Michael Levitt's Blog, page 129

5 Steps for Keeping Your Business Up to Date

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Too often, businesses get stuck in their ways. They discover ways to do things that are easy and convenient, and while this is straightforward for them, it also risks missing out on technological advancements that could take the company to the next level. 

Allowing this to happen means that you could fall a long way behind your competitors. As they seek and strive for innovation and unique ways of doing things, you are stuck doing the same thing repeatedly. 

While this might be comfortable, it puts the business in a precarious position. Just like Sears failed to adapt to online shopping, failing to bring your business into the modern world comes with severe risks. Here are 5 steps for keeping your business up to date.  

Flexible Hours

Productivity and creativity are directly linked to the flexibility that the staff feels when they are at work. In the modern world, no one needs to be at their desk for 8 hours every day. Furthermore, if the current pandemic has taught us anything, there is a significant percentage of the population that doesn't need to be in the office at all. 

Offering flexible hours will make your business more attractive to new employees while also benefiting existing employees. They will find they are less stressed and happier. They can make appointments, collect the kids from school, and manage to balance their work and life more comfortably. 

Green Operations

Sustainability is another thing that many new employees will look for when considering whether your business is worth joining. However, it's not just about attracting the best talent. Your business reputation could be directly related to how sustainable you are. 

There is a massive push for more sustainable business operations in the modern world. This includes everything from reducing waste to using green energy and encouraging cycling or taking public transport to work rather than driving. If you make green operations a priority, your business becomes more appealing. It demonstrates you as leading the way in your industry to find sustainable solutions to traditional actions. 

Automate Processes

It's almost certain that your business is wasting precious seconds, minutes, and hours throughout the working week because you are yet to automate the most basic and time-consuming processes. Email marketing and segmentation, machine operations, and appointment scheduling are all things that can be automated, so it's something worth thinking about. 

By embracing automation, you will find that everyone has more time in the day to do the most critical work. When compared to before automation, where you needed to input dates and analyze data manually, it will be evident that automation was the right choice. Your staff will be more productive and less drained at the end of the day. 

Reliable Performance

Ensuring that your systems are up to date through database migration and regular software upgrades will keep everything working smoothly. The last thing you want is to lose vital customer and employee information, either through system failure or a cyber attack. So, taking steps to keep everything protected will be in everyone's best interests. 

There are far too many businesses that still use outdated operating systems, mainly because they are so familiar with them. However, every year, this software becomes more outdated, with less support available, and at some point, it will become obsolete. Rather than wait around for this to happen, it's imperative that you take the initiative and upgrade your systems before it's too late. 

Regular Training

While some employees may be resistant to changes in the workplace, one of the best things you can do to ensure your office and business stays up to date is by providing regular training. Often, it's the lack of knowledge, and therefore confidence, which causes resistance. You should find that your staff will accept and embrace the changes by providing supportive and thorough training programs. 

Because office technology and system designs are continuously updating, you'll need to stay on top of them to ensure that there is no sudden surprise. While most of your staff will come to anticipate and understand updates, it's still worth providing training to refresh their minds and introduce them to the more subtle but useful software features. 

21st Century Office

If you want to ensure your business continues for many years more, you need to adapt to the times. There is sure to be some pushback from those who have been there for a long time. However, by accepting that you need to make adjustments to continue your success, you will find that any transition is much more comfortable. 

Here's How To Improve Your Performance As A Business Leader

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If you are running a business it’s important that you are constantly seeking out ways that you can improve and ensure that you are evolving in your role. By doing this, you can guarantee that your business has a greater chance of success and potentially increase the maximum level you could reach on the market. Let’s explore some of the ways that you can make improvements. 

Understand Who You Are

One of the best ways to boost your performance as a business leader is to improve your understanding of who you really are and what you actually bring to the table. There are numerous ways to do this but one way would be through the use of the Enneagram test. This can help you understand what you need to know about how you communicate and engage with those around you. It will allow you to understand whether there are improvements that you can make in this area. 

More Training 

You could also explore more training options as a manager or owner of a business. Similar to many roles your thirst for knowledge as a business leader should never end. You need to continue exploring different resources and working to ensure that you are aware of the different mindsets that are connected to how offices can be run and how they should be run. There are various learning courses that you can explore. Some of these can even be completed online which means that you will be able to complete them around what is likely to be an incredibly busy schedule. 

Get On The Floor 

You should definitely be making the effort and taking the time to connect with the employees in your company as much as possible. It’s important that you are working to understand their point of view and developing a connection with the individuals who work for you. You can do this either within the confinements of the office or outside of it. The choice is entirely up to you. The trick is to make sure that you are completing a temperature check on your employees. This can stop you from missing issues that are probably bubbling underneath the surface. 

Think About More Than The Bottom Line

Finally, while we did mention that being a better leader is likely to improve your level of profitability there are other things to keep in mind that are more important than money. You need to make sure that you are powering your business to be a source for good in this world. It’s important that you do take the right steps with your company and push your business in positive directions. Look at how you can use your company and your role to give back to the world while also creating a sustainable model. 

We hope this helps you understand everything you need to know about how to make the right improvements in your role as a business leader. In doing so, you will put your business in a far stronger position on the market and potentially even boost your performance. 

Giving Modern Consumers What They Want: Advice For Forward-Thinking Business Owners

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Times are changing, and consumer trends are evolving. As a business owner, it’s vital to give customers what they want and this means that moving with the times is essential. If you’re looking to modernize the way you work to keep your clients happy, here is some useful advice to take on board.

Asking for feedback

Data is one of the most valuable assets for business owners looking to make improvements and beat the competition. Collect and analyze information and use the data and feedback you have to inform decision-making. Encourage your customers to leave comments and rate your performance, allow them to share thoughts, ideas and opinions and ask what kinds of changes they would like to see in the future. Often, being aware of client concerns and priorities can help you adjust the way you work to provide a better service. Extending opening hours, selling products online, or offering a click and collect service could make your business more appealing if clients are finding it difficult to place orders outside of normal working hours, for example. 

Investing in technology and innovation

Technology is advancing continually, and this opens doors for business owners. Customers today are looking for quick and simple ways to achieve their objectives, but they don’t want to miss out on customer service. As a company owner, it’s important to find a balance between providing a personalized service and speeding up the process of buying products or investing in services. Innovations like seamless payments from companies like Inoviopay, online booking and ordering and customized marketing messages can help you set your business apart and cater to client demands and preferences. Not every firm will benefit from purchasing the latest technology or installing cutting-edge systems and software, but technology will almost certainly play a role in enabling you to offer a superior service. Carry out an audit, take a look at what your competitors are doing and use feedback from clients to help you decide which investments to make. 

Keeping an eye out for future trends

Even if you see your business as a market leader, it’s important not to take your foot off the pedal or rest on your laurels. Consumer trends evolve, and you need to be able to adapt in line with new and emerging patterns and buyer behaviors. Keep an eye out for future trends and try to be an innovator, rather than a follower. If you can preempt trends and be agile, this will enable you to attract new customers, retain loyal clients and gain an advantage over rival companies. Read business magazines and blogs, use comments and reviews and monitor your performance on an ongoing basis. 

The golden rule for business owners is to give customers what they want. As times change and new trends emerge, it’s crucial for companies to adapt and adjust to provide the best possible service. Ask for feedback, analyze data, invest in technology and keep your finger on the pulse to attract and keep hold of customers and leave competitors in your wake.

How To Embrace Smart Working In Your Business

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Work-related stress and burnout are becoming increasingly prevalent. As a business owner, it’s incredibly beneficial to explore ways to reduce the risk of health issues and boost morale. One way is encouraging employees to manage their time more effectively by improving efficiency and productivity. If you’re an employer, there are several steps you can take to embrace smart working and support your staff. 

Investing in technology

Technology has the potential to save businesses vast amounts of time, effort and money. If your employees have access to cutting-edge software, innovative programs and machines or gadgets that process jobs much faster than humans, they will be able to complete tasks quickly and easily. By investing in technology, you can also offer your customers and clients a superior service and you can maximize your chances of converting leads. With features like virtual payments, 24-hour chat options and customer service lines and online ordering and reservations systems, your business doesn’t have to close when your employees clock off. You can continue to engage with clients, to take orders and to accept payments without expecting your team to work through the night. Technology streamlines processes and it also reduces the workload for employees, enabling them to focus on core tasks within their contracted hours. 

Embracing flexible working

Flexible working is becoming more commonplace. More people are working from home or working remotely than ever before, and this is a system that benefits both employers and employees. Employees can enjoy a healthier work-life balance and they are able to manage their schedule in a way that often increases productivity and output. Home workers often like to start early, for example, and they might have already completed a number of tasks by the time they would usually be turning up at their desk. You can cut out the cost and time involved with commuting and adapt your working hours to suit you. For employers, having remote and home-based teams can cut expenses dramatically and improve performance. Happier, healthier employees are likely to be more productive. 

Outlining clear objectives

Confusion and a lack of clarity throw a spanner in the works when it comes to tackling projects and working through tasks. Team leaders and managers should always outline clear objectives, taking time to ensure that every single person understands what they need to do. If you arrive at work or you head to your home office on a Monday morning with a list of things to do and clear instructions, you’ll feel much more confident in your abilities to cross off those jobs and you’ll be able to work faster and reduce the risk of making mistakes. 

Photo source: Pixabay

Smart working involves promoting flexibility and making changes to improve efficiency. Working smarter can improve performance and results, but it can also enhance customer service and be hugely beneficial for employee health and wellbeing. Investing in technology, laying out plans for more flexible working and communicating with employees to present clear instructions and guidelines can all make a positive difference.  

Getting the Most Out of Your Business Premises

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Your business premises is an incredibly important space; the idea that it’s just a place where we get work done is a little outdated. Today, employees are less likely to accept a drab working environment, and when they’re weighing up whether or not to take the job at your company, a pleasant to work in will be something they take into consideration. Improving the office can have many positive knock-on effects, including boosting productivity, better workplace morale, it might even lead to more clients if they come in and are impressed with what they see. But what can you do to improve the space? Here are some ideas. 

Find the right location

The location you choose for your office is important, so when you’re choosing the building itself consider things like the road network and any public transport routes so that your staff or clients can get to you with ease. If you’re a shop or retail company you’ll likely rely to some extent on foot traffic to get customers, so you’ll need to be in a prime location for this probably in a city or town center or on a high street. 

Think about the size

You won't want to buy or rent a huge premises that you don't have full use for since this will cost you more money. But you do still want space to grow, so bear in mind the extra room you’ll need if you plan on expanding operations in the near future. If you’re renting and don’t mind moving to a new premises as you grow then you could just choose a size that’s suitable for you in the here and now. 

Make nice decor a priority

You’ll always want to keep your office decor professional looking, but it should still be pleasant. When you think about traditional old offices, chances are it’s a lot of uninspiring grey that springs to mind and it’s enough to kill the spirit of anyone working for you! Repaint the walls, have new carpets fitted, add lots of plants and try to incorporate the colours blue and green which have been shown to boost productivity in the workplace. The layout of your office space can be vital for the best productivity levels. Put desks close to windows so workers can benefit from the natural light. The lighting is so important since it can prevent eye strain, migraines and even health and safety disasters such as people tripping over in dark corridors. Something like these 220w linear led high bay lights would be good for illuminating larger areas, and they’re low energy too. 

Make it accessible

You have a moral and legal duty to ensure that your workplace is accessible, so be sure that you are meeting all requirements of the disability act. This ensures that anyone with additional needs are able to access your premises, it can include things like wheelchair ramps, elevators and other additions being made especially if the building you’re in is older.

Important Careers for the Future

Your career isn't something that you necessarily have to be locked into for life. That might have been the case at once point, but fewer and fewer people now spend 40 or 50 years in the same career. You're much more likely to switch careers at least once or twice over your working life, and perhaps even try on a few different options for size before you decide what's right for you. But even if a career might not last forever, you do still want it to be reliable for at least a few years. Looking to the future and understanding what's in demand could help you to find the right career.

Health and Care Aides

With an aging population, more and more people require help with their personal care and health needs. There are several ways people might choose to receive the care that they require, from nursing homes to home health aides. Home health aides provide assistance in the home that is personalized to their client. They could do anything from offering a few hours of company and assistance each week to providing a live-in, 24/7 service. As well as helping elderly clients, they can also work with both children and adults with disabilities and additional care needs.

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Solar Photovoltaic Installers

The renewable energy sector is growing, and solar energy is one of the most popular options. It can be used commercially, as well as by homeowners who want to use greener energy. With a higher demand for solar energy, there comes a need for professionals who can install and maintain solar equipment. Solar photovoltaic installers are one of the experts that are in demand. They plan and install solar energy systems in a variety of locations to meet the needs of their clients. Most installers learn the skills that they need on the job, so you may only need a high school diploma to get started.

Wind Turbine Technicians

Wind turbines are another growing product in the field of renewable energy. They need the right people to install and maintain them, which is the role that wind turbine technicians take on. Wind turbines are less likely to be a feature that people want to add to their homes, and so the job is more likely to require working in remote locations. This job also requires a certificate or diploma from a college or technical school, as well as training on the job. However, it also pays significantly better than working as a solar PV installer.

Cybersecurity Experts

Organizations everywhere need to keep their computer systems secure. Cybercrime is often seen as a bigger threat than crimes such as break-ins and burglaries for many businesses. To maintain cybersecurity, experts in the field are required, especially for those organizations that need high levels of security. Becoming a white hat hacker is one option for people who are interested in this area of work. Their job is to find the vulnerabilities in a system so that they can be fixed. While a degree isn't always essential for this type of work, it can be useful to help you get your foot in the door.

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Statisticians

Data can be used in many ways, helping to further many fields of study. Statisticians take data and analyze, interpret and apply it to provide a range of services and outcomes. They often work with the government, universities or research institutions, but might also work for private organizations such as financial companies and consulting services. Working as a statistician usually requires at least a master's degree, if not a doctorate or another higher degree. You can find job opportunities from organizations of different sizes and in different industries.

Physician's Assistants

Careers in healthcare are always a good option to consider if you're looking for a career for the future. Physician's assistants work alongside doctors, with more duties and responsibilities than nurses. They can carry out tasks like performing exams, ordering tests and even administering some types of treatment. There are opportunities to work as a physician's assistant in a range of clinical settings, from hospitals to private clinics. A physician's assistant needs to have a master's degree, and they need to be licensed. Once qualified, they could earn over $100,000 per year.

Software Developers

Software developers have been in demand for a long time and will continue to be needed in the future. Exactly what roles they are needed to fill and tasks they are required to perform can vary. Developing applications of different types is one thing that is in high demand, ranging from productivity apps for businesses to games. Software developers might have a specific area of focus, or they might have a more general skill set that allows them to work on many different types of application. A bachelor's degree is usually a minimum requirement for the role.

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Physical Therapy Assistants

Another role in the medical field that is worth watching is physical therapy assistants, as well as physical therapists. Physical therapy aides support physical therapists in different medical environments, fulfilling duties to assist therapists, rather than providing the therapy themselves. They might carry out tasks such as preparing treatment rooms or clerical work, and they don't need to have the same level of knowledge about physical therapy as a therapist does. They will often train on the job but will need to have a high school diploma.

Genetic Counselors

As the ability to analyze DNA and genetics improves, people want to know more about their genes and what their genetics tell them about their health. Genetic counselors assess genetic risks and inherited conditions. One of the ways this information is used is to help people who are planning to have children, making them aware of any risks that might be present. Genetic counselors need to have qualifications in genetics, usually at least a master's degree, and they also need to be certified if they want to practice.

There are many careers that could help to set you up for the future so that you can protect your income and livelihood.

Is Your Website Achieving Its Aims?

Source - CCO Licence

Whenever you have a website, you need to have it there for a very good reason. If you don’t have a specific reason behind it, then you are going to find that it is much less likely you are able to keep it strong and to know what it is doing there in the first place. The more that you focus on your website’s aims and keeping them in line, the more likely it is that you can consider it a success and get what you need to out of it. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the things that you might want to think about in order to ensure that your website is achieving its aims as well as possible, and so is earning its keep.

Building The Brand

One of the main things that your website is hopefully doing for your business is building your brand. If you approach it right, the website can absolutely do this, but you need to make sure that you are focused on it in the right way, otherwise it won’t just happen of its own accord. First you need a strong brand, so if you haven’t already got that you need to think about working on it. Then you need to make sure that your website displays it clearly, that the branding is encoded in every aspect of the website itself. If you can do that, you will find that you are much more likely for the website to help you brand the business even further, making people more aware of it as time goes on.

Making Sales

Of course, it is always going to be the case that you want a website to help you make sales, as long as it is a website for your business. There are many ways that a website can do that, and the more aware you are of the processes involved in it, the more likely it is that you are going to be successful in this endeavour. By employing some well-known tactics such as using a homepage funnel, you can make sure that your website is set up to deliver as many sales as possible, and so to help your business to grow and grow. The more you focus on this, the more you’ll get those results you are looking for.

Spreading Awareness

Sometimes all you want a website to do is to spread awareness of something. That could be brand or business awareness, or it could be awareness of a product. It might even be a charity that you are running or want to draw attention to, or it could be that you want to bring awareness to specific information that your customers might be in need of. Whatever it is, you can do it by just making sure that you focus on making that information as clear as possible. Then you need to spread the website around as much as you can as well.

Reward Yourself Without Hurting Your Wallet + Free Printables

Creating your dream life doesn’t just happen the second you graduate high school, or even college. You may constantly have to revisit what you really want to do in life, and how you can take baby steps when getting yourself there (while still dodging any distractions on the way). Even some of your biggest goals can sound easier than they are once you start to buckle down.

When setting your goals, start attaching each to a reward and your actions may just become habits — this may just become your secret weapon. Some sources say it only takes 66 days to create, or break, a habit. Instead of only going to the gym once a week for a few hours, start going to the gym everyday, even if it’s just to stretch out for instance. Over time, you may get comfortable enough with going to the gym that you may want to stay and workout for a longer time than you normally do. Follow these same steps with any goals you may have in mind and you may find yourself accomplishing more than you would have without mini celebrations along the way. 

Sometimes, setting your fitness goals isn’t the hard part, it’s staying consistent with them. Normally, you start out strong, eager to reach your goals. Then, you may experience some slight templations and want to give in once things get a little tough — and challenges and rewards may just be the secret ingredient to avoiding just that. Rewarding yourself once you’ve completed a job well done allows you to celebrate your achievements, feel, and see the difference in your lifestyle. Once you have experienced the positive effects of checking off your goals, you may be ready to do it all over again. 

To get embark on your own goal setting (and achieving) journey, download Mint’s reward setting printables to track and celebrate your big achievements. For more, check out our budget friendly self care ideas for a celebratory relaxing day at home.   

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Reward Yourself

How To Hire Remotely During COVID-19

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In the space of just a few months, COVID-19 has changed the global business economy. Lockdowns and social distancing measures have forced many public-facing businesses to close and office-based businesses have been forced to begin remote working. Whether they were ready for it, or not, businesses have had to dramatically change the way they operate, including the way that they approach recruitment and the hiring process. Although many businesses are struggling during the pandemic, the hiring market never stands still, and many businesses are still trying to grow and expand despite the difficulties they face. 

How to successfully hire people remotely during COVID-19

Although remote hiring is not a new concept, COVID-19 has certainly brought it to the forefront of many business agendas. Here are four tips to help you hire successfully during the pandemic. 

Be clear with your job description

When hiring for a remote role it is important that candidates are aware of what is expected of them. Are they to be working remotely full-time or are they expected to come into the office for a few days a week when restrictions are lifted? Will their role start out as remote but then end up office-based full time? In the current climate, some candidates are drawn to remote positions because they wish to remain a remote worker, whereas others may be happy to work remotely for a time, but ultimately will want to work in-house when quarantine ends. 

Have interview flexibility 

Interview flexibility is important during any hiring process, but given the current situation, it’s more important than ever to give candidates the flexibility to choose their own interview slots. Interview scheduling can seem tedious and may also get quite complicated if you have a lot of people vying for the role, and so you may want to consider a virtual interview scheduling tool to help you manage things. 

Speak virtually face-to-face

Telephone interviews can be great for first-round screening but really, as the hiring process progresses, you need to ensure that you are meeting with candidates face-to-face, even if that means from behind your computer screen. By using video conferencing software to video chat with potential candidates you can assess how they present themselves in person and will also be able to more accurately assess their communication skills. 

Assess their written communication too 

Whether the position involves remote working permanently or just for a short period while COVID-19 is ongoing, you need to ensure that you are able to communicate clearly with your new hire via email, text, and other written methods. You will have been able to assess their verbal communication over the phone and during their interview but don’t wait until it's too late to see how they communicate in written form. Consider setting them a small written challenge, or alternatively, just pay close attention to their communication over email while scheduling their interviews. 

Remote hiring can be scary, but in order to thrive during the current climate it’s vital that businesses don’t put off their growth and expansion, but instead remain agile and adapt to new remote practices. 

4 Ways to prevent burnout in your business

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We're a couple months into working from home (WFH) and we are seeing quite the spike in burned out employees. 

Burnout is the situation where you are constantly feeling anxious, exhausted, extremely unmotivated, and dealing with chronic stress.  The World Health Organization (WHO) discussed this in their 2019 classification of workplace burnout.  

Here are 4 steps to burnout proof your organization, especially during COVID-19 and WFH:

1. Stop micromanaging, and start managing.  When you and/or your organization hires people, the goal is for that individual to perform a series of tasks for the organization, in order to best serve its clients (whether internal or external.)  Onboard them well, be around for guidance, but let the employees do their job.  I see people having to stay logged in and visible on Zoom all day, to "prove" they're working.  This breeds an environment of mistrust and actually increases poor performance.  People want to be trusted.  As a manager, do you want your boss to trust you? 

2. Do not send emails after hours or weekends.  This should be a labor legislated law.  The constant 24/7 connectivity is not humanly possible, nor right to do.  As a leader, do you want to be working 24/7?  If you say yes, then you need to speak to a therapist ASAP, because you're running from demons, issues, etc that needs to be addressed.  You're mentally abusing your teams by emailing them all day and night.  STOP IT.

3. Eliminate the daily Zoom meetings.  Do you really need to meet daily?  Really?  Try a weekly meeting and be available to answer questions about work tasks.  Also take a deep look at the goals for each employee and see if during this pandemic those goals are attainable.  Have a conversation with each employee individually to see if there are any roadblocks for them to accomplish their goals.  Nothing adds to stress than knowing you can't hit a target because of external factors, and your employer doesn't care.

4.  Be empathetic.  Right now, everyone has degrees of fear, anxiety, concern, etc. with COVID-19.  There's so much that we are not sure about, that this bleeds into our daily lives.  Help your teams have as much of a work routine as possible.  Remember that many of your employees have children, so not only are they an employee of your organization, they're also a parent and NOW also a teacher.  Be flexible with work requirements.  Don't overload your employees with busy work. Focus on what your company truly does, and make sure the work that's being performed is that.  Cut the BS out just to make sure your employees work their 8-hour shift. 

These are challenging times for your employees (and for you as a leader, too.)  Be empathetic to yourself and your employees.  Focus on self-care.  You'll come out of this a better leader and more respected by your team when you show that you care about their overall well being.

Be well!