What is the importance of training and development for employees ? There is the saying you probably hear a lot — practice makes perfect. It encapsulates what most of us consider to be true. No matter how challenging a task, we believe we can excel at almost anything through continuous effort and perseverance. However, what if there is no room for improvement and practice?

Importance of Training and Development for Employees

Many business owners fall into a false sense of security, assuming their employees will seek opportunities to expand their knowledge and skillsets independently. This wishful thinking could endanger an organization in many ways — from increasing turnover rates to lowering employee productivity and creating a toxic work culture.

Whether conducted in-person or online, training programs allow employees to understand multiple roles, move into new positions, stay up to date on changes in their industry, and strengthen the essential skills to perform their tasks. Here is a more detailed explanation of the numerous benefits training and development programs offer employees:

Helps Learn New Skills

The world is constantly changing, and with it, the skills required to be successful in the workforce. Training and development programs allow employees to learn new skills relevant to their current job or valuable in a potential future role, but of course, a PPM software helps improve resource management, organisation and productivity. It is a useful tool for streamlining your organisation.

It’s not enough for employees to be experts in their current roles. They need to be able to expand their skill sets and take on new challenges. These often include getting familiar with new software tools, whether it’s a eave’s intelligent VoIP phone service for customer communication or antivirus software necessary for securing your company’s sensitive data.

Employees who participate in training and development programs are also more likely to be promoted within the company. They may also be given more professional growth and development opportunities, such as attending conferences or taking on new, more complex assignments.

Helps Move Into New Positions

Employees have the potential to grow in multiple directions. However, it takes time and effort to figure out where they want to go. A training program helps employees explore different career paths within the organization first. A detailed study of industry trends, business objectives, and the role of other departments will help them determine if their skill set is a good fit for that position or which professional areas they need to improve to get there.

It’s a win-win situation for both parties — employees can find what they like, and the organization gets well-trained workers essential for its growth.

Improves Productivity at Work

Employees who are constantly learning and expanding their knowledge are more productive than those who are not. This is because they can apply what they’ve learned in their training programs to their work tasks, resulting in a more efficient work process.

In contrast, workers who aren’t sure how to complete their tasks may be spending a lot of extra time trying to figure things out on their own. While it might seem like an innocent mistake at first glance, these minor problems add up over time and lead to bigger issues down the road if they are not addressed immediately.

Over time, this can even lead to reduced employee morale and even low engagement scores — which eventually impacts an organization’s bottom line in terms of lost revenue or increased expenses.

Helps Build Teamwork Skills

The best way to learn is from those who are more senior in the company. Learning from the best allows employees to learn from specialists who have been in the industry for years and have faced numerous challenges.

In addition to solidifying an employee’s understanding of their role, training programs also strengthen relationships among co-workers. They provide opportunities for senior employees to teach their peers, establishing strong relationships and encouraging collaboration among employees. As a result, training and development programs offer employees the opportunity to learn about different team dynamics and work effectively within a team. This is important, especially for those who work in collaborative environments.

Helps Develop a Strong Work Ethic

At the end of the day, hard work and diligence are what separates the most successful professionals from the rest of the pack. Training programs contribute to developing strong work ethic skills by allowing employees to learn new skills and become more knowledgeable about their industry. This, in turn, results in improved performance and a greater commitment to the company.

Employees who attend training and development programs are usually more motivated to do their best work. This is because they understand the importance of continuous learning and how it can help them improve their skillset and career prospects.

Provides Competitive Advantages for Businesses

Training employees on advanced technologies or industry-specific tools used by competitors can give your business a competitive advantage over others in your field. While technology changes rapidly over time, training programs allow employees to stay on top of trends that could affect your business in future years.

It also gives you an edge when dealing with clients from other industries. After all, customers want products that meet their needs while being convenient. Of course, this approach only works if your team members possess the right amount of knowledge required to respond intelligently to client inquiries regarding your products or services.

You can also make your business stand out from the competition by providing clients with additional services that they haven’t experienced elsewhere — such as easy-to-understand user manuals or instructional videos on social media channels. Regardless of how you choose to set yourself apart from competitors using training programs, it is almost always worth the investment due to potential savings in both time and money.

Conclusion

The importance of training and development for employees cannot be overstated. It provides the skills and knowledge needed to become a more effective employee and leader. Furthermore, it helps business owners retain talented employees who could otherwise look elsewhere for better opportunities. As a result, every business owner needs to create a plan that includes training and development as a core component.

Effective training and development programs will help your employees grow professionally and reach their full potential. They foster a positive work environment and increase morale by providing an opportunity for professional growth.

On a final note, it is essential to remember that each organization is unique. A training and development program that works for one company may not work for another. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to create a company culture that fosters learning, growth, and development. The team you surround yourself with will depend on the type of culture you create.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Importance of Training and Development for Employees appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The driving force behind a successful business depends on its level of efficiency, and that’s why ensuring that everything is operating on all cylinders is so important. You want operations to be conducted smoothly and with minimal errors, and while this, unfortunately, is not always the case, there are a few simple ways that you can increase the efficiency of your business to receive better results.

3 Ways to Increase the Efficiency of Your Business

Time is Money

Time is money, so naturally, a thriving business would want to utilize their time as efficiently as they possibly can. This might seem obvious, but little tasks can build up throughout the week that results in time wasted. Meetings can often run long after a week of news to cover, but by having daily meetings that are much shorter in length, you can reduce the amount of time spent away from your work. Take the time to evaluate ways you and your employees go about your workplace and find ways you can eliminate the little annoyances that tend to take up more time than they should. Using time tracking software is a great way to locate these problems and increase efficiency.

Have Efficient Employees

Employees are the glue that holds a business together, and having inefficient ones will cause that glue to melt away and leave your company in shambles. This starts with the hiring process, allowing only those that are skilled and capable to reach the final round of interviews. For those already employed, use performance reviews to get an idea of their productivity and identify ways you might be able to help them improve. One way to increase employee efficiency is through employee training software, like the kind offered at the Health & Safety Institute, as well as through hands-on training.

Manage Your Financial Operations

Money isn’t everything, but it certainly plays a large role in the success of a business. The more revenue a company is able to generate, the quicker it can expand and create the products or services that its customers enjoy. By determining how much of your company’s profits are spent on additional resources, materials, marketing, and more, you can get a better statistical understanding of how much you should be spending and where exactly you might be able to cut down on certain expenses. This can save your business money in the long run which can then be funneled into more important areas.

In Conclusion

There are several ways to increase the efficiency of a business, but being aware of these basic points is a great place to start. Time, money, and the productivity of your employees are some of the most vital aspects of any thriving business; once you have identified and analyzed their ins and outs, you’ll be able to put your business on the path to success.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 3 Ways to Increase the Efficiency of Your Business appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Organizations today need an IT infrastructure that is both robust and flexible so as not to inhibit growth or cause downtime during periods of high demand. The costs associated with purchasing hardware can run into the millions depending on how large an organization’s data needs are, which is why many organizations choose to rent rather than buy equipment from vendors.

Technology for Good

Technology for good companies has the ability to offer flexible cloud hosting packages that can be customized according to an organization’s needs. This is invaluable to nonprofits, especially in the current economic environment. Not only are they able to rent equipment at a significantly reduced cost when compared with buying it outright, but there are often additional benefits thrown into the mix. Many technology companies will charge zero or minimal rent fees if an organization commits to using its services exclusively over a period of time. Another benefit many of these companies offer is free setup and installation on-site which means no matter where in the world your nonprofit may operate, you don’t need to worry about infrastructure setup or maintenance costs.

Importance of Proper Management

While investments made in keeping an IT infrastructure robust are important, they are nothing without proper maintenance. All equipment will have to be replaced at some stage, which is why good relationships with your technology company are so crucial. Additionally, if you intend to use a hosted service, it is important to stay in contact with your provider when something goes wrong or doesn’t seem right. One way many organizations save money when renting their IT equipment is through an option known as ‘failover’ where another piece of rented equipment kicks in during any downtime. This means that the failure of one piece of equipment isn’t going to result in downtime for your organization, but this can only happen when you inform your hosting partner about any problems early enough for them to fix them quickly and efficiently.

The cloud offers much more than just flexible hosting and failover. It also allows organizations to add new functions such as video conferencing, document management, and online storage with minimal fuss. These functions may be necessary for your organization in the future, but if you’re only renting a small amount of equipment, it may not make sense to pay extra for them today.

Choose the Right Company to Work With

Technology companies that work with nonprofits offer all the above-mentioned benefits and more. They want to build solid relationships with their customers and will often go out of their way to ensure this is the case just so they can retain their business over time. Making technology accessible is what these companies are all about, which is why it’s crucial that your chosen company has good disaster recovery precautions put in case something does happen during times of high demand. In the end, the best company to work with is going to be one that offers a good selection of services at a price you can afford and who will work closely with your organization so as to understand your IT needs in detail.

Improve Management

Another aspect many organizations struggle with when it comes to their IT infrastructure is how they manage people’s user accounts. Two options are usually available to an organization when it comes to managing user accounts: they can either create the accounts themselves or let the hosting company do it for them. Looking for good case management software is your best bet. Something like Case Worthy can make your workflow smooth, and also be customized to fit your organization’s precise needs. While creating your own accounts may seem like a good idea, this will mean that your employees have to remember multiple passwords, all with different levels of access depending on what they need to do with each account. On the other hand, a bad idea is to let your hosting company create all of the accounts because they will have full access to your organization’s network and this may not be what you want.

Have your Employees Join a Group

The best option is somewhere in between these two extremes. Have your employees join a working group that is responsible for managing user accounts and passwords. This group should also be responsible for monitoring which services employees are using and the amount of time they spend on them, as well as what devices they’re using to access your organization’s systems (notebooks, smartphones, etc).

This is a very important step, so make sure it’s done right! Having a single person manage all of your organization’s passwords, no matter how trustworthy they are, will quickly result in a major security breach. There have been many high-profile cases where a company’s IT administrator has abused their position of trust and used employee credentials to access servers and steal confidential information without anyone else knowing about it until it was too late.

The Cloud

While the cloud is still a relatively young concept, it’s already making its mark as one of the most popular tools for businesses and nonprofits alike. The reason behind this is quite simple: the cloud offers flexible hosting solutions and all the benefits associated with working online, such as remote access and collaboration features.

One way many organizations save money when renting their IT equipment is by using a cloud service to house their most important files, such as purchase orders and customer contact lists. In the event of a disaster, these files can be automatically restored from backups without having to rely on any individual.

The cloud is also becoming an integral part of nonprofits’ daily operations because they can now use it to monitor how much time workers spend on each project, as well as the type of equipment used to work on those projects. Finally, because so much time is now being spent online, it’s easier for nonprofits to collaborate with other organizations using existing cloud-based software such as Google Calendar, iCloud, and Office 365.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post A Closer Look At Technology’s Role In The Nonprofit Sector appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

In today’s job market, many employers are struggling to find enough qualified employees. With unemployment at a sixteen-year low and more job seekers than ever, companies must adopt new methods of hiring if they want to attract potential employees. So, if you want to know how, keep reading!

1.  Update Your Job Listings

Modern job listings should be clear about the skills that are required for applicants to have in order to get hired. A company should not leave applicants guessing about what they need to do or say in order to be considered for a position. Today, companies use social media to post information about job opportunities and share the types of skills and characteristics that are usually required for these positions. If you want to “start your engines” on getting more qualified candidates applying for the jobs you have open, update your listings with these details. There are many examples of employer brands, so you should look into that as well. It’s important that you update your job listings with the kinds of qualifications and skills you’re looking for in potential employees, so that you have a clear understanding of what makes your company attractive to new applicants.

2. Implement a Strong Employee Referral Program

Your current employees can be one of your best resources when it comes to finding new hires. 70% of companies who use referrals as part of their hiring strategy are able to find quality candidates, while only 1-in-10 of other applicants make it through the entire hiring process. Your existing employees should be invited to create work referrals once they’ve been with your company for at least three months. This will encourage them to refer friends who may be qualified or interested in working for your company, while also cultivating authentically satisfied employees. Having a strong referral program will help you hire more potential employees effectively by letting current workers take responsibility for finding people they think would be a perfect fit with their company’s culture and values. Also, you can reward the employees who make a referral with benefits, like a bonus or even a paid day off!

3. Adjust Your Interview Process

Interviews are one of the most crucial steps in the hiring process, so you need to get them right! If you want to attract more potential employees, you must adjust your interview process by assessing a candidate’s needs and interests before inviting them to an in-person interview. This will help you find the best match for every position through discovery interviews. The goal of a discovery interview is to get to know a specific candidate better so that you can see if they would be a good fit with your company culture and mission. By adjusting your interview process in this way, employers can attract more qualified job seekers who have an interest in their company. Also, the goal is to find out what the candidate needs before inviting them to an in-person interview, so that you can determine if the company’s mission, values, and goals are a good match for them and you.

4. Revamp Your Career Page

If your career page has not been updated in a while, then you need to revamp it! The career page on your company website is a way for potential employees and jobseekers to find out what your company does and how they can apply. You want them to see that your mission, values, and mission align with their personal goals and interests. If you don’t have a solid career page on your site, potential applicants won’t know if they would be interested in working at your company or not. A good career page will list all available positions, as well as make clear the kind of people who are likely to fit best in every role.  Don’t forget that by updating this part of your website, you’ll attract more potential employees who are interested in applying for the job openings you have. This will make it easier to find strong candidates who are a great fit for each role!

5. Boost Your Social Media Presence

If companies want to attract more quality jobseekers, they need to boost their social media presence. 90% of job seekers use social media sites to find a new job, so your business needs a solid social media presence if you want potential employees to see what you have to offer. By using social media, businesses can attract more qualified people who are genuinely interested in working for them. Also, by boosting your company’s visibility on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, you will generate more traffic to your website and career page. This will make it easier for potential applicants to find out about all the work opportunities at your company, while also seeing the kind of culture you’re trying to build. 

Having a referral program, adjusting your interview process, revamping your career page, and boosting your social media presence are all great ways to attract more potential employees in today’s job market. These five tips will help you hire those who are best suited for each position at your company. By following these strategies, companies can make themselves more visible and hire just the people they need!

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post How Can Companies Effectively Attract More Potential Employees in Today’s Job Market? appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Motivated employees are the main assets of a company. However, repeated work routines can eventually bring about boredom in the employees. Eventually, the employees may lose the motivation that they previously had.

In order to keep the employees happy and motivated, acknowledging their accomplishments is very crucial. An employee awards program can be very rewarding in this regard.

However, arranging an employee awards program can be tricky. Just about anything can go wrong if it’s not planned well. Also, if your organization is a large corporation, it may face some problems while nominating employees for awards.

Today we are going to provide some insight on how to nominate an employee for an award. Stay tuned to know the entire process.

Nominating the Candidate for an Award

Nominating an employee for an award depends on the recognition program of your institution. The whole nomination process comes after that. So here are four steps to determine your nominees.

Step 1: Determining the Award Categories

This is where you determine why you are nominating your employee for an award. The award can be given to recognize the employee’s professional career expertise—for example, the employee of the month or the employee of the year category.

On the other hand, you can recognize an employee for his humor or contribution to making the workload bearable—for example, the best office prankster or the office joker.

Make sure that your awards category encourages other employees to focus on their productivity. Also, some fun employee awards will keep it entertaining. Only concentrating on work-related awards may not promote a healthy work environment.

So, determine the categories and also include some “miscellaneous award categories” to make the thing easy to customize.

Step 2: Collecting Nominations

In this step, you collect nominations for the categories you decided on in step 1. If you run a small organization, you already have an idea of the accomplishments of your employee. However, when the number of employees increases, it can be hard to keep track.

In the latter case, you can collect nominations via a form submission or email. Google Forms or Survey Monkeyallows you to create automated nomination forms. If you choose to collect nominations via email, it will need more manual work.

If you are collecting nominations via forms, you can add some silly questions as well. It will allow you to choose the award according to the employee’s taste. This slight personalization can come in very handy.

Also, make sure to collect the nominee’s name, reasons for submission, and the nominator’s name. When you perform this step, you already have few names to consider for the particular awards.

Step 3: Determining the Finalists

Upon receiving the names of the nominees, you start your evaluation process. For small companies, all the nominees can be finalists. However, for larger organizations, this part is tricky.

First, consider the names that came repeatedly. Then, find out their accomplishments. Also, consider the endorsement of their co-workers. After that, you can narrow it down to 3 to 5 names of potential winners.

Now, you will need to choose your winner. You can determine the winners in one of the four ways:

• Picked by a significant person: This is the quickest way to pick your winner. Either the CEO or any prominent management team member chooses the winner of a certain category in this process.
• Create a panel: This is more of a democratic way. You can ask a group of people from different departments to choose a winner. The planning committee can take responsibility as well. Keeping an odd number of people in the panel can work best to avoid ties.
• Apply a Rubric: Create a rubric to make the award more objective. It can easily show who deserves the award more.
• Choose randomly: If you have one too many finalists, you can narrow it down by choosing randomly. Although, it’s neither democratic nor objective.

Whichever method you choose, make sure to inform the nominators and the nominees of the process. This will make sure there isn’t any confusion.

Step 4: Announce the Finalists

Creating a buzz for the award can be productive in many ways. The easiest way to create this buzz can be declaring the finalists before the awards.

You can declare the finalists via email or the company forum. It will create anticipation and make your employees look forward to the award days.

You can also use monthly newsletters, breakroom televisions, corporate memos to announce the finalists.

Activities After Choosing the Finalists

You have chosen your finalists. Now you will need to pick the winner and deliver the award. So, how do you go about doing that?

First, pick the winner among your finalists. You can choose any method you use to pick the finalists. Selected by panel lets you be impartial, and the panel can choose the most deserving candidate. It may take a little bit of time, but the outcome is concrete. The panel can also share one or two lines before delivering the award to the winner for dramatic effect.

After picking the winner, it’s time to announce. You can use any of the previous methods you used to declare the finalists. Also, you can throw a small ceremony to acknowledge the great works done by the employee. It will give everyone a sense of participation.

All that is left is to award the winner. You don’t need to spend a ton of money on the awards. The award can be a crest or award certificate with their names engraved on it. Small gift boxes, extra vacation days, and gift certificates can also work.

After giving away the awards, you should spread the word. A statement in the company forum with the accomplishments of the award winners will do the job. You can also announce it through the breakroom TVs or give them shoutouts on your company’s social media page.

Final Words

Giving awards to the employees indicates the gratitude from the company to its hard-working employees. Making it memorable will encourage them to keep up the good work and inspire others to do the same. Being impartial while choosing the nominees can go a long way. It will also allow the company to recognize their best employees and can utilize them properly in the future.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Process of Nominating Employees for Awards appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

1) Flexible working hours.

37.7% of survey participants said that flexible work arrangements were now more important to them. The switch to remote working has shown many that the old-fashioned 9-5 schedule just doesn’t work for everyone. Those with more flexibility to adapt their hours can find a better work-life balance as they don’t have to worry about the commute or missing important appointments or family time.

2) What it means to be successful.

This ties into the idea of flexible hours. There are too many companies that would rather have everyone in an office for 8 hours than prioritise outcomes. There is merit in rewarding employees for their quality of work and productivity over time spent in an office. Great work achieved in 5 hours has to be better than mediocre work over 8 hours.

3) Greater benefits for the well-being of workers.

We’ve all been through a lot lately and it will benefit everyone concerned to continue to show compassion and understanding in the workplace. A study by Gartner in 2020 showed a 23% increase in reports of improved mental health from employees in companies with support in place. Healthcare benefits need to go beyond basic sick pay. For those who need a bit of advice, you can use this employee benefits portal to administer your company benefits schemes. A great platform like this can be used by HR teams in businesses of any size. Not only does an employee benefits platform help companies to provide greater benefits to their staff, it also reduces the workload on other members of staff. What’s not to love?

4) Their stance on social and political issues.

As employees have taken the time to reassess their situation and the state of the world around them, many have grown concerned about the views of their company. Some have even quit to go and work for a company more in line with their ideals. This could relate to policies on race, gender, and sexuality. It could mean looking for a company with a greener conscience. Companies that see employees leave on their grounds should consider where they are going wrong.

5) How much employees are paid.

Finally, there is the age-old issue of money. Employees are increasingly aware of their worth. They thrived during the pandemic, appreciated their strength, and often picked up new skills. Now, they want a pay rise that can reflect that. That Walters survey shows 33% of employees expecting a pay rise. There is also the expectation that the gender gap will continue to decrease.

Employees are keen for a change in 2021 and beyond.

The last year has opened the eyes and minds of employees and helped them see beyond their role in a company. They see their potential and worth, as well as the potential changes and benefits that they can receive to reflect that. Now, the ball is in the court of the employers to turn those desires into realities.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Why Employees Are Looking For More From Their Employers In 2021 appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

According to a research study by Metlife, “51% of employers say that using benefits to retain employees will become even more important in the next three to five years.”

Employee benefits are either monetary or non-monetary rewards that are paid to employees. These employee benefits are over and above the regular salary of an employee. Often also known as the fringe benefits, most of the businesses rely on several employee benefit schemes to attract new employees and retain the existing ones. Several employees also look at the perks and benefits offered by an organization before applying for a job in that company.

Employees seek recognition for their hard work. They want their efforts to be acknowledged and offering them benefits will make them feel appreciated and happier.

Effective ways of using employee benefits for enhancing employee productivity 

Employee benefit schemes can broadly be classified into four types. Most of these benefits can fall under the umbrella of these four benefit schemes. 

• Benefits at work
• Benefits for financial security
• Health benefits
• Lifestyle benefits

There are several ways in which you can boost employee productivity in your business. Here are six effective ways to go about it:

1.  Set priorities for work-life balance

This benefit will take priority as a work benefit. Numerous employees suffer from work-related stress and anxiety. As a result, several productive days are lost. More than 20% of employees at any given time are not happy with their work-life balance in a moderate size company unless there are additional employee benefits.

How to counter all the above issues? It’s rather simple. Prioritize work-life balance for your employees. Focus on their well-being and make it a culture for your business. Modify your people management practices to ensure workplace wellness. Create a good work environment that is dedicated to the employees. Ensure that your organization cares for each one of your employees.

2. Create a positive workspace

Set up a break-out area with a coffee machine. Encourage your employees to take regular breaks. This will show that the organization takes its employees seriously and encourages them to take their well-deserved breaks.

You can also encourage your employees to take regular reading breaks. Arrange for a bookshelf and stuff it with a variety of books, be it fiction or nonfiction. Adding developmental and business-related books can also expand the learning opportunities for the employees.

3.  Boost the morale of your employees

Simple benefits can go a long way. For instance, offering work from home was a great way to show you care. However, in this pandemic situation, working from home has become a new norm and is not considered a benefit anymore. But you can offer the flexibility to work whenever they want, as long as they put in the requisite work hours. Several organizations follow this simple rule. This allows employees to set their priorities and work at their convenience.

You should make it a point to meet up with your team, once in a while, and talk to them about their needs and demands. When you give them a patient ear, you will find that they are willing to take their responsibilities more seriously.

4. Recognize and appreciate even the smallest achievement

Who wouldn’t want to be appreciated for their hard work? Any form of appreciation can motivate an employee to do even better every day. Often, saying a simple “thank you” can do the trick. But as benefits, rewarding and recognizing the employees can be one of the best ways to retain them and make them happier.

There are so many ways in which you can reward your employees that involve no cash payouts.

• Allow your employees a “Thank You” leave once a year
• Offer your employees educational or vocational training sessions to enhance their skill sets
• Offer them paid vacations, paid parental vacations, etc.
• Arrange for office board games and allow your employees to take their time out for a match.

5. Offer benefits other than the typical ones

Most organizations offer health benefits and insurance plans for their employees. Apart from the usual ones, you should offer benefits that are not the typical ones. This will not only lower the rate of attrition in your company but also attract new employees in the long run. A few examples of these types of benefits include: 

1. Tuition fees reimbursement: There are several organizations that offer tuition reimbursements for their employees. This helps in encouraging your employees to take up courses that can upgrade their skillset. Once they complete the course, they can get the tuition fee reimbursed.
2. Corporate discount vouchers: When you have tie-ups with various companies, you can offer corporate discounts and vouchers for those companies for your employees. Such corporate vouchers can offer the best deals and offer that are handpicked for the employees and the prices can exclusively focus on them.
3. Meal and multi-benefit vouchers: You can offer a meal voucher for your employees which they can use for a subsidized rate at different restaurants and cafeterias. You can also issue a multi-benefit pass for your employees with which they can buy fuel and other regular household items for their daily requirements.
4. Stock options: You can also offer your employees to buy some company shares at an agreed-upon price which is of course much lower than the market rate. This is also a great way to help your employees feel a belonging to the company. With company shares in their name, they will also have ownership over something that they are working for.
5. Childcare facilities: When you offer childcare facilities to your employees, they feel grateful. It’s a great benefit for the employees as it offers a work-life balance. You can offer crèche for the children of the employees within the office premises, and encourage your employees to spend some time with their children during office hours.
6. Wellness programs: Encourage your employees to follow a healthy lifestyle. Offer them healthy meal vouchers, a gym membership, periodic health screening opportunities, etc.
7. Transport: It’s a great idea to offer transport for your employees from their homes to the office regularly. They can avail the company provided buses and cabs to reach office instead of availing the crowded public transport. Many organizations offer home pick-up and drop for their employees. You too can take this initiative for your employees.
8. Profit-sharing percentage: It is also a great employee benefits scheme that you can opt for your employees. Offer them a share of the profits made by the company. This will also encourage your employees to work harder for the profits of your business. It is also a great way to keep your employees committed to the collective business goals.

6. Help in employee growth by creating a career path

Support your employees in paving a career pathway for their future. Help them in building their skills and knowledge that can improve their career. This will not only prove that you value your employees but also give your employees a boost in their spirits. Here are a few ways in which you can do this: 

1. Take interest in their personal development goals: Communicate with your employees and stay attuned to their aspirations and expectations from the company. Help them in designing a framework for their career. Identify and recognize specific milestones for their achievements and you will have employees that are motivated, productive and happier.
2. Offer your employees on-the-job and virtual training: Any form of continuous learning can fuel the career growth of your employees. Encourage career coaching and mentoring. It is a two-way street as the employees can gain insights from seniors and also share their fresh perspectives with them.
3. Encourage job rotation: People look for variety in their daily lives. Working on the same task day-in and day-out can make them feel unproductive and stagnant. Offer job rotations to your employees and they will gain new skills and also have a better understanding of the business process. It will also make them more productive and appreciate your interest in their career path.
4. Help your employees to see the bigger picture: Make them feel a part of the big business by giving them a look at the bigger picture. Remind them how they contribute to the growth of the business and help them in expanding their job roles in the organization. That way, your employees will achieve career growth and the company will benefit too.

Conclusion

Paying employees a monthly salary is not enough if you want to enhance productivity. Most employees believe that they will have improved productivity if they received regular employee benefits and office perks. Employee benefits can make your employees feel valued in the organization. And it’s imperative to say that when an employee feels appreciated, valued and recognized, they put in extra effort towards enhancing their productivity as a team.

Also, as an employer, remember, happiness can be infectious. When you focus on creating a positive work environment and work culture, it can maximize happiness amongst the employees. When happiness spreads, it can affect the energy and productivity of the entire team and its members. It not only takes care of employee engagement but also enhances loyalty.

Author bio

Atreyee Chowdhury works full-time as a Learning Experience Designer and is passionate about writing. She has helped many small and medium-scale businesses achieve their content marketing goals with her carefully crafted content that is both informative and engaging. She lives in Bangalore, India with her husband. She loves to read, experiment with different cuisines, travel, and explore the latest content marketing and L&D trends in her free time. You can reach her on Linkedin or write to her at atreyee.c@gmail.com.  

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 6 Ways An Employee Benefits Scheme Can Make Your Team More Productive appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Britain’s beaches and parks may be filling up as the lockdown eases – but getting workers back into the office is still a significant challenge for many employers.

Businesses across the country are debating when is the right time to ask staff to return to the workspace, and what should be done in the meantime to make the prospect more palatable.

What many are realising is that following government guidelines can only take you so far. The real conundrum is how to address the anxieties of employees and give them confidence that coming back to work will be safe.

Bringing back employees on a rota system, so that not all are in the workspace at the same time, is proving popular with many businesses, gently easing employees into a new way of working.

Others are taking out desks to create space, removing hot desks and introducing sanitiser stations to give staff a sense of security.

Whether the pandemic will lead to permanent changes in the office environment, and even in workplace design, as health and cleanliness takes a higher priority, is already being debated.

However, the key for now is to make immediate changes which will entice people back to work.

So thus we’ve narrowed down 11 Essential Tips for employees once they return to office:

1 Install new building signage – floor markings, social distancing signs and posters about washing hands can all give employees a sense of reassurance that something has changed.

2 Install hygiene screens – by creating a barrier between workstations, designed to catch germs and prevent them spreading, employees can return to work with greater confidence.

3 Look at space plans to reduce hotdesking and increase fixed positions – despite spending the last ten years persuading employees to embrace hotdesking, many companies are having to backtrack. Employees will not want to sit at a desk that has been used by other people during the day.

4 Reduce the canteen and welfare facilities where crowding could take place ­­– bowls of fruit in communal areas and staff buffets are going to have to go. Anywhere where there could be a high volume of people in one place is going to make employees fearful.

5 Encourage people to use stairs rather than lifts and escalators if they can – these are areas where overcrowding could occur. Encourage staff to leave the lifts for those who really need them – and lower the number of people they can carry at one time.

6 Introduce hand sanitiser stations – these should be installed not only in foyers and entrance halls but across the office.

7 Increase the cleaning regime – cleaning regimes will have to change to suit the new normal. Big organisations may well go back to having cleaners working throughout the day. Smaller businesses will need well organised rotas, with visible tick charts in place to prove that areas have been cleaned. This can also increase confidence for employees.

8 Reduce the amount of furniture on site to cut down footfall ­– by removing desks and creating space, social distancing becomes more feasible. At Tesco’s head office, for instance, they are removing every other desk – and physically changing the footprint of the workspace. Employees know they can stay safe because desks have been taken out of use.

9 Reconfigure the furniture that you do keep – clusters of desks close together will no longer be possible. Re-arrange furniture so that people are not walking close to desks – or consider utilising smaller desks.

10 Ensure those who are working at home are doing so safely and comfortably – especially if they are going to be asked to do so long-term. Arrange for ergonomic desks and chairs to be sent to them; it is the responsibility of the employer to look after their wellbeing in working hours.

11 Consider who is the right person to take charge of ensuring the office is clean and safe – and ensure they are properly trained. This may be the Facility Director or Head of Estate. In an SME it may be the Office Manager. They should work together with HR and Compliance to ensure communication of safety rules is strong – and that rules are adhered to.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 11 Practical Tips For Employees Back In Office appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Conducted by the Dolan Contractor Group, experts in contractor payroll and accountancy, the study gathered responses from employees of 140 companies across the UK. Respondents were asked about the causes of what was deemed ‘excessive workplace stress’, how they combat stress to maintain good mental health and what their employers do to support them through stress.

The study found clear differences between SMEs and large companies when employees attributed sources of stress. Just under half of employees in SMEs (47%) stated that low pay, the inability to build savings and no chance of progression were stress points.

In contrast, the majority of employees from large companies stated that long working hours (40%) caused them the most stress, followed by overwork and management pressure (36%).

Both SMEs and larger companies need to be aware of these stress factors for their employees. The risk being that talent is lost to another company, or worse still, the employees health is put at risk through stress burnout.

When respondents were asked how they’d tackle stress, 30% of those at large companies stated that they would speak to their manager. The amount who would seek help from their manager reduced to 12% of workers at SMEs. It’s possible that small businesses need to work harder to provide anonymity or an environment that workers feel comfortable to confide in senior staff members. Of course, seeking help at work is one thing, but stress doesn’t leave once a person leaves the workplace, so it’s possible that they may also need to find solutions to combat stress at home too. Some might go for a walk, some might take a moment with some CBD plus THC gummies, some might write, journal, or make art, it’s all about each individual finding out what works best for them.

When asked how they would deal with stress, 6% of permanent employee respondents stated that they would not seek help if they were suffering from excessive stress, opting to ‘hope it gets better’. Worryingly, this figure rose to 17% of contractors and freelancers surveyed without an immediate HR support system.

The study also identified differences in how stress is experienced between genders, how stress is managed by each employee, and also reveals crucial differences between the support available to permanent employees and that offered to employees hired on a contractor or freelance basis.

Further findings from the study:

• Overall, the greatest cause of this stress in the UK workplace was found to be long working hours, with 41% of respondents to a study stating that they have been affected. Next most common is deadline or client pressure with 32%, followed by low pay and inability to build financial savings with 29%.

• Female contractor workers are less likely to suffer from excessive stress due to long working hours when compared to female permanent workers. With it being predominantly women who take time off work as the main carers for children within a family, flexible working hours are made possible by freelancing and contracting.

• Contractors and freelancers were found to rely more heavily on their friends and families for support, with 26% stating this was their method to combat excessive stress. Furthermore, 30% of contractor and freelancer workers have taken leave from work to combat excessive stress.

Richard Holmes, Director of Wellbeing at Westfield Health, states: “Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Pressure at work is usually the main culprit and when budgets are tight and teams are small, people often find themselves with multiple roles and heavy workloads, piling on the stress.

“Policies like flexible or remote working can help employees balance work and home life, and things like turning off email servers outside of working hours helps ring fence valuable recovery time. Mental health first aid training can also help managers spot the signs or triggers and put preventions in place.

“Contractors or freelancers who don’t have the support of HR might need to adopt their own strategies such as setting working hours, turning off email alerts out of these hours and separating work and living space if working from home.”

Likewise, Lauren Monks, Group Operations Director at Dolan Contractor Group, added: “The Stress in the workplace study deepens our understanding of our contractors, freelancers and the self employed. It outlines the key areas that cause stress and so gives us and employers insight to help reduce stress in the workplace.  

Stress is prevalent in all areas of work and across all industries regardless of the way you work- as a traditional employee or via your own limited company or umbrella employment, though contractors and freelancers are rarely mentioned in the conversation for stress in the workplace and mental wellbeing.

With the potential IR35 reforms looming, this adds a degree of uncertainty which we understand is unsettling and stressful for our clients. With 27% of contractors and freelancers stating that tax, red tape, and government changes contribute to excessive stress at work, we make sure that we offer IR35 contract reviews so our clients have the advice they need, plus we can offer them both umbrella employment as well as limited company accountancy. This takes the added stress of finding a new umbrella employer should the IR35 reforms affect them.” 

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Workplace Stress: Over 4 In Every 5 SME Employees Have Been Affected By ‘Excessive’ Workload appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The UK’s tech professionals are now more likely to blow the whistle on an employer’s misbehaviour in the wake of scandals in the tech sector, which in the long run means a healthier industry and closer to what it was in the beginning.

At lest, that’s what an exclusive new research from one of the best well-known job site Indeed has found. The company based their report in more than 500 workers’ interviews across the UK technology industry.

According to these, various controversies in the tech industry last year have shifted many workers’ attitudes, with almost a quarter (23.6%) now willing to quit their job should a similar scandal strike their company.

Misbehaviour is now far less likely to go unnoticed or unpunished, with almost half (46.2%) of tech workers saying they are more likely to report any wrongdoing than they were before these scandals came to light.

Younger generations are more likely to quit if their employer acted unethically with more than a third (36.1%) of those aged between 16 and 24 indicating they would leave their job should a scandal strike – far exceeding the quarter (24.8%) of those between 25 and 44 years old and the tenth (9.2%) of those aged 45 and over.

Bill Richards, UK Managing Director of the global job site Indeed, said: “The UK tech sector has continued to boom in recent years and now employs more than 2 million people making it a magnet for talent, investment and innovation. The study highlights the crucial role employer brand and transparency play to appeal to a growing number of workers who are willing to turn their backs on the sector and vote with their feet if their employer acts unethically.

The sector has already felt the impact of its controversies. A fifth (19.8%) of the tech workers interviewed worked for a company involved in a scandals, and more than half of this group (51.5%) have since moved on, though just a tenth (9.8%) of all tech workers say they are now less keen to stay in the industry than they were before the blaze of negative publicity over the past 12 months.

A sexual harassment scandal (44.6%) is the most likely to cause employees to leave their company, ahead of tech-based scandals (43.2%). And with pressure continuing to mount for the industry to face stricter regulation, it is striking that three in five tech workers (59.4%) agree the sector needs tighter controls.

“The success of the UK – and specifically London – as a tech hub means companies can attract some of the brightest minds on the planet, but fewer are tempted by commercial success alone and as our results show more are now motivated by the pursuit of being a good digital citizen and doing what’s right,” Mr Richard concluded.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Tech Sector: Vigilant Employees Look Out For a Healthier Industry appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.