Most effective ways to motivate your staff

August 3 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation, Legal, Retirement, Training |No Comments
Staff

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Motivated staff always translates to productive staff. For a manager, if the staff is motivated, he or she has won half the battle. The key to motivating your staff lies with understanding their needs. Their needs can vary from one person to another. Here are some very effective ways to motivate your staff:

A golden rule of thumb is “praise in public and criticize in private”. This sounds simple but one should never forget this rule. No matter how great an employee is, they would not like to be criticized or given negative feedback in front of peers. Similarly, praise should always be given in public. In fact, when praised amongst senior management, employee recognition is at its highest.

Another very effective way of keeping your staff motivated is provide all the support they need and remove all obstacles from their way. Be proactive in asking employees if they are running into issues and provide all help and guidance to help them deal with those issues. This gives the employees a healthy support system.

If you want to be a successful manager, don’t micro-manage. Empowerment is the biggest gift a manager can give to his or her employees. Give direction and support but provide them the freedom to execute in their own way. This is not only productive and it gives them the sense of responsibility as well.

Coaching and mentoring is another great way to motivate as well as support your employees. Depending on their skill set and needs, a manager can provide right amount of coaching for employee development.

Encourage results driven approach amongst employees for high expectation but at the same time also cultivate a culture of risk taking. Risks are necessary for innovation and as long as they are calculated risks, they can yield wonderful results.

 

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Vincent has spent the last 10 years implementing employee recognition programs for Fortune 500 companies throughout the U.S. He currently lives in Houston and writes regularly about motivating employees.

Renewable Energy Industry Leads by Example with Eco-Benefits For Employees

July 2 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation, Management, Training |No Comments
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Renewable energy firms have begun offering “green benefits” to their employees in an effort to more fully integrate their eco-friendly service.  This also sends a message into the lives and hearts of their employers, bringing the mission of the workplace closer to home where the real example can be shown. This has had many advantages for both employer and employee.

A green benefit may consist of a free home energy audit paid for by the company. This could be a hybrid company car, paid time away from the office to volunteer for an earth friendly project, or many other things. One company, NRG Systems, offers yearly stipends towards eco-friendly home energy and transportation products. Most renewable energy firms such as Green Mountain Energy in Austin, TX really care about the environment. They want to try to lead by example and make sure they are incorporating green values into their own workplace and employees lives by using green benefits packages to raise employee awareness.

The growing renewable energy industry must take many of its employees from a pool of experts that other energy firms are also trying to draw from. In addition to offering an array of typical benefits packages, offering green benefits can often tip the balance in favor of a renewable energy firm for a potential employee. This is advantageous to a renewable energy company also in that it ensures the employees are gaining an interest in the company’s vision.
By offering green benefits, renewable energy firms gain dedicated employees and spread a message of sincerity in their green values. Employees can feel they are doing something worthwhile and meaningful by working for a green company and taking advantage of their benefits.

 

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Motivate Your Employees Now!

June 1 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation |No Comments
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As a manager, it’s hard to get your employees to do the job required. Motivation techniques such as bonuses at the end of the year doesn’t keep them motivated throughout the entire year. Now management is trying to come up with ways to motivate their employees to show that they feel appreciated.  Their goal is to move the workload along quickly and smoothly and meet their bottom line. Here is the strategy they plan to send to upper level management to achieve their goal.

They will make their presentation using software like PowerPoint or Zoho Show. Their title page will have the company logo and underneath will say “Employee Motivation Strategy.” On the second slide, there will be a brief overview about why motivating employees will make the company successful.

On the third slide, motivation strategies should be short action sentences or statements in bullet format. Then they need to have a plan to build a group atmosphere on the next slide which would include strategies for welcoming new employees, their training process, and job performance.

Next managers need to get more involved in praising their employees for a job well done. The following slide should explain this and add how to reward good work and giving positive feedback. On the sixth slide, there should be a plan to inspire creativity in the workplace. The last slide will show employees that making mistakes is okay and how mistakes can actually be a learning experience.

With these seven pages of information, management should have no problem encouraging their employees. This step by step improvement will make the entire workforce, new or not, feel that they belong at their job and will keep them there for years to come.

 

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Choosing the Perfect Car to Lease

May 9 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Financing |No Comments
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When a company is looking into using a contract hire car it is important to remember exactly what type of contract hire car you are looking for. There are many used car dealers in Houston and leasing deals that a business can look into. It is true that buying a car can use a lot of money out of the business’ pocket money, however there is a simple way to fix this and save some money. By looking and using car leasing deals you can avoid putting down a large sum of money down, and instead you can place down a deposit and sign a business contract hire deal which will often last up to one to five years.

Yes, your business will still need to make the monthly payments on the car while it’s being leased but it is often less then a normal car payment. Once the business contract hire car lease is over, a company can either give the car back to the contract company, or buy the car from the company in the end.

When it comes to deciding whether you should lease a hire car there are many things to remember which are very important. The first is to know which company you are going to deal with, and exactly how they offer their business contract hire cars. The best option in this case is to continue to check around and find the one that is perfect for all of your needs.

While some car leasing deals may look more appealing then others, a business contract hire company with a history of reasonable pricing and help would be the best to look in to. It is very important to ask about the company’s history and how they have done business before so you know who you are dealing with during your business car lease deal.

Once you have picked the business contract hire car company you will need to decide which type of vehicle you would like for your company. Leasing a car for your company is much like getting a car for your personal use. Your business is going to want a car that has excellent mileage, and give your company the best amount for the dollar.

Once you have decided on which of the car leasing deal you would like to use, it is important to see what types of extra offers that they have which might be helpful to your business. It is always important to think of which things will help your business and give your company exactly what they need.

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Oscar’s expertise is finding used cars in Houston for the lowest price possible. He has the regional reputation as “the swift thrift” of cars.

Choosing a Business Phone System

April 27 2011 by thecsuit in Business |No Comments
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Choosing a business phone system is a daunting task. With all the new and updated technology available, it only gets even more confusing when considering all the features involved with any system. Following are details that should be considered when choosing a business phone system.

Which system will handle your work load with flexibility? Many systems allow you, the business owner, to add and remove users easily.

Analog vs VoIP: Business VoIP phone systems are currently popular, having more features at a lower price than analog phone systems.

Hosted VoIP vs Premise Based: A hosted VoIP service allows you to plug your VoIP phone into the Internet with the service being managed by a third party service provider. Premise based will need a piece of equipment called a PBX in addition to your VoIP phones. Don’t forget to budget for maintenance.

Competitive Price: Well balanced pricing is needed without being too cheap. Phone service is sacrificed through the lowest end service, which means dropped calls and extensive customer support conversations.

Long Distance: Being aware of a service provider’s long distance policy can save money if long distance is used at the business.

Specific features: Call recording, call reporting, automatic call distribution, advanced auto attendant can improve productivity. Make a list of features that your business will need to avoid forgetting any.

How long has the Company Been Around? Make sure you do a brief background check on the company online.

Telecommuters: Some phone systems allow workers to connect to the business while offsite. Choose a service that is compatible to telecommuting with no extra costs.

Unified Communications: Unified communications allows you to aggregate communications data. It saves time and increases productivity. VoIP options are out there if you do your research.

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David is an information technology professional that specializes in business phone systems. For more information on how to save your company substantial time and resources with the right IT solutions, visit http://www.trianglecomputer.com.

The Advantages of Workplace Wellness Programs

April 26 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation, Management, Uncategorized |No Comments
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Many United States businesses operate on a very small profit margin. A major portion of the expenses for these businesses is health care and worker’s compensation insurance. Businesses have often looked for ways to control these costs.

Businesses have found that workplace wellness programs pay for themselves since the company gets employees who are more productive and are less likely to get migraine headache treatment, work related injuries, stress related illnesses, etc.

These employees also have more self-confidence and inspire confidence in others. Researchers have furthermore determined that those involved in workplace fitness programs are better able to achieve goals and have more positive attitudes. These employees also feel less stress and work better together in teams.

Approximately, 88 percent of companies that hire 200 or more employees have some form of workplace wellness program. Almost 50 percent of smaller companies have some form of workplace wellness program. These programs are expected to double in size over the next three years. Employers have found that these wellness programs are a great way to attract well qualified candidates and to retain employees. They are also finding that a workplace wellness program greatly reduces health care costs for the company. In fact, researchers have found that for every dollar spent on workplace wellness, the company saves $3.14 in health care costs.

In the United States, the major focus of these programs is on making employees more productive. Obese employees cost an employer 42 percent more than a person of normal weight. Follow the example of IBM. According to their regional director of well-being, Joyce Young, the company reduced health care claims by $80 million dollars when they instituted a company wellness program.

Outside the United States, the main focus of these programs is on productivity. The United States focuses instead on the reduction in health care costs.

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July works in the medical field and enjoys writing about health and fitness. She spends her days providing her patients migraine treatment in Houston and her nights with her husband and two boys.

Successful Business Networking Strategies

February 13 2011 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation, Management, Training |No Comments
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You’ve likely heard the adage that it’s not what you know, but who you know. And while that might not apply to a surgeon or an astronomer, it’s spot-on for you if your business depends on client growth and retention. That’s why a solid networking strategy should be a key part of your overall plan for success.

1. Networking versus selling

Realize the difference between networking and selling. Not every contact you make will turn into a sale. But some may be great sources of referrals. Others might be useful resources for you in terms of their knowledge or skills. Still others might not be of much assistance to you, but might have knowledge that would be invaluable to one or more of your customers or prospects.

2. Don’t forget to follow up

You’ve probably heard some of your peers complain, “I network all the time, but it doesn’t seem to help my business much.” Here’s why: A lot of networkers put all of their focus on meeting people and collecting names for their contact lists. They follow up with genuine prospects, of course, but they put everyone else on standby until there’s a specific reason to call. But what if there’s no reason to call until a year later? By the time you reach out to that contact again, you might as well be making a random cold call.

3. Build relationships steadily

Stay in touch with your contacts and work on building relationships with them. Avoid the “just-checking-in” syndrome and instead, look for valid reasons to touch base. Example: “I just read an announcement about the Six Sigma seminar that’s coming to your area next month. Any chance you’ll be attending?”

3. Don’t abuse it

The life insurance salesman or personal injury lawyer who gives out business cards at a funeral is a bit of a gross stereotype, but not completely removed from reality. There will always be those who engage in networking abuse. Make sure that none of your own networking actions could ever be misinterpreted as overly aggressive or crass.

If you’re interested in a great networking event that happens every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico visit the Urban Fiesta Weekend website.

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Corporate Retirement Gifts: Show Them You Care

January 19 2011 by thecsuit in Employee Motivation, Retirement |No Comments
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Corporate retirement gifts can be boring when it looks like something purchased out of a generic magazine that cheaply has the retirees name off of it. Does anyone really need or want another pen or money clip with their name on it?

Tired gifts like personalized barware and photo frames are so cliche. When someone dedicates there career to a corporation it is a little sad to get the same watch the last guy got, but with your initials on it. Corporations should try to get to know their employees. Just about anything can be personalized these days from disc golf discs, basketballs, and racing car gloves. It doesn’t feel that personal to get the same decanter set or plaque that everyone gets. However, if the retiree is a disc golfer and is surprised with a custom set of discs with their name and a unique quote they said while at the office it will be a cherished set for years to come. If the retiree is into gardening and they get a beautiful set of garden tools with a custom handle, they will be overjoyed.

As with any gift, the key is to get something that perfectly fits the person. Many corporations treat it as an easy exit path and think the soon to be ex employee is lucky to get something at all. In today’s global world and information age this is a huge mistake. Prospective employees are paying more and more attention to corporate culture and traditions, gifts, and group gathering (such as retirement) is a big part of that. Information on rushing someone out the door with a crappy gift will get out. Ask the people at work that know the retiree best for help. Ask their family. Find out what they are passionate about and give them something to help them pursue their dreams after finally getting out of the rat race.

As cool as a unique engraved pocketwatch is, I personally have two of them, two money clips, and two key chains with my name on them. These were all gifts from employers, businesses, or clients and they are all growing dust. I already had a watch, key chain, and wallets/money clips before I got these. I appreciated the gesture, but not really the gift. Don’t make the same mistake.

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Meet the Challenges of the Future Through Change Management Training

November 29 2010 by thecsuit in Employee Motivation, Management, Training |No Comments

By: Project Management

The future throws unexpected roadblocks in the way of growing a business. One way of counteracting this change is through a group of courses that management needs. They are p3o training, business analysis training and change management training. When the workplace changes and transitions, these courses will have management ready to deal with it, and react to the natural resistance involved.

Change management training will expose your managing team to the basics and the steps involved in the changes. Your managers will be trained in how to react to the changes and to adapt when necessary in order to implement the changes.

Change management training courses are hands-on seminars that will educate the rising managers in when and how to choose an action that will lead to change. Following this choice comes the implementation phase, and then the change must be monitored. All change is not good, and all change is not bad, in fact change is neutral. This is the reason it needs monitoring as to the effects the changes might bring about.

There is always resistance to change, it is natural. The change management training stresses how this resistance can be overcome in the most effective manner. All through the process the manager must show commitment and creativity where the change needs fine tuning. Good communication is important when change is implemented, and all levels of workers need to be on the same page.

When the team completes change management training, and the other seminars they become important parts of your business. They are now able to cope with situations more independently with less guidance from those above them.

The Importance of Employee Recognition

November 18 2010 by thecsuit in Business, Employee Motivation, Management |No Comments
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Employee recognition has always been a subject that tends to evoke different emotions in a work environment. Many are the times that employees may feel their efforts are not duly valued and recognized despite putting their all into a task. Employers, on the flipside, may feel that what the employees are doing is what they are remunerated for and thus no need to recognize them for what they are paid to do. The outcome is a working environment with less motivated and frustrated staff and bosses with a high expectation, two factors that do not augur well for the company and the ultimate result is less than optimum performance.

There is, however, all round motivation in work environment when a company openly recognizes the efforts of outstanding employees. When an outstanding employee is recognized, the entire office team is motivated in that they will work towards being recognized as well inasmuch it is only one person being honored. Some kind of goodwill develops in the team as they rest assured in the knowledge that their efforts and outstanding performance will not be in vain.

The highest work environment ethics, however, must be adhered to so as not to create an impression of favoritism or the event will be seen as just another useless office event. Some of these include:
• Having every employee eligible for recognition.
• Expressly stating why an employee is being recognized.
• Timely and well planned events for employee recognition.
• Transparency in choosing the outstanding employees.

Different ways can be used to recognize employees and are not necessarily monetary. Medals, plaques and certificates of excellent service presented in an open company forum work wonders. These have the name of the employee and the logo of the company and the more personalized the better. If possible a message too is very effective.

Companies that recognize their employees increase the morale and motivation in the office or floor and create an environment of cordial relations between management and subordinates.

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