Encourage Your Employees to Be Their Authentic Selves – And Improve Workplace Morale

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Often people attempt to conceal their personalities at work. This might mean concealing their interests or their passions, but sometimes it goes even deeper. Occasionally, people try and change their accents, or hide their sexual orientation.

Sometimes, employees are concerned that their authentic selves will mark them out as too ‘different’ or ‘quirky’ or ‘airy fairy’ to succeed in the workplace. However, this means that they might be selling themselves short – and in the process, holding back your business.

More Authentic Personalities = Better Business People

People who feel more comfortable in themselves often have greater confidence in their own ability to get the job done. They can be resourceful and quick thinkers who are able to solve problems – because they feel empowered enough to do so. These kinds of individuals are only an asset to a business.

Individuals who are in a role that involves facing clients or closing deals should always present their authentic selves to sell well. Most people can detect fakery and avoid those people, choosing not to spend time with them and trust them in a business relationship.

Fostering an atmosphere of inauthenticity will only impact negatively upon your business. Your staff won’t be happy, productive staff – the kind that are so important to getting a job done well.

Encourage Your Staff to Be Themselves

There are many ways you can encourage your staff to be more authentic in the work place. Mostly it starts by allowing an environment where people feel empowered enough to be their authentic persons, while still being respectful.

It’s mostly about fostering trust between management and colleagues and allowing personalities to shine.

Here are our top tips on how to encourage your staff to be themselves.

1. Get to Know Them

Make sure that you devote some time to each individual member of your staff at least once a month. Ask them what their ambitions are and how they want to get there.

Frequent performance reviews create an environment of trust, so staff feel more empowered to give you honest feedback – something which will only be beneficial for the company.

2. Offer the Training They Want

Staff feel happier and more fulfilled – two elements which are crucial for authentic living – when they feel they’re moving into the future with skills.

If you have ambitious staff, offering them distinct training opportunities to foster their goals and talents. This will help them feel more confident and empowered in the workplace.

3. Don’t Enforce a Strict Corporate Dress Code

You might find a couple of Patrick Bateman weirdos who love wearing a full suit every day, but most modern men and women don’t. Let your employees express their personality in their clothes without judgement.

Most people won’t turn up to the office in sweatpants even if your dress code is more relaxed. People also pick up visual cues off leaders in their environment – if most people dress smart every day, they’ll dress well too.

4. Allow Employees to Personalize Their Workspace

Make sure people feel comfortable personalizing their space in their office. Allowing people to bring in photos of their friends and family, or adding a plant really makes the space more comfortable for them.

If employees have a work phone, let them choose the best phone case for them.

5. Hold Team Idea Meetings

Don’t wait for employees to come to you with ideas. You may never know but there could just be an idea that’s about to revolutionize your company and increase your profit margins in the head of someone sat down in a cubicle in your office.

Foster an environment where people feel comfortable enough to throw out ideas, to help people grow in confidence as they know their opinions are valued.

6. Encourage Structured Growth

To really get the best out of the people you work with, make a plan for each individual’s development. Make sure everyone has a set time each week to do their training or develop their passion projects, for the benefit of the business.

Remember: happier staff can only mean better things for your business.

The World Of Websites: Everything You’ll Ever Need To Know

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As a business owner, you know that you need a website. The internet is definitely the future, and it has been for some time. So even when your business is offline, and you have a physical store or office, you know that you’re missing out on a huge chunk of custom by not being online. But at the same time, when you are an online business, you know that simply having a website just won’t do. You have to get it right, know the ins and outs of websites and what you need, and be able to create the best possible site for your business. And when you’re not all that well versed in technology or the internet, it can feel a bit overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.

Websites can often seem complicated at first. Because they involve code, plugins, development, widgets and more. Whether you want to know exactly what a widget is and why you need it, or you want to be able to drive a significant amount of traffic to your website, you’ll need to do some research. But when that tends to tire your brain, you might like to have it handed to you on a plate, in one concise article, right? So here it is – everything you need to know about the world of websites.

Getting Setup

If you’re yet to launch your own website, then this section is going to help you to get started. If you have, then you may find that you can improve and enhance what you have by following these steps.

Hosting

First off, you’re going to want to make sure that you get some hosting in place. You may be considering setting up a free website, but this isn’t really the best choice when it comes to professionalism and being able to grow in the future. In fact, it’s only ever going to hold you back. Instead, you need to look into web hosting options as listed in that post, and choose a hosting plan that suits you best.

Choosing A Domain

Along with hosting, you’ll also need to find a domain. When you have your own website domain name, your site will look more professional. To do this, you can find expired domains with someone such as FreshDrop or search to see what is currently available. And choose carefully, as you will ideally want your domain name choice to stay with you.

Building The Website

Your final step in getting setup is choosing how you’re going to build the website itself. When you take out hosting, you may find that you’re given a range of options by your hosting provider, so this will help you to decide. You may also find that WordPress, in particular, is an easy to use and manage platform to build your website from.

The Design

When you’ve got the framework of your website ready, it’s time to think about how you want it to look and what functions you’d like to be able to have.

The Look

This is where you can start thinking about the colors that you like, a logo, your font choices, and what kind of image you want to give off on your website. Unless you are experienced with code, which we are presuming you are not, you’re going to want to look into a template that you can use here instead. This is often an inexpensive way to get a design on your site.

The Functions

At the same time, you need to be thinking about the key functions your need your website to do. There are a range of website features that are important, and you will be able to find widget and plugins to help you add this in. Essential, these are small pieces of software that allow you to add a particular function to your website, such as an email subscription tool. So work out what you want your website to have, and find the right plugins to help you do to do.

User Experience

As you start to move forward with your website, you’ll want to make sure that you’re thinking about the user journey. This is how visitors of your site move around the website and effectively use it. As you start to gather this information, you may even want to hire a developer to help you edit your template or create a new design that will suit your user journey better.

The Content

You’re also going to need to populate your website with content. There is a range of information that you will need to include, so let’s go over what that will be.

Pages

From browsing the internet yourself, you’ll know that websites need to have different pages. When you’re building your site, there will always be a range of pages that you need. Alongside your product or services pages, you need to have an about page, as well as an FAQ, testimonials, and even a privacy policy page. So be sure to get writing these as soon as you can.

Blog

Whether you want to add this in before you launch or later on down the line, having a blog for your business is a really great idea. Not only will it help with your SEO (we will go into more detail about this in the next section), but it also gives you content to share with your customers and site visitors too.

Contact Information

A contact page is one of the important pages that you will need to have on your website. But your contact information is often the most important kind of content that you need to include across your blog, and not just on that single page itself. You’ll want to have your information visible on the homepage, as well as links to your social profiles. You never want your customers to have to dig for your details, as they may choose to just give up if so.

Traffic Driving Strategies

Now that your website is essentially up and running, you need your customers to find you. But how? Here are a few ideas on how you can start generating traffic to your website.

SEO

In order for your website to show up on search engines like Google, it has to be optimized. And that is exactly what the practices of search engine optimization (SEO) do. To make sure that you’re optimizing your content and site as you’re building it, be sure to use this SEO checklist as you go along. This will help you to show up in searches and generate traffic to your site.

Social Media

Next, you’re going to want to turn to social media. Because you can actually generate some traffic from social media if you take the right approach with your marketing. You’ll want to make sure that you’re applying tactics that will engage your followers and lure them to your website. Yes, it can take time, but it’s actually quite fun to test out different ideas and see how they do.

Online PR

Finally, you’re going to want to think about doing some online PR. This fits nicely in the above two points. Getting links to your website from other sites will help with your SEO, and collaborations on social media and with other businesses or influencers can help you to generate some online PR and bring visitors to your site.

The Importance Of Analytics

Finally, you’re going to want to get to know your analytics. Why? Well, they are essential for you to be able to find success with your website. So let’s see how you can do that.

Knowing Where To Look

As you set up your website, you will find that you have some tools right there in your dashboard (particularly if you’re using WordPress). You will be able to see how many visitors you get and sometimes even where they came from or what links they’re clicking on. But, you need more. Registering for Google Analytics (GA) is important here. GA allows you to see how many hits your site has had and by how many people, how they found you, what pages they’ve been on, and what they have clicked onto. This data can then be hugely important to improving your website.

Using Your Analytics

Once you have got your GA hooked up, you’re then going to want to read something like this guide that will help you to get the most out of your analytics. This data is invaluable and can help you to understand your customers better, which will then help your website to meet their needs.

Continuing To Improve

Finally, you’re then going to want to make sure that you apply your data findings to tweak your site and get results. And you’re going to want to keep on refining your site and then finding new insights from your analytics over time to make sure that you’re always meeting your visitors’ needs.

It may seem like a lot, but when you approach your website in this way, by taking in the build, design, populate, promote, and refine stages that we’ve walked through, you should find that your website is exactly what you want it to be – successful!

Why Every Business Owner Should Study Supply Chain Management

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No matter if you run a manufacturing business or  a small online store, you need to stay competitive by making sure that you reduce waste and improve customer satisfaction every day. Supply chain management is sometimes considered as a posh name for logistics, but it does entail much more than making sure that products are delivered from Point A to B. If you are serious about improving your business and your productivity, you have to take supply chain management more seriously in the future. Find out more about why it is important for every 21st century entrepreneur.

Improving Productivity

Having an effective supply chain management system in place will reduce idle times in your business. Even if you deliver services for customers, you will need to make sure that you complete the work in time, and get paid faster. Nobody wants to pay employees to sit around, therefore, getting the work done as soon as possible, delivering it to the client, and getting paid in a shorter time will free up time to complete other jobs. This will improve your organization’s performance, and you can benefit from more value created each day by your company.

Reducing Regulatory Risks

Having a supply chain management can also reduce your organization’s risks of non-compliance. By managing your suppliers and contractors effectively, you can conduct spot checks. When documenting the different processes that take place in your company, you can find the risks easier. If you evaluate your contractors regularly and check their processes, you will have a better chance of complying with the current regulations, and making sure they do everything by the books.

Utilizing Talent Better

If you have an effective supply chain management system set up, you’ll be able to get everyone the right job in your organization. By measuring the performance of different processes in the organization, you can find the right match for your talent. If someone has an outstanding performance on one job, but they underdeliver on other areas, you can identify the gaps in their skills and knowledge and provide them with support and training that will not only make them more valuable for the company, but also more motivated.

Preventing Fraud

By following the route of products or services from the point of order to delivery, you can track materials and reduce the risk of fraud within the organization. You can track your spendings and your inventory, and control your costs. If you check the qualities and keep an eye on the stock, you can prevent internal fraud as well.

Reducing Waste

One of the main benefits of having a well-designed supply chain is that you can reduce waste. By following up the route of raw materials through the channel until they become the end product. Identifying waste will be easier, and you can address the quality issues as soon as possible. This will leave your customers more satisfied, and there will be more money left in your pocket, too. From making sure that no two employees have to do the same job twice to reducing the waiting times, there are several ways your company will benefit from an improved supply chain.

Improved Delivery Times

When your supply chain runs smoothly, you can get better delivery times and serve your customers better. Choosing the right delivery company is crucial. Check out Jayde Transport to find out more about additional tracking services and supply chain solutions that can take your company to the next level. When you deliver faster than other companies, you can build a competitive advantage and improve your customer retention rates. This will translate to higher profitability and reduced marketing costs.

Better Quality

Quality assurance is important in both manufacturing and wholesale. If you are able to check the quality at different stages, you can improve it over time. Adding checkpoints in your supply chain will help you identify defects and address them. This means that your customers will always get the best quality product or service, and you don’t have to spend money on external audits to find out where your profits disappear.

Customer Satisfaction

If you record when an item or enters a new process, you can account for all materials, and provide your customers with up to date information, too. Customers will get a product that has been followed up and checked at different points, so there will be fewer complaints related to quality. When designing your supply chain, you will need to have customer satisfaction in mind. From maintaining a constant quality to eliminating waste, everything will improve your end product and customers’ experience.

Reduced Operational Expenses

As a result of maintaining quality standards, reducing waste in terms of materials, resources, and time, you can improve your profitability. By managing and tracking your expenses, you can offer more value for less to your customers. If you implement quality checks in your supply chain, you can save money on replacements, refunds, and time on separate checks.

Improved Strategy

A supply chain management will be helping you create a better long term strategy. You don’t have to micromanage the different stages of product or service delivery, and you can focus on the things that matter. If you can predict delivery times and the cost of production, you can calculate the profits better and make continuous improvements to increase your income. Creating a strategy that is focused on building company assets will help you remain competitive, no matter which industry you are in.

Whether you are in the wholesale business or deliver services for businesses, managing your supply chain and improving it constantly will help you achieve higher profits and better profitability. You can improve your customer satisfaction and retention rates, while managing your talent and resources better. Studying supply chain management will have more several benefits for you as a professional and your company, other than another degree on your office wall. Through keeping an eye on the supply chain, you can make processes more effective and better functioning.

Workplace Design Tips To Increase Profit Margins

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Were you aware that the design of your workplace is important for employee engagement and customer satisfaction? As a business owner it is important to consider and make adaptations to the aesthetics of your premises in order to increase productivity and sales.

Taking on the large financial commitment of a business premises is a big decision, so considerations around the aesthetics are essential right from the very beginning.

The aesthetics of your business premises are important as it is your “shop window” to visiting clients and customers. It is important to give a good first impression and look professional, tidy and organised. Employees are likely to be more productive and happy working in an aesthetically pleasing workspace and staff turnover may well reduce.

This article aims to look at ways of making your business look more aesthetically pleasing.

External

Even if your budget is minimal, it is important to make the external areas of your business premises look tidy and professional. Check that car park areas are well maintained and that pathways are well maintained by taking advice from a professional flooring company. Ensure walking surfaces are safe and free from hazards.

The entrance to your business property should be inviting. Have clear signage and good lighting facilities. Does your door look aesthetically pleasing ie no peeling paint or broken door furnishings?

On entering your building clients should be able to easily find directions to the meeting point. This could be done by positioning a welcome desk visible from the doorway, or clear signs directing them to your office space.

Internally

The internal aesthetics of your premises are important due to the professional image you wish to portray to your clients and visitors, but also for creating an area conducive to good productivity from your staff (and yourself).

Gone are the days when offices were designed by placing dark, dingy desks in uninspiring rows. Much more thought has been given to the modern office, the idea being that different zones can be created for meeting, collaborating, relaxing and working.

Modern offices are light and airy and make use of all natural light available. To make the space appear lighter, if natural light is at a premium, decorate in light colours, but avoid the traditional colour of grey. Try to bring the “outdoors in” by using splashes of colour.

Greenery

The colour green increases production and  performance as well as evokes a sense of calmness. Bringing green into your workspace can be achieved by painting a wall or even better by using plants. If your budget is high you could consider creating a green-space for your employees and visitors to relax in, by building an atrium, filled with plants and fresh air.

Space

If you are at the initial stage of looking at business premises, try to get as much space included as your budget will allow. Cramped offices are not conducive to good productivity and soon become cluttered. Staff need space to move around and change position occasionally. Overly small office spaces could also be unsafe due to trip hazards.

Hopefully by incorporating the above tips your profit margins will escalate and your staff team will be stable.

Choosing the Right Web Hosting for Your Website

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship ArticleLaunching a website requires more than simply choosing a domain name and uploading content you want to share. Choosing the right web hosting provider is essential when you want to get the most out of your online presence, regardless of the purpose of your website. Before choosing a web host that is right for you there are a few factors to keep in mind to ensure you make the right decision.

Budget

Consider the budget you have available for a hosting package and whether you prefer to pay monthly, semi-annually, or even annually. When you have a budget set in place, eliminate hosting companies that are out of your price range or that do not offer the space, speed, and bandwidth you require.

Shared Hosting vs. Dedicated Hosting

Compare both shared and dedicated hosting options when reviewing web hosts you are interested in. Shared hosting is often less expensive, but requires you to share a server with other individuals using the same web host. Dedicated hosting is a way to utilize a server of your own, increasing loading times without utilizing all of your server’s bandwidth when you are sharing with others.

Uptime and Reliability

Always choose a web host that boasts a 99% or higher uptime and reliability guarantee. Ensuring a web host is reliable and remains up at all times is essential when you want to leave a professional and lasting impression on your visitors and prospective online customers.

Features

Many web hosts offer feature such as free CMS (content management systems) including WordPress, WooCommerce, Drupal, and Joomla to help launch any website you envision with ease. Additional scripts for forums, eCommerce shops, blogs, and even online portfolios or photo galleries are also available with web hosts that provide free extensions and add-ons for all hosting customers.

Support

Find a web host that offers multiple methods of communication regarding support if you are ever in need. When you need support, having a live ticket system, email option, live chat, and phone number available are all possible with the right web host.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Check customer reviews and testimonials from various web hosts you are most interested in using to determine the hosting provider that is best for your website needs. Customer reviews provide insight into a web host’s customer service as well as the type of service they provide altogether.

Taking the time to compare various web hosts is a way for you to determine the package that works best for the website you have in mind and the uptime, reliability, and support you prefer. The more you know about individual web hosts, the easier it is to select a package that is optimal for all of your online hosting needs.