Make small changes and improve business procedure for 2017. Keep yourself on track by setting reminders to evaluate and adjust your progress.
- Seize the Day – Want to hire a new employee, update your computers or create a new logo for your website? Don’t wait. Today is the day to make improvements. Enhance the quality of your business with the best people, technology and message.
- The average employee works approximately 1,480 hours a year – are you using those hours efficiently? Process improvement, training and great working conditions all will play a role in getting the most out of each employee. Poll your employees today – they often have the best suggestions for improvements!
- Delegate – there are so many things to do when you’re running a small business, it’s easy to delude ourselves that we need to do all of them. Assign someone to take over tasks that don’t need to be completed by you personally. Delegation is the key to a healthy work-life balance.
- Plan to stop meeting unnecessarily – many companies meet way too often. Don’t have a weekly meeting just because you “always have this meeting”. Make sure the information needs to be shared in a meeting format and determine what will be accomplished. Are these items worth taking yours and your employees’ time away from conducting business?
- Know where you’ve been to chart where you want to go – business plan weekly. Set an appointment for planning and evaluation. Not only will this help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on track, but you’ll feel more focused and relaxed with the direction things are going.
- Don’t make do; get a new one. Is your equipment updated and running correctly? Make it a point to replace machinery not working up to par! Having outdated and overworked equipment is costly – projects may take longer and you could be holding your company back.
- Learn something new. As a small business owner, it’s easy to get set in the way things have always been done. Take a class or seminar and learn a new skill or concept that will help your business. Brainstorm with your employees – they are often the frontline for customers and may have some great suggestions to employ in the new year!
- Give back to the community. There are many worthy organizations that make a difference in your area. Find an organization that you and your employees can get excited about supporting – maybe something with a personal connection. This brings goodwill for your employees, helping your community and shows potential customers that your business is invested in local causes.
Make resolutions that can stand the test of time. Find a few tangible things that will increase goodwill in your office, streamline your procedures and grow your business! Set appointments to make time to examine your progress on a weekly or monthly basis.