Suppose you’re running a very successful business with employees who depend on you for their livelihood. If a crisis were to happen – a tornado, fire, or intentional harmful act – would you be able to recover and put people back to work in a timely fashion? Here are seven measures that can help to protect your business and prepare it for the worst-case scenario. 7 Point Business Continuity Preparedness Checklist Know your natural disaster risks. You may be at risk for earthquakes if your business is in certain parts of California. In Florida, hurricanes. New Orleans, floods. Ohio’s typical disasters include flooding, thunder, lightning, tornadoes, winter storms, extreme heat, and fire. Develop two plans and policies –Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a documented set of procedures to recover and protect a business’s IT infrastructure in the event of a disaster covering all computers,...
Read MoreFlexible Workplace Arrangements Benefit All
Are you struggling with employee turnover and high hiring costs? Do you want to boost your workers’ productivity? Want to provide more work-life balance for your employees? Consider making your business a flexible workplace. “People will not return to work as they have in a pre-pandemic world. Flexibility is the new norm and expectation from employees. This trend will continue for many years ahead. “There is plenty of debate about remote work, and I recently had a chance to experience it myself. I think remote work can be an effective employment tool. Still, in my opinion, the most effective version of this type of work is the hybrid approach since the need for all employees to have some level of personal interaction with co-workers and supervision does make a difference on several levels within the company and with clients!” — Timothy Dimoff Types of Flexible Work Arrangements When thinking...
Read MoreIt’s the Little Things that Win and Keep Customers
Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to get new customers and how they keep those same customers year after year? It’s not as complicated as you may think. The secret is good old common courtesy! Showing respect and goodwill towards your customers goes a long way to ensure they will remain loyal. Small Opportunities Translate Into Customer Loyalty Have you ever tried to call a company or organization? Sometimes there is no phone number, and even if there is one, it often rolls to voicemail. Sometimes the person on the other end of the phone or email isn’t even trying to help you. They aren’t listening to your problem. Now imagine an organization that cares. Its employees are trained, and they listen to your concerns. That organization will win every time – especially in today’s tech-savvy, zero customer care environment. The lesson here is to take...
Read More7 Cybersecurity Threats Every K-12 School Faces
Ransomware. DDoS. Phishing. Identify theft. Sadly, schools across the United States are becoming very familiar with these terms. Recent research indicates that K-12 institutions will have the highest rate of ransomware attacks of any industry in the coming years. For example, releasing sensitive student and teacher information can lead to identity theft. A hacker’s encryption of students’ grades and teachers’ lesson plans can lead to a loss of productivity (especially if they are not backed up) and thousands of taxpayer dollars being spent on replicating data that is gone. This is your opportunity to make cybersecurity a budget priority. Here are seven reasons why it’s important: Clickbait. The email may look legitimate, but unfortunately, it is not. A hyperlink that sends you to a malicious site is embedded in the text. This link has now taken down your school’s system. Solution: Ensure every employee has the highest email filter...
Read More4 Keys You Must Know to Start Hiring Smarter
In business, the only thing that’s constant is that things change all the time. That includes employees. Employees leave for many reasons, from finding new and better opportunities to getting laid off. Whatever the reason, employees leaving can have a profound effect on your business, especially if you have a small business. The void they leave must be addressed, often finding someone to pick up their workload. You now need to run an ad, comb through resumes, interview people, and ultimately offer someone a job and hope that person is the right fit. Hiring Smarter Pillar 1: Understand the Cost of Poor Hiring Decisions There are ways to help avoid poor hiring decisions. Understanding the costs and negatives of your hiring decisions and learning smart hiring techniques will significantly save you time and money. Here are some startling statistics: Harvard Business Review points out that as much as 80%...
Read MoreCultivating and Keeping an Ethical Workforce
What is an ethical workforce? More importantly, what is an unethical one? Your workplace could be full of unethical behavior, and you may not even know it....
Read More3 Steps to Stay Safe When Traveling Abroad
Here are some essential tips and tricks to remember to stay safe when traveling abroad. The best advice: hope for the best, plan for the worst. Research Plan Watch Research When deciding where to go for vacation, it’s important to invest a little time in finding out about the area of interest. Resort brochures are intended to entice and showcase facilities in the best possible light. It’s a good rule of thumb to look up the intended location through unbiased eyes. Check the US Department of State’s for travel advisories Look up the destination on reputable review sites (e.g., TripAdvisor, Fodor’s) Ask people in your network if they have traveled to the intended destination Search for regional travel scams Overall, the best research is gleaned from people who have traveled to the destination. Do not blindly book your destination after watching or reading carefully created marketing promotions. Those resources only...
Read MoreEnhance Your Situational Awareness
Be fully present and trust your gut are the best advice Tim Dimoff can provide when at work, at a conference, or even on the street. ...
Read MoreThe Impact of a Toxic Workforce
Could your organization be toxic? What defines a toxic work environment, and how does it affect a company’s bottom line, employees, and productivity?...
Read MoreHow to Build a Strong Business from the Inside Out
Tim's book The YOU in Business provides realistic opportunities for every business person to grow their business. ...
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