productivity Archives - OpenBusinessCouncil Directory

Optimizing Productivity: Freelancers Are 20 Days More Productive Than Employed Workers, Research Finds

Hernaldo Turrillo — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:40:33 +0000

Self-Employed Complete 20 MORE Working Days of Productive Work Than Employed Per Annum.

Freelancers Are 20 Days More Productive Than Employed Workers, Research Finds

• On average, Brits are productively working for 6 Hours & 6 Minutes during a working day.

• Coworking spaces were found to be the ‘most productive’ working location overall.

• Successful tactics to increase productivity include: having regular breaks; to-do lists; playing background music.

On average, Brits are ‘productively working’ for 6 hours and 6 minutes during a working day, new research has revealed. However, self-employed workers are the most productive group as research shows they clock in around an additional 150.6 hours of productivity more than their employed counterparts. That’s the equivalent of 20 working days a year.

The study, conducted by The Doers – a brand marketing consultancy powered by freelancers – surveyed 1,000 UK respondents to find how many productive hours workers complete during the working day. The results include an analysis of how working location impacts the results, city and industry splits, and the difference between employees and freelancers.

The findings revealed that, on average, people are ‘productively working’ for 6.1 hours during a working day. The most common answer was 7 hours, but a quarter admitted that they are productive for 4 hours or less each working day. Interestingly, it was coworking spaces where people were the most productive (6.9 hours), compared to 6.4 hours in the office and 5.8 hours whilst working from home.

Karen Tait, founder of The Residence Coworking gave some additional insight into these findings – “People come to our centres looking to remove the distractions from home – the doorbell can ring, there’s laundry to be done, and everything is in your eyeline – so it’s not a surprise to me that coworking spaces come out on top for productivity! As well as an alternative to working from home, we also have office workers who use us flexibly to escape the many unnecessary office meetings and office politics. Coworking spaces also offer a variety of industry – a chance to meet other businesses and other people on their A-game, and the opportunity to learn from how other people have been successful (outside of the bubble of your own industry) – and this can also do wonders for productivity”.

Ordered from most productive city to least productive city, the results discovered the following:

Newcastle – 6.9 hours
Leeds – 6.8 hours
London – 6.4 hours
Liverpool – 6.3 hours
Edinburgh – 6.2 hours
Norwich – 6.2 hours
Birmingham – 6.1 hours
Nottingham – 6.0 hours
Glasgow – 5.9 hours
Bristol – 5.9 hours
Cardiff – 5.8 hours
Sheffield – 5.8 hours
Southampton – 5.8 hours
Belfast – 5.7 hours
Manchester – 5 hours

Ordered from most productive industry to least productive industry, the results discovered the following:

Recruitment and HR – 8.3 hours
Law enforcement and security – 7.6 hours
Hospitality and events management – 7.5 hours
Transport and logistics – 7.1 hours
Energy and utilities – 6.8 hours
Public services and administration –6.6 hours
Information technology – 6.5 hours
Retail – 6.4 hours
Engineering and manufacturing – 6.4 hours
Healthcare – 6.4 hours
Property and construction – 6.3 hours
Sales – 6.2 hours
Environment and agriculture – 6.1 hours
Teacher training and education – 5.9 hours
Law – 5.8 hours
Leisure, sport, and tourism – 5.8 hours
Accountancy, banking, and finance – 5.8 hours
Social care – 5.7 hours
Other – 5.5 hours
Creative arts and design – 5.4 hours
Charity and voluntary work – 5.4 hours
Media and internet – 5.4 hours
Business consulting and management – 5.1 hours
Marketing, advertising, and PR – 5 hours
Science and pharmaceuticals – 4.7 hours

Laura West, co-founder of The Doers, added:

“During the pandemic, more brands turned to freelancers in a bid to create fast and effective marketing campaigns. There are many benefits for choosing freelancers over an agency – a few examples include getting direct access to senior talent, lowered costs, improved output, amongst many others… We wanted to see if increased productivity was also a factor, so with this in mind we surveyed 1,000 UK respondents to delve further into the topic.

“Our research discovered that, on average, the self-employed are productive for 6.4 hours (6 hours and 24 minutes) of a working day. This figure is 36 minutes more than those that are employed – claiming 5.8 hours (5 hours and 48 minutes). Considering there are 251 working days in 2022, the self-employed are clocking an additional 150.6 hours of productive work each year compared to their employed counterparts – equivalent to around 20 working days (or around a month of a standard Monday to Friday, 9-5 role)! If nothing else, these stats should encourage businesses to lean on the amazing freelance talent that we have in the UK”.

When it came to discussing successful tactics and tools which helped people increase their productivity, regular breaks, to-do lists, and playing background music were the most common, followed by working in silence and thorough time planning. ‘Eating the frog’ – a technique where you complete your most important or hardest task first – also featured, along with regular exercise, working flexible hours (to plan tasks during optimal productivity hours), eating nutritious snacks, playing background noise, having a strict sleep routine, and disabling notifications on devices.

Jess Sims, co-founder of The Doers, shared:

“I’m far more productive in the evening than I am in the mornings. I have an energy lull almost every day mid-afternoon. And I’ve always been that way. Working for myself meant I had the flexibility to create a structure that worked for my productivity schedule.

“One of the biggest learnings I have made so far, is that eliminating water cooler moments, pointless meetings and periodically closing emails/Slack/social notifications etc, means that I can get the bulk of my work done in 4-hour work days. If you think about your time in an office structure (if you’ve worked in that environment), and count the time you spend making coffee, chatting to colleagues, sat in meetings that seem utterly pointless, endless catch ups vs the amount of time you spend actually doing your job, I bet you’ll land on roughly the same time frame.

“Working smartly and efficiently with my time opens up more opportunities to work on growing The Doers, networking, learning, taking time for myself, resting, travelling and ultimately creating the best work/life balance I’ve ever had”.

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.

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8 Reasons to Spring Clean Your Office

Hernaldo Turrillo — Thu, 19 May 2022 18:40:42 +0000

8 Reasons to Spring Clean Your Office

Spring is upon us, which means it’s time to get out the dusters and spruce up the workplace to get ready for summer. The long-awaited spring clean is the perfect opportunity to breathe life into the office and de-clutter after the winter months. Having a clean office is vital to promoting employee health and safety, and productivity levels will soar simultaneously. If your team is working hard on projects, you should consider hiring a professional cleaning service to get the job done. If you don’t believe in the benefits of the office spring clean, continue reading below.

Good for the Company’s Image

Having a neat and tidy workplace is fantastic for your overall company image, and spring is the perfect time to get the job done. When visitors, clients, and business partners visit your office building, they will be impressed with how clean the space is; prospective clients will never agree to do business with you if the office is full of unnecessary clutter. The quality of your workplace is an indication of the level of service you provide.

While you’re busy cleaning the inside of your office, make sure the exterior is clean as well. Hire a dumpster service in Miami to come and collect your bins, such as Waste Connections. When your exterior is clean of rubbish, you are less likely to find unwanted pests entering your workplace.

Reduce Workplace Accidents

When the workplace is a mess with wires and trash trailing everywhere, there’s a higher chance that someone will slip or trip, which can result in a costly lawsuit coming your way. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to rearrange the office and make sure everywhere is clean and tidy. When you create your health and safety plan, keeping the office clean and tidy should form part of your risk assessment. Again, if you cause an accident due to negligence, you will waste time and money dealing with the fallout.

Improve Air Quality

Employee health is important in any workforce, and spring is the perfect time to make sure your office is hygienic. Having dusty carpets and work surfaces harbors bacteria and can be detrimental to your health. Scrubbing away the germs will improve air quality and prevent staff from falling ill because of the office environment.

Promote Productivity

Having a neat and cleaned office helps to increase productivity in the workplace. When everything is organized, there are fewer pointless jobs to distract your staff, which means they’ll be focused on their work. When searching for important documents, a clean and tidy workplace will make the job a breeze; your employees will thank you for making their life easier.

Stress Reduction

Working in a dusty office can get extremely depressing and stressful, so take the time to brighten the place up. If your workers need to reach around clutter just to get to a filing cabinet, it will only add to their stress levels. Employees will have a much smoother experience at work if they can access the necessary tools with ease. Keeping your employees as stress-free as possible is the only way to make sure they don’t have to take time off work to recover from stress, which will boost productivity.

Keeps Machinery Safe

Equipment management is an essential part of keeping your workforce safe, and dusty parts can cause serious injuries. Even in the office, simple machinery, like photocopiers, can fail because they become too dusty. Keeping your equipment clean will save you money because you won’t need to consistently purchase replacements.

Encourages a Clean Culture

With the spring cleaning out of the way, your staff is more likely to clean up after themselves. When your workforce takes ownership of keeping the office tidy, the task won’t be so intense next time around. If you want to cement the behavior, you can offer rewards for teams that keep their areas clean. Most importantly, you need to clean up after yourself because positive behavior trickles down from the top of the company.

Creates a Homely Environment

When your employees enter the office and it’s clean and tidy, they will instantly feel less stress. Carrying out the spring cleaning will make your workplace feel welcoming and ‘homey’, which will encourage your staff to be more productive. Employees are more likely to stay at work to finish projects if the office is clean. Furthermore, a tidy office will help you nurture employee relationships and create a positive environment.

Working in an office, it’s easy to let things get cluttered — especially during the winter months. Therefore, you should take the opportunity, as spring approaches, to carry out a little spring clean. Your workers will be more productive, you’re more likely to win new clients, and you’re less likely to be spending money on avoidable lawsuits. If you want to get the job done right, you should hire a team of professionals to set the office straight.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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Productivity And Wellbeing Of Employees: Hybrid Work Promises A Holistic Growth For Businesses In Future

Hernaldo Turrillo — Mon, 09 May 2022 10:20:41 +0000

Many companies, in the recovery phase post pandemic, are offering their employees to choose to work from the office, outside, or both as per their convenience. While this benefits the business to hire the best talents from across the world, this brings with itself its own share of challenges. How effective is this model for a business to ensure the productivity of its employees? How does it impact the holistic well-being of the workers within an organisation, while not being present together in a shared physical space of work?

Productivity And Wellbeing Of Employees: Hybrid Work Promises A Holistic Growth For Businesses In Future

Life was perfectly normal when employees rushed to their workplace to finish their daily goals and targets. The office spaces held immense opportunities to socialise and learn. Everyone was comfortable with this lifestyle.

And then… the pandemic happened, baffling almost every framework (and system) that the society had created in the past few centuries. The world suddenly was coerced to go remote and work.

What was a mere obligation at the beginning, gradually began a common sentiment that the acclimatising society caught up. This adaptation and the recuperation of the world from pandemic gave birth to a new way of work, the hybrid model.

In a hybrid setup, the workforce is distributed, constituted by those who work flexibly. In other words, the employees have the choice to work from an office, remotely or both. Statistically speaking, the world has embraced this model quite humbly. The productivity of a remote worker, on average, increases by 40% more than the one working onsite. Experts suggest that while it leverages the employees to experience the freedom to explore and innovate, it facilitates a trusted relationship between the management and the employees.

This means an increasing number of businesses are willing to test the waters. For those who have their teams constituted by globally distributed demographics, this is an innovative way to stay connected to showcase their productivity. What’s more? The businesses are experiencing increased efficiencies with reduced running and maintenance costs.

The question then arises: How can this model be enabled to unleash better productivity while ensuring a healthier workforce, and an efficient management system within an organisation?

“Over the past year, no area has undergone more rapid transformation than the way we work. Employee expectations are changing, and we will need to define productivity much more broadly — inclusive of collaboration, learning, and well-being to drive career advancement for every worker, including frontline and knowledge workers, as well as for new graduates and those who are in the workforce today. All this needs to be done with flexibility in when, where, and how people work.”, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

That said, the key features that shape the future of the hybrid work model are- building an inclusive culture, appreciating the flexibility, and creating an energised sphere to ensure the overall wellbeing of the employees.

An imperative inclusion

An improved corporate culture that fosters a sense of belonging for everyone aids in embracing the diversity that is an essential part of the team. This also facilitates a clear communication channel, while ensuring a meaningful contribution to the growth of the business.

The key element, here, is to create a multi-channel pathway that focuses on the growth of the employees. Though a hybrid model is yet to be practiced quite at large to be able to find the right balance of working from home and from the office, it encourages newer ways of collaboration.

Flexible working conditions

According to a report by Accenture, 40% of workers felt they could be healthy and effective whether they were onsite or remote. Productivity and health, the report states, are correlation factors of the availability of enough resources at individual and organisational levels. These nurture the employee by eliminating the challenges pertaining to work.

Wellness, learning, and collaboration are the three dimensions of defining flexibility. Experimenting constantly to modify the conventional conditions is the only way to find the correct equilibrium for hybrid work culture. Tailoring parameters like working hours (from home and office space), investment in technological infrastructure, refurbishing the workspace (to accommodate the new conditions), supporting learning and upskilling opportunities, and many others could reap even larger benefits than anticipated. In today’s work-from-anywhere business environment, it is timely to invest in calibration management tools that untether your employees and let them manage gage data anywhere and at any time.

Re-energising work with wellness

Remote work, in collaboration with global lockdown, took a heavy toll on the energy levels and well-being of employees around the world, especially for the freshers.

Engagement protocols and policies need to be put to order that strike an appropriate balance with the unplugged hours (that provide a refreshing and quality downtime). Leadership at the organisations are responsible to ensure this equilibrium, by setting examples and nurturing a culture of holistic wellbeing within the work teams.

A sustainable recipe for a thriving work model

Though inevitable, change is never easy. A hybrid model is a certainty of our future work culture. Such transformations do need time, a huge collective effort, and an unmeasurable technological advancement. It would require the world to constantly unlearn and then re-learn new approaches and techniques to keep abreast with the transitions. Keeping the people at its core, a business can accomplish itself with policies and planning. The complete recipe for sustainable growth for businesses, sure it is.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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6 Good Techniques To Increase Employee Productivity

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 17:18:09 +0000

A happy employee is a good employee. Now, there are many ways to make an employee happy. From making their workspace friendly and positive to providing them with the proper tools to do the job, there are many things that can impact the overall happiness of an employee. In this blog post, we will discuss six techniques that have been proven to help employees be more productive. Implementing these techniques can help your business achieve its goals and increase profitability.

What are the 6 techniques you can use to increase employee productivity?

Helping your employees remain productive has many benefits for both the individual and the company as a whole. When employees are productive, they feel good about themselves and their work, which can lead to a more positive attitude in the workplace. This, in turn, can result in improved morale, increased creativity, and reduced stress levels. Additionally, productivity is often contagious; when one employee is productive, it often inspires others to follow suit. As experts at https://incito.com explain, with the right tools, your business is set for success. By helping your employees be more productive, you can increase profits and achieve your business goals. In short, there are many reasons why it is important to help your employees stay productive. Implementing the techniques we discussed today can be a major step in the

It is important that your employees have all available resources

The first technique is to provide employees with the proper tools. This means giving them the resources they need to do their job well. It can be something as simple as a new computer or software that will make their job easier. If you give your employees the tools they need, they will be able to work more efficiently and be more productive. Furthermore, when lacking resources, employees might have to turn to other departments or people, which can slow down even more staff.

Creating a more friendly work environment

The second technique is to create a positive work environment. This means making sure that your workspace is clean, organized, and positive. Employees should feel comfortable in their work environment so that they can focus on their work and be productive. Of course, this should not mean that you should allow your employees to work as they please. However, it will help your employees feel more safe and open at work. This will help you have better employees, and help them feel more “at home”, which can boost their productivity.

Emphasize crucial goals

The third technique is to set clear goals. Employees should know what is expected of them and what they need to accomplish. When goals are clear, employees can work more efficiently and be more productive. Furthermore, it is very important that you segregate crucial goals, from those that are less of that. This can help employees create priorities. Moreover, it can allow employees to keep better track of their progress.

Communication is key

The fourth technique is to provide feedback. Feedback helps employees understand what they are doing well and what they need to improve. When employees receive feedback, they can adjust their behavior and be more productive. Consequently, the same should occur the other way around. You should be open to constructive feedback and work on improving that field. To be sure your employees do their best, you will have to create a trust link between both parties.

Allow each employee to have its own space

The fifth technique is to give employees autonomy. This means allowing them to work independently and make decisions on their own. When employees have autonomy, they often feel empowered and motivated to be more productive. Constantly watching their every decision can become daunting and lower the morale of the staff. Soon, your employees will be motivated by fear, not productivity.

Everyone wants to be motivated

The sixth technique is to use incentives. Incentives can help increase employee productivity by providing motivation for employees to do their best work. Incentives can be monetary or non-monetary, such as awards, recognition, or additional vacation time. This is probably one of the best ways to ensure your employees remain happy and do not burn out from working. As we were saying at the beginning of this article, a happy employee is a good employee.

As you can see, there are many techniques to increase productivity at your office when it comes down to an individual’s work environment. It is important to note that all of these strategies may not be applicable to every business; however, if this article has sparked some ideas about how you can improve the working conditions at your office then do not hesitate in implementing what works best for you!

Hernaldo Turrillo

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Practicing Attorneys: How To Improve Your Productivity

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:37:31 +0000

Law is one of the most prestigious fields that you can work in. it requires years of education and a knack for thinking on your feet. However, you can still struggle to meet client deadlines if you do not properly organize yourself.

Time is money, and you could end up out of pocket if you fail to realize this fact. It is important to exercise patience with your clients, but focusing too much on one case can leave you lagging behind in another. Being an attorney is not an easy job, which is why this article will look at a few tips that you can use to improve your productivity.

Break Up Your Day

The main problem that you will face as an attorney is an influx of information. It is possible to work on several cases at once, but the details of each client can get mixed up in the fray. One mistake can cause you to panic, and panicking is only going to lead to more mistakes.

Therefore, breaking up your day into sections is a good idea. Perhaps you will find it beneficial to spend an hour on each case or focus on client meetings in the morning and court strategies in the afternoon. Either way, this approach will prevent your wires from getting crossed and give you some much-needed breathing room.

Protect Yourself

The outcome of a legal case can turn south very quickly. This does not mean that you did not perform your job as an attorney adequately. Sometimes the evidence just doesn’t stack up in your client’s favor.

It is essential that you think of your client’s needs when it comes to losing a case; however, you must also take care of yourself. It is common knowledge that the losing party in a legal case must pay any court costs while their representation has to forfeit a litigation cost. These costs are quite hefty, which is why it is important to think about litigation cost protection. An insurer like LevelEsq can provide you with litigation cost protection to cover any fees that arise when losing a case. Your business is your livelihood, and you will work better knowing that you have a safety net.

Digitize Your Workload

Attorneys spend most of their time at the office filling out paperwork. Each client case is unique, which means that every document needs proper care and attention. This can eat up a large portion of your day, but thankfully technology can help speed things along.

You can now upload all of your client details onto a database which can then automate the completion of key documents. The database will store details such as client names, addresses, age, the dates of important incidents, and even common queries. You can then pull this information out at will, or have the system fill in these parts of the documents for you so that you have time to focus on more important matters.

Summary

These are all small changes to your workday but they can make a big difference. Work smarter to ensure that your legal practice is filling its true potential.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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Disorganization in Startups: The Biggest Productivity Killers

Hernaldo Turrillo — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 19:02:18 +0000

Disorganization in Startups: The Biggest Productivity Killers

Startups aren’t immune to common productivity killers that plague businesses across America. In some instances, small businesses won’t have the cash flow, experience, or ability to get organized, but that doesn’t make a lack of work-life balance acceptable or profitable. Disorganization in startups: the biggest productivity killers .

Disorganization in Startups: The Biggest Productivity Killers

How to Solve Common Startup Productivity Killers

Startup productivity killers don’t just take up your business’s time; they also suck up your money too. If there’s room for improvement in your workplace, here’s what you can do.

Zero Collaboration and Trust

Newly formed startups are mostly made up of independent contractors and a few in-house employees. That isn’t a problem in itself, especially if you use collaboration and video conferencing software to stay on top of your remote workers. But what happens if you don’t?

If your employees aren’t speaking to each other, it’ll be impossible to reach deadlines, even when everyone is operating on different projects. This is a major problem for teams that have a workflow. The minute someone drops the ball, the less time you’ll have to complete the project.

Trust is another factor that makes communication difficult. If an employee doesn’t know what to do and no one is collaborating, the team will start to point fingers and resent each other.

What To Do: Employers should use project management software to help their employees understand what they’re responsible for and when a project is due. Then, encourage communication by setting the bar yourself. Don’t punish others for speaking out.

No Direction or Goal Setting

Every startup has the goal to make more money, but you need to separate your tasks into smaller parts if you want to reach the finish line in one piece. At the same time, you can’t pull the rug from under your employees and expect them to shift priorities at your say so.

Without a North Star metric or a singular goal, your employees won’t know what they’re working towards. A lack of communication also plays into this problem, but if you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re doing, you won’t be able to communicate your needs at all.

What To Do: Employer review websites like JobSage consider purpose and growth as one of the main reasons employees stick around. To reduce turnover, employers should create a goal the whole team should reach and keep it static. Call regular meetings to keep the team on track.

Complete Lack of Planning

Workplace management can quickly get out of hand, and usually, the employees have to pick up the pieces. Startups may grab any means of employment they can without considering if they have the resources to accomplish it. If their employees can’t keep up, they’re punished.

The problem may even exacerbate if there isn’t a “priority schedule.” It’s normal for businesses to switch around projects for high-profile clients, but if it’s at the expense of other clients or your employees, it’ll lead to burnout and lost wages. A more straightforward schedule is needed.

What To Do: Disorganization is easy to solve if employers set their expectations. If your employees know what you want from them, they’ll be able to consistently check off tasks on your to-do list. Discourage emergency projects from your clients by charging an extra fee.

High-Levels of Micromanagement

Startup owners often have a hard time trusting their employees, and that’s understandable. You worked hard to grow your company, and you’re scared that giving up control will tank what you made. However, micromanaging your employees will actually make that fear a reality.

If you use control as a management style, your employees push back by quitting or becoming dependent. Employees who stay in this environment aren’t going to step outside the box, come up with innovative ideas, or trust their employers. They’ll head right for the door when they can.

What To Do: Employers should recognize that micromanagement hurts their entire company. You’ll either lose money or become stagnant. It’s better that you coach your employees and let them come into their own. If they make a mistake, retrain and encourage their improvements.

Little to No Work-Life Balance

When we think of remote work or startup culture, our minds go towards flexibility. However, there’s nothing flexible about receiving a text message on the weekends about an urgent meeting on Sunday. Your employees shouldn’t expect they’ll be bothered on their off-time.

Just because startup owners expect themselves to work at all hours, it doesn’t mean they should push that burden towards their employees. What’s more, they shouldn’t ask their employees to be at their beck and call. It isn’t fair to them, and it isn’t fair for you.

Both you and your employees should be able to recharge after a job well-done. If you don’t, the organization will experience higher rates of absenteeism, illness, and disengagement.

What To Do: In your employee contracts, make it clear that you can’t contact your employees after a specific time (evenings and weekends). Establish deadlines as the important metric, not being at work specifically. If your team finishes their work on time, they’re productive.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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How Can Businesses Use Software Advancements For an Improved Delivery Service?

Hernaldo Turrillo — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:49:51 +0000

Technology, as is the case with all industries, has made courier companies much more efficient to work with. Improved efficiency not only benefits couriers but the businesses that they work with too. Thanks to technology, customers can receive their parcels in a more timely and effective fashion. Software, in particular, has proven to be very useful for couriers and their partners, because it can be used to track and update parcels, as well as show proof of delivery, improving overall security. Security is a major concern for courier companies.

If you are a business owner and will be dealing with courier companies, then the software can help to make that process easier. This article will explain how:

Customer Communication

Most businesses’ primary concern is customer satisfaction, which can be achieved through communication. If a business doesn’t update its customers regarding the status of their parcel delivery, their customers can become irritated and will go out of their way to avoid them in the future. Customers need to know exactly what’s going on, at every stage of the shipping process. The software can be used to provide them with this information. Every time a parcel is moved from one place to another, it can be scanned and the information added to your customer’s tracking page, which you can update and manage through shipping software.

Data Retrieval

If at any point during a parcel’s time with its courier it is misplaced or goes missing, the software can be used to retrieve it. Most parcels have unique barcodes that are scanned at every stage during the shipping process. Uploading this information onto the shipment software program that you use will make finding parcels much easier if they do not reach their intended destination. In addition, if customers have any complaints about the way that their parcel was handled or treated, you will be able to use software to determine which packers, shippers, or staff from your chosen courier company handled it so that you can make a complaint.

Booking Duplication

When you are doing things manually, it’s very easy to make mistakes. This is especially true if you handle lots of parcels. Booking duplications is a very easy mistake to make. With shipping software, however, this thankfully isn’t the case. Shipping software will instantly notify you if you have booked a parcel into your system twice, allowing you to avoid costly duplication errors. With all of this said, in order to avoid booking duplications you do need to ensure that every parcel has its own unique barcode applied, otherwise you will be able to book a parcel twice.

Real-Time Tracking

Tracking is not just important for customers, it is also important for you. Unfortunately, theft and fraud are rampant in today’s world, even in courier companies. Delivery drivers are lucrative targets for sophisticated criminal gangs, and sometimes they even infiltrate them. By using software to track the company that you use and its drivers, you will be able to pinpoint the location of their van wherever they go, allowing you to track a parcel if it is stolen. In addition, you can also monitor your courier’s general behavior. If they are slacking off or aren’t delivering parcels on time, then you can use software to prove this to their boss.

Administrative Tasks

One of the most time-consuming tasks businesses have is administrative work, including inputting and updating information on their system. Delivery software can be used to streamline and automate administrative tasks, saving them a lot of time. The time that they save by using software enables them to focus on other more important areas of their businesses, such as acquiring new clients and streamlining their operations in other ways. The software can also be purchased that automates HR and payroll tasks. Also, when companies use software to input information, there’s less of a chance of data mishandling.

Increased Productivity

Software ultimately leads to increased productivity. When staff are able to complete their work in an efficient and effective way, they will be more productive. Having to deal with the paperwork and manual administrative tasks will only slow them down and stop them from completing important tasks. Delivery drivers will also be more productive because instead of filling out forms and sheets for each delivery they complete, they will be able to breeze through the relevant documentation on their phone or handheld device.

Parcel Mishandling

As we touched upon earlier, the software helps to improve security. Unfortunately, theft is very common nowadays. In addition, because of the large number of parcels that courier companies handle, parcels can go missing. The software allows companies to better track their parcels, giving them the opportunity to learn about any losses or thefts that occur. It can also be used to identify theft patterns. If parcels only ever go missing when a specific driver is on duty, then there’s a chance that they are to blame.

The software has dramatically improved the way that courier companies and businesses work together. It has led to improved productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. If your company isn’t yet using software to handle its deliveries, then it’s time to.

Hernaldo Turrillo

The post How Can Businesses Use Software Advancements For an Improved Delivery Service? appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

What Is Six Sigma And What Makes It A Good Certification?

Hernaldo Turrillo — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 20:40:57 +0000

Running a successful business and having a great career means always looking for ways to improve on what you already have and stay ahead of the competition. Getting further specialized, especially in something that can prove valuable in different niches, is always a smart move. Because moving forward is an integral part of keeping your business prosperous, it’s important to understand what the Six Sigma process is and the reasons that make it a good certification to have.

1. What Is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools that, when implemented in an organization, give them the ability to improve their business processes. It’s important to note at the very beginning that, following its own teachings, the Six Sigma Certification training and exams can be done in the most efficient way possible – entirely online. The Six Sigma process aims for near-perfection in every step of a company’s workflow, from selecting clients and hiring employees to delivering products and providing excellent customer service. The process uses five distinct phases in order to improve your business’s workflow:

Defining – the process of creating the project specification, including all aspects that are to be improved.
Measuring – the process of measuring the current workflow and determining if it can be improved and by how much.
Analyzing – using tools such as FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to highlight possible problem areas in your business flow.
Improving – all changes introduced by Six Sigma are tested for effectiveness before they’re implemented on a larger scale.
Controlling – once the changes are made, they need to be monitored and controlled in order to ensure that there is no regression.

In other words, it’s an improvement methodology that makes a business more efficient and profitable.

2. Decrease Waste

Among the most common reasons why businesses lose money is by producing unnecessary waste – whether that’s in materials used to create products, the time it takes for a project to get done, or any other element of the process. One of the main qualities that make a successful business is having a good business plan – and a part of that means knowing exactly how much certain elements of your business cost. In order to achieve this goal, Six Sigma employs a series of techniques and tools that help you map every step in the process and determine where it’s necessary to make changes. For example, if you’ve got industrial equipment that is becoming outdated or difficult to maintain because the industry itself has changed, it might be time to sell it and invest in equipment that can better assist your business. Additionally, Six Sigma allows people who are not directly involved with certain processes to determine how to improve them – even if they’re employees at different levels of the company hierarchy. By encouraging your employees to get the certification, you’ll ensure that you have highly-trained people at all levels that are capable of making valuable contributions to your company’s growth.

3. Improve Efficiency And Productivity

The Six Sigma certification allows you to implement new, more efficient ways of doing things in your business. Because it relies on collaboration between different employees with different job titles, everyone is able to contribute their ideas and input on how they think changes should be made. This makes the process less subjective and more objective since there are specific tools that are used to check the work, and because the entire process is mapped out in advance. When employees are properly trained to participate in this kind of objective analysis, the company as a whole will make decisions that lead to greater efficiency – which can be seen by improved productivity numbers. The same tools that are used for improvement are also important when it comes to data analysis and measuring things such as customer satisfaction. Companies that take advantage of Six Sigma will benefit from having a well-trained workforce capable of completing the process in the most efficient way possible.

4. Fewer Errors

The Black Belt certification is all about subjective analysis and improvement. Six Sigma requires a standardized, detailed process that every employee should follow. This means that there will be no way for them to skip elements of the project, or make changes without consulting their colleagues first. In other words, it makes your company less prone to errors since there is a clear protocol with defined paths and procedures to follow. This also makes it easier for employees who are less experienced in the domain of your business to make valuable contributions. When they’re properly trained, they’ll be able to follow the same protocols and methods that more seasoned colleagues use, resulting in similar outcomes. Because there’s no subjective judgment involved in the process, less time than before is needed to fix errors that do show up.

5. Wide Application Options

Six Sigma can be applied to almost any type of industry – although it’s particularly useful in fields such as IT, retail and hospitality, medical care, manufacturing, energy, construction, and more. The principles behind Six Sigma are great for improving each of these types of companies because they rely on collaboration between different employees that have specialized roles in the company’s hierarchy. Mapping out how everything works allows you to make changes to certain processes while also measuring the results throughout the process thanks to statistical tools available. However, having just a few of your employees who work in the right position with this certification can also provide benefits, particularly if they are able to train colleagues who work in different departments. If they are in an upper managerial position where they have insight into the way the business runs as a whole, they can make changes or introduce new standards for process improvement that will have a cascading effect across the entire company.

6. Increased Earnings

Companies that have successfully implemented Six Sigma have also seen an increase in their earnings. This is because by measuring things through the entire process, you can be sure that any decisions made are based on facts – not just subjective judgments. With objective measurements, every change has a chance of positively affecting your business’ numbers across the board, which leads to increased earnings. This success can be replicated by businesses that opt to start using Six Sigma principles, which means you’ll lead the industry simply by keeping up with trends and implementing them into your own company’s processes – well before it becomes a requirement for most other companies in your industry.

The Six Sigma certification is used by thousands of companies all over the world because it offers so many advantages. By hiring employees who have this qualification, you’ll gain access to a workforce that can complete projects with greater efficiency than before, thanks to standardized processes and procedures that everyone follows.

Hernaldo Turrillo

The post What Is Six Sigma And What Makes It A Good Certification? appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Is your workforce healthy enough to fix Britain’s productivity problem?

Hernaldo Turrillo — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:38:32 +0000

NEW BOOK: Lessons from the pandemic on the value of workforce health

Why this book matters:

Britain has a productivity problem. Our productivity shortfall is twice as severe as that of other G7 economies (UK at the bottom of the G7 and 17^th of the G20 countries on productivity per capita).
The pandemic put workplace health front and centre of the strategic business agenda but many businesses have yet to fully recognise the link between workplace health and productivity
The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Futureshows how workplace health is a key strategic issue; critical to productivity, business performance and to a flourishing society
The work of world-leading authorities on HR and the workplace Professor Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan, and part of Emerald Publishing’s Future of Work series

With 57% of all long term sickness absence at work due to stress, anxiety and depression and Covid cases and deaths the highest in Europe, workforce health has the potential to derail Britain’s business recovery. Mental health, stress, musculoskeletal issues and chronic illness are the number one cause of absence from work and loss of productivity in most Western economies.

New book The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Future takes a long hard look at the impact of ill-health on the work place and particularly on productivity. Workforce wellbeing has long been recognised as an important retention issue – but the authors argue that more businesses need to wake up to its substantial impact on productivity.

This important new book, from HR hard hitters Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan, explores how the Covid pandemic was the first time in living memory that the business community had to deal directly with the impact of a real-time threat to the health of their workforce. Suddenly workforce health was a strategic issue at the top of the senior management team agenda. HR and Occupational Health were catapulted to new prominence as businesses grappled to find ways to manage the health risk and keep their business moving forward.

Research and public awareness of the epidemic of physical and mental ill-health among working age people is growing, but understanding of its impact on company performance and productivity and possible solutions for the future is less advanced.

This timely and important book sets out why workforce health is such an important challenge for businesses, governments and for employees today and how this will increase in the future with an ageing workforce. It examines the new challenges of working from home, flexible working and the potential impact of these new ways of working on employees mental and muscular skeletal health.

An essential read for business leaders and HR professionals, The Healthy Workforce offers practical guidance for professionals on getting started in the delivery of an effective and evidence-based workplace health plan which can enhance and sustain productivity growth in business now and for the future.

The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Future by Prof Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan is part of Emerald Publishing’s The Future of Work series. Out Nov 15 priced £18.99.

Exclusive articles and interviews available:

Prof Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan are world leaders in the field of work, employment and HR. They are available for interview, expert comment or guest articles including:

Health and work in a pandemic – 5 lessons
Workplace health interventions that work ( and don’t)
Why your business needs a Chief Medical Officer
Workforce health – risk or asset? How to build workplace resilience
Are you on top of the new business fundamentals? Hybrid working, managers who can manage, 4 day week……
Need higher productivity? Why occupational health is the place to look
How to build a culture that maximises employee productivity
Maximising employee health – Lessons from the pandemic
The health risks of working from home – and what to do about them
People skills vs tech skills – are your managers good enough?

-ENDS-

For further information, a review copy, a guest article or an interview with the author, please contact:

Teresa Richardson teresa.richardson@thebookpublicist.co.uk

Matt Davidson matt@thebookpublicist.co.uk

Tel: 01497 288018

About the authors

Stephen Bevan is Head of HR Research Development at the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and was previously Director of Research and Managing Director at The Work Foundation.

Cary L. Cooper is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at ALLIANCE Manchester Business School of the University of Manchester. He is President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (HR professional body), President of the Institute of Welfare and Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work.

Hernaldo Turrillo

The post Is your workforce healthy enough to fix Britain’s productivity problem? appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Five Ways Using Test and Efficiency Software Can Save You Money

Hernaldo Turrillo — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 02:48:05 +0000

One of the largest growing trends in businesses of all types is the gradual adoption of technology in the form of software and automation. This novel technology allows for greater productivity, efficiency, and of course, cost savings. From factories to coffee shops, the use of software to aid tasks and productivity offers a variety of benefits to businesses of all stripes.

For lab businesses, however, test and efficiency software can drastically improve the rate, quality, and ease of work that employees produce. Through complex mathematical modeling, targeted automation, and powerful computation, software like a liquid liquid mixing program can make a huge difference in improving workflow, along with providing the cost-savings associated with increased efficiency. Here are five ways that test and efficiency software can save a lab business money in the long run, despite the upfront cost of their purchase and integration.

Improves Productivity

The most significant consequence of using test and efficiency software rather than relying exclusively on conventional methods of conduction lab work is that these programs help to streamline the work process and allows for more work to be done in the same amount of time. Computers are able to carry out drastically more operations than even the most capable human beings in computational and calculational applications.

Although test and efficiency software can seem costly at first to deploy, the increased productivity over time will make up for the upfront costs and then some. In turn, it allows for greater and greater cost savings to accumulate over time, leading to better margins and higher profits overall.

Ensures More Accurate Results

Test and efficiency software can also produce mathematical models and calculations with far greater accuracy than an individual. For a business, this can help ensure that lab equipment is functioning at the optimal level, without the possibility of human error inherently involved in placing the burden of adjusting and monitoring equipment solely on employees.

Test and efficiency software can automatically monitor your equipment and adjust settings for the evaluation of different operations, as well as determine the safest method of operation for workers. The use of test software also allows you to quickly and easily compare between different laboratory systems and control the operation specifications to your preference. Automation in controlling equipment and operation processes is generally vastly superior that manually performing these tasks, which can help your business grow significantly in the long run.

Allows for More Efficient Use of Resources

Automated test and efficiency software also provide cost savings by helping to ensure lab equipment and processes are using resources in the most efficient way possible, minimizing potential waste from both inefficient processes and accidents, which often result in the erroneous process having to be reperformed.

By reducing the risk of human error, test and efficiency software allows your business to make the most out of expensive resources and helps to lower the need for redundant spending. Test and efficiency software also helps to save time, further reducing both resource and personnel costs, without any loss to the quality of the work performed when compared to traditional systems.

Lowers Costs of Employment

Another source of cost savings provided by test and efficiency software is in reducing employment costs. By automating certain aspects of lab work, you may be able to afford to hire fewer employees, reducing the burden of worker salaries on overall net revenue. Since test and efficiency software also helps to ease the work of existing employees and contributes to worker safety, lab businesses that employ test and efficiency software can also save money on the cost of hiring, training, and re-training new employees due to turnover.

Aids More Efficient Workflow

Finally, test and efficiency software can help reduce complications and disorganization in distributing and conducting work for a lab business. Traditional lab systems often require complicated teams of employees to oversee and ensure operations are being performed correctly.

By automating certain controlled aspects of lab work with test and efficiency software, businesses can expedite and simplify the organizational structure of employees at the workplace. This can allow for more efficient workflow, better communication between employees and management, and greater efficiency in the workplace. Efficiency saves money by both increasing revenue and decreasing costs, a benefit that is sure to accumulate and overtake the initial cost of utilizing test and efficiency software over time.

With the advent of automation and software-powered technologies, there is no doubt that technological advancement is the key to the future. Not only do lab businesses stand to save money by using appropriate test and efficiency software, by doing so your business can also take a step forward into the future and ensure your production process is up-to-date with the latest advances.

Hernaldo Turrillo

The post Five Ways Using Test and Efficiency Software Can Save You Money appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.