The thinking around management and leadership techniques has changed over the generations. If you are over 50 you will definitely remember the autocratic style of managers whose philosophy was, ‘Do it my way or the highway!’
Although we still come across some managers that are like this, luckily they are few and far between. So, what is the modern way of managing? We look at a few key techniques that make you a modern manager. How do you stack up? Read the full entry
1 Comment
Flattening business hierarchies and removing layers of management is a hot topic in the business sphere, with staunch proponents on either side of the debate. In an article from LinkedIn, the issue is clearly defined:
“Too many employees work for their boss rather than their company or their clients. Businesses these days are filled with multiple layers of management, and employees often find themselves playing politics and focusing on tasks to make their boss happy.
At the end of the day, the company quickly forgets what their goals are and what they are in business to do — and everyone is focusing on the task at hand with little sense of how it fits into the bigger picture.” Read the full entry
A successful behavior change initiative for your small business is effective only when it creates impactful, lasting change. Despite the tremendous amount of time and money that organizations invest in such campaigns each year, research by The Forum Corp., a Boston-based training and development organization, shows that only 14 percent of behavior change initiatives actually stick.
Traditionally, organizational learning and development interventions have focused on the visible, concrete, “main event” components of learning: Read the full entry
Having employees contribute to your social media profiles can help you expand your outreach, increase your followers, and attract new employees through the positive engagement of your current workforce.
However, this contribution can backfire if you do not have policies and training in place that guide how your employees participate on your pages. SmallBusiness.Chron.com suggests, “A proactive approach to starting official company accounts and managing the content helps you maintain a positive online presence.” Consider these tips before letting employees loose on your social accounts. Read the full entry
Look out your window: if there’s a line of cranky employees outside waiting to punch a time clock before starting their shift it might be time to invest in attendance tracking software.
Using a time clock is the equivalent of asking your employees to yell “here” every morning as you dutifully check off their name in an attendance notebook similar to the one your second grade teacher used. Read the full entry
Are you familiar with the concept of employee engagement? What about your business? Are you aware that many studies today report that employee engagement is at a 22 year low?
We define an engaged employee as one who is fully involved in, and enthusiastic about their work, and thus will act in a way that furthers their organization’s interests. Read the full entry
According to a survey released by CareerBuilder, 35% of companies were predicted to hire temporary workers in 2012, an increase of 8% from three years ago. Hiring temporary workers can help your business fill gaps in staffing, complete special short-term projects, and save money on payroll and benefits.
Utilize the power of social media, networking, and skilled staffing agencies to find the right temporary employees for your business. Read the full entry
Customer service representatives answer phones at a call center in Pennsylvania. Recently, call center jobs that had drifted overseas are returning to the U.S. offering businesses more choices when shopping for a vendor.
When you compare call centers to find the vendor that can best represent your company to customers, one of the most important factors to look at is where that call center is located.
As of 2012, 12 percent of U.S. companies had outsourced their call or help centers to places like India and the Philippines, according to StatisticBrain.com, but that number is part of a downward trend. Read the full entry
With technologies constantly pushing all kinds of businesses to new levels, the trend of virtual offices is starting to gain momentum.
However, as every single product out there, even virtual offices have their pros and cons.
So what are they? And is there a definite verdict when it comes to virtual offices? Whether you think it’s a great idea or a bad one, this article will help you answer some tough questions about whether a virtual office is right for your business. Read the full entry
We live in a connected world. Mobile technology and computer networks have sped up so many of our work processes and we are able to produce more than ever before. Unfortunately, the development of high-tech communications has outpaced the discipline necessary to secure so much shared information.
In fact, recent studies have shown that one of the most common causes of data breaches in recent years is human error. The specific mistakes vary, but the fact remains that because networks are created to provide remote access, they are inherently vulnerable to unauthorized access and misuse. Read the full entry
