New year resolutions for business
The new year is a great time to review every aspect of your business. Whether it’s implementing new policies that you’ve always meant to get round to, or turning your attention to capitalising on business opportunities – perhaps you’re looking to expand with flexible resourcing or get help with tasks that keep getting in your way – January is a good time to look at your business with fresh eyes.
-
Keep your staff happy
January is one of the worst months for absenteeism. The cost to business is huge with stress continuing to be cited as an on-going problem. Yes, you can add gym membership to your employee benefits, but we strongly believe that by offering flexible working, employers will see improved health and productivity generally. By focusing on output rather than hours at a desk, UK businesses will begin to reap the rewards that countries like Sweden are already enjoying.
-
Protect yourself from cyber crime
It’s possible that the biggest threat to your business in the new year will be cyber criminals. In fact, it’s said that 74% of small organisations have reported a security breach in the last twelve months according to a government survey. There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself, e.g. don’t let contract workers use private laptops, regularly change passwords and ensure software is always up to date.
If you haven’t already, perhaps this will be the year to implement a solid company IT policy for your business. We can help you find flexible resourcing to provide temporary or part-time IT support for your business if you need it.
-
Review your induction policy
Do you have a good induction policy? It can be the difference between a good hire and a great hire. If you make an employee feel welcome and help them to settle in by providing clear objectives and training and an understanding of internal processes and company policies, staff can get on with becoming productive quickly. While you’re there, you might want to consider how you approach your recruitment. Do you have a company policy? When did you review it last? Does it account for new ways to recruit – for example, flexible resourcing? It’s been identified as a key way of helping to close the UK’s gender gap.
-
Expand your mind
Are you a member of an affiliated body for your industry? It pays to be in the know about best practice policy or changes within your working world. By subscribing to industry bodies, you can ensure you’re ahead of the curve, whilst keeping fresh and on top of new ideas. You might also want to join an organisation that can help you get the best from your staff, like CIPD.
-
Be certain in uncertain times
This might be a tough resolution to keep given how unpredictable 2016 was. One thing is clear though, many businesses are still hiring in great number – for example, McDonalds is moving its headquarters to London from Luxembourg. Plus businesses like Facebook and Apple are expanding in London in the new year, so the UK is still a major player and ready to march into 2017, come what may.
A great option for uncertain times is flexible resourcing. Flexible workers can give you the boost you need to grow your business giving you access to exceptional skills for less than the outlay or risk of hiring a full-time permanent member of staff. For example, if you need administrative support so you can focus your attention elsewhere within the business, a bookkeeper or accountant can be sourced often for less than you’d think.
Get in touch to make 2017 a year to remember. You can call us to discuss your flexible resourcing options without having to commit to anything. It’s often a good way to assess what it is you actually require in terms of resource.
In the meantime, we wish you a successful and profitable new year!
