interact with machinery pieces, other workers making any accidents inevitable.

Thus, safety and security remain a priority for warehouse managers, and thinking of security equipment supplier to cover the employees as they work comprehensively shares the same status.

Here are some of the ways to efficiently protect employees in a warehouse.

Get Rid of Any Possible Safety Risks

The pathways, i.e., floors should be free from any slip or trip risks. There should be a regular and thorough check-up by the staff on any split liquids, accumulated debris, and pits. These possible safety risks can not only harm the employees but also damage the machinery as well.

Always Use Safety Equipment

It is always crucial to use safety equipment like hydraulic lifts or forklifts to carry heavy luggage. This can help prevent any back problems in case the employees lifted the heavy baggage.

Classify and Seal the Risky Areas

Another method of keeping the warehouse safe and being economical at the same time is the use of signs and stickers. Risky zones, hazardous equipment, and some racks can all be marked clearly to prevent dangerous injuries. The emergency exits and safe routes also need to be labelled as well.

Equipping the Employees with Proper Training

Educating the employees on the safety measures and standards is one of the best ways of protecting them. This way, they know the consequences of hazardous working areas and can take the initiative of protecting themselves as they work. Educating them on the safety standards also aids them in following some simple but vital work protocols that can keep them safe as they dispense their duties.

Using the Right Costumes

Wearing the proper clothing is a vital initiative in keeping safe as the employees work. Wearing fitting clothes to prevent them from being caught by machines, helmets, eye-protecting shades, and reflectors are some of the right attires to keep employees safe at work.

Regular Communication

Alerting the workers of any potential safety measures reduces the dangers posed during work significantly. Promoting awareness of passing machines, forklifts, and possible risks is a great way of maintaining safety as the warehouse employees work.

Proper Ventilation

Poor ventilation leads to the accumulation of certain dangerous fumes in the warehouse that may threaten employees’ safety. Proper ventilation spells freshness, and installing exhaust fans may also help improve employees’ comfort as they work.

Vehicle Safety Measures

Operating the forklifts, lift trucks, and other vehicles in the warehouse require coordination to prevent accidents. This can be achieved by good training of the employees, keeping certain speed limits, and sensitizing certain blind spots. The managers also need to be thorough and non-accommodative of any reckless driving in the warehouse.

Proper Lighting

Proper lighting ensures good visibility for the employees to move around comfortably in the warehouse. It means that the routes are clearly visible, and they can easily spot any risk or threat from far before any collusion.

The managers can also set up mirrors along the corners or bends so that the reversing drivers can see clearly as they move. The pathways will also be clearer with proper lighting to avoid any collisions.

Fire Safety Measures

Most of the warehouse materials are flammable, and with the spacing, things can get smoky and charred in a matter of minutes. To avoid this, the warehouse managers can be conducting fire drills once annually. This is to check that the fire exit routes work and the staff is also acquainted with the escape routes in case of any fire incidents.

The fire alarms/alerts also need to be installed and checked to ensure that they are working properly. The managers can again develop a fire emergency plan that can be implemented quickly in case of any fire outbreaks in the warehouse.

In conclusion, those highly flammable chemicals can also be stored well and in places where they can’t start/ catch fire easily.

The Importance of Business Insurance and the Types of Business Insurance that Every Business Needs

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Running a business and being your own boss is a dream that most people nurture. After all, is there is anything better than being answerable to no one, and working at your own pace? Owning a business provides you with full control of various aspects of your life. You get to decide when to work, whom to work with and how to work. You do not have to be answerable to anyone, and that is perhaps the best thing ever. However, as appealing as the idea of running your own business sounds, it also comes with a number of challenges. Being an entrepreneur is not a cakewalk.

You have a world of responsibilities to shoulder and take care of the smallest details. One slight error of judgement or carelessness on your part can lay waste to the little empire you built for yourself and leave you with nothing. You not only have to take care of your employees but also feel responsible if anything happens to even one of them. Plus, there are several other aspects to factor in too, while running your business. From accounts to shipping, shouldering the weight of a business is not an easy task. That is why, if you have ever nurtured the dream of becoming an entrepreneur, you need to be careful about and consider several things.

Having said that, in this article, we shall shed light upon one of the most important aspects of running a business. We shall talk at length about the necessity of business insurance and the types of business insurance plans you need to know. Most entrepreneurs pay very little attention to this crucial part of their business. They fail to comprehend the complete scope of business insurance policies and the role they have to play in securing their business, and thus, end up leaving a lot of money on the table. That said, let us now proceed to the main part of this discussion and help ourselves become better and responsible entrepreneurs.

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Why Does Your Business Need Insurance?

There are a number of insurance policies that people come across in their lifetime. From home insurance and car insurance to life and health insurance, the types of insurance policies are very many. We do not waste a single minute before purchasing the right life insurance plan or car insurance for that matter. We want to protect our loved ones long after we are gone, and also protect the car that we have invested in. Then why would you think that your business is any different?

You have spent a lot of time, invested yourself emotionally and financially and put in a ginormous amount of effort in building your business. Therefore, leaving it at the risk of various potential threats is inane. This is where business insurance policies step into the picture. Let us now look at a few other reasons why you must purchase business insurance without fail.

You Could Be Sued

The law across most of the countries makes it mandatory to purchase business insurance policies. Therefore, if you do not invest in the same, you could be sued. Plus, in an event where a lawsuit has been filed against you, or there is an instance of a liability claim, without the right business insurance policy at your disposal, your business could shut down. It only takes one employee or an unhappy client to sue you. And even if you happen to win the suit, the cost of legal defense could leave you in tatters and cause your business to fold.

Business Insurance Keeps Your Business Afloat

The second and perhaps the most important reason to purchase business insurance is that the right policies keep your business afloat. No one can predict natural disasters. In the event of an earthquake or a fire, your business might suffer irreparable losses and damages. The right business insurance policy, about which we shall discuss in the next section, shall help you pull through the tough times and make the difficult phase relatively easier. Without any business insurance policy, your business might never be able to recover and fall flat on its face.

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Business Insurance Protects Your Employees

Your employees are an irreplaceable resource. You might have cutting-edge technology at your disposal and AI that makes your job easy and hassle-free. But you cannot manage without human labor. You need your employees to run these machines and technological innovations that you are ever so thankful for. Without your employees, your business shall have a cataclysmic downfall. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have business insurance that protects the interest of your employees as well. From workers’ compensation to disability coverage, your business insurance shall help your employees make a living despite the odds and stay safe at all times.

The Policies Cover Acts of God

One final reason why it is imperative for businesses to purchase business insurance is that these policies cover Acts of God. Acts of God are events that are not human-made disasters. Therefore, if your business experiences losses due to earthquakes, floods or tornado, the right policies shall cover these damages. There are two types of insurance policies that protect your business against such losses- all-risk insurance and peril-specific insurance. Without these insurance policies, you might end up losing everything, and it might then be extremely challenging for you to rebuild your business.

Types of Business Insurance You Must Know of

Now that we have discussed at length all the reasons you need to invest in business insurance, it is now time to look at the policies that you absolutely need to have. As we already discussed at the beginning, running a business might seem appealing, but it has several inherent risks. As an entrepreneur, you will not always have the best time in your business. There will be highs, lows and potential threats that you need to navigate. However, if you invest in the right business insurance policies, you might have to suffer less when disaster strikes. Therefore, without any further ado, let make our way to the next section of the article and enlighten ourselves.

Professional Liability Insurance

The first type of business insurance that you need to learn about is the Professional Liability Insurance. This policy is also known as the Errors and Omissions Insurance and for good enough reasons. This insurance policy covers your business against professional negligence due to errors on your part or failure to deliver on time. The best thing about this policy is that businesses can customize the policy based on what rubrics they function on.

Property Insurance

Just as employees are one of the most vital resources of a business, equipment, workspace, and other properties are equally important. Can you imagine your business to function without the right computers or the right tools? Plus, some of these pieces of equipment like desktops, electrical parts, crucial tools like permanent lifting magnets (the best of which you shall find at https://magnetized.com/products/model-1037jr-permanent-lifting-magnet-1000-lb-capacity) come at exorbitant rates. You cannot always manage to buy them all over again once they are damaged or lost due to a calamity like a flood or fire.

This is where your business needs Property Insurance. This insurance covers pieces of equipment like the ones we discussed a while ago, signage, inventory and furniture sets in the event of a fire, torrential rains or even theft. However, there is an aspect that you need to be careful about while purchasing this insurance. A standard version of this insurance might not cover earthquakes and floods. You have to talk to your insurance agent to clarify this part and figure out what extra policy you need for such instances.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

One of the most important insurance policies that we need to talk about is the Workers’ Compensation Insurance. You must not wait for your business to expand and hire more employees in order to get this policy. Once you have hired your first employee, you need to purchase this policy.

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance covers the instances where a worker is injured or passes away as a result of his responsibilities in your business. In such a situation, the policy shall cover the workers’ medical treatment, and provide the families with death benefits as well. Your workers are an integral part of your business. You cannot do without them. Therefore, it is mandatory that you purchase the Workers’ Compensation Insurance as soon as you hire your first worker.

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Product Liability Insurance

If your business is associated with manufacturing and selling products, it is imperative that you invest in Product Liability Insurance. It goes without saying that every business takes the necessary precautions to make their products as safe as possible. However, human beings make mistakes and sometimes the mistakes could lead to lawsuits being filed too.

The Product Liability Insurance comes handy at this juncture. This insurance policy helps you fight the battle easily in case you have a lawsuit filed against you due to a product failing to perform as was expected.

Vehicle Insurance

Another insurance that you need to buy to secure your business is Vehicle Insurance. This type of insurance comes handy, especially if your business uses vehicles for shipping and transportation. You need to insure your company vehicles fully. They cost a fortune, and you might not be able to invest in them again once they run into some kind of an accident.

If your business uses its own vehicle, your personal insurance will cover these situations of accidents. However, if you lease out vehicles, you will need to get a policy that shall insure you against third-party injuries.

Business Interruption Insurance

The final type of business insurance that we shall discuss in this article is the Business Interruption Insurance. In the event of any disaster or natural calamity, you might be forced to fold your business for a while. And this shall obviously cause you to lose a significant amount of money. This is where Business Interruption Insurance comes handy.

This insurance policy shall cover your expenses and prevent your business from running into a major financial debacle. Until you are ready to open your office again, this insurance policy shall cover you and protect you from further legal and financial complications.

Summing Up

There are a number of other business insurance policies that you might want to invest in if you have a business to run. However, the ones that we have mentioned in this article are the most important, and you must purchase them without fail.

However, if you are interested in finding out more about these policies, dig around some more and enlighten yourself. Your business is like your child, and therefore, you must do everything in your capacity to protect it.

3 Ways You Can Make Employees Feel Comfortable Enough To Return To The Workplace

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | 3 Ways You Can Make Employees Feel Comfortable Enough To Return To The WorkplaceThe pandemic has altered people’s lives in many ways, including forcing most employees to work from home. In some ways, this has immensely changed the dynamics of company culture, which hasn’t been to every business’ liking.

If you miss having your staff around, or you’re worried that remote working is damaging employee performance and productivity, you’re probably eager to get everyone back to the workplace ASAP. How do you do this, though, without harming people’s safety and ensuring that they all feel comfortable?

These three suggestions ought to help.

Have Consistent And Open Communication

If you want to have a successful business, it’s important to understand why employee communication is essential. The more you talk to your employees and understand their feelings about work, the likelier they are to be honest with you and become dedicated to the business.

Of course, trying to do this in big team meetings isn’t the way to go about things. Instead, you want to focus on one-to-one conversations so that employees can voice concerns without potential judgement from their colleagues. Admittedly, some people may still be nervous about sharing their struggles with you, but they’re more likely to open up this way.

In terms of COVID-19, regular communication can let you know who’s uncomfortable about returning to the workplace and find ways to ease their minds. That way, no-one has to do anything that they’re not comfortable doing.

Make The Workplace Exceptionally Hygienic

One of the biggest concerns that employees are likely to have about returning to the workplace is hygiene. After all, the reason they’ve been stuck at home for so long is that there’s a virus going around.

While you might not be able to give your employees absolute certainty that they won’t get sick, you can still provide them with an exceptional level of hygiene. This can be achieved in several ways, including using a COVID-19 fogging machine.

Capable of killing all but 0.0001% of germs, a disinfectant fogger could help your UK workplace to be as free of contaminants as possible. You’ll find such a solution at Ideal Cleaning, who promise that the process will only keep you away from work for as little as two hours. If you combine their fogging capabilities with social distancing and good employee hygiene, there’s a good chance that COVID-19 will never infiltrate your workplace.

Establish A Detailed Work Plan

If employees are still hesitant after opening communication and cleaning the office, it may be worth presenting them with a return-to-work plan. In this, you can detail exactly how you’ll ensure everyone stays safe, so the risk of the virus spreading is as low as possible.

In this detailed plan, you’ll probably want to include these protocols, as well as outlining how you’ll monitor and respond to employee behaviour. After all, there’s no point telling people to do x, y, and z if you’re not going to check that everyone follows your orders.

Your staff who are reluctant to return to the workplace need to know that you’ll do everything to keep them safe. Otherwise, they’re just going to continue working from home.

If your business is struggling with the remote working setup, then it’s understandable why you’d want everyone back as soon as possible. Just make sure you take all the necessary steps to acknowledge and protect your employees so that this move benefits, rather than hurts, your business.

What Makes Customers Walk Away in Frustration

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Frustration is a feeling we can all relate to. It’s a sense of anger that feels hopeless because you can’t solve the issue. We’ve all been stuck in a traffic queue, nervously looking at the time while knowing that there is no other way to escape the traffic jam.

Frustration makes us feel powerless. There is nothing we can do but wait until the problem has resolved itself. Yet when a customer feels frustrated, it’s a strong indication that there’s room for improvement within your organization. A frustrated customer experiences a mixture of anger and hopelessness. They are in a heightened emotional state, which makes it tricky to win them over. You are more likely to lose customers who walk away in frustration. Here are 4 avoidable situations that could lead to negative emotions.

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No transparent communication

Transparency is a business buzzword when it comes to communication. But what does it mean? Business experts recommend thinking of transparency in relation to what your customers want to hear. Ideally, your customers want to know what to expect. They do not want nasty surprises, such as a vague pricing system or inaccurate promises. Maintaining a transport approach to your communication will significantly boost your brand reputation. In an open and honest communication, customers are more likely to forgive unavoidable errors and mishaps.

They bounce off the site

Your customers live in the 21st century. They are experienced users of digital technologies. Therefore, they expect your website to meet their expectations. An old-fashion design could slow down the experience and distract from the messaging. Additionally, unresponsive web design that isn’t mobile-friendly can affect navigation. It can be a good idea to reach out to a professional website design company to consider improving your online presence. The company can help identify some of the core issues, such as lack of accessibility or excessive popups and distractions on the page. Ultimately, your customers are digitally savvy. So they are not wasting time on websites that don’t deliver the performance they need.

StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article | What Makes Customers Walk Away in Frustration

They don’t find your added value

Your added value is the differentiation your business delivers to customers. Buyers are willing to pay more if they feel the added value is worth the expense. For instance, Apple users argue that devices are expensive, but they are high-end designs that establish a sense of community within the audience group. What do you give to your customers that is unique to your brand, and more importantly, how can you make it more desirable? Failure to understand your audience group can backfire dramatically, as customers feel cheated by services or items whose price seems unjustifiable.

They find the VIP treatment unfair

What is your policy toward VIPs? Traditional organizations tend to be selective about their VIP customers, while others will treat every customer with the same respect and attention. Moving forward, the traditional model is less effective, especially in an environment where any user can damage a brand online. It can be helpful to transform your customer relationship strategy accordingly.

Are customers left frustrated by their interactions with your company? Whether they feel your communication lacks transparency or your website isn’t user-friendly, annoyed customers are quick to switch brands for a competitor. Therefore, every business needs to put their customers’ happiness first!