Category: Workplace Discussions

Worried About Your Relationships With Your Employees: Here’s What To Do

Two focuses of my blog are Management and Organizational Discussions and Workplace Discussions. No matter which sector you’re in, the relationships with your employees is absolutely critical. If those relationships get damaged, beware. The following contributed post is entitled, Worried About Your Relationships With Your Employees: Here’s What To.

* * *

Unsplash – CC0 License

The modern workplace relies on healthy relationships between companies and their employees. However, it can be challenging to get it right. Employees often naturally feel as though they’re the underdogs and you’re the boss.

While this sort of hierarchy is common for business, it doesn’t always lead to the best social relationships. Many workers wind up feeling downtrodden and unable to reach their full potential in their lives.

In this post, we take a look at how you can prevent this and actually improve how you relate to your colleagues. Take a look at the ideas below:

Become A Parent To Your Employees

It might sound strange to say, but some of the best bosses out there take a parental role towards their employees. They encourage and nurture their colleagues to bring out their full set of talents.

You don’t want to become “mommy” to your employees. But adding care and attention here and there can help to improve their wellbeing and help them learn to appreciate you as their boss. It could be something as simple as offering words of encouragement or providing them with positive feedback on their work. It all makes a difference.

Make Them Feel Like Valued Members Of The Team

People tend to work best when they have a purpose. But many companies expect their employees to just go through the motions as if that were enough.

The trick here is to find ways to make people in your enterprise feel like valued members of their team. You want them to make your company a part of their personal identity – something they value in and of itself.

Perhaps the best place to start is by organizing corporate events that get people out of the office. Sites like https://www.thegrandhallkc.com/corporate-events/ show the kind of events that you could hold for employees. Ultimately, what you want is a venue that allows you to communicate with employees about why they’re important to you, and why what they do matters.

Think about the mission of your company and look for ways to celebrate it. Make your corporate away days productive. But also ensure that they’re inspiring so that people actually want to come to work on a Monday morning.

Be Open To Learning

Nobody wants to work in a company that says that the “boss is always right,” says https://www.forbes.com/. That’s no fun. And it’s not even true. No single person can know everything or have great ideas, day in, day out.

Ideally, you want a situation where you and the rest of your managerial team are open to the possibility of learning. Sometimes employees can have great ideas, and allowing them to air them benefits everyone.

Create Trust

Creating trust is perhaps the most critical way to improve your relationships with your employees. Be transparent with them about what you want. Be kind in how you interpret what they say. And avoid gossiping or discussing them behind their backs. If there’s something wrong, speak to them directly about it.

How Remote Work is Changing Home Safety

Two focuses of my blog are Technology and Workplace Discussions. The implementation of the technologies that we now have, have significantly changed the workplace so that remote working is increasingly the norm. The following contributed post is entitled, How Remote Work is Changing Home Safety.

* * *

Pexels Image: CC0 License

It’s official – we’re living in the age of the remote working shift. Admittedly, this change has been bubbling away under the business surface for a while now but, with many companies having to shut shop, more of us than ever have found ourselves in home offices overnight. And, according to around 74% of firms, this is a change that’s set to stay.

After all, remote workers are famously more productive, while a reduction in office hours can mean reduced costs in everything from bills through to rental costs. The only trouble is that, as the ways in which we use our homes change, so too do the security risks we face. While theft avoidance has always been a priority of sorts, the majority of us have been relatively relaxed with safety measures. Now, home safety becomes a must as thieves from all sides take advantage of this home office phenomenon.

Here, we’re going to look at what exactly those risks look like, and how you can protect against them.

Soaring cybersecurity breaches

Perhaps the most notable security change has occurred in the cyber-sphere, where there’s been a 400% increase in attacks over the last twelve months. This isn’t altogether surprising considering that businesses are operating almost solely online right now. With malware in the right places, hackers can quite literally access entire infrastructures.

The good news is that businesses are responding with in-house cybersecurity efforts including cloud computing and end-point networks. Still, there’s nothing to stop attackers accessing your personal network. Hence, now is the time to arm yourself, not only with knowledge but also that anti-virus software that you’ve never felt the need to get around to until now.

More valuables than ever before

Many of us also now have a whole lot more valuables at home. At the very least, we’ve had to bring work computers into home offices. Not to mention that our cars are sitting on the driveway for longer. All of this means that thieves are guaranteed to get away with more.

Now could, therefore, be the ideal time for increased home security. At the very least, CCTV alarm systems could keep your vehicles safe. Meanwhile, in-house protections like floor safes can ensure that no one gets away with your all-important work valuables. That way, you can save yourself money in replacements and lost working hours!

Pexels Image: CC0 License

The risk of complacency

Alongside these risks is one that proves equally problematic – complacency. After all, we’re each home a lot more now, and you may assume your presence alone is enough of a protection. Sadly, someone is home in around 266,560 of household burglaries. Separate home offices in the garden are especially problematic, as thieves who keep a close eye will be able to gain access the moment you head off for your lunch break.

To avoid this eventuality and the shock that it can bring, remember that you are not an island. Rather, you need security measures in place to keep you safe, even when your back is turned!

The Types Of Workplace Safety Gear You Should Invest In

Three focuses of my blog are Health/Wellness, Organizational/Management Discussions and Workplace Discussions. Depending on the type of workplace and organization you’re running, there may be safety considerations. As such a significant investment for your will be workplace safety gear. The following contributed post is entitled, The Types Of Workplace Safety Gear You Should Invest In.

* * *

As an employer, you have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of your team as best as possible. Amongst the different ways of doing this, making sure that they are equipped with gear that can protect them from a variety of health hazards found in the workplace is a crucial step. Here, we’re going to look at some of the different kinds of protective and safety gear, and why it’s so important.

Pic – Pixabay License

Safety from contact wounds
Perhaps the simplest kind of safety gear is that which protects from all manner of contact wounds, including impacts, lacerations, and the like. This includes things like helmets designed to prevent head injuries, safety goggles in environments where things might be likely to hit the worker’s eye, gloves if they are handling tools, and more. These are the most basic choices in preventing accidents in the workplace.

Protecting their hearing
While the contact injuries mentioned above might be the most dramatic and commonly thought of workplace health risks, they are far from the only one. For instance, many construction and industrial sites produce an unsafe level of noises that can cause pain and permanent hearing loss. To that end, equipment such as earplugs and earmuffs can protect their ears by effectively lowering the decibel level that they are exposed to, crucial for anyone using heavy machinery.

Staying visible
In many workplaces, lighting equipment will be used to make sure that employees have the visibility they need to work safely. However, if they are working outside of a controlled worksite, especially on the road, then they could be a greater risk of being involved in an accident. High visibility work gear is designed to make them reflect light more easily so that they can be better spotted by motorists and others outside of the traditional worksite environment.

Protection from the elements
The weather itself can be a severe health risk. If someone is exposed to the cold and the rain for extended periods of time, it can result in them becoming seriously sick. As such, foul weather gear is often designed to insulate them, offering some level of protection from the cold, while also keeping them rainproof. It’s crucial to keep this kind of gear at the ready for any workers who might have to spend a long time working in the outdoors.

Healthy respiration
There are a lot of workers who will spend time working with hazardous elements that, if not careful, they could end up breathing in. All manner of smokes, dust, powders and vapours can be a health risk. As such, dust masks and full-face masks may be necessary depending on the kind of particles they are likely to be in contact with. Some particles may be agitating to even be in contact with, not only to breathe, after all.

Take the time to seriously address the risks found in your workplace, determine which gear is best suited to help your employees mitigate them, and make sure you invest in keeping them well-stocked in it at all times.

Top 5 Benefits of Employee Training

Three focuses of my blog are Career Discussions, Organizational/Management Discussions, and Workplace Discussions. Hiring a workforce is not just a matter of getting them into the door. You also have to maintain them and grow them once they are in your workforce. The following contributed post is entitled, Top 5 Benefits of Employee Training.

* * *

Employees are the biggest assets of your business. Investing in them guarantees your business. As the world continues to change, technological advancements are challenging the usual way of working. In order to survive in the competitive market, you need to align yourself with the workplace’s changes.

Pixabay – CC0 License

One incredible way is by enhancing the knowledge and skills of your employees through training. Offering training to your employees is not a disregard for their education and qualifications. Instead, it refines their abilities and gives them a more practical approach to how they should handle tasks.

Initially, employees could only use their knowledge and skills to ensure a company’s success. However, organizations now provide training as it helps to develop their skills to the benefit of the company. It ensures that the employees are more engaged, competitive, and efficient.

Here are some reasons you should invest in employee training for your company.

Boosts the Performance of your Employees

By training your employees, you improve their ability to perform their tasks even better. Employees get a good grasp of what they should do and how they should do it. They can build up their confidence, and with time, their overall performance also skyrockets.

Prepares Employees for Higher Responsibilities

Training your employees can also help you identify employees that can take on more responsibilities and move to a higher position within the organization. The training can equip your employees with additional skills for the better operations of the new tasks.

For example, you can train employees in leadership skills if you want them to join management and how to use online marketing tools if you want them to join the marketing team.

Improves the Safety and Security of your Business

Security awareness is essential in today’s businesses as advancement in technology makes companies more vulnerable. Your business data is your most valuable information and ensures its safety.

Employees are the primary cause of data breaches. Training your employees enforces the importance of security awareness in them.

You should also train your employees on how they can ensure their safety at the workplace in case of an emergency. Ensure that there are confined space rescue plans in place and that your employees clearly understand them to ensure everyone’s safety.

Shows that you value your employees

Training programs are an investment you are making in your employees. It involves teaching them new skills and abilities that can make them stand out among other workers with similar qualifications.

Your employees will feel valuable to your company. Their morale will improve, and so with their productivity.

Improves the Reputation of your Organization

One of the critical factors that can affect the reputation of your company is an employee’s misstep. Training your employees improves their individual performance and further enhances the overall performance of your company.

It also builds the reputation of your company as many people will view your company positively and encourage more people to want to join as employees or even investors.

A flawed onboarding process can earn you a poor reputation, making people lose interest in your company.

Summing Up

As the market continues to change, employers are realizing the value of training employees. The process benefits both the employees and employers mutually. Employees get better skills that make them stand out in the industry, and in return, they work with more efficiency with the goal of ensuring your company’s success.

While you may focus on skill development in your training, don’t ignore employee health and safety. It is your responsibility as an employer to ensure that they are safe as they work.

Methods For Creating High-Impact Teams That Don’t Alienate Their Methods

Two focuses of my blog are Organizational/Management and Workplace Discussions. No matter what sector you’re in, a key to creating a high-impact teams is doing so in ways that don’t hurt the team members and ultimately alienating them. The following contributed post is entitled, Methods For Creating High-Impact Teams That Don’t Alienate Their Methods.

* * *

When you’re part of a world-beating team, you remember the experience for life. There’s nothing quite like it. Things just get done and you wonder why it doesn’t happen in every organisation.

But what makes great teams happen? It’s a bit of a mystery.

Pexels – CC0 License

In many cases, high-impact teams happen by chance. They just emerge spontaneously when the people and conditions are right. Other times, they occur because senior management put the right incentives in place and hire the correct people for the job.

In many cases, high-impact teams are path-dependent. Small perturbations in the initial conditions carry through, and everything just seems to work from that point onwards.

Creating high-impact teams isn’t an exact science. It isn’t something you can just guarantee. But you can increase the likelihood that your team will cohere by following some best practices. Here’s how to create a high-impact team without alienating any of the members.

Inspire People, Don’t Drive Them

Inspiration is a far more potent force than driving people to excellence. It’s more relaxing too. As a leader, you want to avoid cracking the whip. Instead, you need to find ways to motivate people intrinsically. Ideally, you want them to work hard because they love the job itself.

You see this kind of attitude among employees at most top-tier organizations. The people working there don’t need bossy or authoritarian managers. They’re just happy to get on with the work for the sake of it. It’s motivating in and of itself because it is something that they believe in.

Deploy Sales Training

Pexels – CC0 License

Our educational system doesn’t teach people many important life skills, including the ability to sell. Colleges seem to ignore the fact that we live in a market economy where selling is important. Most people only find out that they need to sell once they leave.

Great teams need people with sales training. These colleagues understand how to communicate the needs of the team to management and customers. Their actions are what make the output of the team valuable. They’re an essential link in the chain.

Think about when you last worked in a high-performance team. There’s a good chance that there was at least one person who could communicate the value of the team to senior management or the public. Without that kind of communicator, the team can’t easily justify itself and, therefore, struggles to find direction.

Get People To Trust You

Trust can be a big issue in teams if colleagues believe that you have ulterior motives. The best way to build trust is to lay out everyone’s incentives on the table and not to hide anything. If you’re trying to create a great team because you want a bonus or promotion, say it. If you’re trying to get a group of people together to create an award-winning product to ensure the survival of the business, don’t keep it a secret. Remember, members of your organization are often far more socially aware than you expect. If they smell a rat, it’ll adversely affect their work.

What You Need To Know About Settlement Agreements

Two focuses of my blog are Organizational and Management Discussions and Workplace Discussions. Unfortunately in some instances there are issues that need to be worked out in workplaces. At the end of these disputes, there needs to be some form of resolution and this comes in the form of Settlement Agreements. The following contributed post is entitled, What You Need To Know About Settlement Agreements.

* * *

Being called in to have a discussion about your employment can be a shock, or it can be a relief if you’ve suspected something is up. A settlement agreement might be raised with you during a disciplinary matter, a redundancy, or if you have a made a formal complaint. There are lots of reasons that your employer might open discussions with you. Here’s what you need to know about settlement agreements.

Image – free for commercial use

Settlement agreement is the new name for compromise agreement

Settle agreements used to be known as compromise agreements. This name was changed to better reflect what the agreement actually is. A settlement agreement is a way for employees to agree not to bring an employment law claim in return something, usually financial compensation, from the employer. Employers might prefer to use settlement agreements as a security measure to protect their reputation.

They’re not just for dismissals

A settlement agreement doesn’t mean that your employment has to come to an end. Maybe you have raised a grievance about your employment that your employer agrees is valid, but wants to keep confidential. Your employer might want to change the terms of your employment in a way that could be a breach of contract. They may offer compensation under a settlement agreement to do this.

There’s more flexibility than a tribunal decision

Whether the discussions are a surprise or you expected them, there are advantages to negotiating a settlement agreement which you might not be able to achieve through a process server or an employment tribunal claim. For example, as part of a settlement agreement, you might get a reference from your employer which a tribunal couldn’t order.

Legal advice is essential

If your settlement agreement is going to be valid, you must take independent legal advice from a relevant independent adviser. This could be a barrister, solicitor, trade union office or worker in an advice centre if they have certified by a trade union. The adviser must have insurance covering any claim that comes from the advice they give. Your employer might offer to pay for this legal advice, so the requirements of a valid settlement agreement can be met.

Claims you don’t know about can’t be covered

Your employer might ask you to sign a settlement agreement ‘in full and final settlement’. However, if there is a claim that could not have been known about at this time, an exclusion like this isn’t like to be successful.

Discussions will be confidential

If the settlement is being talked about in the context of ongoing employment tribal proceedings, or there is a dispute between parties, any negotiations will be ‘without prejudice’, and may not be referred to before the tribunal. Discussions that are not in the connect of proceedings or a dispute between the parties, then these discussions didn’t used to be confidentially automatically. However, these discussions are now allowed to be kept confidential for unfair dismissal claims, even if there are no existing proceedings or disputes between you and your employer.

Make Your Employees Happy With These Tips

Three focuses of my blog are Business/Entrepreneurship, Organizational and Management Discussions and Workplace Discussions. Regardless of the organization that you’re running, employee happiness is critical. Management should thus always consider this as it impacts overall productivity and recruitment of new talent. The following contributed post is entitled, Make Your Employees Happy With These Tips.

* * *

There are so many things that you have to do as a business owner to keep you business afloat, but one of the most important of them all is keeping your staff happy. If you’re not looking after your people, then they aren’t able to look after your business. It works as a team when you hire staff; you support one another and you keep them in your thoughts when you are making plans to alter the business or improve things.

Making your employees happy has to be a priority for you. Get it right, and you get a great team of people who are happy to work for you for years. Do it wrong, and you will be revisiting your HR software to figure out who you can hire next! Happiness is important in the people who spend their time in your business doing everything possible to make ends meet. So, with that in mind, here are some of the best ways you can make your employees happy!

Image Source: Pexels

  1. Plenty of money goes a long way and if you are offering an attractive salary, you’re going to claw in attractive talent to work for you. We’re not talking offering minimum wage: minimum wage may be legal, but it’s certainly not liveable! You need to think about what they need to survive and do more than that. These people spend upwards of eight hours a day in your business – make it worth it for them to be away from their families.
  2. Building a company culture that thrives on fun and happiness is so important. You want to make sure that you are able to make people feel relaxed and at ease when they spend time with your time. You need to do more than beanbags in the break room, too. Reflect the goals of your staff in what you can offer them, and help them with their positive work environment. Encourage people to work together and as a team – even with other departments! A collaborative working environment makes people feel trusting, builds good relationships and fosters a more positive working environment.
  3. Where you can, offer as many opportunities to develop your staff. Yes, you will likely lose them to other companies one day but that doesn’t mean that you can’t work with them on their goals while they are working with you. Training, education, formal degrees and more could change the way your staff work.
  4. Do what you can for the wellbeing of your staff. Things like fun days out, meals, company games night and more can foster a sense of fun in the workplace, and this can go a long way to enhancing the wellbeing of your staff. Another way to enhance their wellbeing is to ensure that your people have a good work-life balance. They need to feel empowered and trusted, and you can make that happen with flexible working and giving them the freedom to work remotely.

The happier your staff, the better they work – it’s a no brainer!

Ways to Provide a Safe Work Environment

Three key focuses of my blog are Career Discussions, Organizational and Management Discussions and Workplace Discussions. There’s a lot more that goes into an ideal workplace besides working in an industry that’s cutting edge in a swanky location like Silicon Valley. Workplace safety is also huge and not often considered. The following sponsored post is entitled, Ways to Provide a Safe Work Environment.

* * *

Managing a large building is no small feat; there are tons of things you must think about on a daily basis to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. One of the most important aspects of maintaining a great work environment is making sure your building is a safe place for employees and visitors. Check out this article for some tips for how to ensure this.

Hire a Safety Team

A safety team can consist of just a few security guards who keep an eye out for trouble, or a large group of well-trained officers who maintain vigilance at all hours. When developing your safety team, determine whether you think your building would benefit from an armed officer Rockford IL or if you just need a general security presence. While there’s always a chance for danger, does your specific building run the risk of violent crime or are you more concerned about preventing petty theft? Figure out your specific needs and go from there.

Install a Surveillance System

Every building can benefit from having a surveillance system. With video cameras throughout the premises, you and your safety team can monitor everything and have a record of any issue that presents itself. This can help thwart potential threats, solve crimes, and even protect you and your staff from accusations of wrongdoing. Make sure you install a trustworthy security system and perform routine tests to ensure it’s working properly.

Maintain Open Communication

Another excellent means of providing a safe work environment is through maintaining a good channel for communication. Regularly check in with your employees and managers to make sure everyone feels safe, and let them know it’s their duty to report to you if anything is amiss. What better way to make sure people feel safe than by responding to their concerns?

It’s important that your building is safe; to ensure this is true, you can hire security officers, install a surveillance system, and talk with your staff often about any concerns.

5 Tips For Companies To Improve Workplace Hygiene

Three key focuses of my blog are Health/Wellness, Organizational and Management Discussions, and Workplace Discussions. A key consideration in the discussion regarding restarting the economy following Covid-19 is workplace hygiene and making it safe for workers. If workers feel safe about the workplace, they may be more likely to return. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Tips For Companies To Improve Workplace Hygiene.

* * *

The recent pandemic means that hygiene in the workplace is now front-page news. Everyone wants to make sure that they’re providing a sanitary environment for workers to keep people safe.

Pexels – CC0 License

Workplace hygiene, however, has long been a priority for management. Leaders know that if they can improve cleanliness, they can reap the business benefits. Hygienic firms are profitable firms, especially in hospitality and medicine.

Are you worried about staying safe and mitigating the spread of COVID-19? Check out these tips.

Limit Food To Entitled Areas

A lot of workers like to stuff their faces with sandwiches at their desks over the lunch hour. It’s a time-saving device that helps them get more done during the day so that they can go home on time.

It turns out, though, that eating and drinking at a regular desk is a hygiene risk, especially if your company operates hotdesking. Food going into the mouth can be a carrier of infection, potentially putting the person at risk.

Limiting food consumption to permitted areas can make a considerable difference to the risk of transmission. It is much easier to clean canteens than it is to go around, ensuring the keyboards and mice are germ-free.

If you operate a canteen, ensure that you keep workers at least one meter apart.

Install Sanitary Equipment

Mopping floors and wiping desks is easy. But cleaning equipment to ensure that it is hygienic is much more challenging. Machinery tends to have a bunch of nooks and crannies where nasty germs can hideout.

Sanitary tubing goes some way to alleviating this problem. You can open it up and easily clean it, preventing the buildup of bacteria you get with conventional systems. You can also buy plant and equipment from vendors committed to exceptional hygiene. Make sure that things like filters are easy to replace.

Keep Air Moving

Researchers now believe that coronavirus may spread via the air in the form of an aerosol. Keeping air moving in the workplace, therefore, is essential. The more draft you can generate, the less likely any virus in the air will come into contact with people. Enclosed indoor spaces tend to be the most dangerous.

Hire Professional Cleaning Services

Pexels – CC0 License

Business is booming for professional cleaning services, and it is not hard to see why. Companies want professional outfits that know what they’re doing when it comes to reducing the threat of COVID-19. Managers see them as a way to convince staff that their premises are “COVID secure.”

Most cleaning companies see the coronavirus pandemic as a business opportunity. For that reason, they’ve been investing heavily in training, giving their staff specific skills to combat viruses. In addition, they’ve been updating their equipment too. Many now use electrostatic cleaning tools to thoroughly coat surfaces using ionization to make sure all germs die.

Provide Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is now a staple in shops, pubs, and restaurants. Using it helps to prevent the spread of infection by killing any virus that might be on the skin. Place it strategically around your workplace.

Keeping The Workplace Safe

Two key focuses of my blog are Workplace Discussions and Health/Wellness. A major responsibility of management especially industrial settings is assuring workplace safety. Maintaining a healthy workforce will assure continued productivity. The following contributed post was entitled, Keeping The Workplace Safe.

* * *

Injuries can happen in many different ways. A lot of people are shocked to discover the figures when it comes to workplace accidents. In 2018, 5,250 workers lost their lives due to a workplace accident. On top of this, there were 2.8 million non-fatal workplace illnesses and injuries. We all need to do our bit to reduce these figures.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-white-shirt-and-blue-denim-jeans-standing-beside-woman-in-white-dress-shirt-3637843

Everyone in the workplace has a duty to ensure that the environment is as safe as possible. Of course, the ultimate responsibility falls on the shoulders of your employer. However, if you notice something that you don’t think is quite right, you should always report it. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at some of the things that all employees can do to keep their work environment as safe as possible.

Always wear Personal Protective Equipment
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you always wear Personal Protective Equipment, which is often shortened to PPE. Depending on the nature of your work, you may have a number of different types of PPE that you need to wear. For example, if you work in a noisy environment, you may be required to wear ear protection. No matter what PPE is required, make sure that you wear it at all times.

Report unsafe conditions
Aside from this, if you notice any conditions that are unsafe, you need to report these to your employer as soon as possible. If you have been injured because your employer has not rectified a potential issue, you should look into hiring a personal injury lawyer. After all, your employer has a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy work environment, and so it is imperative that they adhere to the laws that are in place.

Stay in-the-know regarding safety procedures
In addition to the tips that have been provided so far, you should make sure that the emergency exits at your place of work are kept clear all of the time. You should also be aware of any new safety procedures that are put in place. Safety procedures are updated all of the time to ensure maximum efficiency, so keep up to date with this and never take shortcuts either.

Take breaks regularly and keep the correct posture
Finally, there are a number of different things you can do to manage your own health in the workplace. Even office jobs can have a number of different dangers. Take breaks regularly and keep the correct posture to ensure that you are as healthy as can be in the workplace. There are lots of ergonomic furniture pieces and office supplies that are available today and can help you with this.

As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can make sure your work environment is as safe as can be. If you follow the suggestions that have been mentioned above, you considerably reduce the possibility of being involved in any sort of workplace incident.