Small Business Tips and Ideas - BizSieve.com

Top tips for minimising business disruption during the Olympics

With today signifying the real impact of commuters and Olympic goers, an estimated 35,000 commuters a day will see their journey home disrupted during the Games as the transport network juggles the needs of ordinary Londoners and Olympic spectators.

Despite smooth operations so far one of the biggest obstacles facing employers and commuters is business disruption as the city faces its first major test of combining weekday commuter traffic with a full day of Olympic events.

london olympics 2012
Image by Alexander Kachkaev / Flickr

Around 5.5 million visitors are expected every day and gridlock can inevitably be expected throughout the UK’s roads, rail networks, rail networks and waterways, potentially impacting supply chains throughout the country.

Preparing well in advance should help to minimise the impact of the weeks of disruption this summer and prevent this stressful time from damaging the customer relationships you may have spent years developing. In fact, as with most business risks, there is potential to turn the Games into an opportunity.

If you are seen by your customers to be taking the initiative and planning in advance to minimise the impact on their business, it could strengthen your relationship with them. With the Olympic and Paralympic Games only just arrived it’s not too late to put in place a 5-point remote working strategy:

Be creative – Launch a pilot programme in your organisation. Start with one or two departments or a set period of weeks (the Olympics could be an ideal time) and monitor results against set targets.
Develop criteria – Get a good remote working policy in place. Generally, the adoption of remote working involves building the minimum appropriate infrastructure – hosted solutions, or financial software such as IRIS Exchequer installed and hosted in secure scalable data centres. Tools could include remote control applications, collaboration software and video conferencing software. It may be easier to reach team members via the web than walk around the office.
Technology – Ensure that you choose a hosted service that includes the on-going management of the servers, software and data including the provision of backup services, installation of security patches and various levels of technical expertise and support.
Communication – create a schedule for regular communication. Use instant messaging and video chatting for spontaneous conversations to ensure that staff don’t miss out on ‘the real world’.
Metrics – It’s well known that when staff work from home they are happier, free from office distractions and often more productive. However what about staff that need supervision? Rather than monitoring hours worked per day, set production targets or goals to be completed.

The Olympics could be used as a springboard towards a much more widespread four-day office week with either staff working from home, doing compressed hours, or going part-time. A move that not only will help employers cut costs and ease the strain on commuter rail and roads (and ultimately the tax payer who funds their repair) but to help ease the pain of tough economic times. Perhaps then we will finally discover that remote working really can be a win-win.

About the author: Paul Sparkes is Product Director at IRIS Exchequer, a mid-market business and finance management solution that has received a number of awards over the years. Awards success includes winning ‘Financial Software Provider of the Year’ in the Real Finance/CBI FDs’ Excellence Awards 2012, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2005.

IRIS Exchequer was named the ‘Best rated accounting product catering for businesses in the medium range’ in an authoritative survey by the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales), the industry body which also accredits IRIS Exchequer.

Moving Your Small Business Forward: Exhibitions and Trade Fairs

If you own a small business and you think it’s time start boosting your sales as well as your profit margins, then look no further than business exhibitions. In today’s competitive market, it’s vital that you make the effort to get your brand name out there. This guide will tell you exactly how business exhibitions can transform your small business and its future, helping you move towards those profits and sales you always dreamed about.

Of course before you read on it’s important you know there are a few setbacks to exhibitions, all of which are expenses based.

Trade fair
Image by US Mission Canada / Flickr

The first of these is the cost of entering your stand into the exhibition, which is generally a fair amount (however it should come within your marketing budget). Secondly, you may be charged for overheads such as electricity, Internet and phone lines, as well as expenses like shipping products and display material to the convention centre. Don’t let these costs intimidate you though, exhibitions are great for small businesses, and here’s why:

Sample and promote a new product/service

If you’re entering a new product or service onto the market, sampling is of a high priority. Finding out what people think about it, what’s good? What’s bad? How can it be improved? Whilst you are asking people to sample your products, you are also marketing your product and your business which is why it is so important to make a good first impression.

Discover new leads

Business is all about communication, and communication can come through many different mediums. With exhibitions you have the opportunity to communicate with many new potential customers/clients, and creating these contacts for your company is vital. This is true especially when searching for new customers, as well as to aid growth and expansion. It is also important to replace those customers that over time have drifted away from your business, helping you to keep a strong customer base.

Chase after your new leads

It’s all well and good talking to people and taking business cards at these exhibitions, but what’s more important is the following up process. In this sense, exhibitions will provide you with an assist towards your main goal of making long-term contacts. With these new relations you can build further links “it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know”. But you MUST follow up; don’t leave those business cards gathering dust. You need to know from these new leads which ones are likely to buy soon, and which ones may buy in the future. Qualify them, and follow up, tailoring your approach for each one accordingly.

Meet powerful people

Sometimes everyone needs a little dose of inspiration and incentive; try achieving this by talking to influential figures at exhibitions. This will help you to gain some perspective and insight towards your outlook – a few words of wisdom can go a long way. So push aside any feelings of nervousness, feel confident and put the success of your future first! Plus you never know when you might need some powerful contacts in your industry…

Receive media coverage

The media has become such a prolific part of today’s society that most media attention you can get is (normally) good marketing. With the current rise in just Social Media alone, you will find plenty of opportunities to receive media coverage for your small business at numerous commerce exhibitions. But remember, you need to contribute to this – use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so on to publicise your presence at an exhibition. And have a press kit handy, in case you get a chance to speak to any journalists.

Practice makes perfect

As your company grows, you as a boss will need to do a fair bit of public speaking to important people such as investors or new clientele. Whilst you have the opportunity to do so, carry out some pitches at exhibitions to build your poise and self-belief in talking to powerful people. It’s a much smaller audience, but they’ve most likely come over to your stand because they’re interested in what you do, so it’s an excellent opportunity to practise. Another thing to remember is you may do some paid speaking in the near future, so get some free training in early whilst the chance is on the table!

About the Author: Astro Exhibitions are a firm of exhibition stand designers based just outside Manchester. They have built custom exhibition display stands for companies from all round the world for events across Europe.

Dealing with Bullying in the Workplace: Advice for employers

For a small business, bullying in the workplace can have a deep impact. It can lead to decreased productivity, lowered morale, increased absences and potentially to expensive and lengthy employment tribunals. Added to that the emotional effects of bulling on the victim, and the fact that one office bully can affect the working environment even for those he or she does not target, and it makes for a very unpleasant situation.

workplace bully — *Image by imagerymajestic*

As a small business owner, and employer, you are responsible for the welfare of your employees under the Health and Safety Act 1974, so you need to know the signs of bullying in the workplace and put a stop to it before it escalates.

What is bullying?

In its guide for employers on dealing with workplace bullying, ACAS, the UK’s employment relations service, defines bullying as

“offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.”

Workplace bullying may not be the name-calling and taunts of the schoolyard, but it can have just as much impact on the victim, often more, as it is much more subtle. Workplace bullying can be:

humiliation
exclusion
intimidation
harassment
sabotage of work or promotion prospects
constantly singling someone out for blame or criticism

In the workplace that can translate to some of the following signs, which as an employer, you should look out for:

withholding information or giving incorrect information
undermining a co-worker
refusing to delegate tasks
spreading malicious rumours

The problem with workplace bullying is that what may be considered bullying by one employee might be considered office banter or just firm management by another. Then there is the fact that the victim may not be willing to speak up, for fear of being thought of as weak, or a “snitch”. And added to that, other employees may not be willing to speak out for fear of calling the bully’s attention to themselves.

This is why it is important to make clear to your employees the behaviours which will not be tolerated.

What can employers do?

As an employer, you need to have a clear policy in place that makes it clear that bullying should not be tolerated, with a set of rules and consequences, and a formal complaints procedure. It is in your best interests to have a supportive environment within your company, not one where the victim feels that they have nobody to turn to. And they may in turn lose respect for you for not addressing the problem.

You should also encourage your employees to look out for any signs of bullying. And make sure you yourself set a good example in your behaviour towards others

If a complaint of bullying is made, it should be investigated and followed up promptly. Gather the evidence and review it thoroughly before deciding how to proceed. An informal talk may be all that is needed, but in some cases, disciplinary action will need to be taken.

Start by calling the employee into your office, and talk through your concerns, outlining each reported incident. Give the employee a chance to tell his or her side of the story, but make it clear that his or her behaviour will not be tolerated. It may be that this is the end of the issue.

However, if attempting to resolve the situation informally does not work, then you may have no choice but to start disciplinary action against the bullying employee. You should make sure you follow procedures carefully and ensure that both victim and accused are treated fairly. Possible punishments for bulling may be a written warning, suspension or even dismissal, but before deciding on your course of action, review the facts again. For example, if the bully has accepted his or her actions were wrong, then a written warning may be enough.

For more information, contact ACAS on 08457 47 47 47

Author Bio: Altmore Business Law are a commercial law firm in the East Midlands, providing solicitors in Nottingham, Leicester, Grantham and across the region. They work with both SMEs and large companies, and provide advice and guidance on a broad range of matters.

How Conflict Resolution Keeps Employees and Keeps Them Happy

Workplace conflict is one of the most insidious things that can work its way into an organization. It doesn’t always manifest in obvious ways such as shouting; more often than not, it takes the form of passive-aggressive comments and political maneuvering that hinders productivity and jeopardizes the success of your business. It is vital to catch it before it gets out of control, and it is even more important that you don’t get involved in it personally. The only thing that actually works is getting to the root of the problem, and while it takes some time to learn how to do that, it is an essential skill for maintaining the health of your business and creating a friendly work environment.

Progressive Discipline

Before you can adopt an effective solution, you will need to know what does not work. The traditional model for employee behavioral correction is progressive discipline, which is essentially a ladder of ever-increasing punishments that culminate in termination for employees that don’t get their act together. The consequences can range from informal coaching sessions to multi-day retreats or suspension depending on the number of violations under someone’s belt and how they’ve responded to prior discipline.

To be fair, progressive discipline not a total failure. First, it gives employers the means to identify and respond to problems in the work place. Second, it enables employers to create clear boundaries that the employee will either adhere to or risk termination. Third, it inoculates employers against legal problems because the employee knows exactly what is expected from him and that everybody’s on the same page regardless of what happens.

Despite those advantages, it has a few glaring holes, the worst one being that it is purely negative reinforcement. Progressive discipline relies entirely on getting the offender to comply, without actually addressing their anti-social behavior or calming tensions between workers. There needs to be an aim besides, “stop acting badly” in order for this kind of thing to be successful over the long term. It also needs to engage employees in the process.

Pulling Up the Roots

The thing that makes conflict resolution a powerful tool in the manager’s tool chest is that it not only makes it easier to engage employees, it necessitates it. It requires talking to the people that are having problems and figuring out exactly what’s got everyone up in arms.

Conflict resolution let everyone say what’s on their minds; everyone’s words have equal weight. In nearly every case where there’s a conflict, something has been exaggerated and everyone has lost sight of the bigger picture because of minute things that have been blown out of proportion. Conflict resolution shines a light on those things and put them into their proper context. Companies that adopt conflict resolution strategies identify what’s preventing their workers from coming to an agreeable solution, and then bring a resolution to the table.

The Benefits

Businesses aren’t comprised of numbers and statistics, they’re made of people. Your success ultimately hinges on every single person within your organization. Whereas traditional methods create a divide between employer and employee, conflict resolution techniques that are properly utilized will let you act with authority while at the same time providing a much more robust support structure.

Conflict resolution ultimately translates to higher productivity, higher worker satisfaction, an increased sense of loyalty within your staff, and higher quality work. It also means that key employees who may have some issues that would otherwise require them to be let go can be brought back into the fold, while employees in general will be more likely to stay. Handling conflict is not just about dealing with the person causing the most problems; if it’s handled badly, it may leave a poor taste in other employees’ mouths, and sooner or later that will cause them to seek a job elsewhere. Proper conflict management eliminates this problem; good workers that got off track are more likely to respond favorably to a manager that cares, and the respect of your staff will translate to higher retention rates across the board.

A big part of creating a successful business involves creating a work environment that no one wants to leave. Conflict resolution is one of the most effective ways to do that in the modern age, and while it’s still not a perfect methodology, it can mean the difference between keeping invaluable employees and losing them to competing companies.

About the Author: Amy Diaz blogs about the benefits of using conflict resolution in the workplace. If conflict resolution interests you as a career, you might consider applying to Abilene Christian University or Creighton University.

Eight Ways to Stay Productive When You Work from Home

Regardless of what you do, if you work from home, the name of the game is productivity. If you telecommute, your boss is likely to be watching you like a hawk. Did he make the right decision when he let you work from home? If you freelance, your clients don’t care about your hourly rate? Did that fifty dollar project really take me three days to complete?

Yes, if you work at home, productivity matters. It pays your bills, it keeps you out of the office and it allows you to have a social life. Therefore if you work from home and you notice that your productivity levels are not as high as they could be, chances are you are suffering. And if you’re telecommuting, chances are you are about to get fired. Before the hammer drops, here are eight highly effective tips for getting more done in less time when you call your office home.

Don’t Become a Recluse

Work from home jobs don’t necessarily require you to literally work at home. Most can be performed effectively at a local café or a quiet bar. Getting out of the house on a daily basis is essential if you want to stay sane, let alone productive. If you find that you get more done when working in your home office, focus on going out in the evenings. Isolation and productivity never go hand in hand.

Figure Out How to Tackle Procrastination

Procrastination seriously harms productivity and problems with productivity can spell death for any work at home career. There are a lot of techniques that can be employed to fight productivity and what works for you is something that you are going to have to find out on your own.

For me personally, I have found that the most suitable weapon against procrastination is to devote a single hour each day to doing the tasks that I hate. Those tasks still take a while to complete, but they always eventually get done. Procrastination is more than capable of leaving tasks uncompleted forever if you let it.

Limit Your Time

If you’re paid per deliverable rather than per hour, your goal is always going to be to get the most done in the shortest amount of time possible. An important part of doing so is limiting the amount of time that you allow yourself to complete your tasks.

If you give yourself the entire day to do something, chances are it’s going to take the entire day. Whereas if you limit yourself to only spending four hours, you are far more likely to fit that task into that timeframe.

List Your Tasks

When you work from home, you don’t have a boss scheduling your day and this is certainly a good thing. Unfortunately however, unless you take on his role, your productivity is going to seriously suffer. Sitting down in the morning with no real plan is a recipe for both procrastination and missed deadlines.

You should start each day by listing the tasks that you hope to complete. They should be ordered according to their importance and completed according to their order. And any tasks not on your list should be avoided entirely. Provided you follow this simple system, you will get your most important tasks completed every day. You also won’t waste time on those that are unimportant.

Work Where You Work Best

If you think that you are going to get a lot done while sitting on your couch with your feet up, think again. High levels of productivity require that you sit up straight and that you are not surrounded by distractions. A home office can fit the bill perfectly but some people find that they get more done outside of their home.

You should experiment with working in different environments and you should establish where you are at your best. Regardless of whether it’s a café, a bar or your aforementioned home office, the important thing is that you establish where works for you.

Disconnect (or Pretend)

Most people that work from home do so with the aid of a computer and an internet connection. An internet connected computer however is home to all manner of distractions and you might be surprised by just how many hours you can kill telling your Facebook friends how great it is to work from home.

If you have the discipline to avoid the recreational side of the internet then by all means do so. But if like most, you’re a bit of a social media addict, you might find that you can get a lot more done if you only connect to the internet when your work actually requires it. Out of all the tips in this article, this is probably the easiest to apply. It also happens to be one of the most effective.

Tell People You’re at Work

If you have friends, a partner or a young child, it’s important for you to let them know that when you are working from home, you actually are working. You can’t do housework, you can’t do babysitting and you can’t go to the pub at two in the afternoon. Just because you don’t have to be at your office by nine am, that does not mean that you don’t have deadlines.

Take Care of Yourself

Finally, take care of yourself. Many people take working from home as an excuse to take less showers, to stay up until four in the morning and to practically live on their couch. Showers keep you fresh, exercise keeps you energised and eight hours sleep keeps you in straight thoughts. When you work from home, there’s no boss to get angry at you for looking like a corpse. That responsibility is therefore left to you. Get some fresh air, dead people don’t work from home.

About the Author: Brian Wills is a freelance writer and blogger. Through his posts he talks about SEO and internet marketing and believes that alexa ranking service is the most reliable page ranking service for checking the credibility and popularity of websites.