There are plenty of reasons to consider working remotely. Maybe you’re tired of the daily commute or looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint. Or perhaps you want to be able to work in your PJs. Whatever your reasons, remote work can be a great way to improve your quality of life.
Some people think that working remotely is all about taking long lunches and not having to wear pants. While this may be true for some people, remote and hybrid work is a great way to get more done for most of us.
There are many benefits to remote work for both employees and employers. So, if you want to increase your team’s productivity or learn some best practices for working remotely, read on!
Increased productivity
Employees can work from anywhere, not confined to a specific space or time limit. I’m writing this blog from a farm 150 miles from my home, and my change in scenery has only improved my work.
For people with more creative jobs, a remote job can significantly benefit their productivity. If you have more time-sensitive tasks to complete, there are still ways to keep your team on task. You can have your employees fill out our task logs or go the more extreme route of using monitoring apps.
You should reserve these extreme micromanaging techniques for when you need to use them. Let your employee’s work speak for itself if you can. If reports are being turned in on time and tasks are completed when needed, working from home works for your team!
We use a combination of letting our work speak for itself and task logs for our different clients to be able to charge them. You might have to trial and error a few systems before you find the one that works best for your team. But, remote work can significantly benefit your productivity.
Working from home can help elevate a multitude of stresses. The stress relievers are endless, from not having to get ready every day to simply taking a break whenever needed.
You don’t have employees coming in aggravated after a challenging ride to work or people calling off due to a lack of transportation. You have fewer in-office disputes and no crying in the office bathroom (we know it happens to the best of us).
Not to mention wearing comfortable clothes and being around your pets all day. Reduced stress is one of the best benefits of remote work.
More flexibility
Allowing your employees to choose where they work can leave time for them to handle the things they need. If your employees aren’t doing time-sensitive work, let people have flexible schedules. Let them have flexible schedules if they finish their time-sensitive tasks on time.
The next generation of employees will not fight for sick days or time to visit the doctor. They will take the time when needed or find other jobs. Too many jobs are hiring for any employer to make it challenging to work for them. Work with your employees and care for them; they will work harder and stick around longer.
Cost savings for the employer
Aside from saving on gas and buying less takeout for office lunches, employers can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars a month by telecommuting. According to Global Workplace Analytics, the average employer can expect to save $11,000 a year per employee by telecommuting.
The savings won’t just come from the rent of your office space. Think about the supplies needed to keep an office up and running. You would need equipment, utilities, cleaning, and any other financial aspects for an office. Think about all the costs you could cut by letting your employees work from home.
Support work/ life balance
Allowing your team to choose for themself, whether they work remotely, in-office, or a hybrid form of both, shows you respect your employees to the fullest. You appreciate their time and their work/life balance.
You might not know what is going on in someone’s home. Allowing caregivers, parents, or pet owners the option to be home when they need will make for the happiest employees.
Working remotely isn’t just about watching Netflix all day (although we won’t judge you if that’s what you want to do). It’s a great way to get more work done. And there are many benefits to remote work for both employees and employers.
If you are ready to start working remotely, check out our tools and services. We can help make the transition easy for both you and your team.
Training your team is critical to the success of your business. It ensures everyone is on the same page, knows their role, and understands the company’s goals. But too often, training is seen as a one-time event – something that’s done when you first hire someone and then forgotten about. That’s a mistake, and we will explain why that is and give you some tips to train your team continuously.
Leadership is a continuous learning process
As a leader, you never stop learning and growing. The same is true for your team. As your team members learn and grow, they will be ready to handle the challenges that come their way.
When you invest in employee training, you are investing in the future of your business by providing your team with the resources they need and handling new challenges. That’s why it’s so important to train your team continually.
A well-trained leadership team can make your business more successful
Training is an investment in the future of your business. In due time you’ll see the rewards of this training. By continually providing your team with the resources they need to grow, you ensure your business will succeed for years. At Cultural Impact, we regularly cross-train our employees. If you have vital employees who would benefit from expanding their knowledge, it might benefit the company to train them in multiple areas.
Emergencies happen, and we know we can rely on multiple employees to help in differing areas if needed.
Leaders need to stay current with the latest trends and best practices
A leader must stay current with the latest trends and best practices. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to lead your team and make decisions that will benefit your business. If you introduce a new software or tool, you should do a new training for your team. Instead of assuming employees will learn things on their own, help them! Furthermore, you can ensure that they are comfortable with the new tool or software and cut down on time wasted teaching themselves. You should introduce every new tool or software with a training plan.
Make sure you provide enough support for your leaders so they can succeed
There are many different ways to provide training. You can attend virtual resources such as conferences or training courses. Or you can take advantage of online resources such as e-learning courses.
Whichever method you choose, it’s essential to be flexible and adapt to the needs of your team. As the world changes, so do the needs of your team. Make sure you are always providing them with the latest information and resources.
As a result of the time and energy you put into training, you’ll reap the rewards tomorrow.
Leaders need to be able to adapt to change
Being a leader means you will face challenges and obstacles. Good leaders can handle new challenges and learn from them. That’s why leadership training is so necessary. It helps you stay ahead of the curve and be better equipped to lead your team.
But employee training isn’t just for leaders. Everyone on your team can benefit from training. Training helps employees learn new skills, improve productivity, and become more valuable team members.
Continuous training keeps your team motivated and engaged
Employees who are continuously learning and growing are more likely to stick around. This can lead to reduced turnover and a more stable workforce. You can train employees in new skills and use regular training to ensure employees are still properly trained in skills you’ve previously worked on.
Training leads to improved performance and productivity
Employees who are properly trained are more productive. These employees know what leadership expects of them and understand how their role impacts the business’s success. Creating and utilizing training systems will ensure that each employee receives the same information and has the same expectations.
Train your team to better communication and collaboration
When team members are adequately trained, they can better communicate and collaborate. If you are doing group activities and training, the communication they use in those scenarios will carry over. Your team will also be able to work together more efficiently towards your company’s goals.
Team training helps develop a team spirit
When your team is constantly learning and growing together, it develops a sense of camaraderie. Everyone works towards a common goal and benefits from each other’s success. Independent training is excellent, but team activities will help bring your team closer.
It’s crucial to find the right training program for your team
Employee training doesn’t just mean sending them to a conference or taking them on a training course. There are many different ways to set up training, and you should constantly look for new and innovative ways. However, you should develop a basic template for designing and distributing your training materials. This will give your team a general idea of what these training exercises will entail.
Some ideas for training your team:
– Use virtual resources: Your team can use many online courses, webinars, and other virtual resources to learn new skills.
– Leadership development programs can help your team members learn new leadership skills and grow.
– Conferences and training courses: Sending your team to conferences and training courses is a great way to help them learn new skills and stay up-to-date on industry trends.
– On-the-job training: One of the best ways to train your team is to provide them with opportunities to learn new skills on the job. This could include shadowing, mentorship programs, and cross-training.
Hopefully, this blog helped you learn the importance of ongoing training for your team. Employee development and effective leadership should be your top priorities as a business leader.
Are you feeling left out of the digital age? Maybe you don’t feel your business is reaching its full potential online. Don’t worry; you’re not alone! Hundreds of companies are in the same position as you, trying to find their way in a digital world.
Luckily, you can improve your social media presence and see better results.
Any business can utilize social media to gain customers. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can be leveraged for any service or product. Every business is set in a niche, and every business owner has specific knowledge and information to share. Social media is also an excellent tool for keeping up with the competition.
All of the benefits sound great, but do you know how to make all of these things happen? Well, we do. We know what it takes to grow your social media platforms and launch your business to new heights.
Here are some ways to improve your social media presence. Keep reading to learn more.
Use the full range of platforms that you can
The three previously mentioned platforms are essential, but when did you last check your LinkedIn? You should post your blog and social media posts to your LinkedIn for more connections.
You might also consider Pinterest, TikTok, or Snapchat. It is up to you and your team to decide which platforms will work best for you.
Make sure your profile is complete and up-to-date.
This might seem obvious, but when did you last update your bio? Do you have a simple link to your website on your Instagram bio, or have you upgraded to a Linktree? Some might ask how you even add a link to your Instagram bio.
You need to make sure you are changing your profile picture, cover photos, and bios, and updating your website as required. Holidays are a great reason to spruce up your page and website. You can also highlight new products, deals, or special sales.
Create a content calendar.
Creating a shared calendar on Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel can help your team stay on track. You can assign tasks for everyone to see and stay current with. You can easily track progress amongst your team members from anywhere. Utilizing these tools will be essential for successful remote work.
While using a content calendar sounds excellent, creating one can be challenging. Luckily there are plenty of templates available for you to use for free, or you can purchase access to some for a low cost.
Use all the tools you can
We have found several ways to optimize not only our content but also our time. We use Meta Business Suites to post on Facebook and Instagram Simultaneously. Business Suites also has a content planning tool that makes scheduling posts a breeze. You can also easily track your metrics on Facebook and Instagram, reply to comments and emails, and adjust your profile.
Some other tools to utilize are Jasper to help you write copy and SemRush to help optimize every step of your process. These tools have varying costs depending on your needs but can be highly profitable if used correctly.
You can also find free tools, like hashtag generators or keyword tracking tools. You might have to research to find the best tools, but it’s worth it when you see the ones that work for you.
Use niche-related hashtags
Using trending hashtags is a great way to get more people to interact with your content. You also want to ensure you use the essential niche-related hashtags for your business. Trending hashtags will get you more traffic, but your niche hashtags will keep your content in relevant feeds.
You want to ensure your content is on your target audience’s feeds.
Interact with other relevant brands and businesses
Interacting with other accounts can help draw more people to your page. Share the content of your affiliates or top influencers in your niche to broaden your scope. This is a great way to get different types of content on your pages and stories. Creating a social media presence isn’t just about what you post and how you interact.
Write exciting and engaging content that people will want to read
Engaging your audience doesn’t have to be complicated. You will already know what you should post if you thoroughly research your niche and competitors. Ensure you stay on par with your place, but you’re still offering fresh and new content.
Curating content is also a great way to stay active. If you share content from other creators, you must give them credit!
Use high-quality images and videos in your posts
Images and videos are crucial for engaging your audience. You can use tools like Canva to help you create content. We use Canva for almost all of our graphics and videos. It’s not only user-friendly, but they offer differently priced packages alongside a free option for any sized business.
Create Graphics in numbers
Sometimes sitting down and spending a few hours creating graphics is easier. Instead of making graphics day by day, try to make a week’s worth of pictures. If you’re using your content calendar and other tools, then this will be a breeze.
Keep learning
Technology is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to ensure you are continually educating yourself and staying current. You not only want to keep up with constantly changing social media, but you also want to keep up with trends. You can find plenty of material on YouTube to help self-teach, or you can sign up for different virtual pieces of training. Our team offers various training, not just on social media!
Hire a social media manager
We hope these tips help you improve your social media presence, but we know how difficult it can be. If this list seems intimidating and you struggle to keep up, hire someone to focus solely on social media. A social media manager can be a huger asset to your team and business. Not only will you relieve yourself, or maybe someone who picked up the tasks alongside their own, but you’ll have someone dedicated to improving your social presence.
We offer social media assistance; reach out to see how we can help you!
As a small business owner, we know you might be responsible for several aspects of your business. You likely have to manage and oversee every part of the business much closer than owners with entire leadership teams. Improving your bookkeeping skills can go a long way to growing your business.
If you are handling everything, your business bookkeeping might be the most daunting of all your tasks. However, bookkeeping could arguably be essential to running a business.
If you fall behind in your books, you might have issues paying employees and keeping up to date with your accounts and taxes. Bookkeeping is a crucial part of your business. The first step to keeping your business steady is to improve your bookkeeping system.
In this blog post, we will discuss seven essential tips to help you with your bookkeeping who want to get your bookkeeping under control. By following these tips, you can make the process easier on yourself and avoid common mistakes.
Tip #01: Find a system that works for you
The first step to effective bookkeeping is creating a system that works for you. You need to find a method that is organized and easy to stick to. You can start with online spreadsheets and paper file folders, but investing in an online system is the best choice.
We suggest using QuickBooks online to help track your financial health better. Our team of professional bookkeepers uses QuickBooks for all of our clients. QuickBooks offers onsite training and provides material for self-teaching business owners. They offer a 30-day trial, with their most basic package only being $30 monthly.
Tip #02 Self-train whenever possible
There are a lot of terminologies, data entry, financial reporting, and tedious steps to ensure your books are in order. Stay up to date on things going on in finance. Staying up to date in tech could help as well. You also need to add this to your ongoing education and training in your industry.
We know it can get overwhelming, but refreshing yourself quarterly can help. Start by spending an hour or two quarterly researching your industry’s financial news. It might also help research tech around your business and your tools.
We mentioned in the last section that QuickBooks offers training material, and we suggest refreshing your knowledge regularly and reviewing pieces of training you’ve finished.
Tip #03 stay ahead of things
Bookkeeping is the number one thing you don’t want to put off until later. You must regularly schedule times to sit down and work on each bookkeeping task. That includes managing accounts payable and accounts receivable, taxes, payroll, and other basic bookkeeping tasks. Don’t just set aside “bookkeeping time.” Set aside time for each job.
If anything is off or needs to be adjusted, you can easily and quickly find errors to improve your profits. The more you follow a set calendar and to-do list, the easier it’ll be to improve your bookkeeping skills.
Tip #04 make sure you have a paper trail
It can seem so convenient to keep everything on your digital platforms. You might also feel good about saving a tree but trust us; you’ll want paper copies. Get binders and a label maker and organize paper copies of your income and expenses. Keep all receipts, print off all-electric ones, keep paper invoices, and print off any other important papers for your bookkeeping.
If anything happens to your electronic devices, you’ll have paper copies of your financial information organized and ready to go. You might also experience tax or legal issues where you need your files. If you’re doing your bookkeeping, storing all that information on your devices might also be problematic.
It’s important to keep old records. For example, tax information for your business needs to be kept for at least seven years. Check out this article for other essential tax papers and how long to support them. Making paper copies of these forms may be easier than relying on your device storage.
Tip #05 regularly check your books and make adjustments
The best part about following the tips above is that you can easily see where to make adjustments. Keeping up-to-date books will make tracking your profits and loss much more efficient. If you regularly check the books, you will find room for improvement.
You can easily see where money might be wasted or where resources might be better allocated. Continuously checking your books will ensure you’re getting the total return on profit on all of your products or services. You can find issues as soon as they arise or maybe discover a way to cut your losses by examining your books regularly and adjusting your company spending.
Tip #06 Set money aside for taxes
When it comes to your business taxes, a lot is out of your control. It might be challenging to figure out how much you’ll need to pay before you get your return. If you have money already set aside, then the shock of taxes won’t be as rough on your business bank accounts.
Tip # 07 Hire a professional
If you follow all the tips to improve your bookkeeping skills but still feel like you’re drowning in a sea of numbers, get help. You don’t have to water in your bookkeeping and taxes. It might be time to consider hiring a bookkeeper or, even better, a certified public accountant.
Hiring a CPA can help you ensure you not only have someone focused on the books, but they are fully trained and accredited. Hiring a CPA can also lead to fewer issues during tax season, as they’ll most likely be comfortable filing taxes for your company. CPAs are a great option if you have the resources for them.
Here at Cultural Impact, we offer bookkeeping and tax services, so you might consider contacting us if you need extra help.
Cultural Impact LLC
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