9 Ways Your Employees Can Hurt Your Business

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Hiring Employees| 9 Ways Your Employees Can Hurt Your BusinessYou’d like to think that everyone you invited into your organization would help your company to do nothing but grow, but alas, what we think and what we get aren’t always in sync. When it comes to your employees, there’s always a chance that they will do something that ends up harming your business. You can limit the chances of this happening by hiring correctly, but there isn’t a foolproof method of hiring excellent employees. It’s always a risk. But just how can your staff cause harm? We take a look at nine ways how below.

Poor Productivity

The act of being present in the office isn’t going to do all that much for your business. It’s what happens when you’re there that counts. Now, you’ll know yourself that there are days when you’re a little more sluggish than normal, and thus get less work done. And your employees will be the same. However, it’s a different story when you have an employee who consistently underperforms. If they’re only working for, say, a couple of hours a day, yet they’re getting paid for 7.5, then that’s a huge waste of funds. There are ways you can boost your employee’s productivity, however — paying them well, giving them interesting work, and all-around making sure they’re engaged with the company.

Bad Atmosphere

Everyone can point to a working bad working environment in their past. The troubling thing about offices is that one person can have such a huge effect. All it takes is one employee to cause trouble and create a bad atmosphere, which will lead to an unhappy and unproductive workforce. Of course, there are days when people are off and not in the cheeriest of moods, but if it’s happening consistently, then it’s an issue that should be addressed. Making sure you have employees who are pleasant is something you can incorporate into your hiring process. Ask about their past work, why they left, and, just at the moment, see how well you can get along with them. It’ll save a lot of trouble later on if you’re reasonably sure they’re friendly souls before inviting them to join the team.

Data Issues

Your employees don’t have to be lazy or rude, or otherwise malicious, to have a negative effect on your company. Sometimes, they can do so without even realizing what they’re doing. Take your data, for instance. Cybercrime involving data is a growing problem for small to medium size businesses, and many of the attacks are a result of employee negligence. A staff member can inadvertently leak sensitive information, or make it easy for outsiders to access the company’s information. One way to combat this threat is to incorporate an identity governance platform into your business. It’ll help ensure that employees only have access to the information and data that they need access to. There’s little need for all workers to have access to all information!

Internal Crime

However, while we should talk about the very real threat of cybercrime, it’s also important to keep in mind that most crime that takes place against a company happens internally. That means that an employee you hire — and pay — to work ends up defrauding your business in some way. One of the best tools against this is to conduct a criminal background check before you offer someone a position within your company. For your present employees, it’s about bridging the gap between trust and monitoring their behavior to ensure they’re not harming your business.

Harming Reputation

Your employees aren’t just there to do a single job for your business. They’re also ambassadors for your brand, and this means they have a lot of potential to boost and harm your brand, especially if they’re customer facing. There are employees who have won a company a lifetime customer because of their polite and helpful nature. On the other hand, there have been employees who have caused a customer to turn their back and never return. If you’re hiring for a position that deals with customers, make sure you’re paying extra attention to their temperament.

Lack of Teamwork

There’s been a shift in the working practices over the past couple of decades, and especially so in the last few years. It used to be that people would more or less work on their own; if everyone did their job well at an individual level, then the whole company would prosper. Now, the emphasis is more on collaboration and teamwork. As such, it’s important that all employees at least have some capacity to work with their fellow colleagues. Group effort only works if everyone’s on board. If there’s one employee making it difficult, they’ll be the weak link in the armor.

Contradictory Actions

There’s another reason why you need to look beyond the skills section on a resume, too: an employee has the capacity to undermine your branding. A company’s branding should be watertight, which means all staff members have to, if not reflect those values, then at least agree with them. An employee who’s at odds with your company mission and branding can undo some of your good work, especially if they’re dealing with the public.

More Work

Employees don’t manage themselves. Depending on the size of your business, you’ll either have an HR team, a third-party company looking after your staff, or you’ll be doing it yourself. Problem employees will require more handling than regular employees, which will ultimately mean that you (or whoever handles employee issues) has to spend more time, energy, and money on keeping them on board, all of which could be better used elsewhere.

Intentional Sabotage

It’s generally a good thing that the internet has given everyone a voice. You’ll see the positive side of this when it comes to your glowing customer reviews. But there’s another side to the internet, too: it gives ex-employees the platform to badmouth your company. There are ways to get these negative comments taken down, but it’s best to simply stay on good terms when they leave.

Safety Checklist: 8 Things to Consider at Work

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StrategyDriven Human Performance Management Article |Health and Safety| Safety Checklist: 8 Things to Consider at WorkHealth and safety in the workplace isn’t just a formality – it’s something that should be taken into careful consideration each day by every employee. Failing to comply with health and safety regulations, or even take health and safety seriously at work, can lead to serious injuries and even result in costly lawsuits for your business. Health and safety covers everything from trip hazards to ensuring that employees are fully trained to use potentially hazardous machinery and equipment. The type of workplace that you manage will be a huge factor in determining the specific health and safety requirements that you need to meet. We’ve put together a checklist to help you make sure that your workplace is a safe and enjoyable place for all to be.

#1. Regular Audits:

Health and safety isn’t something that you can deal with once and then forget about; it must be regularly revisited to ensure that everything is up to scratch. The best way to do this is by conducting regular health and safety audits so that you can see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted, replaced, or re-done. Audits should look for any potential hazards, no matter how small, and make sure that all employees are aware of their role in keeping the workplace safe. An ideal way to do this is by using a job safety analysis worksheet – use a program such as JSA Builder which allows you to collaborate with employees to share knowledge, mitigate the most hazardous tasks, customize procedures for your workplace, make more informed decisions, upload photographs and much more. To learn more about this program and how it can help your workplace be safer overall, follow this link for more info.

#2. Employee Training:

No matter how much effort you put in to making sure that your workplace is safe and risk-free, it can only stretch so far when employees are not aware of the role that they play. It’s a wise idea to invest in health and safety training for each employee, and make sure that they know which hazards to look out for and what to do in the event of each type of hazard. Often, it will be easy for employees to deal with the hazard themselves – for example, if they find a spillage or other trip hazard that can be cleaned up immediately. In other instances, it may be the right procedure to report the hazard so that it can be removed. Lay out clear expectations and safety regulations for employees and display these around the workplace so that they can be referred to at any time as and when needed. And, encourage communication regarding hazards. Make sure that employees know that it’s always better to double check if they are not sure, rather than ignore something that could potentially pose a safety risk to themselves and their colleagues.

#3. Equipment Training:

If your employees need to use machinery or other equipment as part of their job, then it’s important to have stringent rules in place regarding their use, particularly if the machinery could be dangerous. First of all, make sure that any employees who use this equipment or machinery regularly are fully trained to do so; never let any employee who has not been trained how to use equipment use it, for both safety and insurance purposes. If necessary, you should also make sure that employees are provided with any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to use machinery and other equipment safely, such as goggles and ear defenders, high-visibility clothing, hard hats, and protective footwear. No employee should be allowed to enter an area or use equipment that requires PPE without the correct gear. Finally, it’s a good idea to revisit training regularly and offer employees refresher courses – particularly if equipment is changed or upgraded.

#4. First Aid:

Your workplace should be supplied with an extensive, fully-stocked first aid kit. Depending on the type of work that is done by employees, the kit should be filled with a variety of different items. If burns are a risk in your workplace, for example there is a kitchen or employees are working with heated equipment, you should also supply a burns first aid kit in addition to the regular one. First aid kits should be provided in every type of workplace, even in an office where workers could be subject to injuries from falls, cuts and scratches. Lastly, it’s a good idea to offer certain members of staff first aid training; this allows somebody to be there as a first responder should an injury occur with a colleague, client or customer. Regularly double check the first-aid kit to re-stock it and ensure that all items are within the use-by date. This will vary depending on the type of item, but everything from bandages to antiseptic wipes will need to be replaced eventually.

#5. Review Emergency Procedures:

Make sure that all employees are fully aware of the procedures that they will need to take should an emergency arise while they are at work. Fire is a real hazard in all types of workplaces and one can start anywhere from the office to factories, so in addition to training, make sure that you have a fully working fire alarm system and regularly test it. Train your employees on what to do in the event of an employee emergency, fire, attack or other hazardous situation, and ensure that there is clear signage showing them what to do. For example, they will need to know where the emergency meeting point is, where they can pull the nearest fire alarm, and which emergency exit is the closest to them. Regularly review these procedures and make sure that each employee knows exactly how to react.

#6. Keep it Clean:

A workplace that is not kept regularly clean and tidy is not only horrible for employees to work in; it can also pose a health and safety hazard. A clean, clutter-free and tidy workplace will make a more pleasant environment for everybody and can actually help to boost employee mental health too, leading to better job satisfaction and productivity. Untidiness can pose all kinds of hazards from trips and falls to fire risks, so make sure that cleaning up is a priority for every member of staff. Provide enough waste bins around the work floor or office for employees to use and make sure that the restrooms are cleaned at least once per day. Rodent infestations are also a large problem caused by unclean workplaces, so make sure that you are aware of the signs – shiny droppings or gnawed food packages are usually a big tell-tale sign that rodents are in your workplace. If you suspect this, call pest control immediately as it’s not usually a problem that goes away on its own. It’s also a good idea to get a professional cleaner in to conduct a deep clean of your workplace at least once per week.

#7. Require Correct Footwear:

The clothing and uniform that your employees wear to work will largely depend on the type of environment that they are working in. Office environments tend to be more relaxed with footwear, and safety isn’t usually a big priority, however, in industrial and many other environments, there will need to be strict rules provided in order to keep employees both safe and comfortable. It’s important that each employee in this kind of work environment is wearing shoes that are not only the correct fit, but also provide the right amount of protection, such as covering the entire foot and made of a durable and protective material. If necessary, for example, in a warehouse environment or when working with heavy machinery, workers will need footwear that offers additional protection such as boots or shoes with steel toe caps. As an employer, you should work with your employees to provide a footwear program that ensures proper protection and the correct fit.

#8. Lighting:

Lighting can pose a bigger hazard than you think in any workplace environment, even in a relaxed office. Making sure that there is proper lighting in the office will help to prevent eye strain for employees who work predominantly on computers, and providing adequate lighting in stairwells and other workplaces areas is necessary to prevent falls, trips and other accidents. If your workplace has a parking lot, make sure that there is also adequate lighting outside so that both employees and visitors have a safe journey from the workplace to their car. Regularly check light bulbs and replace any that are broken or have gone out.
Health and safety in the workplace covers a wide spectrum, and hazards will vary depending on the type of work that is done by employees. However, from quiet offices to busy factories and warehouses, building sites and workers who travel, there are always potential hazards that each employee will need to be aware of. A full health and safety audit will allow you to determine the biggest risks for your workplace; then work together with your team to keep it safe for everyone.

4 Tips Every New Business Owner Needs To Know

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Starting a Business| 4 Tips Every New Business Owner Needs To KnowStarting a new business is an exciting yet challenging experience. You may be an expert in your chosen field, but there are so many other aspects that require attention to detail. These aspects often take up a lot of time and can feel overwhelming for new business owners. It’s not just providing a product or service that matters, but also the everyday running of the business to keep a steady and consistent cash flow coming in.

To help you steer clear of the small mistakes entrepreneurs often make, check out some of these top tips that should take on board for a successful first year.

Be prepared for hard graft

Unless you’ve been extremely lucky, every new business will take time and hard graft to get it going. Getting your name out there and attracting the right customers can be challenging so it’s helpful to remember that unless you put the hours in, you won’t be moving very fast. In the first stages of business, a lot of your time may be taken up with mundane things such as administration, but as you build your team, it will start to get easier. However, that doesn’t mean you can totally let go of the reigns, as you need to spearhead the charge to ensure a fluid and successful first year trading.

Surround yourself with honest and hardworking people

Employing people can be one of the most challenging aspects of a business. Plus, it is often the most costly. That’s why it’s crucial to get it right. Create an excellent package for potential employees and start screening people that fit the bill. You may be unlucky, and some bad eggs may slip through the net. But if you focus on obtaining people with the right qualities and work ethic, you will reap the rewards of a strong and focused team to help you drive the business forward.

Be patient

They say patience is a virtue. However, it can be one of the top things new business owners forget to have. Nothing good ever comes easy so be prepared to play the long game. If you have a solid business plan and have set your business up with effective processes, you will soon start to reap the rewards.

Hire qualified professionals

Many new business owners think they can take on anything. But when it comes to the legal stuff, it is always advisable to seek the assistance of professionals. Everything from tax, finances, and regulations should be left to people in the know. Plus, there are tons of experts including professionals such as Geoffrey C. Dietrich who handle a number of complex transactions for companies. Search for recommendations in your local area or in the broader field, and you can get a host of trusted services that will take your business from strength to strength.

By thinking about these simple yet useful tips when beginning your journey, you will ensure your business starts off on the right foot and continues to flourish in your chosen niche.

6 Omnichannel Support Strategies for Cleaning Companies

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Omnichannel Strategy| 6 Omnichannel Support Strategies for Cleaning CompaniesMarketers and customer service reps will need to adapt to the changes in the market brought about by technological convergence.

Technological convergence refers to the integration of unrelated technologies that brings forth more convenience and better solutions. One of the offshoots of this unification of technologies is omnichannel customer support.

With an omnichannel strategy, a cleaning company will be able to offer customers a unified customer experience. If you are an owner of a cleaning service startup just testing the waters, an omnichannel strategy might seem like a real bear. However, once you learn the ropes, you can carve out a unique niche and rake in money.

What Exactly Is an Omnichannel Strategy?

An omnichannel strategy is a holistic approach to customer service. The strategy focuses on creating a cohesive customer experience by utilizing multiple channels.

The goal of an omnichannel strategy is to create a seamless experience as customers interact with the company at different stages of the customer journey.

You can have an amazing social media campaign, a user-friendly website, and responsive customer support, but all of this won’t offer maximum effectiveness unless they work together when serving the target market.

Why You Should Focus on Creating an Omnichannel Marketing Strategy?

All types of businesses – big and small – can benefit from an omnichannel strategy. Consider the following facts revealed in a report by Harvard Business Review that surveyed over 46,000 shoppers.

  • 73 percent of the shoppers used different channels for shopping
  • 20 percent headed to physical stores for shopping
  • 7 percent shopped exclusively online

The above facts clearly show the importance of focusing on omnichannel marketing for increased customer satisfaction. Using an omnichannel channel strategy can help you boost your sales. A study found that firms that have a robust online channel strategy are 89 percent more likely to retain customers.

Now that you know what an omnichannel strategy is and have understood the importance of a strategy for your cleaning business let’s find out some effective omnichannel strategies that can lead to enhanced customer satisfaction.

1. Focus on a Unified Omnichannel Strategy

The main goal of an omnichannel strategy should be to positively influence the perception of the customers about your brand or services.
Focusing on your customers requires that you not just include marketing in the business success formula for attracting customers but also include merchandising, social media support, and customer support. All of these must work together to ensure customer satisfaction.

The activities of different departments should be coordinated by the sharing of customer data. Marketers should ask the customer support to inform about most commonly asked questions. This will help them know about exactly what are the concerns of the customers.

The customer data should be stored in a centralized location. It should be accessed by every employee at any given time. But that’s not all. The data needs to be continuously updated to ensure that the latest information is available for decision making.

2. Collect Data from Multiple Contact Points

You need to collect customer data from different contact points. All sets of data collected from different channels need to be audited.
Identifying customer data on multiple channels involves researching the different channels to find out what customers say about a particular product or service. You should scour the internet to find out what customers have to say about your company online.

You must research what the customers are saying about their customer journey from the point they place their order to the point where they receive their product. The engagement level should be checked on multiple channels to get an overview of the customer’s perception of your company.

An audit of the data collected through multiple sources can help in assessing customer experience. The information can be useful in improving customer service through deep customer insight.

3. Get Feedback from Customers

Obtaining feedback is an active way of obtaining insights about your customer. Most retailers ask feedback during the purchase stage. However, for deeper insights, you should get feedback at each and every stage of the customer journey.

Consider asking the customer to create a small survey. Ask the customer to give a net promoter score (NPS) that shows how the customer is feeling about a service. The information gathered through this strategy can help in optimizing the omnichannel customer experience.

4. Integrate Online and Physical Experience

Once you have gathered deep insights about the customers, you can use the information to create an integrated online and physical experience.

Create a unified brand message that resonates with the target market across different channels. There should be a seamless transition between the online and physical experience.

The gap between the online and physical space can be reduced to a large extent by using innovative technologies. It can help in creating a unified uninterrupted experience across multiple channels.

5. Mobile Friendly Website

While there are many different digital channels, an omnichannel strategy is driven mostly by mobile devices. A large number of customers today use their smartphones or tablets to access sites online. So, it’s a no brainer that you should optimize your site for mobile screens.

Most users will not recommend a company if its website is not mobile-friendly. What’s worse is that the customers will go to a competitor’s site due to a bad mobile experience.

The hierarchy and layout of the site should be optimized properly for small mobile screens. The most important information should be at the front. Most mobile-friendly sites are built on a grid system pattern that allows easy expansion and collapse, depending on the site.

6. Interactive Rewards Programs

Lastly, you should consider integrating a loyalty program to the omnichannel experience. Make the program convenient for the customers by allowing them to easily check and avail discounts through an app.

The theme of the loyalty program should be the same on all channels.

An example can be given of the Starbucks reward programs that integrated easily with different channels. Customers can check and reload balances using the phone. This information is updated in the central system. They can also pay using the reward card, resulting in increased effectiveness.

The keyword in creating an omnichannel strategy for your cleaning business is consistency. Make sure that you offer a consistent customer experience across multiple channels. This provides a great opportunity to improve your brand image, build loyalty, and boost profitability.

Employee Benefits and Perks that Help Productivity

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article |Productivity|Employee Benefits and Perks that Help ProductivityKeeping your employees efficient and productive is quite possibly one of the most important parts of running a business. If your workers are happy then they will be more loyal to your company and they will also be able to yield a much higher ROI too. One way for you to keep your team happy and productive would be for you to offer them a huge range of benefits and perks, some of which can be found below.

Flexitime

Flexitime gives you the chance to get rid of the 9-5 workday. Not all employees are the same and some will work better at certain times of the day. For example, early-risers may do their work much more efficiently in the morning. If you are able to give your team more flexibility, then they will experience less stress, and this can have a huge impact on their productivity. If you want to take things to that next level, then you may also want to give them the chance to work from home. Working from home once carried some degree of stigma, because bosses often saw it as their employees taking a day off. This is no longer the case, and your team might actually be more productive if you give them the chance to do this once a week. If you want to get the best result out of this then invest in some wholesale cell phones, as this can help you to keep them connected even when they are not in the office.

Team Events

Team events can include a night out or even a catered lunch. When you host a team event, you have to make sure that it brings the team together in a non-working environment. If you host an event, just to talk business the whole time then this won’t help your team and it will be seen as another business meeting. Try and keep things as fun as possible and also try and help them to feel rewarded for their hard work. This will help them to establish new connections between their co-workers and it will also help them to forge new connections. Team building exercises are also brilliant ways for you to encourage your team to work harder and it also gives them the chance to unwind after a hard day.

Learning Opportunities

Offering your team the chance to learn new skills is always a win-win. Your team will be grateful for the chance to learn and it also gives you the chance to make your team stronger as a result. The type of learning opportunities you offer is completely up to you at the end of the day, but it does help to make sure that your team are actually interested in the course. For example, if one of your team members is interested in working in management then it helps to give them a course that will better their leadership. This course might not be suited to another member of your team however, so do keep that in mind when you plan out your opportunities.