StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Ways to Improve Communication Between a Manager and an Employee

Ways to Improve Communication Between a Manager and an Employee

StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Ways to Improve Communication Between a Manager and an Employee

Communication between employees and managers in the workplace is of paramount importance to any successful business. To ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding expectations, direction, and objectives, there has to be a clear and open communication. This post looks at four effective ways your company can open up clear communication and start working as a team.

Weekly Meetings

Organizing weekly meetings for the whole team is a way to create an environment in which members feel able to communicate with one another. These weekly meetings help to break down barriers in communication between employees and managers. Each member of the team is given a chance to talk freely and openly about:

  • Projects they are currently working on
  • The challenges they are facing while working on the projects
  • Questions they have regarding those particular projects

One of the ways to help team members communicate freely in these meetings is by keeping them informed. The managers should ensure that the conversation goes on and everyone is given adequate time to speak without judgment.

Regular One-On-Ones

Communicating in a group may be challenging to some individuals, so you should come up with more avenues of communication for employees. One-on-one meetings can be used for direct communication between employees and managers. This is also another way to ask about each other’s preferred style of communication.

These one-on-ones may be in the form of an informal chat regarding projects and ideas, or may be structured and formal. No matter the situation, take that opportunity to collaborate and connect with your employee.

Keeping Employees in the Loop

A good manager always keeps employees apprised of matters in the company. Many employees often feel that they are not involved in decisions that are made by the management team. Informing employees about the company’s plans improves communication, and also builds trust among all team members.


Use Tools That Improve Communication

There are many tools that are meant to enhance communication in the workplace. For example, one of these tools may include a random anonymous chat app. Using the right tools can improve how a manager and an employee can communicate in an organization.

Open Door Policy

An additional way for managers to improve communication between them and employees is by having an open door policy. This means that the employee can approach the manager in the office with comments, complaints, concerns, and questions at any time.

This type of management approach will let employees know that the manager is always available to listen to their concerns and act accordingly. This style of management will have a positive impact on employee morale and performance. When employees are heard, they feel valued and that is the essence of good communication.

Lead By Example

As a manager, your credibility depends on how well you deliver on your promises. It also depends on your capability to communicate with others positively and if you acknowledge the success of member staff and their ideas. Employees will have confidence in you if they know that you speak the truth and follow through on your word.

Endnote

Communication is a crucial step a company can take to create a collaborative and more cohesive work environment. You can start by implementing the above steps to break down barriers in the workplace and start to communicate openly.

StrategyDriven Diversity and Inclusion Article | 5 Ways to Promote Workplace Diversity

5 Ways to Promote Workplace Diversity

StrategyDriven Diversity and Inclusion Article | 5 Ways to Promote Workplace Diversity

A diverse workplace is inclusive and ensures equal opportunities and rights for all staff members, regardless of their color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, religious beliefs, and more. It should be free of harassment and discrimination. A diverse, multicultural workplace permits new processes and ideas. This talent diversity means broader skills range among workers and perspective and experience diversity, which boosts the potential for high productivity.

A company with a diverse work environment is deemed a better employer, and prospective employees want employers who treat their staff members fairly while accepting and being tolerant of different backgrounds. Here are five ways to promote workplace diversity.

Invest in diversity training

Diversity training programs increase participants’ awareness regarding various diversities, appreciate the differences among colleagues, and offer strategies and knowledge to improve employees’ communication and interpersonal skills to create a positive work environment. Diversity training helps organizations prevent civil rights violations, promote better teamwork and develop a more inclusive workplace while increasing the inclusion of various diversity groups.

Investing in diversity training for your staff enables you to attract talent while maximizing company profits, adhere to the organization’s legal and moral standards, and disseminate information concerning organizational policies and diversity-related concerns. You can hire a certified professional diversity coach or let your managers get diversity coaching certification and then train the employees.

Establish diversity mentoring programs

Minorities in a workplace usually experience many challenges, including development and growth. With a diversity mentoring program, you can help overcome these difficulties. A diversity mentorship program provides encouragement, support, and a listening ear to employee concerns while creating a connection with other team members.

When mentees learn new skills via their mentor’s expertise and knowledge, it becomes easier for them to thrive. Diversity mentorship programs give employees a sense of inclusion and belonging, expand a company’s talent pool, promote innovation and teamwork, and increase productivity.


Develop more inclusive workplace practices and policies

As you embrace workplace diversity, consider conducting a comprehensive workplace evaluation and current practices to determine how inclusive your company is. Start by amending the existing policies and practices, including performance and recruitment assessments and promotions, to facilitate diversity. You may also extend an alternative for flexible work hours, allow your workers to take off days for religious holidays your company doesn’t officially observe, and more.

Create cultural awareness opportunities

Companies with more than offices in another country, state, or within the same region should let their employees learn about various cultures by sending them to different locations for long or short assignments. This allows them to know their co-workers better and the environment they work and live in.

Alternatively, you can organize volunteer opportunities for your workers to interact with people from different backgrounds, including visiting the disadvantaged, assisting at an immigration center, and more. This can give them a different perspective on issues while broadening their horizons for interacting and working with people from diverse backgrounds. It’s also a great chance for team bonding.

Hold cultural activities and events

Organizing workplace diversity activities is a fun way to embrace inclusivity. Consider celebrating specific diversity days by recognizing them in your organization by publishing details about them, why they matter, and how you’ll observe them. Your organization may also sponsor diverse events in the community, like fairs, parades, concerts, and more.

Endnote

A diverse work environment benefits from various perspectives, more innovations, high employee engagement, better decision-making, and more. Use these tips to make your workplace more inclusive.

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, How to Get More Results Out of Your White Label Link Building Services

How to Get More Results Out of Your White Label Link Building Services

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, How to Get More Results Out of Your White Label Link Building ServicesIf you’re running an agency, you know how challenging it can be to handle marketing, sales, and administration. It can easily spread yourself too thin, leading to subpar SEO results. Instead of trying to do it all, work with a white-label link-building service to handle your link development, content, and SEO needs.

Working With a White Label SEO Agency

Work with a reputable, white-label SEO agency when outsourcing your link-building services. A good agency knows that quality links are vital to ranking well and will have a quality control process. You can check whether a particular link-building service is reputable by looking at its track record. You can ensure they are doing a good job if they have many satisfied customers.

A white-label SEO agency will have dedicated professionals and link-building processes, and they can deliver high-quality results quickly. They will also provide you with quality backlinks and referral traffic. And if you’re an SMB, working with a white-label SEO agency will help you save money since hiring a professional is usually less than hiring an in-house team.

SEO can be complex, and a white-label SEO agency will have multiple employees who will share tasks. In some cases, an entire department will be dedicated to this task. Hiring multiple employees would be very expensive, and you’d need to ensure they are trained. A white-label SEO agency can also provide ongoing training to its staff.

Benefits of Working With a White Label SEO Agency

Working with a white-label SEO agency for link building can help you increase your ranking in search engines. You can rely on a team of experts who deliver excellent results. They have tried and tested link-building processes and reporting systems. They can also prove the value of the links they’ve built. As a result, your rankings will increase, and your website will attract more potential customers.

A white-label SEO agency will carry out a thorough analysis of relevant blogs and contact them for backlinks. This is not always possible for non-agencies. They also conduct guest posting and encourage reviews of their client’s products. White-label SEO agencies can offer their services competitively, which is another great advantage.

SEO requires an investment in time and resources. Outsourcing the work will save you time and money in the long run. A white-label SEO agency has team members who specialize in the subject.


Finding a Reliable White Label SEO Agency

A quality white-label SEO agency will take the hassle out of link building, including evaluating link opportunities and placing your links. They should be able to produce high-quality links for you, and they should have a process that is reliable and measurable. It would help if you also looked for a promise that they can deliver a minimum number of quality backlinks per month.

When looking for a white-label SEO agency, it’s important to choose a partner that is experienced and familiar with the industry’s intricacies. The right partner will know how to stay on top of changing trends and algorithm updates. It will also know the ins and outs of your industry and can provide you with a customized approach to your SEO strategy.

A good White Label service provider will professionally handle all the communication with you and maintain transparency. This means you can expect prompt updates on your project and any other problems that may arise. In addition, they are affordable, and you won’t have to worry about any hidden costs. However, you should always check a White Label SEO agency’s reviews and ratings to ensure that you’re getting top-quality work.

Cost of Working With a White Label SEO Agency

Outsourcing your link-building services is a great way to save time and money while getting top-notch results. However, hiring a reputable agency that can deliver excellent results is important. While it may be tempting to use your staff, it is better to leave the job to the pros and focus on your core role. Outsourcing your link-building services will give you peace of mind and the assurance of a quality product.

The costs of white label link building services vary greatly depending on the services provided. Some companies offer monthly or weekly packages. Others charge by the piece. Some offer discounts if you package several services together. Depending on the size of the project, some companies will also offer additional guarantees or protections for their services. Some will also offer peripheral services such as backlink audits and link monitoring.

When working with a white-label SEO agency for your link-building needs, choosing a company that offers transparent communication is important. A reputable service will always keep you informed of the status of your project. In addition, many of these companies offer affordable packages and no hidden fees. To find a reputable agency, you can check online reviews.

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | How Sensible Is Investing Right Now?

How Sensible Is Investing Right Now?

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | How Sensible Is Investing Right Now?

With everybody’s concerns about the economy right now, it’s easy to feel suckered into the notion of doom and gloom. The hardest thing for any business owner or any individual that’s trying to provide a solid financial foundation for themselves is to understand where their investments should go. The rising cost of everything means everybody’s having to penny-pinch even more than normal, and when it comes to something like investing, it’s not irregular to see upturns and downturns in the market. When it comes to investing in stocks and shares, it’s important to get to grips with a few fundamentals.

When Do You Need Returns on Your Investment?

Rather than thinking about profit or loss, it’s far better for you to think in terms of timescale. Because there are a wide variety of stocks and shares on the market, and with each product comes a degree of volatility. New investors are going to consider whether they should put any of their finances into any product at such a difficult time in the world. The reality is that you have to look at whether you need the money now or in the future.

A great example is an investment like cryptocurrency. You can see that it’s had a volatile time, not just in recent years, but ever since it became widely known. AI traders like Bitcoin Motion are helping investors to bridge the gap by automating aspects of trading, but the fact is that with any new or old currency, you’ve got to ask yourself if you need the money right now. If you have some savings, you can invest and you don’t need the money for at least 5 years, you can put some money in.

Holding Your Nerve

Any seasoned investor will tell you about the importance of long-term investment. It’s a hallmark of amateur investors to want short-term results and nothing more, but this is a very myopic approach to investing because anybody who is looking to make an immediate profit is better off investing in a high-interest savings account. This means you can see your money compound fairly regularly. The fact is that there have been major highs and lows over the last few years. The bear market, when a market experiences prolonged declines in price, that occurred in 2020 bounced back and hit new highs by the end of August 2020.

In 2022, we’re seeing a very similar set of circumstances. There’s high inflation, interest rate increases, and naturally, those who are looking for short-term gains are going to be disappointed if they invest in stocks and shares.


What Does It Take to Be a Sensible Investor During Tough Times?

The reality is that we can never predict the future. You can purchase shares in individual companies or buy into a fund that tracks an index or invests in a wide variety of companies; this latter option is going to diversify your portfolio. Arguably, this is the best way to be a sensible investor during tough times. However, the most important thing is to remember that these things have all occurred before. There is nothing new, no matter how much scaremongering occurs online.

The financial crash in 2008 and the Black Monday crash in 1987 are two major events that occurred within the last 40 years, a very minuscule time in investing. It’s very easy to think that any downturn in the market means you should be swift in pulling your investment out, but this is why it’s important to look at seasoned investors such as the Warren Buffetts of the world. These people always understood the value of a long-term investment.

The problem we all have in the modern world is that when it comes to investing and stocks and shares is that people want to jump onto a sure thing. People get cold feet instantly. In order to be a sensible investor, you’ve got to understand what you wish to achieve from your investments. If you don’t go in with a plan, you aren’t going to be able to find the right stocks and shares that suit your risk tolerance, and when something comes up that causes a wobble in the market, you are going to panic and pull out. It’s far better to aim for any form of profit rather than setting yourself a specific amount.

When we talk about being a sensible investor, it’s not about finding the right products or shares, but about ensuring that you have an understanding of what it takes to achieve your financial goals. Investing is an incredibly diverse approach and doesn’t just cover stocks, shares, or cryptocurrency, it can involve profiting through property or even having a good savings account or a Roth IRA. If you are looking to put money into something right now, during these tough times, you’ve got to make sure that you are prepared to weather the storm.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | 6 Benefits of Outsourcing Facility Management

6 Benefits of Outsourcing Facility Management

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | 6 Benefits of Outsourcing Facility Management

Facility management is essential for every business, regardless of size, because it ensures customer and employee satisfaction, smooth operations, and a secure workplace regarding health and hazards. Nevertheless, it might be impossible for all businesses to commit a whole department to facility management. These businesses can outsource facility management. This article outlines six benefits of outsourcing facility management.

Ensures better service quality

When you outsource facilities management, you allow professionals to do what they do best, mainly when they focus on one specific service. They bring in their expertise and experience to provide services that suit your needs. The professionals at these facilities are well-trained and expert service providers that deliver high-quality services compared to an in-house management team. This can help you avoid the trouble of looking for an internal team with the right skill set. Upon outsourcing, the company will ensure reliable and top-quality facility management services.

It gives you time to focus on your business

Committing personnel and resources to in-house facilities management can impact the effort and resources your business would invest elsewhere. Outsourcing facilities management tasks is crucial because it allows you to focus on your critical business operations, including marketing, strategic planning, and daily operations, which may boost your business’s overall productivity without worrying about facility management. It also allows you to focus on your core business strategies while aligning them with your mission and vision to ensure you’re always ahead of your competitors.

Promotes business growth

Growth is every business’s target. Nonetheless, an in-house facility management team may be unable to keep up with your business’s growth as its reach and scope might be inadequate to handle the growing business requirements. Fortunately, outsourcing facility management can help you access easily engaged management services to empower your business, boost your efficiencies, and scale your operations. They also help streamline communication to reduce stress while leaving more time to reach your business potential.


Saves costs

In-house facility management is costly. With an in-house department, you’ll need resources and effort that you can channel elsewhere. You also won’t have to bear employee costs, including compensation and training. Outsourcing facilities management allows you to access additional resources and the best practices that have grown over time, helping you keep your costs in check. While outsourcing isn’t free, its costs are lesser than having an in-house department, saving money on equipment, training, resources, and other operational expenses associated with routine facilities management.

Service flexibility

Every business requires personalized services suitable for its needs and goals. When outsourcing, you can choose the services you require from external facilities management companies. In addition, these professionals are up-to-date with the latest procedures and trends in the market and can apply them while handling your resources and facility. This means you won’t have issues with unnecessary activities unrelated to your business.

Helps reduce downtime

All businesses aim at reducing and keeping downtime at the lowest. Every additional minute of downtime means business loss. Outsourcing facilities management ensures round-the-clock support to keep your system’s downtime minimum. The external facility management teams use the latest procedures and techniques to take care of your needs, assuring you of quick fixes, quality services, and reduced downtime.

Endnote

In-house facility management has many challenges. However, outsourcing facility management can help you reap these benefits.