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Productivity Perfection: Boost Workflow In The Office

You might have snagged yourself incredible workers for your business, but at the end of the day these people are only human. They’re going to get ill, have their off days or suffer with a decrease in motivation at times. Thankfully, there are things that you can do to boost morale in the workplace, make it a pleasant place to work and ensure that everything is being done to naturally improve productivity. Here are some ideas!

Have an Office Refit

It makes sense that a dull and dingy office is going to lead to decreased mood, and in turn, lower productivity. Simply by sprucing up the space you can make a huge difference to your workflow. Repaint the walls and replace carpets, change around the layout and add plants which have been shown by psychologists to boost productivity in the workplace. Invest in ergonomically designed desks and chairs for comfort, and good storage systems. If you don’t want to tackle your next office refit yourself, could always enlist a specialist workspace project resourcing firm such as Formation Group. They will have the skills and experience to do the best job so you can rest easy that your office will be up to scratch. It’s a simple yet effective change you can make to your business.

Book Team Building Events

As well as each of your staff members working well individually, they need to be able to work together as a team too. Business is all about teamwork, it’s lots of different components all coming together to work as one- much like a complex machine. For this reason, team building activities can be really useful. They’re a fun and lighthearted way for people to get to know each other, and in turn this can lead to better communication and workflow in the office. Lots of companies up and down the country offer this, so it’s something you could look into. Even things like offering the occasional free lunch or dinner is a great way to get staff members together and can help them to feel valued in the company.

Be an Attentive Boss

If you’re an approachable boss, the kind of person that your employees feel comfortable speaking to then this can be extremely helpful. As the boss you’re running things from the top, you don’t necessarily see the day to day workings of the business and can be unaware of any problems. If your staff feel happy opening up to you, they could let you know about any problems, workplace bullying or other issues that would have otherwise slipped under your radar but reduced productivity. Of course, you will want to maintain professional boundaries, but being understanding instead of overly harsh or strict is the best way to go. Take any comments your staff make to you on board, you could even implement an anonymous system. Complaints and problems shouldn’t be overlooked, these are things that would be massively slowing business in the long run.

Taking A Business Into The Digital World

The word digital is often associated with the idea of modernisation, and when you discount a lot of the negative connotations that has about it, it’s actually a very efficient business move to make! Maybe you’ve just come into a new job heading up a team in a business where paper records are in the thousands, or maybe you’ve inherited something that’s in desperate need of even a single computer around the office.

Either way, making a business more accessible is one thing, but making it easier to use for everyone involved all round is another, and a lot of health and safety considerations simply fall into place afterwards. Here’s a couple of tips on moving more and more into the 21st century.

Look Around a Little First

Even if you know your way around a tower system and Microsoft Excel, it’s still going to be a good idea to do some research before settling on the solution for you. There’s a lot of competing softwares out there, and getting the best price for your business from the get go is going to save you a lot of money in the long run.

Take Customers into Consideration

If you know the shopping habits of the people you sell to, you’re going to make a lot better investment on your modernisation technique. Maybe most of your customers find you through the web; that means it’d be a great idea to set up an online retailer for them to shop through!

Similarly, if most people walk through your doors to find the products they need, make sure you’re servicing them as fast as you can. Remove queuing from the basket and take the cashpoint to them to make a sale on the spot.

Ensure Your Outward Face is Ready Upon Launch

First impressions mean a great deal when it comes to doing business over the internet. Your website will be a vital part of how you connect with clients and customers. It’s important that it both looks attractive, and that it is as easy to use as possible. Consult with a web designer and test out every page yourself before launching your business digitally. This will ensure you don’t run into any teething problems that could cost you valuable customers.

It’s also vital to make sure the branding on your website fits with your company as a whole. Think of it as the front of a shop on a high street: this is where you need to sell your wares to the greatest effect, in order to entice potential customers into your business.

You Don’t Have to Be an Expert!

This is a trick missed by a lot of people running their own company or in management positions, as the corporate world often demands expertise of us even in matters that are of no consequence at the end of the day.

To sort through your computer needs, make sure you look into having a support service on your side whenever you need one; calling an IT helpline is going to save your operations at the end of the day! Try out a company such as the Carden IT Group, as a lot of packages can be tailored to your needs, and paying for what you don’t need is something that can break a business in two.

Always remember that even though statistical analysis isn’t your thing, it doesn’t have to be! That’s why we can hire on others and allow our employees to specialise in certain areas with a bit of training. It’s a good career move for anyone to make, and it allows your employees to flourish under your care: the mark of a good business!

Taking a business further with a little bit of technology is always worth it, but make sure you know what you’re doing from the first.

5 Things Small Business Owners Often Overlook

When you are a small business owner, there are so many different things that you have to consider in the successful running of your company. It is almost guaranteed that you are going to forget one or two of them. Well, in this article, we are going to check out a few of the most commonly overlooked aspects of running a business to find out whether or not you have considered them. Either this will give you peace of mind that you have these things sorted or it will give you a timely reminder to get on top of them!

Legal Representation

You never know when legal representation may come in useful during the life of your business, but they can provide you with advice that proves to be invaluable somewhere down the line. Try to get as many free consultations as you can so you can weigh up all the options available to you. If you can choose one that specialises in your specific area of business, this is even better as you can be more assured that they have the relevant experience and credentials.

Employee Retention

When you start running a business, often so much thought goes into hiring employees in the first place that you don’t consider retaining them so much. At some point down the line, you need to entice them with more than just a basic salary by offering benefits such as holidays, retirement plans, and other perks of the job. You should also consider building flexibility into the job as this is something that more and more employees are after.

Insurance Costs

Of course, it is always a good idea to be optimistic in business, but times will inevitably get tough somewhere along the road. So, cover your assets when disaster strikes by ensuring that you have all the relevant types of insurance. Make sure that you are covered for all the different eventualities and circumstances that may occur as the last thing that you want to find is that you aren’t covered.

Software Tools

Software is such an integral part of the modern business, and there are so many tools out there that can make your life that little bit easier. HR Management Software will cover this often overlooked aspect of business, while accountancy software will ensure that your finances are taken care of systematically. Choose the software carefully by checking out what people are saying online or speaking to other business owners who already use it.

Customer Payments

Surprising as it may seem, many business owners are not as focused as they need to be about making sure that they get paid on time. All your invoices need to have clear payment dates, and you should be on top of all of them so that customers aren’t taking you for a ride.

If you have read through this list and feel like you are overlooking any of these things, now is the time to make a change to ensure that successful running of your business.