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Remote Positivity: Emulating Optimism for Your Work-From-Home Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Work From Home| Remote Positivity: Emulating Optimism for Your Work-From-Home EmployeesThe work from home dynamic has come into our society in full force. Since the pandemic’s effects have significantly impacted our ability to congregate in groups, many companies have used remote work to keep their workflow on a proper level and collaborate with employees working from home.

There are numerous ways that technology has adeptly adapted to this, with apps and services across multiple platforms able to aid in employee communications no matter their location. However, one must remember that there are psychological effects on social isolation, ranging from anxiety to sleeplessness.

It starts with a company leader addressing these issues and taking the initiative to create a realm of positivity for his or her working community. Once done, employees can more easily thrive in a workplace with core values of workplace strength and support.

Collaborate and Listen

The applications that the tech world has developed have been a mainstay in the work from home atmosphere. No longer do people need to leave messages, wait hours for contact, or wonder which roles they have on a company project. Whether utilizing instant messaging, video conferencing, or campaign tracking, apps like GoToMeeting and Slack have all been heavily downloaded and integrated into remote work environments. Digital transformation will only continue to evolve with further refinement of workflow customization tools.

However, it’s important to note that “collaboration” is an integral part of these workflow collaboration apps. That means rising together towards the desired group result–but more than anything, it means a leader willing to step up and create a constructive and enthusiastic environment.

Project management is an essential part of any brand, for example, but proper communication with employees is necessary to steady productivity. Make sure that your working community knows that they’re valued on a personal level. Checking in for friendly workforce chats weekly, making employee onboarding a priority for future work efforts, and rewarding especially excellent efficiency with warm messages are all ways in which you can exemplify your positive work atmosphere.

Zooming the Right Way

If you’ve been working from home, then you’ve probably been using Zoom: the video communications service that’s connected a multitude of remote work employees through web conferencing. However, during the past few weeks, there’s been a concern over the notion of excess comfort in personal home office use with Zoom.

The concept of “Zoom etiquette” is one that has recently been in conversation across multiple sectors. Specifically, there is debate about how many behaviors one may or may not allow when videoconferencing in groups. Addressing this topic with your employees will eliminate any chance of discomfort for them during video conferences.

For example, if one hasn’t had the time for a lunch break and needs to eat during a long meeting, should one wait and not interrupt? The consensus seems to be that it is alright. However, temporarily switching off one’s camera and muting one’s microphone so as not to disturb the other members with possible sound interventions is best.

Other possible scenarios involve establishing that social media alerts or other interruptions don’t divert your employees. These will limit their ability to remember aspects of your video meeting, as well as demonstrate a lack of professionalism that other employees might catch onto.

However, ensure that your workforce member isn’t excessively stressed if a child or pet causes a minor interruption. Know that there are some elements in the new normal that you can control as an authority leader and some aspects that you cannot. Your working community will notice you, and your bolstering environment, more for it.

Communicate and Know the Purpose

With an untold amount of startups in the current atmosphere and a market that seems to change every second, there is a measure of instability that can occur when a company operates on an unstable foundation. Profit may be coming in with a trending product or service, but long-term success is built upon leadership that understands its key areas of skills and fortitude. Having each of your employees understand your brand’s–and your own life’s–mission will give better clarity to your organization, helping align short-term wants with long-term goals.

But communication doesn’t just come from one direction. Through videoconference, asking your employees what they believe their strengths to be and what they want to achieve in life will open up mental pathways on both sides. It will give them a sense of purpose and resolve, knowing that you have a sincere interest in their skillset.

They’ll see that they can chat with you if they notice an additional lead or avenue that the business can take in the future. And for you, as a leader, you may learn an additional power area from one of your working community members that you can now count on moving forward.

Communication has evolved to a level that few of us expected to see a year ago. With digital transformation, we’ve seen video conferencing and webinars take hold in our day-to-day work experiences. However, this doesn’t mean that the foundational aspects of a positive work environment need to lessen. Using the proper strategies, an optimistic working community can advance and lead to a brighter future for every work-from-home member.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Veronica BaxterVeronica Baxter is a legal assistant and blogger living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with Todd Mosser Esq., a busy criminal appeals lawyer, Philadelphia PA.

8 Tips for a Smooth Auditing Process

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article | 8 Tips for a Smooth Auditing ProcessAfter you file your small or midsize business’s taxes for the year, you think you’re done with taxes. However, sometimes you’re contacted about the process that most business owners dread: an audit. While being audited is a long process that takes extra time, by following these eight tips, you ease your worries and help the process go more smoothly.

1. Don’t Panic

If you’ve filed your taxes honestly, you don’t have anything to fear from auditing services. Most auditors look for blatant fraud such as inaccurately reporting your gross income. They also examine your accounting procedures and make sure that they’re sufficient for your business’s size. For example, if you don’t have an accounting department and your business is growing, they may recommend that you hire a full-time employee to oversee your finances. Remember, all you have to do is cooperate with the auditors’ questions, so take a deep breath and get ready for your audit.

2. Keep Your Records

Audits are usually ordered within seven months of when you originally filed your taxes, but the Internal Revenue Service can audit your reports from up to two years ago. For example, if you’re audited in July 2021, the audit could be for your 2020 or 2019 taxes. As a result, it’s critical that you hold on to all your tax forms:

Don’t forget to retain your employees’ tax information as well and the forms verifying their ability to work. Keep all these forms organized by year, even after you’ve filed your taxes, so that you’re ready when it’s time for an audit and assurance.

If you’re overwhelmed by all the paperwork, it’s time to find a new organizational system. Scan your paperwork and store it in well-labeled online folders that you can access from any computer. To streamline this process, use a service such as DocuSign rather than printing your forms.

3. Plan Ahead

Scrambling to prepare for an audit makes you look unprofessional and increases the probability that you’ll make a sloppy error. As soon as you find out that you’re being audited, start working with your accounting team to get the forms ready and make sure your books are up-to-date. Leave room in your schedule to take off work during the audit so that you can answer the auditors’ questions. Finally, choose one of your accountants to serve as the primary contact for your auditing team.

4. Think About Your Changes

Has your small business undergone any major changes that affect your accounting procedures in the relevant tax year? For example, did the tax laws change for your industry, or did you upgrade your personal reporting requirements? Consider whether the leadership of your office changed or was restructured, and note any grants or loans you received. By telling your auditors about these factors before the audit begins, you help them understand potential discrepancies in your books.

5. Learn About Tax Laws

Tax laws change frequently, but they don’t always affect your business. It’s critical that you follow all the developments in financial legislation so you’re ready to implement a change. You don’t want to discover during an audit that you’re required to keep your records a certain way. If you’re struggling to understand the laws on your own, reach out to a lawyer, a certified public accountant, or a professional from the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

6. Look Back

If you’ve been audited before, now is a good time to review that auditing report. Did you fix the issues that the previous auditors pointed out, or are you still making them? What parts of your books were confusing or misleading from their perspective? Looking at your auditing report also gives you an idea of how long the process will take and how much you need to be involved.

7. Speak Up

When an auditor asks you a question and you’re not sure what he or she means, don’t be afraid to speak up. Ask follow-up questions and request clarifications; otherwise, you can’t give your auditing team the correct information. If your auditors ask for a record and you don’t think it’s relevant, explain why you don’t think it’s necessary and ask for their perspective.

8. Read the Report

When the auditing process is over, read through the finished report and decide what changes you need to make. Where did you succeed, and where did you fall short of your industry’s requirements? Keep this report close at hand so you can refer to it as you implement changes in your accounting procedures.

No one wants to be audited, but the process is actually beneficial to you. You learn about your accounting mistakes and adjust your practice to align with the law. Just make sure to stay calm, be honest, and keep good records.

Defending Your Storefront With Care & Consistency

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | Defending Your Storefront With Care & Consistency

It’s important to note that when we own and operate a store, or a retail building, or our restaurant, we must learn how to defend it. Of course, that usually involves having rules as to what kind of candour is allowed within the store, and having security on hand to remove harmful people where necessary.

That said, it can also be that sometimes, our physical presence of being located in an easy-to-reach spot can be a problem. Furthermore, most people know that retail businesses have had to temporarily close down, or that offices are vacant, and that means they could be targeted by the hands of those looking to do harm. How are you supposed to defend your storefront with care and consistency in this light? Is there a best way forward?

We believe there is. Thankfully, you don’t have to feel that this is out of your wheelhouse, or that it requires overly expensive consideration. With the following advice, you’re sure to defend your storefront in the most aesthetically and purposefully intrusive manner.

Strong, Shatterproof Windows & Glass

Of course, it’s important to ensure that your store is protected with strong, shatterproof glass. This not only prevents people from getting through, but it prevents the nasty sharp edges that might unveil themselves if a trespasser were to break their way through glass and ultimately end up harming themselves. This way you can make sure that the exterior of your building not only looks secure, sturdy and aesthetically similar, but that it is much more secure than it might have been. In some older buildings especially, shatterproof storefront windows are essential.

Appropriate Warning Signage

Often, clear and direct communication is essential to prevent 90% of difficulties that may otherwise happen. This can often be applied in the form of consistent signage. For instance, you might clearly state that thieves or trespassers may be prosecuted if entering your loading bay area. You may notify just what burglar alarm you are using, or the fact that CCTV systems operate at all hours. If you have vans in your lot, a simple sign that states no tools are left in there overnight can prevent a would-be theft. Appropriate signage may not work in 100% of cases, but they certainly put your strong and firm point across -as if you were there.

CCTV & Security Measures

Proper CCTV and security measures can of course help you in the last-ditch effort that you may need to protect your retail presence. To enhance your security measures, consider installing state-of-the-art digital sign installation systems, which can not only act as a deterrent but also provide real-time monitoring and recording capabilities to ensure the utmost safety for your storefront. This might involve ensuring that your alarms are well installed, that you use a range of real and false CCTV cameras to deter would-be trespassers, and that you regularly communicate with other storefronts or restaurants in your area to make sure that you bar or ban the right shoppers, that you know who is most likely to cause trouble, and that you can adequately give evidence in the case of a difficulty.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily defend your storefront with care and consistency.

How to Stand Out in a Saturated Market: The Benefits of Niching Down

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | How to Stand Out in a Saturated Market: The Benefits of Niching DownIntense competition and economic stagnation are forcing owners of small businesses to close their doors without any intention of reopening. Either the handwriting is on the wall, or they’ve already run out of money. Record numbers of business owners are seeking protection in the bankruptcy courts. They’re underwater, and they just don’t see things getting better anytime soon.

Less Can Be More

A few of the competitors of these sinking businesses are keeping their heads above water though. They’re prevailing and remaining profitable within their own small niche. So, what’s the distinguishing factor? The surviving business owners aren’t trying to be jacks of all trades and masters of none. For them, less is more.

They’ve identified and fitted into the needs of a smaller market segment that remains closely connected, and they’re well-known throughout that segment. Welcome to the world of the sub-niche. There’s less competition in this realm because many of the big players just don’t want to enter smaller markets. The opportunities that they’re failing to capitalize on are there for the taking.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of highly effective sub-niching.

An Eggcelent Example

When it comes to the grocery store, few sections are quite as saturated as the egg case. In an average store, it is easy to have a dozen or so brands to choose from. However, with the movement in eating awareness, people are more concerned about where their food comes from. While many consumers are satisfied with the $.69 dozen for conventional eggs, others are willing to pay a premium price to ensure their eggs are coming from humane sources.

In 2008, Betsy Babcock founded Handsome Brook Farm Pasture Raised Eggs. Prior to then, free-range was the golden standard. But Betsy exposed free range as not being quite as free as the egg industry wanted consumers to believe.

So, Betsy niched down and created a brand where the eggs came from chickens who actually spent their days outside eating bugs and being chickens. She started with a backyard flock, but by targeting a niche market, she grew the business into the nation’s largest organic pasture raised egg brand.

A Niche Children’s Advocate

When thinking about a traditional personal injury attorney, several images might come to mind. They usually involve car accidents, slip and falls, or those cheesy medical malpractice commercials. But who would you trust to represent your case if your child were severely injured in an accident? It is a thought that makes parents shutter and cringe, but accidents happen on a daily business.

One Philadelphia lawyer, Edith Pearce at The Pearce Law Firm Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers, PC., has set herself apart in the personal injury law industry as being the “Children’s Injury Lawyer.” Whether it is because she is a member of Mensa or she is a mom herself, she is exceptionally well respected and quite successful in this niche of the personal industry sector.

The Takeaway

Whether you have identified a hole in the marketplace that you can successfully fill, or you have an existing business that can promote a niched service to a target demographic, niching down can help you expand. There is generally less competition on the niche level, allowing you to capture more of the market share. So long as there is enough demand and you are properly marketing your service, this might be your most successful business scope strategy.

How To Protect Your Business

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When you own a business, you need to know how to protect it. There are threats that could damage it – and you – from all directions, including cybercrime, lawsuits, and contract issues among many more. By putting some of these ideas into practice, you can give yourself an added layer of protection that could save you a lot of worry and money in the long run. Read on to find out more.

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Protect Your Business

Be Wary Of Social Media

Social media can be great for business; it’s the ideal way to connect with more of your target audience, and you can advertise very cheaply – if you post the right kind of post that captures people’s imagination, you might even go viral and essentially advertise for free.

But just as social media can be wonderful for your business, boosting it much further and giving it greater reach than any other method could, it can also be dangerous. Anything you say online will be archived for all time, and sometimes it can even be taken completely out of context and used against you, and this is especially true if it’s a business account posting.

When using social media, always think twice about what you’re about to say, and if it could be taken the wrong way, think again. In the worst cases when your reputation has been attached through social media, you can hire reputation management services to help you regain your good name.

Train Your Employees

No matter how much you know not to open email attachments from strangers or to click on links that look suspicious, your employees might not, and it’s vital that they are trained to understand more about online safety because it’s all part of protecting your business. Don’t just assume that they know what to do and what the best practices are; ask them outright.

To be completely sure, even if most people are aware of what to do, it’s still a good idea to implement regular training on the issue. The more they know, the more they’ll notice, and the more protected your business will be.

Destroy Your Data Properly

All businesses are going to have some form of confidential data or sensitive information in their files somewhere. Whether it’s customers’ address details or credit card numbers, or the company’s own bank accounts, if any of this information were to get into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster for you, either because your finances could be compromised, or because the information could be used to steal your customers’ identities.

If you have this information on paper, make sure you destroy it properly when you need to – shred it, rather than simply throw it in the trash. If it’s digitally stored, make sure you destroy the information completely rather than just deleting it because a cybercriminal will be able to restore it and use it for their own illegal needs.

Using the cloud is going to help in most cases with this issue. The information will be securely stored, so you’ll be able to access it whenever you need to, and no one else will be able to find it.