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How To Create A Positive Culture In The Workplace

StrategyDriven Corporate Cultures Article |Positive Workplace Culture|How To Create A Positive Culture In The WorkplaceSuccessful leaders never overlook the importance of establishing a set of core values and following positive culture within their organizations. Company culture is defined as a set of values, goals, practices, and attitudes that characterize the organization.

Culture is reflected through customer relations, employee engagement, and the types of people you want to hire for open positions. It naturally forms within the organization, as reflected by its leaders and employees.

Importance Of Having A Positive Culture In The Company

Here are other reasons why a positive culture is important in any organization:

1.It Decreases Employee Health Expenditure

A study by the American Psychological Association shows that about USD$550 million are lost each year due to employee’s workplace stress. Workplace stress has been linked to several health problems like cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndromes. A positive workplace culture ensures that employees are happy, healthy, and able to deal with stress more productively.

2. It Eliminates The Culture Of Fear

Building a business with an environment and culture of fear causes employee disengagement. Employee disengagement is costly because it leads to higher absenteeism rates, more workplace-related accidents, and more errors and defects in their output. A positive workplace culture is critical in increasing employee productivity because it drives employees to trust their bosses and work hard to perform well.

3. It Promotes Loyalty

A strong and positive workplace culture also decreases turnovers and improves employee engagement. Employee turnover is costly because it increases the expenses related to recruiting and training. Expertise loss will also decrease productivity.

StrategyDriven Corporate Cultures Article |Positive Workplace Culture|How To Create A Positive Culture In The WorkplaceHow To Establish And Maintain A Positive Environment Within The Organization

To create a strong workplace culture, leaders must be intentional in establishing and applying core values and culture initiatives. As a leader, how can you start fostering a positive attitude and culture within the organization?

Here are some steps you should take:

1. Have Good Interpersonal Skills

When you show employees that you operate from a set of values based on interpersonal skills, your employees will follow suit. Good leaders show empathy, kindness, and respect for their employees. Companies search for executives who have this set of skills because they know how critical it is to build a positive workplace culture.

A good leader goes out of their way to help and mentor those employees who they think are struggling with work. Leaders who have good interpersonal skills demonstrate compassion towards these employees to foster their resilience and encourage them to perform better.

Firms like M&A Search help organizations find the best executives and leaders who can help establish this culture. Hiring the right team leader is critical in establishing healthy work climates for the employees. When this is overlooked, employees will feel fear and resentment towards the organization and reduce their productivity.

2. Set Clear Goals

Having clear goals guides individual performance as employees will feel empowered to contribute to achieving them. Besides that, emphasizing your KPIs (key performance indicators) will cultivate a sense of professional purpose for your employees, becoming the source of their motivation to work. Talking with your team regarding departmental goals will encourage collaboration among team members as well.

3. Encourage Them To Provide Feedback

Employees should be given an avenue to express their thoughts without worrying that the management will take it negatively. As the organization leader, you should take this as an opportunity to improve yourself or the strategies you are all working on to achieve organization’s goals. Listening to their feedback and suggestions will help employees feel empowered and respected as well.

4. Recognize Those Who Do Well

Recognizing and awarding employees who achieved outstanding results or who show initiative and innovation at work is critical in keeping them motivated to continue the good work. It also encourages other employees to do better because they know that the organization sees their hard work. Giving out awards fosters a culture of friendly competition that leads to higher productivity and improved employee performance.

5. Protect Your Employees’ Rights

It’s important to give employees a safe avenue to report incidents in the workplace. Organizations have the responsibility to maintain a healthy and safe working environment for their employees. When an employee feels they were harassed or bullied, they should talk to human resource or their leader about the incident.

Organizations should act on these reports by initiating an investigation to provide fairness to both parties. Once it’s proven that an employee’s rights were stepped on, leaders should be firm in giving sanctions. Having zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, and bullying makes your employees trust the organization.

Summary

A positive culture in the workplace increases positive emotions among your employees and improves their well-being. This, in turn, helps improve their relationship with others, amplifies their abilities, and encourages creativity. Aside from that, establishing a positive culture impacts how work gets done in the company. Organizations tend to achieve significantly higher effectiveness levels, which include customer satisfaction, process productivity, financial performance, and employee engagement.

How influencer marketing doesn’t just stop at Instagram

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Influencer Marketing|How influencer marketing doesn’t just stop at InstagramInfluencer marketing is an industry that has taken over all social media platforms, as well as being one of the main advertising exports for the majority of companies. What would convince you to try something new? A random advert on TV or a recommendation from a public figure that you trust?

There are many good reasons why influencer marketing is reshaping the way that marketing works in 2020. Millennials in particular are heavily influenced by their peers when it comes to purchasing decisions. In fact, 70% of them turn to their peers for advice when they’re thinking about a product or service. But Millennials aren’t alone — in general, influencer marketing gets a return on investment that’s 11 times greater than traditional marketing!

Social media influencers need to become your brand ambassadors in their sphere of influence — whether they’re mega-influencers or micro-influencers. You need to find and foster your influencers as if they’re an extension of your own marketing team. But first, you need to know which social media channels people are turning to for advice.

Yes, Instagram should go without saying, but where else?

YouTube

YouTube is only second to Instagram when it comes to influencer marketing reach, even though many would argue it was first to the party — and it may be more powerful among certain demographics.
The platform does seem to have more sway among males. It affects the purchasing habits of 22.8% of men vs. only 13.9% of women. In addition to this, teenagers feel 7 times the emotional attachment to their favourite YouTube stars than they do to other celebrities.

Moreover, YouTube has strong influencers in a broad array of niches, including cars, alcohol, beauty, and toys (just to name a few). Consumers enjoy the funny, sometimes-irreverent familiarity of their favourite YouTubers and really take their recommendations to heart.

Influencer marketing agency Socially Powerful can help businesses tap into the benefits that YouTube influencers can have on brand awareness and sales figures, making it an even greater market for your company to explore.

Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the ‘new kids on the block’ when it comes to social channels, but it already has over 150 million users — and 85% of those are women. However, Pinterest doesn’t think of itself as a social media channel so much as it does a “visual discovery tool.”

Despite that, Pinterest is a channel full of consumers — 87% have purchased something because of Pinterest. If you’re a visually driven brand, Pinterest can be useful. Look for influencers with well-organised boards, easy-to-find keywords, and lots of follower engagement to make it work.

Snapchat

People on Snapchat only tend to follow other people that they know. Because of that, Snapchat influencers tend to be highly effective in inspiring trust.

The downside to Snapchat is that ‘snaps’ don’t have much longevity. Yes, they vanish after just 24 hours which could limit just how effective an influencer can really be. Influencers, even if they’re paid, will lose their authenticity if they’re constantly repeating snaps on the same product or service.

However, that hasn’t stopped a few companies from incorporating Snapchat into their social campaigns. Companies like VaynerMedia and AKQA have found ways to mix Snapchat into their cross-platform social campaigns for MasterCard and the Call of Duty games.

Are You Liable if Your Employee is in a Car Accident with the Company Car?

StrategyDriven Managing Your People Articles |Auto Insurance|Are You Liable if Your Employee is in a Car Accident with the Company Car?Perhaps. It depends on what the employee was doing at the time of the accident and where your business is located. This information is from the office of a car accident lawyer in Norristown, PA.

No-Fault Auto Insurance

If your business is located in Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Utah, you have no-fault auto insurance. Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and New Jersey give drivers a choice between no-fault and at-fault.

No-fault auto insurance was created to reduce the auto accident lawsuit overload on the court system and to eliminate the need for those injured in auto accidents to prove they were not at fault or were not at fault as much as the other driver.

In no-fault states, each driver’s insurance pays that driver’s minor injuries regardless of fault. In many no-fault states, one driver may still sue the other if they suffered damages in excess of a threshold set by state law.

If you are located in a no-fault state and your driver gets into an accident, your insurance will cover the minor injuries of the other driver. Your workers’ compensation insurance may well cover your driver. But if the accident is serious and injuries exceed the threshold in your state, you may be sued and have to establish that your driver was not at fault. You can click website here to learn more.

At-Fault Auto Insurance

If you do business in any state except the states listed above, in an accident involving your company vehicle, each drivers’ insurance company will pay for the damages sustained according to the degree of fault of each driver.

The driver who caused the accident will be responsible for the damages to other parties involved. That driver’s insurance company will pay the victims up to the policy limits on the policy. If there are damages in excess of those limits, the victims can sue.

If your business is located in Arkansas, Delaware, or Maryland, you have the option of purchasing add-on insurance that provides the same type of protection that would be available in no-fault states. If you have this additional coverage, your insurance will pay injured parties without determining who was or was not at fault. However, those injured parties can still sue or be sued for injuries and pain and suffering.

Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation will cover the medical expense and lost wages of the driver of a company vehicle in a car accident if:

  • The driver is an employee of your company;
  • The driver was driving the company vehicle in the course of their regular work duties;
  • The driver was driving the company vehicle in your direction.

Your workers’ compensation insurance may not cover the driver if:

  • The driver is not an employee, but is an independent contractor;
  • The driver took the vehicle without your permission;
  • The driver was doing something illegal when the accident occurred (speeding, running a red light, etc);
  • The driver was using the vehicle as part of regular work duties, but ran a personal errand without your knowledge or permission;
  • The driver was impaired due to drugs or alcohol.

Keep in mind that victims of an accident with your company vehicle, when they have the right to sue, can sue the driver, you, your company, your vehicle mechanic, and the vehicle manufacturers and retailers under various theories of legal liability. Do not skimp on your commercial auto insurance coverage, and be sure to retain the service records of all company vehicles in case they are needed to prove that you maintained your vehicles responsibly.

Additional Resources

StrategyDriven Contributors recommend the following resource that elaborate and compliment this article:


About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Veronica BaxterVeronica Baxter is a blogger and legal assistant living and working in the great city of Philadelphia, she frequently works with Craig Altman, Esq., a car accident lawyer in Media, PA.

Mac Performance- Reasons Why Your Mac May Be Running Slow

StrategyDriven Tools for Professionals Articles |Mac Performance|Mac Performance- Reasons Why Your Mac May Be Running SlowMac owners often find themselves being thankful for choosing the device they own because of the premium look and feel and amazing features that the brand offers. But you cannot expect perfection even from the best brand and model. There are chances you may experience a slowdown with the system once in a while. Most probably, it happens because of something you do (or don’t), rather than a glitch with the device. It makes sense to know the exact reason why your device may be running slow before addressing the concern. Here are the possibilities you can explore with Mac.

You keep putting off updates

Users often end up putting off system updates even though the computer consistently alerts you about installing them. If you have been doing so, you can expect the Mac to lose performance sooner rather than later. Ideally, you should install the update on the first alert. If you have postponed one for long, make sure that you check the recent one from the App Store and install it right away.

The hard drive is too full

Tons of files and photos in your hard drive can clutter it and result in a slowdown for your Mac. Slow performance is an indication that you are reaching the limit with the storage capacity and must take quick action to clear it up. Assess the files and photos in the storage drive periodically and purge the ones you no longer require. You may consider backing them up on an external storage device in case you may need them in the future.

You are running too many apps simultaneously

In a perfect world, users would want to multi-task, working on files while browsing the internet and listening to their favorite music on Spotify. But if you want to find more about taking your Mac ahead on the performance front, this habit would emerge as a killer. Steer clear of doing too much at once as it will eventually take a toll on the system’s speed. Close all the tabs and apps that are not in use and avoid running ones that are resource-intensive. You can check the facts by accessing the Activity Monitor and seeing the apps that are using up maximum memory.

The cache is overloaded

Besides loading your Mac with too many files and apps, running it with an overloaded cache is another factor that can affect its performance. Over time, the cache fills up with temporary files picked from the websites you visit while browsing the internet. Although this is meant to speed up the browsing experience, cache files end up slowing down the system. It is advisable to clear Mac’s cache regularly to keep it at an optimal level of performance.

More often than not, you end up doing these things with your Mac without even realizing how far they can go in causing a slowdown. It is advisable to follow the best practices for Mac usage so that you get only the best from your device and never have to struggle with performance issues.

The Best Laptop for Court Reporters

StrategyDriven Tools for Professionals Article | The Best Laptop for Court ReportersBecoming a Jupiter court reporter is no easy feat. Court reporters or stenographers usually have to study and train for years before they develop the skills necessary to succeed in this line of work. Even then, there is still no guarantee that they will be able to pass the difficult licensing examinations.

Aspiring court reporters need to invest fully in their careers if they want to make it. They must also be willing to invest in the tools of the trade. More specifically, they will need a laptop that can handle the demands of their job.

Here in this article, we’ll cover the factors that matter most when choosing the best laptop for court reporting. We’ll highlight the specific qualities that make a laptop more suitable for that specialized task. We will also take some time to pinpoint some specific laptops you can check out while shopping.

CAT Software Compatibility and Its Importance to the Jupiter Court Reporter

CAT or computer-aided translation software is an essential tool for court stenographers. The aforementioned program takes the notes typed by the stenographer and then translates those into English.

To use CAT software, a court reporter will first input words into the program’s dictionary. While in the process of reporting, the program will then match the notes typed by the stenographer to entries present in the dictionary.

The idea behind using CAT software is that it helps court reporters work faster and more accurately. Court reporters need to be both quick and accurate because they must keep up with everything going on inside the courtroom. The documents they produce are also hugely important to proceedings.

Before you even look for a laptop, check with the vendor of the CAT software you want to purchase first. Ask about which operating system should be used together with the CAT program. Make sure that the laptop you’re buying utilizes that operating system.

Apart from telling you about the CAT software’s OS requirements, the vendor can also share the spec requirements. We’ve also listed the spec requirements for laptops that are suitable for court reporters.

The Specs a Jupiter Court Reporter Needs to Consider

Laptops that can be reliably used by a Jupiter court reporter need to be beefy and highly capable. Hitting the list of required specs listed below will help you find that ideal laptop.

Processor

The computer’s processor affects how quickly the whole thing works. You need a processor that can keep up with your commands as you’re working. A processor that is prone to lagging and freezing is unsuitable for a court reporter’s laptop.

At a minimum, you will need a laptop equipped with an Intel i5 processor. If possible though, aim for an i7 processor or something higher. That kind of processor will allow you to work at your desired pace.

Memory Capacity

Another component of the laptop that affects working speed is its memory. You specifically want to focus on the RAM.

Don’t go for any laptop with less than 8GB of RAM. Anything with less than 8GB of RAM can slow you down.

Hard Drive Capacity

Hard drive capacity will not have as much of an impact on your laptop’s performance as the processor and RAM. However, it can still slow you down somewhat if you’re using too much space.

Avoid that issue altogether by finding a sizable hard drive. Look for a hard drive with at least 256GB of space, but you should really aim for double or quadruple that.

Hardware Ports

Hardware ports are needed for connecting peripheral devices to your laptop. At least one USB port will be required to accommodate your mouse.

A serial port may also be needed to connect some older equipment. If your laptop lacks a serial port, you can go ahead and purchase an adapter.

Programs Needed

The CAT software compatibility is obviously your priority when looking for a laptop. Beyond that, you don’t need a lot of special programs on your laptop.

You’ll want your preferred browser installed on the laptop. Add to that your Microsoft Office suite. A PDF reader would also be welcome.

To protect your equipment, consider purchasing some anti-virus software as well.

The Top Laptop Choices

Now, let’s talk about some of the best laptop options for a Jupiter court reporter. We’ll be naming three of the top options in this section of the article. The listings and specs come courtesy of Amazon.

Acer Swift 3 SF314-54-56L8

We start with the Swift 3 SF314-54-56L8 laptop from Acer. This is a good purchase if you’re looking for something more affordable.

You’re pretty much meeting the minimum requirements with this laptop. It features an i5-8250U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of available storage space.

The form factor is also a nice plus because it allows you to carry this laptop everywhere you go easily. It also features a longer battery life of 12 hours.

This Acer laptop works as a suitable starter option, although you may want to upgrade in the future.

2019 HP Pavilion

Do you want something with a bit more juice than the Acer Swift 3? In that case, the 2019 HP Pavilion could be what you’re looking for.

It comes loaded with an i7-8565U processor and 16GB of RAM. You likely won’t need external hard drives as well given that this laptop offers 1TB of space.

This HP laptop is quite bulky. It also weighs over four pounds. Still, if you’re fine with using a bigger laptop, you’ll be happy with this purchase.

Dell XPS 13 7390

For the Jupiter court reporter who wants nothing less than superior laptop performance, the Dell XPS 13 7390 is a worthy option to consider.

It features the same RAM and hard drive specs as the HP laptop above, but its processor is different. The i7-10510U processor added to this laptop enables it to run faster when pushed to its limits.

The fact that this laptop is very compact makes it ideal for regular commutes. The addition of the Windows 10 Professional OS is also a nice touch.

Hopefully, the information and laptop recommendations above have helped you figure out which product to buy. Court reporting is a difficult undertaking, but having the right equipment on hand can make it significantly more manageable.