The Helpfulness Of Strangers: Bringing New People In To…

From time to time, there are going to be instances where you need a little something extra, something that you’re not able to complete in-house. As such, having someone come into the fold and getting them to work on your project can be an asset, but also a difficulty. What can you do to ensure that they are welcomed into the team, but also that this “stranger” is able to keep up with your demands?

Working With Credible Resources

Outsourcing is a common component of modern business, but if we are to have someone fill the gaps in our knowledge, we’ve got to make sure that the resources are, the very least, credible ones, depending on the tasks. When it comes to digital marketing agencies, there are many out there, Herdl.com being one that works on different aspects of marketing, from PPC to web design and SEO. But you need to ensure that the resources come highly recommended. Credible resources, especially as there are so many poor ones out there, are like gold dust these days.

Working On Your Integration

Sometimes, a person coming into the environment can feel like they are out of their depth. It’s important that you, as an employer, but also as a professional, employ your soft skills. If you are a business that’s not used to working with external resources, consider making a bit more effort to integrate them into the environment. Not only will this make it easier on them, but it will also result in better work.

Alerting Everyone To The Changes

Whether it’s your customers or the employees that work remotely, if there are going to be changes in process or there are people coming on board that will make considerable alterations to the fabric of the company, it’s your duty to keep everybody in the loop. Alerting everyone to the changes is common courtesy.

Helping Them Focus On The Work

If they are integrated, now you have to ensure that your needs are met. It is important that you treat them as you would your other employees, that is, ensuring they follow everything accordingly. If they are on board to do a short-term task, it’s important that deadlines are met. Not only is it for the benefit of the business, but it’s a service you’re paying through the nose for so it’s in your best interests to implement deadlines. There are some tips on Lifehack.org to help you meet deadlines in an effective manner, but when you are integrating someone new into the organisation, you have to allow a little bit of time for them to get used to the environment, but then it’s time to work!

Bringing someone new in to work on a project, whether it’s short-term or for the foreseeable future, can show us what we are lacking, not just in business, but also in terms of our processes. That extra person onboard can provide us with unique insights into pretty much everything, but it’s also beneficial because they get the job done. And even if it is a short term task, don’t feel that this person is just a “temporary” worker. You need to treat them with the same respect as you would your permanent employees.

Going An Extra Mile In Their Shoes: Making Employees…

Running an efficient business isn’t without its challenges, not least when it comes to your employees. You need to ensure that you motivate them in the right way, but if you micromanage, or become more dictatorial in your dealings, this will backfire on you. What is the priority for your employees? Making them feel secure in the organisation and within their roles. This isn’t as difficult as you would think. In fact, it takes a handful of simple components that work together as a whole.

Ensuring You Know What You’re Doing!

No employee wants to feel like they’re working in an unstable organization. It all stems from you, not just in terms of how you lead, but providing everything that adds up to show you know what you’re doing. In small organisations, we can make mistakes on a regular basis, but what’s important is that we learn from them. When it comes to regulatory compliance or the legal rules, we can find them to be a frustrating aspect that we have to pay lip service to. But there are so many resources out there that can help you. Websites like QuestCover.com provide health and safety training services, so it’s not just making sure that you keep on top of the compliance, but also this can contribute to a feeling of security in your employees.

Making Them Feel Special

Your employees need to feel that they are part of the team. If you have an employee that’s not secure in their surroundings, this will filter into their work and productivity and will develop a negative mindset. It’s important that you recognise your employees for their efforts and ensure that they are doing it for a real purpose. Go out of your way to show your appreciation; it’s a little thing, but it works wonders.

Honesty And Integrity

Nobody likes being lied to. It’s important for you as a leader, and for the business as a whole, to bring a sense of honesty and integrity to everything you do. An open door policy is one of those things that go a long way to help with this. You can find out more information on establishing an open door policy on Insperity.com to get you started. And an open door policy from the perspective of an employee shows you are a boss that’s hands-on. These days, a holistic method of operating is essential and this is one component that pushes you in that direction.

Providing Them With Progression

While it’s important to provide your employees with the perks of the job, they want to feel within the organisation that there is actually scope for progression. It’s very rare that employees decide that they want to stay where they are for the rest of their career. People join an organisation in the hope that they can progress up the ranks, and it should be a natural part of their life in your business because nobody wants to stay stagnant in one role for 20 or 30 years.

It’s not just about peace of mind; it’s about showing your employees that you’re willing to go that extra mile so they will stick by you, especially when times are tough.

Giving Your Small Business A More Professional Image

Small businesses can be great for numerous reasons. People who work with small businesses can have more confidence in them, as they usually have more time to dedicate to clients, and the service is far more personalised and tailored than the service that would be provided by a big corporation. Of course, this depends on the actual business and what they offer – but more often than not, you’ll find this is the case. The only issue with small businesses is that they can seem a little less professional than big corporations from time to time. We’re going to talk more about what you can do to give your small business a more professional image. Take a look if this is something you’re interested in!

Have A Professional Mailing Address/Virtual Office

Even if you work from home in your bedroom, getting a professional mailing address or even a virtual office can make your business seem bigger than it is. You could even get an address in a prestigious area, leading clients to believe that you are bigger than you are. This could help you to land bigger clients. At the very least, you should have a professional email address and phone number.

Have Somebody Take Your Calls

You shouldn’t be missing calls from clients. You should have somebody take your calls, even if it’s a virtual assistant. You don’t have to know them in person, as long as they are reliable and able to take messages for you. Making sure somebody is always there to take messages will make it seem like your company cares.

Create A Strong Online Presence

A strong online presence always does a lot to boost your image. Ensure you have a high quality, professionally designed site. The site should have accurate pictures and product descriptions, be easy to use, easy to check out, and have other features that are suitable for your target audience. You should also have social media profiles. Know where you’ll find your audience and ensure you have profiles set up there. If you haven’t got anybody to take care of social media for you, make sure you choose the most effective platform and have a plan in place to manage it. You’ll get overwhelmed if you try to manage 3 social media platforms yourself. Later on down the line, you could consider getting a social media manager.

Ensure Your Business Premises Are Up To Scratch

Your image is communicated in everything, from how you interact with people to the appearance of your premises. If you have a physical premises, make sure it suits your brand and that it’s clean and tidy. Looking for Industrial cleaning services is a better idea than doing it yourself.

Add Value And Share Your Expertise

Make sure you don’t just sell. Aim to add value to your audience by sharing your expertise for free. You’ll become known as an expert in your niche and attract more people. Adding as much value as possible is key to looking professional.