March 20 Newsletter
February 29, 2020
BUSINESS UPDATE
Leadership Skills
What are the key skills that you need to be a great manager?
Be a Motivator
This shouldn't all be to do with results. There are other things that are also valuable, e.g. enthusiasm, teamwork, customer service. Make sure that you appreciate the big and small things. Rewards don't always need to be monetary, sometimes a "thank you" or a "well done" can be hugely motivating.
Set Goals
And, make sure that everyone knows what the goals are! They should also be challenging and achievable. If they are not, this could end up being demotivating and produce poorer results in the long term. There should also be a point for the goals. How do individual goals contribute to the company's objectives and growth plans, this helps everyone feel like they are working together to achieve a larger goal.
Open Culture
Empower your team to make decisions and use their initiative. This will encourage the team to be more proactive and help you to retain good people. By building the team in this way, it will produce a mix of different thinking styles, personality traits and ideas. Your role then become more of a guide to make sure that everyone is working toward the same objectives.
Have difficult conversations
They could be about performance, attendance or behavioural issues towards team members or customers. No one enjoys these conversations, but they could be re-framed to help them with their development. It is also better to have these conversations early on, so that bigger problems are avoided.
Be direct
Be honest, fair and specific about what you don't think is working. Then work together to put a plan in place to resolve the issue, this works best if the person directly contributes to agree these changes.
Management is changing, especially as larger proportions of the workforce are now working flexibly and remotely. But the core values stay the same and communication is at the heart of everything.
ACOUNTING UPDATE
Achieving zero carbon emissions
The UK was the first major economy in the world to pass a law to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. The target will require the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. This provides companies with the opportunity to develop new services, new business models, save money and enhance their image and reputation. Companies that fail to adapt may cease to exist in the future.
So what can you do to reduce your company's carbon footprint?
Good starting point
Firstly you need to understand what your current carbon footprint is, so you have a benchmark to compare to. There are a number of free guides and tools that can help businesses do this. For example, the Government-backed Carbon Trust offers a free Carbon Calculator for small and medium-sized companies.
Develop a strategy
Set out a strategy to reduce carbon emissions, including specific targets. Help and guidance is available through independent organisations such as Energy Saving Trust or Business Link. Remember to continually review your targets and how you are performing against the targets. Staff involvement should be encouraged. Achievements and milestones should also be communicated to clients and stakeholders.
What type of things could I do specifically?
Switch to renewable energy
Travel less by using Zoom for virtual meetings
Switch to electric cars
Train drivers in ecodriving techniques (saving fuel and reducing emissions)
Change internal lighting to LED and maximise natural light, motion sensors could also be installed to ensure lights are switched off if rooms are not being used
Purchase recycled paper or refurbished phones and IT equipment
Minimise single use plastic - provide employees with reusable water bottles
Print as minimally as possible.
APP OF THE MONTH....
GOCARDLESS
Bring all your people paperwork together in one place and speed up the time-consuming tasks that keep getting in the way
What can it do for me?
All your employee data in one place
It allows you to create appraisal forms and complete them online. Instant access to important HR information. Track and record all training and CPD of staff.
Easy holiday and absence management
Clock time to the second with the stopwatch feature. and a simple dashboard view to see where all staff are.
Smart alerts
Warnings before right-to-work documents expire, minimum wage warnings and critical health and safety alerts.
Contact us if you would like to know how Cirtrus HR could help you.
Until next month,
Katherine and David
Ever wondered how a small business survived by pivoting from exhibitions to outdoor cinemas during the pandemic?
Discover the unexpected source that helped a small business owner overcome burnout. It's not what you think. Stay tuned for the surprising twist!
Running a small business is no easy feat.
Finding balance as a working parent can feel like an impossible tightrope walk.
This is a subtitle for your new post
Gemma Downing is no stranger to adversity.
How can small business owners navigate the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship and avoid the spectre of insolvency that looms over so many ventures?
Have you heard these myths about balancing work and parenting during the early months?
Ready to unlock the secret to work-life balance while successfully running your business?
See us in person
Mercers Manor Barns, Sherington, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9PU, United Kingdom
Contact us
hello@youtopia.co.uk
01908 751 972
Business Hours
- Mon - Fri
- -
- Sat - Sun
- Closed