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4 Ways To Boost Employee Morale

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employee Morale|4 Ways To Boost Employee MoraleYour employees are the backbone and foundation of your company. Without them, it’ll be hard to reach your goals and excel in your role as the boss and owner. It’s in your best interest to build a strong connection with each person you hire.

It’s costly to have to keep replacing employees who aren’t happy or the right fit. Therefore, it’s wise and also necessary to do what you can to keep them around for the long term. The following tips and ideas will help you learn how to boost employee morale and ensure your staff is satisfied and productive.

1. Show You Care

You must show your employees you care daily if you want them to perform well and be happy at your workplace. You can express your appreciation for all their hard work by lending an open ear, giving out specific compliments, offering opportunities for growth, and having an open-door policy. Don’t be afraid to speak up and thank your staff members for doing a good job and for all their efforts. A small gesture can go a long way in helping you boost employee morale. Be transparent and communicate clearly and often to keep everyone happy and on the same page.

2. Offer Attractive Benefits

Another way to boost employee morale is to offer attractive benefits at your company. While you should compensate them well and fairly, there are also other ideas worth considering. For example, you may want to have a game room where they can go relax and regroup or you can offer daycare at your work facility so it’s a friendly and welcoming environment for working parents. In this case, you may want to consider installing a playground rubber mat the kids can run around on and enjoy. You may also want to think about giving your employees days off once in a while or taking them out for a meal to treat them.

3. Ask for Feedback

You can boost employee morale by getting employee feedback and making them feel heard. Not only gather input from your staff but then make positive changes based on their comments and responses. Show you’re listening by adjusting how you operate and manage based on their remarks. They’ll appreciate you taking the time to hear them out and that you’re taking their opinions seriously. Let their feedback guide you to creating a calm, healthy, and organized environment where people want to work.

4. Train Your Staff

Your employees will perform better and be more satisfied at work when you take the time to train them. Offer training as part of the onboarding process and keep it going by rolling out additional opportunities for learning and development throughout the year. Your employees will not only feel more confident and prepared to do their jobs but there will likely be fewer mistakes and safety issues and accidents to deal with when you train them. You must also train your managers so that they can then take over and ensure the other staff members know what they’re doing.

Make Sure Your Social Media Posts Are Getting Seen With These Tips

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Social Media|Make Sure Your Social Media Posts Are Getting Seen With These TipsSocial media is not just something you use as an afterthought when it comes to your marketing strategy anymore. It has progressed from a novel concept to a necessity for marketers. Social media, more than any other new media marketing channel, has completely turned traditional marketing on its head. Messages are delivered to potential customers in earlier outbound marketing tactics, and contact is one-way, which is not how you want a business relationship to be.

Customers and businesses can communicate directly on social media. Both sides can interact by asking each other questions, reposting each other’s content, and building relationships. It might be difficult to get started with social media marketing, so here are some simple suggestions for efficiently promoting your business on social media.

Use the right platforms

There are plenty of social networking sites where you can share your material. Every day, the number of websites increases. It’s critical to share your material on the correct platforms if you want to be successful.

You should think about your clients and your business when deciding which channels to use. It’s vital that you set up accounts on the platforms that your target audience utilizes so that they can connect with you quickly. For example, you are much more likely to find an older audience on Facebook than you are on Snapchat or TikTok.

Do not over-promote yourself

One trap that businesses often fall into is treating social media too much like regular advertising. You don’t want to blatantly promote yourself in every post. You need to create content that people will actually enjoy and want to see. If you put your business link in your bio, people will naturally go and visit it. Check out some of the best Linktree alternatives for doing this.

Aim for an 80:20 balance. 80% of your content should be useful, interesting, and enjoyable content and 20% should be directly promotional.

Address any issues quickly and professionally

Hopefully, the majority of the response you receive on social media is favorable. However, as with everything, sometimes you are going to come across someone who is not so positive.

You should keep a close eye on mentions of your business on social media to spot problems before they get out of hand. If you notice a problem, communicate with the person by publicly apologizing if appropriate and offering to resolve the issue via direct messaging. People who see the post will know you responded, but they won’t have to see all of the details of the problem.

Build a community

Focus on finding clients that are interested, loyal, and engaged rather than trying to obtain as many followers as possible. These individuals are more inclined to share your material, appreciate your articles, and buy from you.

When you create a community around your business, its members will interact with one another and help to promote your content. You might also try contacting highly influential social media users and asking them to assist you by writing a product review or mentioning you in a post.

5 Ways To Make Sure A Solid Relationship With Clients Is Built

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StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article |Client Relationship|5 Ways To Make Sure A Solid Relationship With Clients Is BuiltAs a business, it’s your job to ensure you and your clients/customers have a wonderful time together. On the surface, it looks like one party receives something from another in exchange for money. There are so many more layers to that transaction, however. If you don’t build up a solid report with the people you’re working with, then you’re not going to receive the longevity you desire. Think about every single product that you adore – the chances are that you bought it from a reputable firm that you feel comfortable with, right? That was no coincidence. Life is all about building relationships and reports, so keep that in mind when you’re looking to make a success of your business.

There are plenty of ways you can get people on your side and make sure people see you are a business wherein a relationship can be built. Here are just a few ideas:

Listen And Welcome Constructive Feedback

You might be the most confident you’ve ever been in terms of your work, and you may be the most assured you’ve ever been regarding how the future is going to go. This doesn’t mean a thing in reality, however, because if you don’t know what your clients want, then you’ll be going nowhere. When presented with the opportunity, potential customers and current customers will be happy to tell you what they like and don’t like – it’s your job to listen and take things on board. There’s nothing wrong with learning more.

Use Appropriate Technology And Software

The good thing about building relationships is that we have so many different programs around that make it a lot easier. Just look at the likes of this law firm crm and how it walks businesses through every step of dealing with a transaction or a particular strategy. Managing projects is so much easier in this day and age thanks to software and automation.

Maintain A Solid Online Presence

People will always need you to have an online presence. In 2021, they’re not going to be impressed if you cannot respond to them quickly. They’ll have a look on your site in order to learn more, so you’ll want to make sure that it’s of good quality. The same should be said for social media channels.

Put On Events That People Will Be Interested In

People enjoy attending events. This is because they’re something a little different. They’re actively going out of their way to be a part of something. There are plenty of advantages to this kind of thing, including the fact that people will remember certain aspects and that they’ll feel as though they matter a lot more than just the average stakeholder.

Watch How You Behave When Dealing With Them

Clients and customers will always remember how you interact with them, so it’s your job to make sure that you’re pleasant and productive. They’re always right, and you should remember this. If something’s a little off, they’ll tell others all about it.

How Your Personal Credit Score Could Affect Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Personal Finances |How Your Personal Credit Score Could Affect Your BusinessWhile your business and you can be two different entities, your personal credit score can affect your ability to do business in a wide variety of ways. But there is one area where it will affect you the most, and that’s when trying to get financing. Most institutional lenders will look at your personal credit score first if you haven’t had the time to build your business’s credit, which could make getting capital early on very difficult.

Thankfully, there are things that you can do to circumvent these obstacles and still have a chance of getting financing for your business. In this article, we’re going to show you the exact effects of bad personal credit on a business, what you can do about it, and how you can build your personal credit as fast as possible.

Why is My Personal Credit Score So Important?

A lot of business owners assume that their personal credit score will have no effect on their business. While your business credit score and personal credit score will be calculated differently, your personal credit score still says a lot about you. Ultimately, how you treat your personal credit will be used as an indicator of how well you manage your money in general to financial institutions. After all, if you can’t manage finances in your own life, how can you expect them to believe you’ll be able to manage them in a business?

In addition, there’s really nothing else institutional lenders can go by when assessing your creditworthiness. The only way they can tell is by looking at your credit score, which is pretty much like a financial report card. It also gives them a glimpse into your character, hence why some employers will ask for access to your credit report before they hire you. Your credit report is just another factor in the balance they will use to evaluate not only your ability to repay but what kind of person you are.

Your Credit Score Doesn’t Hold the Same Weight in Every Situation

However, you should know that your personal credit score will not be as important with all lenders. For instance, angel investors or venture capitalists may not place much importance on your credit score. They may look at things like revenue, margin, viability, and even your personality and knowledge of the business first.

On the other hand, if you were thinking of getting an SBA loan, your credit score will have to be at least 680 to even apply, and other factors will be used afterward. The same goes for term loans, or what people usually think about when talking about business loans. Credit score requirements will usually be around the 680 mark as well, even though they might vary from institution to institution.

If you have steady cash flow but didn’t have time to build your credit history yet, short-term loans might be a good option for getting fast cash approval when a business requires funds in urgency. Short-term lenders will usually put more importance on business revenue over your credit score and might be more lenient. However, note that the interest on these loans is usually much higher and that you’ll have to deal with shorter repayment periods as well.

Invoice factoring is another way to get advance money for urgent expenditures, but not really for long-term financing. Invoice factoring allows you to get an advance on an invoice due in exchange for a fee. In this case, the invoice will be used as collateral for the loan, so your business won’t be as closely scrutinized as with other options.

What Can I do to Repair my Credit?

There are plenty of things everybody can do to correct their report history. The first thing is to take account of your current financial activity and commit to adopting more responsible payment habits. That could mean setting up automatic payments on your bank accounts and taking steps to fix accounts that might be delinquent.

You should also make sure that you get a copy of your credit report from all major credit reporting agencies. You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report per year from the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. This will not only give you a clearer view of your accounts but help you to see if there are any errors there that could negatively affect your credit.

For instance, in some cases, an account that you paid off may not have been reported as such on your credit report. Or you may find that someone opened a credit account under your name without your permission. If that is the case, you could put a credit freeze on your account and stop any other inquiries to make sure no other demands get through. Once this is done, you can follow the dispute process and get these errors removed.

Adding new tradelines to your credit is also a great way to build or fix your credit. Tradelines is when you add any new credit account to your report. One of the easiest ways to do so is to apply for a secured credit card. A secured credit card will allow you to get approved by leaving a certain amount of money as collateral. The credit amount will usually be equivalent to the money deposited, but the issuer might decide to increase your limit if you have a good history or upgrade you to a regular credit card later on.

Fix your Credit By Buying Authorized Tradelines

Another thing you could do that a lot of people aren’t aware of is actually buying positive tradelines that will be added to your credit account without even applying for credit. Some services will allow you to pay in exchange for being put as an authorized user on someone else’s account. When you become an authorized user on someone account, the account’s activity will be reflected in your report, which will have a positive impact on your credit score. This is why it’s very important that you know what makes for a great tradeline and which one you should avoid. If you want to know how and where to buy tradelines, you can check this article to learn more.

Conclusion

Less than stellar personal credit can and probably will have an effect on your chances of getting financing early on as a business owner. However, with the tips we just provided, you should be able to fix your credit situation and gradually improve your creditworthiness with potential lenders.

Creating a Successful Fleet Operation Means Investing in Employees

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article |Fleet Operation|Creating a Successful Fleet Operation Means Investing in EmployeesCoconino County has enhanced its Public Works fleet operations by focusing on employee development and establishing new business practices. Located in northern Arizona with its seat in the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County is the second-largest county by land area in the United States, requiring a varied and extensive fleet. In the last five years, Public Works leadership have taken many actions to build a sustainable future.

Background

The Fleet Services Division of the Public Works Department comprises two business units – Heavy Equipment Services and Mechanical Services. In addition to 18 employees operating three shops in two locations, the Division also manages two fueling sites and a Parts and Inventory Room. The Division provides essential infrastructure support and services to more than 420 light-fleet and highway equipment across County departments, ranging from the County Sheriff’s patrol and search and rescue vehicles to Public Works’ Road Maintenance vehicles.

The County maintains more than a typical municipal fleet. Fleet Services are also responsible for approximately 100 pieces of highway equipment to manage the heavy snowfall. Flagstaff, Arizona receives an average of 100 inches of snow in a year. Additionally, the County maintains over 600 miles of unpaved rural roadways, including some in the Navajo Nation.
Paradoxically, the County’s approach to improve operations in the Fleet Services Division has focused on developing employees and improving work processes.

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article |Fleet Operation|Creating a Successful Fleet Operation Means Investing in EmployeesStaffing Challenges and Planned Actions

At Coconino County Public Works, people come first. Mechanics are a vital part of the team; their role in maintaining equipment and vehicles across such a large geographic area is essential. Yet, as a rural county with a high cost of housing, attracting experienced and qualified staff can be difficult. The continuous challenges of recruitment, onboarding, and retaining mechanics led the Public Works leadership to reevaluate their approach to staffing. These challenges created the perfect opportunity to re-envision the careers of Coconino County mechanics.

The shortage of qualified mechanics is “old news” in the industry; the number of new mechanics has been steadily decreasing nationwide. As a trade, mechanics require a long lead time and many labor hours to gain skills and experience, especially with the technology and alternative fuels of complex and heavy equipment continuously changing. The reduction of farming and large-scale mining operations in the northern Arizona region appears to be partly responsible for the diminishing interest and opportunities for young adults to develop mechanical trades skills.

The decline of young adults entering the workforce as mechanics and other trades contributes to an organization’s ability to meet its improvement goals and provide public services. The inability to hire and recruit new employees has impacted maintenance service levels and can be detrimental. A lack of available mechanics means fewer labor hours devoted to important activities. Leadership is often faced with either cutting specific tasks or reducing labor and functions across the board. Deferring maintenance tasks can have significant, long-lasting impacts on workload, cost, structural integrity, and even response to emergencies of snow operations, floods, or fires.

Similarly, employee departures and heavy reliance on too few employees over long periods can be detrimental to the long-term performance of the organization and can lead to a reduction in efficiency, loss of vital industry and institutional knowledge, low employee morale, and reduced service delivery during periods of transition. Moreover, such challenges lead to increased costs of recruitment, onboarding, and training of new staff. Given the sheer size of the County, the bottom-line is that maintaining essential service operations requires coverage and vehicles being operational to meet public needs of access, security, and health services. The County’s effort to address these issues has focused on several priorities.

Reimagining the Organization – Investing in People

To slow and reverse these damaging, often cyclical impacts, Public Works began to reimagine and reconfigure the organization from workflow to employee roles. This started with an independent review of the operations, leading to new findings that outlined opportunities for improvement. The Fleet Services Division has now evaluated employee and management input and has executed several improvements. This includes enhancements in services, reliability, and improving quality of customer service by strategically investing in its workforce and new technologies over the last five years. The County’s investment in its people, mainly its mechanics, has also been crucial in onboarding and retaining new employees.

The process started by reevaluating the role of mechanics. With input from various stakeholders the division developed career ladders for those employed in Mechanical Services and Heavy Equipment Shops. Previously, the County had one mechanic job classification; each group is now divided into several job class categories. This strategy increased the Division’s ability to attract candidates from a wider spectrum of experience and skill set, creating additional opportunities for career growth. As a result, County leadership can develop and mentor new mechanics through trainee and apprentice roles and has created new entry-level positions requiring limited experience for those who desire to join the trade.

Incentivizing Professional Achievement

Incentivizing professional achievement is another effort focused on providing mechanics, and other employee classes, the opportunity to grow professionally. Professional development opportunities ensure that the job stays exciting and rewarding. Opportunities for advancement into higher leadership roles and access to benefits (proportionate to the experience and responsibilities) are necessary to keep employees developed and sustained.

The County established a tier-based system for mechanics to advance within the organization. Coconino County rewards its experienced and professional mechanics. The Division’s leadership team decided to incentivize professional achievement through well-established and respected Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) benchmarks with financial adjustments.

“When I came to the County, I let my Automotive Service Excellence Certification (ASE) lapse. There was no incentive or recognition of that achievement.” says Gilbert Riviera, a 15-year lead mechanic. The story at the County looks very different today. The County’s fully-fledged mechanics now have several ASE certifications covering all types of maintenance and repairs in the shops. These credentials are not just part of the mechanics’ compensation but also a point of pride for this skilled trade and a benefit to the organization. Coconino County Fleet Services is in the process of obtaining a Blue Seal Certification for both shops, making it the first County fleet organization in Arizona to reach this milestone.

The County has developed a training program to meet individual needs, including an annual training plan for each employee to learn the latest technical aspects of fleet and related technology. The County also established a position that focuses on providing training and development for employees. Ken VonShultze, who spearheads the mechanic training and safety program, proudly shares that “ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Program is the highest designation by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence recognizing commitment to customer service and skills for our mechanics. That is the quality of service we strive for in Coconino County.”

The Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for several mechanics to increase training hours and complete ASE tests due to the plateau in fleet usage. A minimum of 75 percent of the mechanics must be ASE certified, covering all types of ASE Certifications for a Blue Seal designation. Financial incentives are available for obtaining a Commercial Driver License (CDL) for both maintenance services and ASE certifications.

Supportive Work Culture

A third effort equally important is enhancing work culture. Continuous improvement has become synonymous with fleet operations at Coconino County. The focus on creating a thriving culture centered on mentorship, inclusion, and safety is paying off as Coconino County Fleet Services enters a new chapter.

After 37 years of service, Coconino County Public Work’s Fleet Manager retired from a long and successful tenure. A departure of this magnitude leads to some disruption in the workflow. Still, it is also a testament to an extraordinary employee retention model. The work started will continue to propel the Public Works and its Fleet Services organization for many years to come.

A Way Forward: County Operations and Support Efforts

Senior County leadership understands the need for continuous organizational improvements to withstand and thrive during organizational changes. Ample advancement opportunities allow the County to retain existing employees, while reducing entry requirements based on experience and providing on-the-job training has attracted new employees. Further, providing incentives for a new generation of mechanics to join the workforce can help ensure each position’s succession.

Establishing a tiered system with rewards for education and learning encourages mechanics to stay and grow with the County.

A dynamic organization with a flexible career ladder and supportive management is necessary to fill and retain key mechanic positions and adapt to disruptive changes. Although challenges continue to surface, efforts are underway to ensure both trainees and existing skilled employees remain with Fleet Services as a mechanic or in a supervisory role. Public Works employees are essential for ensuring the County provides year-round public services for access, safety, and the health of Coconino County residents and the millions of visitors to Northern Arizona annually.

About the Authors

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Eslir MustaStrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Harry LorickEslir Musta, MPA, is Deputy Director of Public Works for Coconino County, Arizona.

Harry Lorick, PE, PWLF, PTOE, is Principal at LA Consulting, Inc. as well as Leadership and Management Committee Member and VP of APWA’s SoCal Chapter.