Ask any restaurant owner what part of their job they love the most and they will be happy to rattle off a string of them! Meeting new people and interacting with the guests, trying out new dishes and spicing up the menu, offering a great dining experience to all those who visit and creating a wonderful working atmosphere for all employees. Ask them what causes them the greatest frustration and the answer will surprise you - it is not the picky guests or the hard-to-please critics but the employee scheduling!
Though this may sound simple enough, ask a restaurant owner, manager, chef or any other industry professional and they will attest how complex it can be to schedule employees taking into account their individual constraints, to avoid conflicting shifts and to take into account sudden changes. In fact, they will tell you that all the hours spent in just scheduling various shifts could have been spent more productively in improving the quality of the service offered to customers and hence in improving their business.
Well, they do not have to worry any more. 86shifts.com (http://www.86shifts.com) is an online restaurant management software that makes life easier by allowing for automated employee scheduling. It has very quickly built a reputation as one of the most user-friendly software that has all the powerful features of any sophisticated scheduling software but without the added complications. In fact, 86shifts.com engages the entire restaurant staff, giving them a fun and easy way to make changes in their schedules as also to communicate amongst themselves and with the managers. Naturally, this restaurant scheduler leads to schedules that are better managed, happier employees, and more satisfied guests.
86shifts.com has all the features a good online restaurant employee scheduling software should have -
Schedule management online is now possible for managers who can post the schedule of employees online, who in turn can view it in advance and put in a request if they would like any changes. Since this schedule can be seen at any time, there is no excuse for anyone forgetting a shift.
Employees can view each other's shifts and thereby easily put in requests for trading of shifts. These requests are immediately forwarded to the manager for approval. This avoids cancellations and staff not turning up for duty and certainly last-minute confusion over whose shift it actually was. The restaurant scheduler of 86shifts.com makes it possible for employees to access their schedule at any time so as to avoid conflict and confusion.
Important documents such as the menu or the employee handbook can be uploaded online. Using the restaurant management software of 86shifts.com one can easily access, view and print any of these documents, making it possible to avoid paper trails.
Employee schedule management online is now not only easy but also fun through 86shifts.com. This online restaurant employee scheduling software takes off all the daily pressures of creating shifts and covering for absences from managers while giving employees the convenience to trade shifts. A restaurant that uses 86shifts.com is bound to have more satisfied and motivated employees leading to a smoothly functioning business.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Children's Boutique
Some people are obsessed with fashion and open up their own clothing boutiques. But some people are expressly interested in children's clothing. Kids' clothes can be so cute and boutique clothing is becoming increasingly popular with young parents. They see their child as a reflection of themselves. In today's world of clothing and identity going hand in hand, parents are looking to make sure that their children are as stylish as they are.
Children's clothes sell all year long. Seasonal spikes are bound to happen, but kids are always outgrowing clothes. They have weddings to go to, birthday parties, they need church clothes, and school clothes. There are so many opportunities to sell to the same customer over and over. Plus, a lot of your advertising should be done for you.
Parents talk, create networks, and support groups. They are eager to let each other know about special deals, the latest in baby gear, and that cute little boutique where Abby got that adorable watermelon dress. Parents are more likely to go out of their way to buy clothing for their kids than they are for themselves. Parents love to make their kids stand out in the crowd so that they can brag and hear all the "ooohs" and "ahhhs" going around the room.
When you decide to open a children's boutique, make sure that you keep all of these things in mind. A parent buying a dress for a little girl looks for a lot of things. The style has to be cute, unique, well-made, and they may want to personalize.
Having an embroidery service to work with can bring in lots of extra cash. You can offer special items that are meant for monogramming. Some parents may be interested in airbrushing or having their child's name painted or screen printed on certain things. Make sure that you establish good working relationships with the companies that you will use if you offer these services.
Set up the store to show parents that you have the unique items that they are after. One good move is to have your baby clothes facing out towards the customer. Don't cram them and hide their details by using all round garment racks in your boutique. Use a flat retail display, like slatwall, so that people can easily browse your products.
You can use slatwall panels to create free-standing displays as well. This is helpful in a boutique because you can change the shape and size very easily. Slatwall accessories are easy to manipulate to create that special slatwall display that is sure to help you make a name for yourself.
Last but not least, be considerate of parents' needs. Leave enough room between your displays so that parents can fit strollers through. Provide a lot of seating throughout for women that are pregnant. Strategically place activity tables for children near displays that you want parents to stop and look at. Clearly label restrooms or areas where mothers can nurse. These few things will keep parents very happy about shopping at your children's boutique.
Children's clothes sell all year long. Seasonal spikes are bound to happen, but kids are always outgrowing clothes. They have weddings to go to, birthday parties, they need church clothes, and school clothes. There are so many opportunities to sell to the same customer over and over. Plus, a lot of your advertising should be done for you.
Parents talk, create networks, and support groups. They are eager to let each other know about special deals, the latest in baby gear, and that cute little boutique where Abby got that adorable watermelon dress. Parents are more likely to go out of their way to buy clothing for their kids than they are for themselves. Parents love to make their kids stand out in the crowd so that they can brag and hear all the "ooohs" and "ahhhs" going around the room.
When you decide to open a children's boutique, make sure that you keep all of these things in mind. A parent buying a dress for a little girl looks for a lot of things. The style has to be cute, unique, well-made, and they may want to personalize.
Having an embroidery service to work with can bring in lots of extra cash. You can offer special items that are meant for monogramming. Some parents may be interested in airbrushing or having their child's name painted or screen printed on certain things. Make sure that you establish good working relationships with the companies that you will use if you offer these services.
Set up the store to show parents that you have the unique items that they are after. One good move is to have your baby clothes facing out towards the customer. Don't cram them and hide their details by using all round garment racks in your boutique. Use a flat retail display, like slatwall, so that people can easily browse your products.
You can use slatwall panels to create free-standing displays as well. This is helpful in a boutique because you can change the shape and size very easily. Slatwall accessories are easy to manipulate to create that special slatwall display that is sure to help you make a name for yourself.
Last but not least, be considerate of parents' needs. Leave enough room between your displays so that parents can fit strollers through. Provide a lot of seating throughout for women that are pregnant. Strategically place activity tables for children near displays that you want parents to stop and look at. Clearly label restrooms or areas where mothers can nurse. These few things will keep parents very happy about shopping at your children's boutique.
Retail Salesperson
Whether you are a salesperson looking to improve your sales or a boutique owner looking to hire effective salespeople, these tips can help. If you look closely at the management of a store, how they relate to their salespeople, and how the sales staff relates to the customer, you can start to see some qualities that are present across the board. Studying these traits can help you to improve your sales skills and teach others how to improve their skills as well.
1) When satisfied customers are interviewed, they usually mention a few of the same things that they liked about their shopping experience. The first thing that they will usually say is that they thought the sales staff was friendly and not oppressive. Being friendly is important because your attitude is a reflection on the store. People make judgments about you and your store the second they lay eyes on you. If you're smiling, you're off to a good start.
2) Being able to see the customer's side of things is an important skill to master. Let them do most of the talking and listen intently. Drop whatever you are doing and give them your full attention. Try to talk conversationally with them. Do not drop sales lines or try to sway their opinion. Agree with them as much as you can without seeming like you are just trying to butter them up. Don't overdo it, just talk to them on their level.
3) Don't get defensive if someone has an objection or complaint. Take full responsibility, apologize and then offer a solution. If you can't solve their problem, admit it and then let them know that you want to help. Take the issue to a supervisor or manager that can help to make the problem right.
4) Be knowledgeable about every product possible. Customers really appreciate their questions being answered by someone who really cares enough to know a lot about a product or brand. Don't be afraid to point out negative qualities from time to time. You'll gain the trust of the customer, possibly for life.
5) Offer information. If you see that someone is interested in a certain brand or product, calmly tell them something that you know that makes the product unique. Don't hound them, following them around talking about everything that they look at, but offer valuable information if they seem like they are trying to make a decision.
6) Keep the store neat as you work. Keeping your garment racks and displays fully stocked will make customers feel like you care about them finding what they need. Don't overstock, however, because a crowded garment rack or display makes customers feel like you are trying to get rid of as much merchandise as possible and they may not feel like looking through everything that you have.
1) When satisfied customers are interviewed, they usually mention a few of the same things that they liked about their shopping experience. The first thing that they will usually say is that they thought the sales staff was friendly and not oppressive. Being friendly is important because your attitude is a reflection on the store. People make judgments about you and your store the second they lay eyes on you. If you're smiling, you're off to a good start.
2) Being able to see the customer's side of things is an important skill to master. Let them do most of the talking and listen intently. Drop whatever you are doing and give them your full attention. Try to talk conversationally with them. Do not drop sales lines or try to sway their opinion. Agree with them as much as you can without seeming like you are just trying to butter them up. Don't overdo it, just talk to them on their level.
3) Don't get defensive if someone has an objection or complaint. Take full responsibility, apologize and then offer a solution. If you can't solve their problem, admit it and then let them know that you want to help. Take the issue to a supervisor or manager that can help to make the problem right.
4) Be knowledgeable about every product possible. Customers really appreciate their questions being answered by someone who really cares enough to know a lot about a product or brand. Don't be afraid to point out negative qualities from time to time. You'll gain the trust of the customer, possibly for life.
5) Offer information. If you see that someone is interested in a certain brand or product, calmly tell them something that you know that makes the product unique. Don't hound them, following them around talking about everything that they look at, but offer valuable information if they seem like they are trying to make a decision.
6) Keep the store neat as you work. Keeping your garment racks and displays fully stocked will make customers feel like you care about them finding what they need. Don't overstock, however, because a crowded garment rack or display makes customers feel like you are trying to get rid of as much merchandise as possible and they may not feel like looking through everything that you have.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
More Creative Team
Humans work in different way than animals do. In the jungle, we often find animals teaming up with each other. Maybe they have a purpose for setting up those teams too. They may be banding together for food, shelter or protection, and that's what keeps them together. Now, this is a common element with human teams in corporate establishments too. Or is it?
We do find a lot of teams in a lot of organizations that are set up just for the sake of setting them up. It is quite pitiful that most of these team members and even some of the team leaders helming these teams don't have clarity of purpose. They don't know why these people have been put together and given to them to manage, but that's a crying shame!
That may be one aspect in which our corporate human teams are worse than animal teams in the Sahara.
But, thankfully, this can be overcome. Our teams can be much stronger than animal teams and, when you extrapolate that thought, you see that our teams can become more productive and creative-not like animal teams that have a single purpose day in and day out, week in and week out.
The best thing is that human teams can be made to focus. Today, 'focus' has become the guru mantra for teams all over the business world. Without concentrating on the goals at hand, it is quite unlikely that any team will make their progress, and it is definitely a long shot before the goals will be achieved.
Make your team focus. This process begins with giving the proper goals to work on. There shouldn't be any ambiguity about what you or your organization wants. Tell them how the organization will benefit when those goals will be met. Tell them how they will benefit. This helps them focus.
Throughout the duration of the team, make sure to check on their progress. Correct members that are disengaged and reward engaged members. Set examples of things that have happened the way they should and prevent your team from sidetracking into inconsequential issues.
When you generate the right focus in your team, your team is able to think more creatively. They know what they want; this gives them the liberty to be more innovative about goal accomplishment and you will be most times surprised at what suggestions may come forth. So, try it out-be clear with your team, create the right amount of focus in them and see how they begin putting their best feet forward.
We do find a lot of teams in a lot of organizations that are set up just for the sake of setting them up. It is quite pitiful that most of these team members and even some of the team leaders helming these teams don't have clarity of purpose. They don't know why these people have been put together and given to them to manage, but that's a crying shame!
That may be one aspect in which our corporate human teams are worse than animal teams in the Sahara.
But, thankfully, this can be overcome. Our teams can be much stronger than animal teams and, when you extrapolate that thought, you see that our teams can become more productive and creative-not like animal teams that have a single purpose day in and day out, week in and week out.
The best thing is that human teams can be made to focus. Today, 'focus' has become the guru mantra for teams all over the business world. Without concentrating on the goals at hand, it is quite unlikely that any team will make their progress, and it is definitely a long shot before the goals will be achieved.
Make your team focus. This process begins with giving the proper goals to work on. There shouldn't be any ambiguity about what you or your organization wants. Tell them how the organization will benefit when those goals will be met. Tell them how they will benefit. This helps them focus.
Throughout the duration of the team, make sure to check on their progress. Correct members that are disengaged and reward engaged members. Set examples of things that have happened the way they should and prevent your team from sidetracking into inconsequential issues.
When you generate the right focus in your team, your team is able to think more creatively. They know what they want; this gives them the liberty to be more innovative about goal accomplishment and you will be most times surprised at what suggestions may come forth. So, try it out-be clear with your team, create the right amount of focus in them and see how they begin putting their best feet forward.
Corporate Coaching
If you think the people in your organization or, rather, your organization itself has a potential to go much ahead but there are obvious or not obvious roadblocks holding it back, then probably you can make use of corporate coaching to unleash its potential to the hilt.
Corporate coaching isn't just another form of coaching-this is a deeply motivational and inspirational form of training that helps people helming a particular organization to inspire and lead their subordinates to achieve their goals. Personal coaching is all about the individual...whether CEO, Sr mgr or line manager. A good corporate coaching session can teach executives how to maximize potential and productivity without seeming too forceful on the people working with or under them. In this way, though corporate coaching might be done for a handful few people in an organization, it does send its shock waves throughout the organization, and hence has an effect over the way the entire organization begins to perform.
Now, if you are planning to have a corporate coaching session for the key players in your organization, you'd be better off knowing that there are various forms in which this coaching can be conducted. The best way-and the most common way-is to have highly charged onetime sessions such as workshops or seminars for a group of executives. You could have such sessions when a particular policy is being implemented or when a new goal is being defined. The corporate coach could train the leaders in your organization what they can do in order to maximize the output of subordinates and thus ensure that the goal is not flouted upon.
Corporate coaching works best when only a few people are trained at a time. This allows almost everyone present at the session to speak up. The coach can then identify individual detrimental factors that might be wasting time, money or other kinds of resources for the organization and bring out solutions. Hence, never make the mistake of inviting a large number of people for a corporate coaching session.
The time between two corporate coaching sessions is also important. These sessions could prove to be a shot in the arm when your group's motivation is sagging. Having half-yearly or even quarterly sessions is a good idea. In any case, you must plan out such sessions during milestone policy making moments in your organization. Increasingly monthly coaching is most productive...with a minimum of at least a 6 month commitment.
Corporate coaching isn't just another form of coaching-this is a deeply motivational and inspirational form of training that helps people helming a particular organization to inspire and lead their subordinates to achieve their goals. Personal coaching is all about the individual...whether CEO, Sr mgr or line manager. A good corporate coaching session can teach executives how to maximize potential and productivity without seeming too forceful on the people working with or under them. In this way, though corporate coaching might be done for a handful few people in an organization, it does send its shock waves throughout the organization, and hence has an effect over the way the entire organization begins to perform.
Now, if you are planning to have a corporate coaching session for the key players in your organization, you'd be better off knowing that there are various forms in which this coaching can be conducted. The best way-and the most common way-is to have highly charged onetime sessions such as workshops or seminars for a group of executives. You could have such sessions when a particular policy is being implemented or when a new goal is being defined. The corporate coach could train the leaders in your organization what they can do in order to maximize the output of subordinates and thus ensure that the goal is not flouted upon.
Corporate coaching works best when only a few people are trained at a time. This allows almost everyone present at the session to speak up. The coach can then identify individual detrimental factors that might be wasting time, money or other kinds of resources for the organization and bring out solutions. Hence, never make the mistake of inviting a large number of people for a corporate coaching session.
The time between two corporate coaching sessions is also important. These sessions could prove to be a shot in the arm when your group's motivation is sagging. Having half-yearly or even quarterly sessions is a good idea. In any case, you must plan out such sessions during milestone policy making moments in your organization. Increasingly monthly coaching is most productive...with a minimum of at least a 6 month commitment.
Noise Than Focus
Noise is when it seems to you-or to anyone-that constructive work is going on, but at the bottom of it all, it is all a hollow turbulence that doesn't do anything productive for anyone. We have seen this happening in some of the largest corporate establishments today. On the face of it, any outsider might feel impressed by the professionalism of the establishment, but little do they know that all that external buzz is just a disorganized faade, put up with the intention of covering their lack of productive work.
The biggest problem with noise in a business team is that you don't understand it exists. Noise can camouflage itself and appear to be a high degree of activity. You could be misled into believing that work is actually happening until it is too late. That is all the more reason why you should find out if noise exists right at the start and snub it out.
These are the five indicators that can tell you your team is full of noise and there is no focus among the members.
A team that makes a lot of noise will be quite unclear about the basic objectives that it is supposed to chase. You could ask them-test them rather-about their knowledge of these main goals. If they don't know even the top three objectives clearly, then this team is of no productive use at the moment.
The second indicator is whether your team is aware of the kind of progress that it is making towards realizing those goals, however small it might be. Every person on a team should be aware of what's happening with the team as a whole.
A team that is easily distracted will definitely not be fruitful to you. This is a very good way to determine that your team lacks focus.
If you find that your team is using its energies in areas that are outside the main goal fulfillment that has been set in front of them, then you are dealing with a disorganized team. You need to quickly put things in order.
Check your team in terms of their commitment levels. If you find that their commitment is lacking, you need them to tighten their belts.
Noise can corrode a team from within. The external impression of a lot of activity is quite detrimental, because it keeps real goal achievement away. Snub out such elements when you still have time, or your entire team could pass into oblivion.
The biggest problem with noise in a business team is that you don't understand it exists. Noise can camouflage itself and appear to be a high degree of activity. You could be misled into believing that work is actually happening until it is too late. That is all the more reason why you should find out if noise exists right at the start and snub it out.
These are the five indicators that can tell you your team is full of noise and there is no focus among the members.
A team that makes a lot of noise will be quite unclear about the basic objectives that it is supposed to chase. You could ask them-test them rather-about their knowledge of these main goals. If they don't know even the top three objectives clearly, then this team is of no productive use at the moment.
The second indicator is whether your team is aware of the kind of progress that it is making towards realizing those goals, however small it might be. Every person on a team should be aware of what's happening with the team as a whole.
A team that is easily distracted will definitely not be fruitful to you. This is a very good way to determine that your team lacks focus.
If you find that your team is using its energies in areas that are outside the main goal fulfillment that has been set in front of them, then you are dealing with a disorganized team. You need to quickly put things in order.
Check your team in terms of their commitment levels. If you find that their commitment is lacking, you need them to tighten their belts.
Noise can corrode a team from within. The external impression of a lot of activity is quite detrimental, because it keeps real goal achievement away. Snub out such elements when you still have time, or your entire team could pass into oblivion.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Effective Team Building
Corporate leaders look for strong team building event ideas that will tear down the walls that we build between divisions, departments, even cubicles. Those corporate leaders have a great deal in common with one of the world's best communicators. Ronald Reagan told the world, tear down those walls. Hammer in hand the walls came tumbling down, reuniting a world torn apart by differences in philosophy. Immediately, warring factions began communicating.
Mis-communication or no communication is very costly to corporations, both in loss of production hours and duplication of efforts. In fact researchers at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, at Maryland University, put a 12 billion dollar price tag on what poor communication costs American hospitals per year. That is a staggering waste of money that could be put into salaries, programs or training. Smart corporate leaders look for ways to improve communication by seeking out new team building events. Idea driven events that will help their staff tear down walls that thwart communication.
Ridding corporations of communication silos can open lines of communication and save the bottom line. When people learn how to tear down the walls, they begin to communicate better. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I was leading a Build-A-Bike(R) team building event for a big company in Indiana, and like many companies, one of the challenges that they were having was getting people to fully communicate, to see the big picture. They had to work together to solve clues, and at the same time recognize and capitalize on individual strengths that could win them a bike part. In other words, break down communication silos. They quickly learned the value of communicating in a world without walls.
Opening lines of communication spawns creative opportunities that no one dreamed of. No one dreamed of the opportunities because the group was busy erecting walls. Effective team-building events, bring analytical and expressive together, one balancing the other. Anthony Robbins says, "To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others."
When one person's idea is shared with others, it becomes a bigger idea, splinters, and turns into ideas. The ideas morph into Big Ideas and participants understand the real value of knocking down the silo walls.
A perfectly functioning company does not "just happen." It takes work, bringing teams together in the name of communication, compatibility and cohesiveness. It is simple really. All you have to do is be open and learn how to "break down the walls."
Mis-communication or no communication is very costly to corporations, both in loss of production hours and duplication of efforts. In fact researchers at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, at Maryland University, put a 12 billion dollar price tag on what poor communication costs American hospitals per year. That is a staggering waste of money that could be put into salaries, programs or training. Smart corporate leaders look for ways to improve communication by seeking out new team building events. Idea driven events that will help their staff tear down walls that thwart communication.
Ridding corporations of communication silos can open lines of communication and save the bottom line. When people learn how to tear down the walls, they begin to communicate better. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I was leading a Build-A-Bike(R) team building event for a big company in Indiana, and like many companies, one of the challenges that they were having was getting people to fully communicate, to see the big picture. They had to work together to solve clues, and at the same time recognize and capitalize on individual strengths that could win them a bike part. In other words, break down communication silos. They quickly learned the value of communicating in a world without walls.
Opening lines of communication spawns creative opportunities that no one dreamed of. No one dreamed of the opportunities because the group was busy erecting walls. Effective team-building events, bring analytical and expressive together, one balancing the other. Anthony Robbins says, "To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others."
When one person's idea is shared with others, it becomes a bigger idea, splinters, and turns into ideas. The ideas morph into Big Ideas and participants understand the real value of knocking down the silo walls.
A perfectly functioning company does not "just happen." It takes work, bringing teams together in the name of communication, compatibility and cohesiveness. It is simple really. All you have to do is be open and learn how to "break down the walls."
completes at jobs
Looking for a job?Use our jobs and careers pages to find information on jobs in every field and sector as per your needs and requirement. Jobs4newcastle.co.uk is a fantastic source of getting a jobs in newcastle with the help of us you will get your dream job in new castle as we are one of the leading job provider and we keep in view all the neccesary needs for you while taking providing careers advice and information on training and development opportunity.Jobs in newcastle works with organisations across the city to help and support the unemployed.Here you will find hundreds of job vacancies and perfect job as per your glance in all sectors of industry you are more likely to find something suitable.
As more and more people continue to lose their jobs, have their hours cut or have to work two jobs even, vacations start to seem more and more likely, just when we need it the most. Well, there is light at the end of the tunnel if you are in need of a vacation.Newcastle jobs area, offers a great quality of life with the dream job you are looking for.Living in Newcastle there is a sense that life is for enjoyment.It is a great place to live if you can find a job that pays a good enough salary to allow you to be able to save.
These days Newcastle has a robust and diverse economy and is a centre of business and culture with employment opportunities spanning all sectors.If you are looking for a job you are going to get it very easily here with the help of us as we deal in all types of jobs in newcastle.The jobs which are provided by us for you are fully according to your qualification level and requirements and this is done keeping in view your preffered needs and todays demand.Job provided by us will give you complete satisfaction in terms of salary, environment, staff you are looking for and which can make your dream comes true at jobs newcastle .The comfort and coziness which you will feel here with newcastle jobs will definately make you feel a heavenly pleasure .
The jobs in newcastle are in a huge number to make choice but at the same its also very difficult for you to choose the best according to your choice, so you can contact us and we will guide you how can you get the best one according to your choice with the right determination and attitude.
So for the successful career that pays you a salary better than you could ever have imagined, we are here at your figure tip for jobs newcastle and you can easily get it with the guidence and sources provided by us.We believe in our people. Our team is sharp, driven, innovative and fun and strives to offer a first class service to our clients and candidates.
Lastly it can be straight forwardly said that we provides you better opportunity to meet your needs to get a job in newcastle and you can get your dream job according to your choice with the help of us.We are the one which are dedicated in providing a first class service to Graduates and people of Graduate Caliber in their search for employment. We are a well established dynamic company based in newcastle to make available well reputated newcastle jobs.
If you are looking for jobs in Newcastle, then http://www.Jobs4newcastle.co.uk is the one stop online resource for you.Whatever work you’re looking for, jobs newcastle can help you find the perfect job.Our website that would thoroughly recommend you the desired newcastle jobs and ultimately your amazing career and life will came true.You'll also find the best customer service in the industry and non stop support whenever you need it.
As more and more people continue to lose their jobs, have their hours cut or have to work two jobs even, vacations start to seem more and more likely, just when we need it the most. Well, there is light at the end of the tunnel if you are in need of a vacation.Newcastle jobs area, offers a great quality of life with the dream job you are looking for.Living in Newcastle there is a sense that life is for enjoyment.It is a great place to live if you can find a job that pays a good enough salary to allow you to be able to save.
These days Newcastle has a robust and diverse economy and is a centre of business and culture with employment opportunities spanning all sectors.If you are looking for a job you are going to get it very easily here with the help of us as we deal in all types of jobs in newcastle.The jobs which are provided by us for you are fully according to your qualification level and requirements and this is done keeping in view your preffered needs and todays demand.Job provided by us will give you complete satisfaction in terms of salary, environment, staff you are looking for and which can make your dream comes true at jobs newcastle .The comfort and coziness which you will feel here with newcastle jobs will definately make you feel a heavenly pleasure .
The jobs in newcastle are in a huge number to make choice but at the same its also very difficult for you to choose the best according to your choice, so you can contact us and we will guide you how can you get the best one according to your choice with the right determination and attitude.
So for the successful career that pays you a salary better than you could ever have imagined, we are here at your figure tip for jobs newcastle and you can easily get it with the guidence and sources provided by us.We believe in our people. Our team is sharp, driven, innovative and fun and strives to offer a first class service to our clients and candidates.
Lastly it can be straight forwardly said that we provides you better opportunity to meet your needs to get a job in newcastle and you can get your dream job according to your choice with the help of us.We are the one which are dedicated in providing a first class service to Graduates and people of Graduate Caliber in their search for employment. We are a well established dynamic company based in newcastle to make available well reputated newcastle jobs.
If you are looking for jobs in Newcastle, then http://www.Jobs4newcastle.co.uk is the one stop online resource for you.Whatever work you’re looking for, jobs newcastle can help you find the perfect job.Our website that would thoroughly recommend you the desired newcastle jobs and ultimately your amazing career and life will came true.You'll also find the best customer service in the industry and non stop support whenever you need it.
Advantages Of Company
When an individual is looking to determine a professional title concerning their business venture, there are a number of paths of identification to pursue including sole proprietorship, partnership and pty limited company. A sole proprietorship is the design of business many people find themselves concerned in though this title is accompanied by a large quantity of risks because of the regular amalgamation that is discovered between personal finances and business finances.
A partnership represents a company that's owned by several partners that work along for the benefit of their company. Partnership concerns are found with the hierarchy that is established in this business venture, clouding authority and spreading threat to several people as company and private finances merge.
What's recommended for many successful businesses is to incorporate a business so as to ascertain a true business structure and give monetary protection. Once you incorporate a business you help to develop a transparent structure of power in your company, inserting a transparent line in regards to who will make the ultimate choices together with divvying up tasks primarily based on position.
In addition, when you incorporate a business you're making a new entity within the eyes of the legal system that helps in creating the line that separates an individual’s business from a person’s personal finances. When you incorporate your business you will give protection to any or all of the individuals involved within the business in the event that something catastrophic happens causing you to claim liability.
Along with the structure and liability protection that is provided when you incorporate a business, a replacement feature is made that is not out there with sole proprietorship or partnership. In those traditional business formats you are directly responsible to your investors and also the refunding of any cash that is provided towards your business.
With business incorporation concerning a pty limited business you generate stocks that investors will purchase in the hope that the stock value increases as you achieve business success. With stocks, investors will buy and sell the stocks generated from your company incorporation leaving investment responsibility in the hands of stock investors which allows you to focus on your business success.
The leading reason that people do not pursue company incorporation is found with the legal issue that is involved in establishing this sort of pty limited company. Fortunately for people who still want the protections and safety that are found with company incorporation, the utilization of a expert helps to make the process simple.
A partnership represents a company that's owned by several partners that work along for the benefit of their company. Partnership concerns are found with the hierarchy that is established in this business venture, clouding authority and spreading threat to several people as company and private finances merge.
What's recommended for many successful businesses is to incorporate a business so as to ascertain a true business structure and give monetary protection. Once you incorporate a business you help to develop a transparent structure of power in your company, inserting a transparent line in regards to who will make the ultimate choices together with divvying up tasks primarily based on position.
In addition, when you incorporate a business you're making a new entity within the eyes of the legal system that helps in creating the line that separates an individual’s business from a person’s personal finances. When you incorporate your business you will give protection to any or all of the individuals involved within the business in the event that something catastrophic happens causing you to claim liability.
Along with the structure and liability protection that is provided when you incorporate a business, a replacement feature is made that is not out there with sole proprietorship or partnership. In those traditional business formats you are directly responsible to your investors and also the refunding of any cash that is provided towards your business.
With business incorporation concerning a pty limited business you generate stocks that investors will purchase in the hope that the stock value increases as you achieve business success. With stocks, investors will buy and sell the stocks generated from your company incorporation leaving investment responsibility in the hands of stock investors which allows you to focus on your business success.
The leading reason that people do not pursue company incorporation is found with the legal issue that is involved in establishing this sort of pty limited company. Fortunately for people who still want the protections and safety that are found with company incorporation, the utilization of a expert helps to make the process simple.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Employee Recognition
Honest appreciation is something we all desire, and something we are unlikely to forget. Praise for our efforts motivates and re-energizes our enthusiasm for our work. That is why employee recognition is so valuable in the workplace. Many companies take the time to recognize the efforts of employees on every level to boost morale and encourage camaraderie. In a time when few companies can afford high priced incentives, many employers are looking for ideas for employee recognitions.
Here are some fun ideas for employee recognition:
1. Creative and personal certificates of recognition
2. Hand written thank you notes
3. Mention employees in company newsletter
4. Support flexible hours when possible
5. Recognize those going above and beyond the call of duty by managers voting on Employee of the Month
6. Give Employee of the Month special recognition, certificate, and gift
7. Remember birthdays
8. Encourage those continuing their education
9. Day off for special recognition
10. Serve a "hero" sandwich to the employee going the extra mile on a project
11. Do random drawing for specific prizes
12. Randomly hide small gifts at workstations to be found during the day
13. Allow employee of the month to join you in your job to experience and learn more about the company
14. Recognize from the bottom up and eventually recognize everyone for something
15. Spring for professional business photos
16. Have lunch or breakfast together
17. Use company logo on cups, pens, jackets and more to use as recognition
18. Wash every employee's car
19. Provide one on one coaching
20. Spend time finding out a specific employee's desired career track
21. Give additional leadership roles
22. Write fun and interesting thank you notes on dry erase boards for staff
23. Set up a special coffee bar
24. Encourage others to praise their workmates
25. Set up a $20 tip of the day and draw the name of a winner
Every Company Should Incorporate Recognition
One of the pitfalls of many employee recognition programs is that it can cause bitterness between employees. However, by implementing a company-wide campaign that employs a wide range of ideas for employee recognition, every employee feels valued. When employers make it relevant, honest, and thoughtfully specific, it can encourage greater levels of cooperation, communication, and better job performance.
Here are some fun ideas for employee recognition:
1. Creative and personal certificates of recognition
2. Hand written thank you notes
3. Mention employees in company newsletter
4. Support flexible hours when possible
5. Recognize those going above and beyond the call of duty by managers voting on Employee of the Month
6. Give Employee of the Month special recognition, certificate, and gift
7. Remember birthdays
8. Encourage those continuing their education
9. Day off for special recognition
10. Serve a "hero" sandwich to the employee going the extra mile on a project
11. Do random drawing for specific prizes
12. Randomly hide small gifts at workstations to be found during the day
13. Allow employee of the month to join you in your job to experience and learn more about the company
14. Recognize from the bottom up and eventually recognize everyone for something
15. Spring for professional business photos
16. Have lunch or breakfast together
17. Use company logo on cups, pens, jackets and more to use as recognition
18. Wash every employee's car
19. Provide one on one coaching
20. Spend time finding out a specific employee's desired career track
21. Give additional leadership roles
22. Write fun and interesting thank you notes on dry erase boards for staff
23. Set up a special coffee bar
24. Encourage others to praise their workmates
25. Set up a $20 tip of the day and draw the name of a winner
Every Company Should Incorporate Recognition
One of the pitfalls of many employee recognition programs is that it can cause bitterness between employees. However, by implementing a company-wide campaign that employs a wide range of ideas for employee recognition, every employee feels valued. When employers make it relevant, honest, and thoughtfully specific, it can encourage greater levels of cooperation, communication, and better job performance.
Pre-Employment Screening
Pre-employment screening is a process of background investigation. Its purpose is to make an inquiry into the background of an individual with regards to civil, criminal, medical history, employment records, and credit score.
Sometimes the educational background is included, particularly, if it is an employment screening background check. Often, such background screening is requested by employers for applicants aspiring for high position, like in a school, government, financial institution, and airport.
The civil background checks include any civil cases filed by the job applicant or against the job applicant. The third-party agency doing the pre-employment screening may make telephone calls to various trial courts and inquire whether the job candidate has ever filed a lawsuit against his former employers.
In the United States, many individuals make a living by suing other people, including companies. Hence, companies may do well to be selective on their prospective employees. The Criminal Background check is quite general. It is also among the most serious categories in employment screening background check.
The purpose of criminal background check is to ensure that the company and all incumbent employees are safe from any physical and emotional harm. Calling the criminal courts or visiting them will prove helpful.
To grant access to someone's criminal records, the agency conducting the pre-employment screening may need information such as the complete name, birth date and social security number of the job applicant.
Included in the check is information on arrests, incarceration, conviction, imprisonment, sex offense, and litigation incidences. Besides this, the employer may also look into the legal working status of the job candidates. To this category includes the citizenship and immigration information, if applicable.
The driving and vehicle records are equally important, specifically, if the job applicant is applying for the position of a company driver or if the company belongs to the transportation industry. In most cases, clean driving records have higher chances of getting hired.
The Drug tests may also be a requirement in doing a pre-employment screening. Its purpose is to measure the performance of an employee or the potential of job candidates, about corporate ethics, and sometimes, to keep the worker's compensation premiums low.
The substances that are commonly looked into are methamphetamine, alcohol, amphetamines, MDMA, barbiturates, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, morphine and codeine. The methods used can be urine, hair follicle and saliva of the job applicant.
At times, even the credit history is included in the employment screening. This is especially true if the applicant is seeking for a position that handles or involves finances, such as accountant, compensation and benefits personnel, and finance manager.
The information provided by the credit bureau determines the credit worthiness of the person. It also tells a lot about his capacity in handling his finances. The company may consider thoroughly whether a poor credit score still makes a person the ideal candidate for a particular position.
Pre-employment screening can also check on the medical, mental and physiological history of a potential employee, although, it is rarely done by most employers. The information contained on this report is highly sensitive and confidential; hence, it cannot be pursued without written consent from the person.
Pre-employment screening on educational background, relevant work experience and home address history of an applicant verifies the accuracy of information indicated on his or her resume.
Sometimes the educational background is included, particularly, if it is an employment screening background check. Often, such background screening is requested by employers for applicants aspiring for high position, like in a school, government, financial institution, and airport.
The civil background checks include any civil cases filed by the job applicant or against the job applicant. The third-party agency doing the pre-employment screening may make telephone calls to various trial courts and inquire whether the job candidate has ever filed a lawsuit against his former employers.
In the United States, many individuals make a living by suing other people, including companies. Hence, companies may do well to be selective on their prospective employees. The Criminal Background check is quite general. It is also among the most serious categories in employment screening background check.
The purpose of criminal background check is to ensure that the company and all incumbent employees are safe from any physical and emotional harm. Calling the criminal courts or visiting them will prove helpful.
To grant access to someone's criminal records, the agency conducting the pre-employment screening may need information such as the complete name, birth date and social security number of the job applicant.
Included in the check is information on arrests, incarceration, conviction, imprisonment, sex offense, and litigation incidences. Besides this, the employer may also look into the legal working status of the job candidates. To this category includes the citizenship and immigration information, if applicable.
The driving and vehicle records are equally important, specifically, if the job applicant is applying for the position of a company driver or if the company belongs to the transportation industry. In most cases, clean driving records have higher chances of getting hired.
The Drug tests may also be a requirement in doing a pre-employment screening. Its purpose is to measure the performance of an employee or the potential of job candidates, about corporate ethics, and sometimes, to keep the worker's compensation premiums low.
The substances that are commonly looked into are methamphetamine, alcohol, amphetamines, MDMA, barbiturates, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, morphine and codeine. The methods used can be urine, hair follicle and saliva of the job applicant.
At times, even the credit history is included in the employment screening. This is especially true if the applicant is seeking for a position that handles or involves finances, such as accountant, compensation and benefits personnel, and finance manager.
The information provided by the credit bureau determines the credit worthiness of the person. It also tells a lot about his capacity in handling his finances. The company may consider thoroughly whether a poor credit score still makes a person the ideal candidate for a particular position.
Pre-employment screening can also check on the medical, mental and physiological history of a potential employee, although, it is rarely done by most employers. The information contained on this report is highly sensitive and confidential; hence, it cannot be pursued without written consent from the person.
Pre-employment screening on educational background, relevant work experience and home address history of an applicant verifies the accuracy of information indicated on his or her resume.
Do You Need Help
What is an LLC and why should you form an LLC? Which incorporation services company would provide you security and satisfaction?
If you decided to run a business, then it will do you good to look at the advantages that LLC has. LLC or Limited Liability Company is a combination of partnership and corporation. It involves the characteristics, methods and processes found in both of these organizational structures.
As much as it worth it, investing your money in a business would require you exert a massive amount of effort and courage. There are always risks in the commercial world. Aside from the stiff competition, the never ending fluctuations and financial crisis may also increase the risk. Now, where does forming an LLC or incorporation of services enter here?
As mentioned, LLC is also partly a corporation. In that case, it will also be a legal entity that is separate and different from its owner. The limited liability in LLC is a very important reason why you should form your company with it. In the LLC, if it fails your personal assets can not be attached and liquidated. This is because, the persona properties of members do not form part of the organization's assets.
Like corporations too, it involves other businessmen who are called members rather than stockholders. What's very interesting about it is the LLC does not have limitation on the number of members. It can accept members as long, as they can comply with the bylaws. Moreover, LLC can offer a more flexible taxation rate.
Incorporating services of your business to an LLC would also require fewer formalities. This is one of the advantages of Limited Liability Company versus partnership and corporation. Nevertheless, the simplicity of its formation doesn't mean that LLC is less effective than the other two.
Nowadays, more and more businessmen start a LLC. They are found and scattered all over the internet and the world. Organizations such as My New Company, First Capital Advisors and Grays LLC offer incorporation services. They provide incorporation advice to many clients before and after the incorporation. They may also offer them alternatives and choices.
Starting an LLC could either simple or complicated; it actually depends on your understanding of it. However, there are some guidelines that have been posted in the internet. They are purposely disclosed by government agencies to aid anyone who intends to register LLC incorporation. They believe that by letting the people know what to do, what to bring and where to go is more practical for everybody.
There are also forums and other resources that could help in creating an LLC. People love to share experiences, ideas and information on the net. Some of them are helpful, while others are not.
Moreover, you may also hire the services of a registered LLC agent or an incorporation services company. An agent is usually expert and knows everything about his job. Hiring his services, though would cost you money, but his services would surely save you from making filing mistakes
If you decided to run a business, then it will do you good to look at the advantages that LLC has. LLC or Limited Liability Company is a combination of partnership and corporation. It involves the characteristics, methods and processes found in both of these organizational structures.
As much as it worth it, investing your money in a business would require you exert a massive amount of effort and courage. There are always risks in the commercial world. Aside from the stiff competition, the never ending fluctuations and financial crisis may also increase the risk. Now, where does forming an LLC or incorporation of services enter here?
As mentioned, LLC is also partly a corporation. In that case, it will also be a legal entity that is separate and different from its owner. The limited liability in LLC is a very important reason why you should form your company with it. In the LLC, if it fails your personal assets can not be attached and liquidated. This is because, the persona properties of members do not form part of the organization's assets.
Like corporations too, it involves other businessmen who are called members rather than stockholders. What's very interesting about it is the LLC does not have limitation on the number of members. It can accept members as long, as they can comply with the bylaws. Moreover, LLC can offer a more flexible taxation rate.
Incorporating services of your business to an LLC would also require fewer formalities. This is one of the advantages of Limited Liability Company versus partnership and corporation. Nevertheless, the simplicity of its formation doesn't mean that LLC is less effective than the other two.
Nowadays, more and more businessmen start a LLC. They are found and scattered all over the internet and the world. Organizations such as My New Company, First Capital Advisors and Grays LLC offer incorporation services. They provide incorporation advice to many clients before and after the incorporation. They may also offer them alternatives and choices.
Starting an LLC could either simple or complicated; it actually depends on your understanding of it. However, there are some guidelines that have been posted in the internet. They are purposely disclosed by government agencies to aid anyone who intends to register LLC incorporation. They believe that by letting the people know what to do, what to bring and where to go is more practical for everybody.
There are also forums and other resources that could help in creating an LLC. People love to share experiences, ideas and information on the net. Some of them are helpful, while others are not.
Moreover, you may also hire the services of a registered LLC agent or an incorporation services company. An agent is usually expert and knows everything about his job. Hiring his services, though would cost you money, but his services would surely save you from making filing mistakes
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Business Systems - Not Just For Big Business
When I mention business systems to you, what comes to mind? Do you think of an IBM mainframe computer sitting in a big room in the middle of your building? Do you think of expensive, highly specialized software? That’s what many small business owners imagine. And they think it’s not for them. If that’s what you think, you’re only half right.
Half right because expensive, highly specialized software is probably not for you. Half wrong because good business systems most definitely are. A business system isn’t hardware or software. It’s the way that you do any part of your business. It’s how you do things. You are using systems all the time, you just may not be using them efficiently.
I regularly urge business owners to get everything they know about their business out of their head and onto paper. I’m urging you now to do the same with your systems. Start writing out how you do things in your business. At a minimum, write out how you treat your customers or clients, how your paperwork for each sale flows, how your production systems work, how you market to clients, and how you do your bookkeeping.
Do this in detail. For each area, make a very detailed description of every step in the process. Include what you do and why you do it. Include the subtle parts that make your company uniquely you. Include the parts that you are proud of. Include the tricks that make it efficient. Include what you tried that didn’t work and explain why. Each system should become a very rich, highly detailed system. Why so much detail?
Because this is the beginning of being able to consistently deliver results. And the beginning of being able to consistently deliver results even when you aren’t around. Documented (written) systems make delegating much more manageable. Delegating is one of the keys to success in growing your business while still having a life.
Maybe you don’t want a bigger business. Maybe you want to keep yours small. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go on a long vacation and turn the keys over to someone else to run and make money for you while you are gone? Without systems, that wouldn’t be remotely possible. With systems almost anything is. Now, does that sound like something that should only be for big business? I think not.
Half right because expensive, highly specialized software is probably not for you. Half wrong because good business systems most definitely are. A business system isn’t hardware or software. It’s the way that you do any part of your business. It’s how you do things. You are using systems all the time, you just may not be using them efficiently.
I regularly urge business owners to get everything they know about their business out of their head and onto paper. I’m urging you now to do the same with your systems. Start writing out how you do things in your business. At a minimum, write out how you treat your customers or clients, how your paperwork for each sale flows, how your production systems work, how you market to clients, and how you do your bookkeeping.
Do this in detail. For each area, make a very detailed description of every step in the process. Include what you do and why you do it. Include the subtle parts that make your company uniquely you. Include the parts that you are proud of. Include the tricks that make it efficient. Include what you tried that didn’t work and explain why. Each system should become a very rich, highly detailed system. Why so much detail?
Because this is the beginning of being able to consistently deliver results. And the beginning of being able to consistently deliver results even when you aren’t around. Documented (written) systems make delegating much more manageable. Delegating is one of the keys to success in growing your business while still having a life.
Maybe you don’t want a bigger business. Maybe you want to keep yours small. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go on a long vacation and turn the keys over to someone else to run and make money for you while you are gone? Without systems, that wouldn’t be remotely possible. With systems almost anything is. Now, does that sound like something that should only be for big business? I think not.
Ten Sure Fire Ways to Fail as a Manager
In an effort to be less than constructive as a manager, here are ten sure-fire ways to alienate and demotivate your team on your change journey. Hit-or-miss approaches don’t go far enough; this is your chance to use the best methods of corporate torture and humiliation developed by dictators, steamrollers and other “tough guy” bosses.
1. Never give in to selling any change when you can exercise your power by demanding it. Demands keep staff in their place--down there somewhere. Tact and frequent communication does to authority what sugar does to teeth. You wouldn’t want to rot your teeth; you wouldn’t want to spoil your team. After all, if any of your people had any ideas worth listening to, one of them would be the boss.
2. Develop a varied arsenal of “looks” to master the subtle put-down. A well-placed sigh and a “that was dumb” stare can work wonders in silencing your people. Add the verbal clinchers: “Are you kidding?” or “Do you really think I’d do that ” Try well-placed sarcasm: “Yeah, I knew I’d have this problem when they made me put you in this position ” When they react, just say, “Can’t you take a joke without overreacting like most women do?”
3. When providing performance feedback, don’t let them find their own solution when you can reinforce your position of authority by telling them what they “obviously should have done ” Take them to the stone tablets enshrined on your office wall to show them the error of their ways. Be ready to use the Harvard Business Review, your MBA notes, or Dilbert cartoons to identify how defective they really are.
4. Never deal with issues when you can attack the person. When they criticize your ideas, question their attitude and commitment to the team. When they miss a deadline, question their ability to handle responsibility. If they persist in making their point, keep them in their place by saying, “If I wanted your opinion, I’d give it to you ”
5. Keep harping on the phrase, “More with Less” to explain your downsizing, reorganizations and cost-containment initiatives. Busy people are happy people whether they want to admit it or not. Don’t let your need to hold the line on wages to impress stockholders stop you from taking the wage increases and bonuses you deserve for leading your team through such perilous times.
6. Never give information or strategic direction until you have to. Once you do, never change your position. Now, if their ideas are really better, just wait a few weeks, make some slight adjustments, and then claim them as your own. They will squawk in the restrooms and lounges, but they will know what it is to respect authority.
7. When things go wrong, you know who to sacrifice. When you’re given a bunch of turkeys, how do they expect a leader to get them to fly? Never tarnish your reputation as a change agent when you have inexperienced, marginal team members to blame. If by chance your team does succeed on its own, take the credit. After all, with effective leadership even turkeys can fly in unison for 50 feet.
8. Build your own corporate torture chamber adapted to the needs of your trouble-making staff. Know how to schedule hours to produce maximum aggravation. Keep the pressure on by making them work with team members they hate and projects they have no skills to draw on. When they are in the “dog house,” let them know it is not supposed to be fun.
9. Never give recognition; it sets the stage for complacency. After all, they are lucky they have a job. If you thank them, all they do is ask for more money. In this century of never-ending change, there is no place for a “good guy” on your corporate juggernaut
10. Bark is only as good as a bite. Fear is a great motivator. Don’t waste your time with petty, lengthy documentation with your tough employees; make a scene by threatening their job on-the-spot. Sure, you’ll lose a few, and don’t worry about lawsuits. If you abuse them privately, there will be no witnesses and it’s your word against theirs.
With these helpful hints, as a boss bent on failure, you can be sure to arrive there. You’ll know if it is working. On the surface, people will appear to work. You will get compliance when you are in sight. You may find they work slow, make many errors, and have no concern for quality or customer service, but at least you know you will get the minimum. You will be butchered at the drinking fountains and in the lounges, but don’t let petty gossip get in your way. You will feel lonely, but that goes with creating the illusion of power. They will have a going away party when you leave. Unfortunately, you will not be invited to the party. By the way, the Surgeon General warns that using these hints may be hazardous to your management career and a disaster to the team and organization you serve.
1. Never give in to selling any change when you can exercise your power by demanding it. Demands keep staff in their place--down there somewhere. Tact and frequent communication does to authority what sugar does to teeth. You wouldn’t want to rot your teeth; you wouldn’t want to spoil your team. After all, if any of your people had any ideas worth listening to, one of them would be the boss.
2. Develop a varied arsenal of “looks” to master the subtle put-down. A well-placed sigh and a “that was dumb” stare can work wonders in silencing your people. Add the verbal clinchers: “Are you kidding?” or “Do you really think I’d do that ” Try well-placed sarcasm: “Yeah, I knew I’d have this problem when they made me put you in this position ” When they react, just say, “Can’t you take a joke without overreacting like most women do?”
3. When providing performance feedback, don’t let them find their own solution when you can reinforce your position of authority by telling them what they “obviously should have done ” Take them to the stone tablets enshrined on your office wall to show them the error of their ways. Be ready to use the Harvard Business Review, your MBA notes, or Dilbert cartoons to identify how defective they really are.
4. Never deal with issues when you can attack the person. When they criticize your ideas, question their attitude and commitment to the team. When they miss a deadline, question their ability to handle responsibility. If they persist in making their point, keep them in their place by saying, “If I wanted your opinion, I’d give it to you ”
5. Keep harping on the phrase, “More with Less” to explain your downsizing, reorganizations and cost-containment initiatives. Busy people are happy people whether they want to admit it or not. Don’t let your need to hold the line on wages to impress stockholders stop you from taking the wage increases and bonuses you deserve for leading your team through such perilous times.
6. Never give information or strategic direction until you have to. Once you do, never change your position. Now, if their ideas are really better, just wait a few weeks, make some slight adjustments, and then claim them as your own. They will squawk in the restrooms and lounges, but they will know what it is to respect authority.
7. When things go wrong, you know who to sacrifice. When you’re given a bunch of turkeys, how do they expect a leader to get them to fly? Never tarnish your reputation as a change agent when you have inexperienced, marginal team members to blame. If by chance your team does succeed on its own, take the credit. After all, with effective leadership even turkeys can fly in unison for 50 feet.
8. Build your own corporate torture chamber adapted to the needs of your trouble-making staff. Know how to schedule hours to produce maximum aggravation. Keep the pressure on by making them work with team members they hate and projects they have no skills to draw on. When they are in the “dog house,” let them know it is not supposed to be fun.
9. Never give recognition; it sets the stage for complacency. After all, they are lucky they have a job. If you thank them, all they do is ask for more money. In this century of never-ending change, there is no place for a “good guy” on your corporate juggernaut
10. Bark is only as good as a bite. Fear is a great motivator. Don’t waste your time with petty, lengthy documentation with your tough employees; make a scene by threatening their job on-the-spot. Sure, you’ll lose a few, and don’t worry about lawsuits. If you abuse them privately, there will be no witnesses and it’s your word against theirs.
With these helpful hints, as a boss bent on failure, you can be sure to arrive there. You’ll know if it is working. On the surface, people will appear to work. You will get compliance when you are in sight. You may find they work slow, make many errors, and have no concern for quality or customer service, but at least you know you will get the minimum. You will be butchered at the drinking fountains and in the lounges, but don’t let petty gossip get in your way. You will feel lonely, but that goes with creating the illusion of power. They will have a going away party when you leave. Unfortunately, you will not be invited to the party. By the way, the Surgeon General warns that using these hints may be hazardous to your management career and a disaster to the team and organization you serve.
The Interim Management Lifestyle
Interim management isn’t the career for you if you don’t like challenge and change. But for those of us who love both, it brings a rich variety of enhancing and intensive experiences: exposure to different industries, products and processes, and a variety of organisational structures, and cultural styles and the opportunity to establish an outstanding “track record for delivery”, added to which interim managers love not having to go through rounds of appraisals only to be told that: “unfortunately budgets for salary increases are limited”.
Show Me The Money
In fact, performance can probably never be more directly linked to pay. Interim managers can raise their fees for the next assignment as much as they like - providing the market thinks theyre worth it. Enough said you might think, but operating through a limited company also reduces tax costs if more remuneration is taken through shareholder dividends. And don’t forget that the cost of IT, office furniture, consumables, some utilities, vehicle running costs, and indeed VAT, can be borne by the business.
No Such Thing As Job Security Even in a “Permanent” Role
Whilst even the best executive interim managers can be hit hard by an economic downturn, arguably theres no such thing as a permanent” line management role any more. Anyway, even in downturns can’t interim managers just drop their fees to become more saleable? Well the truth is, it doesn’t always work that way. Nevertheless, many interims feel more (not less) secure, in the knowledge that their career has more longevity than the corporate alternative.
Interim Management Lifestyle – More Choice
It’s true that an interim management lifestyle means greater choice: flexibility between part-time or full-time work, working at home or on site, the frequency and duration of holidays. It also means that because of the objectivity that comes with not being a permanent employee, during assignments organisational politics are less of a grind.
Interim management also means that a great career doesnt have to come at the expense of unsettling the family by relocating every three years or so. But it sometimes means working away from home perhaps for four or five nights over a long period, which isn’t easy for young families. And don’t forget to start pulling your weight around the home and talking to your spouse over dinner after spending nine months on your own in a hotel
Yes executive interim managers have more flexibility to spend quality time and extended holidays with the family between assignments, but realistically it isn’t always spent on a beach somewhere. Between interim management assignments the role morphs into “Sales Director” and interims become relentless networkers. So if you’re not good at self-promotion or not keen to become good at it fast – give it some thought. And then there’s the tedious administration: paying bills, filling in VAT returns.
Show Me The Money
In fact, performance can probably never be more directly linked to pay. Interim managers can raise their fees for the next assignment as much as they like - providing the market thinks theyre worth it. Enough said you might think, but operating through a limited company also reduces tax costs if more remuneration is taken through shareholder dividends. And don’t forget that the cost of IT, office furniture, consumables, some utilities, vehicle running costs, and indeed VAT, can be borne by the business.
No Such Thing As Job Security Even in a “Permanent” Role
Whilst even the best executive interim managers can be hit hard by an economic downturn, arguably theres no such thing as a permanent” line management role any more. Anyway, even in downturns can’t interim managers just drop their fees to become more saleable? Well the truth is, it doesn’t always work that way. Nevertheless, many interims feel more (not less) secure, in the knowledge that their career has more longevity than the corporate alternative.
Interim Management Lifestyle – More Choice
It’s true that an interim management lifestyle means greater choice: flexibility between part-time or full-time work, working at home or on site, the frequency and duration of holidays. It also means that because of the objectivity that comes with not being a permanent employee, during assignments organisational politics are less of a grind.
Interim management also means that a great career doesnt have to come at the expense of unsettling the family by relocating every three years or so. But it sometimes means working away from home perhaps for four or five nights over a long period, which isn’t easy for young families. And don’t forget to start pulling your weight around the home and talking to your spouse over dinner after spending nine months on your own in a hotel
Yes executive interim managers have more flexibility to spend quality time and extended holidays with the family between assignments, but realistically it isn’t always spent on a beach somewhere. Between interim management assignments the role morphs into “Sales Director” and interims become relentless networkers. So if you’re not good at self-promotion or not keen to become good at it fast – give it some thought. And then there’s the tedious administration: paying bills, filling in VAT returns.
Dealing with Your Difficult People
For leaders managing constant change, conflict is built into the very fabric of their organizations. When conflict is not dealt with well, it can create strained relationships and grow to sap the time, energy, and productivity of even the best teams. Dealt with positively, conflict can also be a catalyst that sets the stage for needed changes. You will never deal with conflict perfectly, but here are a few tips worth using in dealing with your most difficult people:
1. Talk to people instead of about them. Dealing with conflict directly may be uncomfortable and lead to some disappointment, but it cuts down the mindreading and the resentment that can occur when problems are not dealt with directly. Timing, tact, and taking distance will always have their place, but make sure you still keep conflict eyeball to eyeball.
2. We are taught from childhood to avoid conflict and often vacillate between the pain of dealing with unresolved problems and the guilt over not dealing with them. Such vacillation saps energy and time; it can affect morale and turnover. Be a problem solver not a problem evader. Problem solvers avoid avoidance; they learn to deal with conflict as soon as it even begins to get in the way.
3. Develop a communication style that focuses on future problem solving rather than getting stuck in proving a conviction for past mistakes. You want change, not just an admission of guilt. Winners of arguments never always win, because consistent losers never forget. You want results, not enemies seeking revenge. By focusing on future problem solving, both can save face.
4. Problem solvers deal with issues, not personalities. It’s all too easy to abuse the other party instead of dealing with issues. Be assertive but affirm the rights of others to have different positions, values and priorities. When you personalize disagreements and attack back, you invite escalation. Keep the focus on mutual problem solving not name-calling.
5. Honor, surface and use resistance. Attempts at threatening, silencing or otherwise avoiding criticism of change will only force resistance underground and increase the sabotaging of even necessary changes. Explored resistance helps build clarity of focus and action. Push for specific suggestions. If criticism is extensive and continues even after facing it, it may not be resistance—know when to admit that you are wrong
6. Redefine caring to include caring enough to confront on a timely and consistent basis. Avoid labels that give you or others excuses for not confronting a problem—They are too sensitive or too nice, scene makers or people who have contacts, too old or too young, or the wrong race or gender. If you believe people cannot change or benefit from feedback, you will tend not to confront them. Instead, treat all equally by caring enough to be firm, fair, and consistent.
7. Avoid forming “enemy” relationships. The subtle art of influence is often lost in the heat of organizational battle. When interaction becomes strained or bias exists, the negative interaction coupled with the distance that often results invites selective scanning and projection. We see what we want to see to keep our enemies “the enemy.” If a relationship is limited to polite indifference and significant negative interaction, expect polarization and an “enemy” relationship. In such relationships everyone loses. Take seriously the words of Confucius, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Even your most difficult people usually have some people they work well with. Make one of those people you. Don’t look for the worst; learn to look for the best in even difficult people.
8. Invest time building positive bridges to your difficult people. Abraham Lincoln reportedly said, “I dont like that man. I must get to know him better.” Dont be insincere; look for ways to be sincere. It takes a history of positive contact to build trust. Try building a four-to-one positive to negative contact history. Give specific recognition and ask for assistance in the areas you respect their opinions. Work together on a common cause and search for areas of common ground. By being a positive bridge builder, you build a reputation all will see and come to respect even if a few difficult people never respond.
Finally, don’t forget to spend some time looking in a mirror. Ron Zemke put it well when he said, “If you find that everywhere you go youre always surrounded by jerks and youre constantly being forced to strike back at them or correct their behavior, guess what? Youre a jerk.” Influencing others starts by making sure that you’re not being difficult yourself.
1. Talk to people instead of about them. Dealing with conflict directly may be uncomfortable and lead to some disappointment, but it cuts down the mindreading and the resentment that can occur when problems are not dealt with directly. Timing, tact, and taking distance will always have their place, but make sure you still keep conflict eyeball to eyeball.
2. We are taught from childhood to avoid conflict and often vacillate between the pain of dealing with unresolved problems and the guilt over not dealing with them. Such vacillation saps energy and time; it can affect morale and turnover. Be a problem solver not a problem evader. Problem solvers avoid avoidance; they learn to deal with conflict as soon as it even begins to get in the way.
3. Develop a communication style that focuses on future problem solving rather than getting stuck in proving a conviction for past mistakes. You want change, not just an admission of guilt. Winners of arguments never always win, because consistent losers never forget. You want results, not enemies seeking revenge. By focusing on future problem solving, both can save face.
4. Problem solvers deal with issues, not personalities. It’s all too easy to abuse the other party instead of dealing with issues. Be assertive but affirm the rights of others to have different positions, values and priorities. When you personalize disagreements and attack back, you invite escalation. Keep the focus on mutual problem solving not name-calling.
5. Honor, surface and use resistance. Attempts at threatening, silencing or otherwise avoiding criticism of change will only force resistance underground and increase the sabotaging of even necessary changes. Explored resistance helps build clarity of focus and action. Push for specific suggestions. If criticism is extensive and continues even after facing it, it may not be resistance—know when to admit that you are wrong
6. Redefine caring to include caring enough to confront on a timely and consistent basis. Avoid labels that give you or others excuses for not confronting a problem—They are too sensitive or too nice, scene makers or people who have contacts, too old or too young, or the wrong race or gender. If you believe people cannot change or benefit from feedback, you will tend not to confront them. Instead, treat all equally by caring enough to be firm, fair, and consistent.
7. Avoid forming “enemy” relationships. The subtle art of influence is often lost in the heat of organizational battle. When interaction becomes strained or bias exists, the negative interaction coupled with the distance that often results invites selective scanning and projection. We see what we want to see to keep our enemies “the enemy.” If a relationship is limited to polite indifference and significant negative interaction, expect polarization and an “enemy” relationship. In such relationships everyone loses. Take seriously the words of Confucius, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Even your most difficult people usually have some people they work well with. Make one of those people you. Don’t look for the worst; learn to look for the best in even difficult people.
8. Invest time building positive bridges to your difficult people. Abraham Lincoln reportedly said, “I dont like that man. I must get to know him better.” Dont be insincere; look for ways to be sincere. It takes a history of positive contact to build trust. Try building a four-to-one positive to negative contact history. Give specific recognition and ask for assistance in the areas you respect their opinions. Work together on a common cause and search for areas of common ground. By being a positive bridge builder, you build a reputation all will see and come to respect even if a few difficult people never respond.
Finally, don’t forget to spend some time looking in a mirror. Ron Zemke put it well when he said, “If you find that everywhere you go youre always surrounded by jerks and youre constantly being forced to strike back at them or correct their behavior, guess what? Youre a jerk.” Influencing others starts by making sure that you’re not being difficult yourself.
Promoting Relationships With the Public
Public Relations or PR is one of the most important factors in how you are perceived by the public at large. It is the relationship between your business and your customers, past customers, community and potential customers.
There are two ways of obtaining PR. One way is through press releases, in which you share news about events or accomplishments within your company or organization. This form of PR gives you full control over how your company looks to the public. Your public, is anyone who has an interest of one type or another in your business such as your employees, customers, suppliers, competition and the press. How you are percieved by the public has a huge impact on the future of your business.
When issuing a press release make sure that the information provided is of interest to the readers or viewers of that particular publication. The heading of the press release should grab the readers attention and prompt them to continue reading. Make sure you are targeting publications which would be interested in your information. You wont have much success submitting a press release about christmas ornaments to a publication which targets outdoor life.
Testimonials and case histories are useful when overcoming objections, building credibility, and demonstrating customer satisfaction with your company and products. Generally, testimonials do not make up the bulk of a press release. Although it helps to add in a positive quote from a satisfied customer, make sure the comment is in direct relation to the focus of your press release.
Good PR from satisfied customers can bring you a whopping customer base, yet at the same time one shred of negative PR from an unhappy customer can cause your business considerable damage. When in a one-on-one meeting your customer should do most of the talking. Your customers are worth listening to and their feedback is valuable information Take the time to listen to their questions and comments as it will help you to understand their needs and make sure they are satisfied with your service. If you are doing most of the talking, chances are, your customers are going to feel pressured or turned off and you run the risk of losing a sale as well as a customer.
Building a relationship with the public is an important aspect of promoting your business and building a solid customer base. Staying in touch with your customers will not only improve your customer relations, but will keep your name foremost in the minds of your customers and prospects and keep them coming back.
There are two ways of obtaining PR. One way is through press releases, in which you share news about events or accomplishments within your company or organization. This form of PR gives you full control over how your company looks to the public. Your public, is anyone who has an interest of one type or another in your business such as your employees, customers, suppliers, competition and the press. How you are percieved by the public has a huge impact on the future of your business.
When issuing a press release make sure that the information provided is of interest to the readers or viewers of that particular publication. The heading of the press release should grab the readers attention and prompt them to continue reading. Make sure you are targeting publications which would be interested in your information. You wont have much success submitting a press release about christmas ornaments to a publication which targets outdoor life.
Testimonials and case histories are useful when overcoming objections, building credibility, and demonstrating customer satisfaction with your company and products. Generally, testimonials do not make up the bulk of a press release. Although it helps to add in a positive quote from a satisfied customer, make sure the comment is in direct relation to the focus of your press release.
Good PR from satisfied customers can bring you a whopping customer base, yet at the same time one shred of negative PR from an unhappy customer can cause your business considerable damage. When in a one-on-one meeting your customer should do most of the talking. Your customers are worth listening to and their feedback is valuable information Take the time to listen to their questions and comments as it will help you to understand their needs and make sure they are satisfied with your service. If you are doing most of the talking, chances are, your customers are going to feel pressured or turned off and you run the risk of losing a sale as well as a customer.
Building a relationship with the public is an important aspect of promoting your business and building a solid customer base. Staying in touch with your customers will not only improve your customer relations, but will keep your name foremost in the minds of your customers and prospects and keep them coming back.
Simple Steps To Plan Your Business For Success
Planning your business is the critical starting point. You need to map out your business. Where do you plan on going with your business? What steps are you going to take to get there? How are you going to market your business. All of these questions should be answered in your business plan.
Some people are excellent at planning. Others are not. The problem is, we were never taught how to plan in school. So how do you begin planning? Its an acquired skill, it wont appear over night.
The first step to becoming a successful planner in learning your personality type. Once you learn who you are, you can learn to plan according to you personality type. Personality Plus: How to Understand your Personaltiy
by Florence Littauer, is an excellent book on learning about your personality type. It is easy to read and comes with a personality profile test.
Dont worry if you feel like youre not making any progress. Learning a new skill, especially planning, takes time to learn. Be patience and persistent. Start your in planning in baby steps.
Lets begin by learning to plan out sales calls.
First, how many sales appointments do you want or need for the month? Lets say, you need 10 appointments each month.
If the an appointment is about 2 hours long, you will need 20 hours total for the entire month. Take out your monthly calendar and mark of 20 hours.
Now lets take a step back. What did you do to get those appointments? You made phone calls. You need about 20 phone calls before you got those 10 appointments. How long were you on the phone, about 15 minutes. Now block off that time on your calendar.
Before you start making phone calls. Put a list of your contacts together. Have there name, address, phone number, even secretaries names if needed. To help you make those calls, write a sales script. Use the script as a reminder.
This is the beginning steps of planning your business. You can use this formula for almost every project.
Some people are excellent at planning. Others are not. The problem is, we were never taught how to plan in school. So how do you begin planning? Its an acquired skill, it wont appear over night.
The first step to becoming a successful planner in learning your personality type. Once you learn who you are, you can learn to plan according to you personality type. Personality Plus: How to Understand your Personaltiy
by Florence Littauer, is an excellent book on learning about your personality type. It is easy to read and comes with a personality profile test.
Dont worry if you feel like youre not making any progress. Learning a new skill, especially planning, takes time to learn. Be patience and persistent. Start your in planning in baby steps.
Lets begin by learning to plan out sales calls.
First, how many sales appointments do you want or need for the month? Lets say, you need 10 appointments each month.
If the an appointment is about 2 hours long, you will need 20 hours total for the entire month. Take out your monthly calendar and mark of 20 hours.
Now lets take a step back. What did you do to get those appointments? You made phone calls. You need about 20 phone calls before you got those 10 appointments. How long were you on the phone, about 15 minutes. Now block off that time on your calendar.
Before you start making phone calls. Put a list of your contacts together. Have there name, address, phone number, even secretaries names if needed. To help you make those calls, write a sales script. Use the script as a reminder.
This is the beginning steps of planning your business. You can use this formula for almost every project.
Doing Proper Due Diligence On A Potential Product
There really arent many rules where conducting business research is concerned. Patience and persistence are necessary to research every angle of a potential product.
Often, a little logic is all you need but there are others where you may have to make a few calls and conduct a little research online before reaching a conclusion on a new product.
A thorough investigation of the product is definitely advised before making a commitment. Without sound research, a faulty product can cause a nightmare that could literally devour your business in the process. Of course, it is likewise true that the right product can launch your company to an unprecedented level.
The library and Internet are good resources to use. It is usually easier to find information on good products with a solid reputation. Most companies are only too happy to brag about a great product.
Evaluation of a Product in 3 Steps
Rely on your experience. All great success stories begin with a person that has knowledge or a great interest in the product theyre selling. Is the product interesting to you?
Will you use it on a continuing basis? What is the life expectancy of the product? Do you know people that are familiar with the product?
Lets examine scrapbook supplies. Everyone is talking about them. Over the years, scrapbook stores and scrapbook courses have been growing in popularity. More and more magazines are listing articles on how to create a scrap- book and where to find materials. If you can think of several people who would purchase scrapbook supplies, its a safe bet you can proceed to the next step in the product research process.
Listen to your friends and family opinion of a product.
Request product brochures from your supplier and pass them onto your family and friends. Ask them to give you an honest opinion on the price, quality, or warranty of the product. Is this something they would use?
Its important that youre not asking your family and friends to buy from you. They must have a clear understand- ing of what youre requesting from them, so they can provide you with an honest answer. The key here is to find out what potential customers are looking for. And by developing a small questionnaire, you can aid your family and friends in properly evaluating a product.
The company making the product will know how well their item does in the market so work with them to find out all they know. It is impossible to believe that they would not conduct their own market research so do not be afraid to ask to see some of it, especially that from current owners.
Look for demographic data of the target audience so you know who exactly you are going to be selling to.
Once youve gathered the basic information on a product, you can then make an educated evaluation of its performance and value in the market. Of course, any good business profess- ional knows that there must be a need for your product in the marketplace for it to be profitable. Take your time to do the research and use all of the tools available.
Often, a little logic is all you need but there are others where you may have to make a few calls and conduct a little research online before reaching a conclusion on a new product.
A thorough investigation of the product is definitely advised before making a commitment. Without sound research, a faulty product can cause a nightmare that could literally devour your business in the process. Of course, it is likewise true that the right product can launch your company to an unprecedented level.
The library and Internet are good resources to use. It is usually easier to find information on good products with a solid reputation. Most companies are only too happy to brag about a great product.
Evaluation of a Product in 3 Steps
Rely on your experience. All great success stories begin with a person that has knowledge or a great interest in the product theyre selling. Is the product interesting to you?
Will you use it on a continuing basis? What is the life expectancy of the product? Do you know people that are familiar with the product?
Lets examine scrapbook supplies. Everyone is talking about them. Over the years, scrapbook stores and scrapbook courses have been growing in popularity. More and more magazines are listing articles on how to create a scrap- book and where to find materials. If you can think of several people who would purchase scrapbook supplies, its a safe bet you can proceed to the next step in the product research process.
Listen to your friends and family opinion of a product.
Request product brochures from your supplier and pass them onto your family and friends. Ask them to give you an honest opinion on the price, quality, or warranty of the product. Is this something they would use?
Its important that youre not asking your family and friends to buy from you. They must have a clear understand- ing of what youre requesting from them, so they can provide you with an honest answer. The key here is to find out what potential customers are looking for. And by developing a small questionnaire, you can aid your family and friends in properly evaluating a product.
The company making the product will know how well their item does in the market so work with them to find out all they know. It is impossible to believe that they would not conduct their own market research so do not be afraid to ask to see some of it, especially that from current owners.
Look for demographic data of the target audience so you know who exactly you are going to be selling to.
Once youve gathered the basic information on a product, you can then make an educated evaluation of its performance and value in the market. Of course, any good business profess- ional knows that there must be a need for your product in the marketplace for it to be profitable. Take your time to do the research and use all of the tools available.
How To Effectively Organize Your Office Space
While many offices are trying to go paperless, the fact remains that some paperwork is necessary.
Many business transactions require the proper paperwork and the IRS is just one organization that may require hard copies rather than electronic copies. If you have a small office you may find yourself running out of space to put all your paperwork. Organizing and properly filing your papers is essential should you ever need to find anything specific.
When faced with the dilemma of what to toss out and what to keep, business owners panic and keep it all. Years pass, until one day the storage room has overflowed. Documents are now lost in the massive piles around the office.
Management has the dilemma of organizing paperwork to prevent low productivity and direct failure of the business.
Barbara Hemphill, an expert on office efficiency, says that most small businesses dont deal with their papers until its too late. If there is one important piece of paper you need to find amongst hundreds if not thousands of other papers it could take you days to locate its whereabouts.
Management needs to take steps now to prevent this type of situation from happening.
Step One Towards Office Organization
Start by declaring an office cleanup day. All employees should pitch in and help organize any and all paperwork in the office. If at all possible schedule this on a day that youre normally closed to avoid any distractions. Paying your staff overtime for one day will be well worth it once you see the results.
It is possible to organize the office by yourself and even some true blue entrepreneurs have been known to set aside a day for the task.
The paperwork atop your desk needs to be first priority.
Organize by subject and then date. After sorting is out of the way, it is time to put everything in its proper place.
If file folders do not exist for some of the paperwork, then create some so there is a place for them.
Next, locate income statements, expense receipts, and sort them accordingly. Your accounting should be a priority.
Record transactions into an accounting system or ledger until youre current. If youre like me, you could spend the majority of your day just entering transactions.
Instead, end at a time that you can easily pickup from.
Once youve organized paperwork into file folders, youll need to assemble boxes or purchase crates to keep documents in. Your filing system will depend on the type of business you operate. Some businesses organize their files by the clients name, while others use job numbers. No matter what type of business you operate, you will always file your accounts receivable and accounts payable the same. All that matters is that you have a system to your filing.
Organizing your Computer Documents
Fire or water can wreak havoc on a business if either of these two hazards reach critical documents. Businesses have coped with these dangers by investing in scanners so that they can digitize their physical documents.
It is simple to file and access information stored on a cd, floppy, or even an external hard drive for the true techies. Whatever you choose to utilize, make sure to keep the storage devices in a fireproof safe or even off site if that is a viable option.
Online automated backup services are also available. For a small fee, you can backup computer documents to an offsite system. This is excellent for financial records. No financial business should be without a backup system.
Many business transactions require the proper paperwork and the IRS is just one organization that may require hard copies rather than electronic copies. If you have a small office you may find yourself running out of space to put all your paperwork. Organizing and properly filing your papers is essential should you ever need to find anything specific.
When faced with the dilemma of what to toss out and what to keep, business owners panic and keep it all. Years pass, until one day the storage room has overflowed. Documents are now lost in the massive piles around the office.
Management has the dilemma of organizing paperwork to prevent low productivity and direct failure of the business.
Barbara Hemphill, an expert on office efficiency, says that most small businesses dont deal with their papers until its too late. If there is one important piece of paper you need to find amongst hundreds if not thousands of other papers it could take you days to locate its whereabouts.
Management needs to take steps now to prevent this type of situation from happening.
Step One Towards Office Organization
Start by declaring an office cleanup day. All employees should pitch in and help organize any and all paperwork in the office. If at all possible schedule this on a day that youre normally closed to avoid any distractions. Paying your staff overtime for one day will be well worth it once you see the results.
It is possible to organize the office by yourself and even some true blue entrepreneurs have been known to set aside a day for the task.
The paperwork atop your desk needs to be first priority.
Organize by subject and then date. After sorting is out of the way, it is time to put everything in its proper place.
If file folders do not exist for some of the paperwork, then create some so there is a place for them.
Next, locate income statements, expense receipts, and sort them accordingly. Your accounting should be a priority.
Record transactions into an accounting system or ledger until youre current. If youre like me, you could spend the majority of your day just entering transactions.
Instead, end at a time that you can easily pickup from.
Once youve organized paperwork into file folders, youll need to assemble boxes or purchase crates to keep documents in. Your filing system will depend on the type of business you operate. Some businesses organize their files by the clients name, while others use job numbers. No matter what type of business you operate, you will always file your accounts receivable and accounts payable the same. All that matters is that you have a system to your filing.
Organizing your Computer Documents
Fire or water can wreak havoc on a business if either of these two hazards reach critical documents. Businesses have coped with these dangers by investing in scanners so that they can digitize their physical documents.
It is simple to file and access information stored on a cd, floppy, or even an external hard drive for the true techies. Whatever you choose to utilize, make sure to keep the storage devices in a fireproof safe or even off site if that is a viable option.
Online automated backup services are also available. For a small fee, you can backup computer documents to an offsite system. This is excellent for financial records. No financial business should be without a backup system.
Record Your Assets
Assets constitute of two major components - cash and physical assets. While asset management is a fairly easy task, most of us - especially those who own small businesses
- do not pay much heed to this essential task. The necessity of good practice dawns on us only when the tax season is round the corner.
The main thing you need to remember when dealing with your cash accounts and assets is that good book keeping and accounting practices will save you time and money in the long run. You need to keep exact track of income and spending, no matter how small or insignificant the dollar value may be. A few cents here and there can add up to hundreds of dollars in no time.
Following of a good accounting practice and asset management is extremely important, especially when you are required to submit tax to the government. There are numerous cases where small issues that appear insignificant come under the eye of scrutiny and can haunt you for years with the IRS on your back.
Exact and detailed accounting books will also help you should you need to apply for a loan or a small business grant. They will need to know all of your assets and if you have all the proper documentation, and books with accurate records, you will be able to easily prove you are a reliable member of the business community.
As for physical assets some small businesses may not realize just how many assets they actually have. Anything that holds some sort of monetary value, or can be sold, is considered an asset. For example, you probably know that any computer equipment is an asset. However, many people overlook the chair theyre sitting in, and desk their computer is on, as an asset as well. You should be looking around to see how many more assets you have than you had originally thought.
Managing and properly reporting your physical assets needs to take several things into account. One of these is depreciation. When we talk about cars, the concept of depreciation becomes very clear. When you buy a car brand new at $15,000 you cant expect to sell it five years later for the exact same price. As soon as car is driven off the lot it deprecates in value. Mileage, wear and tear, and any accidents also play a role in the depreciation of the car.
The same goes for almost anything else you may be considering an asset. Property is an exception to this rule and in many areas goes up in value.
Office equipment and most other equipment purchased for a small business does follow the deprecation rule and must be taken into account when you are recording your assets. You may be feeling confused and overwhelmed at this point, but asset management can be fairly easy, given the proper tools.
The mature business market offers numerous software programs that can assist you with your asset management and book keeping. While most of these are heavily documented and are very user friendly, some assistance from a software expert can get you customized solutions too. However, when choosing to seek external assistance for your asset management and accounting, then the right choice would be a qualified CPA.
The main point to remember that asset management in small businesses is just as important as it is in large ones. Be sure to take this into consideration and document everything. You may end up paying a high price if you dont.
- do not pay much heed to this essential task. The necessity of good practice dawns on us only when the tax season is round the corner.
The main thing you need to remember when dealing with your cash accounts and assets is that good book keeping and accounting practices will save you time and money in the long run. You need to keep exact track of income and spending, no matter how small or insignificant the dollar value may be. A few cents here and there can add up to hundreds of dollars in no time.
Following of a good accounting practice and asset management is extremely important, especially when you are required to submit tax to the government. There are numerous cases where small issues that appear insignificant come under the eye of scrutiny and can haunt you for years with the IRS on your back.
Exact and detailed accounting books will also help you should you need to apply for a loan or a small business grant. They will need to know all of your assets and if you have all the proper documentation, and books with accurate records, you will be able to easily prove you are a reliable member of the business community.
As for physical assets some small businesses may not realize just how many assets they actually have. Anything that holds some sort of monetary value, or can be sold, is considered an asset. For example, you probably know that any computer equipment is an asset. However, many people overlook the chair theyre sitting in, and desk their computer is on, as an asset as well. You should be looking around to see how many more assets you have than you had originally thought.
Managing and properly reporting your physical assets needs to take several things into account. One of these is depreciation. When we talk about cars, the concept of depreciation becomes very clear. When you buy a car brand new at $15,000 you cant expect to sell it five years later for the exact same price. As soon as car is driven off the lot it deprecates in value. Mileage, wear and tear, and any accidents also play a role in the depreciation of the car.
The same goes for almost anything else you may be considering an asset. Property is an exception to this rule and in many areas goes up in value.
Office equipment and most other equipment purchased for a small business does follow the deprecation rule and must be taken into account when you are recording your assets. You may be feeling confused and overwhelmed at this point, but asset management can be fairly easy, given the proper tools.
The mature business market offers numerous software programs that can assist you with your asset management and book keeping. While most of these are heavily documented and are very user friendly, some assistance from a software expert can get you customized solutions too. However, when choosing to seek external assistance for your asset management and accounting, then the right choice would be a qualified CPA.
The main point to remember that asset management in small businesses is just as important as it is in large ones. Be sure to take this into consideration and document everything. You may end up paying a high price if you dont.
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