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5 Ways To Minimise Business Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes, but if you and your team are constantly making blunders, you may want to consider putting some measures in place to reduce the chance of error. Here are just a few ways that you can minimise mistakes.

Improve your training

If employees haven’t been trained properly, you can expect more mistakes to happen. Make sure that you’re not throwing new employees into the deep end by skimping on training. If you’re unable to train them, delegate the task to a senior employee. You can also adopt e-learning resources that allow employees to train themselves (this shouldn’t be your sole form of training, but could be a useful supplement). On top of this, you can create a handbook that employees can refer to, saving them from having to ask you questions if they’ve forgotten how to do something (although you should be prepared to show people things more than once).

Encourage team communication

If your team aren’t communicating, people may get their wires crosses and complete each other’s tasks or attempt to do things on their own that they shouldn’t be doing. You can encourage team communication by adopting an open plan office and holding regular meetings. You can also use software to record progress, so that everyone knows where they’re up to.

Make tasks simpler with technology

There may be ways to simplify tasks with technology. Programmes such as this oil and gas production software are able to automate tasks and reduce human error. There may also be tools that can add precision to a job such as food thermometers in a kitchen when cooking meat or a laser cutting machine for cutting materials more precisely.

Introduce checks

It’s worth adding checks in place that can help to reduce errors. These may be checks that can be done individually such as a waiter reading back a table order to the customers before processing it. You might also be able to use signs such as a health and safety checklist on a machine, which employees can go through before use. Alternatively, you or another employee could be put in charge of screening tasks before they’re completed such as having someone else read and edit an article or having someone employed to check product quality in a factory.

Limit distractions

Distractions could also be leading people to make mistakes. Whilst an open plan office is great for communication, it might not be so great for jobs that require intense concentration. Having a separate space for these tasks could be beneficial – employees could take it turn to use this space. You should also refrain from asking employees to run too many errands – unless they are of utmost importance, keep a note of them and set them as a task at the beginning of the next day so that employees can schedule them in. Be wary that you may even be able to outsource some distractions such as outsourcing a company to take phonecalls for you and filter the important ones through.

The Invisible Human Errors That Nobody Notices

Human error is everywhere and often difficult to avoid without implementing the proper tools. More often than not, human error is the reason number One for the purchase of high-quality tech software solutions, so that a variety of business processes can be automated for best quality. Other entrepreneurs suggest deploying careful recruiting methods to ensure that you get only highly qualified professionals to work with you. However, while it seems that human error is another work for lack of skills and attention, it would be incorrect to assume that there is no other kind of human error. In fact, the workplace is full of invisible mistakes and behaviors that are perpetuated under your very eyes but that you don’t see. They can be damaging to your team, your production and your overall business. It’s time to start the hunt for the invisible human errors that eat away your employees’ health and sanity, day after day.


Do you know what’s going on in your office?

Unhealthy stress management

We get it: Every workplace is a stressful environment, from the impossibly short deadlines to the difficult client. The workload piles up, your staff stays longer hours, and somehow the stressful situation seems to normalize any unhealthy stress management behavior, from heavy drinking to the abuse of hard substances. It may be invisible to the naked eye, but you should pay close attention to people’s habits and natural warmth to detect the early signs of an addictive behavior. More often than not, a drug test can confirm your suspicion. That’s why it’s essential as a manager to monitor workloads and offer stress management classes before it’s too late.

Emotional abuse

Millions of employees of all ages, ethnic and racial backgrounds hate going to work. Why should they like it, when staying at home all day might sound a lot more appealing, you ask. These employees hate the workplace because they’ve fallen victim of emotional bullying, from colleagues, managers or subordinates. The problem with this form of emotional abuse is that it directly attacks a person’s competence, integrity and dignity over an extensive period of time in such a way that it can go unnoticed. The victims live in a state of psychological terror, which can be aggravated by bad-mouthing, isolation, criticism, etc. This destructive attack can lead to depression, anxiety disorder and extended sick leaves. It’s your responsibility to keep your eyes open for any peculiar behavior so that you can offer support to those who need it and help them to stop the abuse.

Air pollution inside the office

So you’ve got a trendy office in town with an air con and a fantastic view of the city? That’s great but how pure and fresh is your air? Fungal spores, chemicals and smoke can be harmful to human health as they create what is called indoor air pollution. If your office has not implemented any air purification solution — from using specialist plants to sophisticated ventilation systems — it’s likely that your team might be suffering from the sick-building syndrome.

In conclusion, it’s vital that companies rethink their health and safety protocols to offer sufficient coverage for several invisible human errors that impact both business growth and personal wellness.

Willpower Woes: How a Rotten Resolve Can Hurt You …and 3 ways to develop better self-discipline and control through practice, progression and patience

Willpower. We all want it. We all need it. But far too many of us just don’t have what it takes to stay resolute and determined when the going gets tough. Indeed, maintaining self-control and self-discipline when facing challenges at work and at home, or when aspiring toward ambitious future goals and objectives, can be among the most difficult life skills to manage and master—but it’s also one of the most impactful.

The significance of having low willpower cannot be overstated, since a lack of mental strength and fortitude can adversely affect nearly every aspect of your life and how you are perceived by others. This includes levels of failure and success in the workplace; leadership capabilities relating to career and home/parenting life; maintaining good habits (reliability, promptness, health and otherwise); aptly managing compulsions, impulses, addictions and bad habits; and a myriad of other obstacles, trials and tribulations we’re presented with on a daily basis. Life without willpower paints an ominous picture.

However much desired or well-intended, the process to developing willpower to benefit your professional and personal life can seem impossible, especially when faced with difficult situations, coercion or pressure from others, toxic relationships and certainly addictions of any sort. However, taking the initial steps to develop and maintain a strong will and self-discipline can be life changing.

With this in mind, I connected with the author of “Life Rehab: Don’t Overdose on Pain, People and Power,” Kanika Tolver—a Certified Professional Coach and thought leader who helps individuals realize career, business, life and spiritual success. She offered this simple yet insightful 3-step exercise that can help individuals develop better willpower through practice, progression, and patience:


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About the Author

Merilee KernMerilee Kern, MBA, is Executive Editor of “The Luxe List” International News Syndicate, an accomplished entrepreneur, award-winning author and APP developer and influential media voice. She may be reached online at www.TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter here: www.Twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.

Coping with Workspace Envy, What to do when your workspace options are limited

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have table-sized touchscreen tablets like they do at Microsoft? Or to work in colorful open spaces like Airbnb’s new headquarters in San Francisco?

For many companies, budgets are tight and options are limited — so there’s no way you can purchase funky new furniture let alone do something like put a mini-basketball court in a meeting room. Your company isn’t about to move. So what can you do?


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About the Author

Carol KeoghCarol Keogh, President and CEO, ESI Ergonomic Solutions. As President and Chief Executive Officer of ESI Ergonomic Solutions, Ms. Keogh oversees the production of innovative, high-quality ergonomic work tools that contribute to improving employee productivity and well-being. Named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Ms. Keogh currently serves on the BIFMA Board of Directors.

Human Performance Management Best Practice 11 – Color Coding

StrategyDriven Human Performance Management Best Practice ArticleToday’s industrial complexes and office spaces employ vast numbers of redundant systems so to ensure continued operations in the event of equipment failure. Consequently, those who operate and maintain these systems are constantly challenged to perform their work on the appropriate equipment train. In order to avoid wrong-train accidents, operators and maintainers should employ error reduction tools that help them identify the appropriate system train on which to conduct their work.


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About the Author

Nathan Ives, StrategyDriven Principal is a StrategyDriven Principal and Host of the StrategyDriven Podcast. For over twenty years, he has served as trusted advisor to executives and managers at dozens of Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the areas of management effectiveness, organizational development, and process improvement. To read Nathan’s complete biography, click here.