Overcoming Small Business Hurdles as an Entrepreneur

Overcoming Small Business Hurdles as an Entrepreneur

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Overcoming Small Business Hurdles as an Entrepreneur

Overcoming Small Business Hurdles as an Entrepreneur

Making the big jump from a regular employee to a my-own-boss small business owner is gratifying. You’ve finally overpowered your biggest fear of taking risks, you’ve freed yourself of the usual 9-to-5 work hour, and you’re finally making your dreams come true, slowly but surely.

But another thing we need to remember about being an entrepreneur is that it is as fulfilling as challenging. With the prediction that within five years, half of all businesses will fail, and only thirty percent of them will make it for ten years, many small business owners like yourself face three challenges or business hurdles common among several startups of different niches and industries: funding, knowledge, and fear of failure.

Funding

Funding and managing one’s finances is – and will always be – a newbie’s number one challenge from the day they decided to walk away from their desk job. Whether you started the business as a means of gaining financial independence, wanting to be your own boss, or realizing your dream of turning your passion into a full-time career, all startups need good funding and financing for it to be established and to maintain sustainable growth, regardless of its nature.

A quarter of a thousand young entrepreneurs admit that money remains one of their biggest challenges, and most of the time, these new business owners turn to their family or friends for help. Luckily, there are now other alternatives aside from asking for the hand of those close to us. Crowdfunding has become a powerful tool for startups, and specific local governments have started offering grants for micro-entrepreneurs who qualify for their requirements. If you think your startup could use a little help to stabilize your operations further and overcome small business hurdles, you can get in touch with your municipal government for any grants. Moreover, in terms of financing, there are also several ways you can ensure that your limited resource is being put into sound investments. For example, instead of spending a lot on a new office, you have the option to settle for a serviced office depending on what you think your business needs. If you simply want to give your startup a proper business address, you can also try virtual offices, and should you believe that it’s time to give your brainchild a space of your own, you can lease a small private office.

Knowledge

Know-how comes as the second most common hurdle that young entrepreneurs face. Admittedly, most SMEs today are led by people following their passions, not by those with business expertise. And because of this, owners – and yourself included – can’t help but feel insecure that they don’t exactly have what it takes to ensure the success of their own business.

But with the growing number of professionals carving their own career paths, it’s now easier for your kind to share knowledge and stories among one another.  Serviced offices, like Sales Rain, cultivate creative and supportive communities of freelancers and young entrepreneurs, wherein they are free to mentor and support one another as they go through the different business hurdles of independent working.

Fear of Failure

Lastly, and perhaps a challenge that every one of us goes through each day, is the fear of failure. With the growing high cost of living and increasing pressure amongst millennials to have successful careers, the stakes became higher, leaving small business owners more afraid of making mistakes than before. But as you go through the journey of maintaining your startup, you’ll soon realize that failure poses an opportunity for improvement. Not just for your business, but your personal skills as well. Having a community or peer group like the one we mentioned above helps you see the silver lining of challenging times.

Today’s work landscape has opened further for those who want to pave their own roads towards a fulfilling career. By continuously expanding your network and finding new solutions to the hurdles you face, you’ll earn a new tool every day in your journey.

Talk to Sales Rain today, and we’ll help you find new ways to overcome all these business hurdles!

Modern Trends in Manila's Top Call Center Serviced Services

Modern Trends in Manila’s Top Call Center Serviced Offices

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Modern Trends in Manila's Top Call Center Serviced Services

Modern Trends in Manila’s Top Call Center Serviced Services

COVID19 pandemic has caused a tremendous impact on the traditional work environment and raised a significant need to implement alternative arrangements in catering to today’s new set of requirements. Because of the challenges presented by travel and mobility restrictions, global leaders have been innovating workable solutions to keep operations running without sacrificing the safety of their members. 

And as the pandemic situation improves and businesses transition to the new normal, it is without a doubt that we need more flexibility in workspaces. 

Several months after the nationwide lockdown, many startup enterprises and call center companies have switched to serviced offices. With efforts to sustain business productivity amidst a global pandemic, companies are now looking for versatility and affordability among office spaces.

The Emerging Modern Trends

The current health crisis has changed the previous workplace trends, and many new ones have surfaced as we strive to stay competitive in today’s time. Let us take a look at these emerging modern trends in the country’s top call center serviced offices:

Smart Offices

It is no surprise that transforming your office into a smart one can make a world of difference in the post-COVID era. As the current health situation continues to present uncertainties, many people have become more dependent on artificial intelligence and technology that reduces the risk of infection in the workplace. 

During the pandemic, the work environment has been classified as one of the high-risk areas to spread the COVID19 virus because of the high volume face-to-face interactions and frequently touched surfaces. With this, many serviced offices have considered ‘touchless technology’ as an essential tool in keeping their facilities safe and secured at all times. Several providers have started installing modern trends such as sensor devices, automated entry systems, and security controls. Moreover, touchless temperature and ID scanners, disinfecting stations, voice command machines, and lighting fixtures have contributed significantly to a healthier and more productive place of work where employees can perform their tasks safer and faster. In a smart office space where almost everything is accessible, not only will you be able to perform better, but it can also make your work management easier.

Health and Well-being

During the early months of the pandemic, serviced office providers have doubled their efforts in creating a healthy place of work to secure safety among its members and comply with government guidelines. They began to place disinfecting stations inside and outside of its premises while implementing proper working procedures. Not only that, they have strengthened their protocols to ensure the required distance between employees to lower health risks.

Today, as the COVID19 situation improves, many of these providers are investing more in improving their workspaces – from redesigning space layout to promoting productivity through a wide range of amenities. Fully-serviced environments that are complete with proper air ventilation, natural sunlight, breakout rooms, and even applying biophilic office designs can help boost members’ well-being.

Multi-functional Work Areas

As businesses began to see that achieving optimal performance from their members requires distinct parameters, providing them with varieties of modern trends in working environments has become their top priority. For a company to grow and remain competitive, employees have to be satisfied with the kind of workspace they come into every single day. With this in mind, various space providers have been utilizing their existing facilities to develop more versatile work areas for different activities such as project meetings, company events, training, and even relaxation like pantry areas or cafe lounges.

Our traditional way of working will continue to change and evolve as we navigate the post-COVID19 era. Let us help you find the perfect fit for your requirements by getting in touch with us!

 

Businesses & Employees Return to the Workplace as Economy Reopens

Businesses & Employees Return to the Workplace as Economy Reopens

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Businesses & Employees Return to the Workplace as Economy Reopens

Businesses & Employees Return to the Workplace as Economy Reopens

Millions of employees began working from home when the COVID19 pandemic hit the globe in March 2020. Series of community lockdowns and restrictions have been imposed demanding nearly every individual to stay at home for months. From businesses closing down to people losing their jobs, this health crisis has clearly caused the most serious disruption to workplaces while continuously putting pressure on the global economy. 

Alongside efforts to address the ongoing pandemic, country leaders have altered their way of working to ensure safety among its members and thrive amid the current circumstances. Business owners were forced to innovate and get creative in formulating solutions to accommodate a whole new set of requirements from its employees and clients. The year-long upheaval due to the COVID19 crisis made working from home the ‘new norm’ for many companies and professionals. 

The Return of Employees in Workplaces

After months of uncertainty, a lot of business districts across the country were filled with teams of professionals striving for face-to-face collaboration and better social opportunities outside of their homes. 

Today, as the pandemic situation improves and the vaccination rate increases, many business leaders are now getting ready for the ‘next normal’. From redesigning offices, adjusting work patterns to implementing flexible working arrangements, companies have started to welcome their employees back in the office.

However, it is important to note that although the economy is reopening, managing a post-COVID19 work environment requires a huge amount of planning and preparation. During this unprecedented time where maintaining social distancing has become a standard obligation for everyone, ensuring safe collaboration between employees is a must. Companies together with management leaders should establish effective communication and display an empathetic approach towards its members to help them physically and mentally adapt to the transition of working in the office. 

Furthermore, flexibility and affordability are the main considerations as businesses return their workforce to offices. Many have opted for seat leasing to guarantee a healthy and productive place of work for their members without the upfront cost needed in developing infrastructure and supplying the needed furniture.

Why is Face-to-face Communication Important to the Economy?

You may be wondering: If remote work is possible, why bring the employees back to the workplace?

We are now living in a digital era, where technology has become an essential part of our daily lives. Video conferencing platforms and instant messaging applications continue to serve its purpose in facilitating online meetings and allowing people to communicate remotely. Work from home setup might have been a substantial discovery for most companies but this kind of arrangement doesn’t fit all types of businesses and transactions. 

Despite efforts to adopt virtual ways of working, there is still a need for office spaces among various industries whose services require intensive physical interaction. There’s no denying that face-to-face collaboration plays a significant role in building partnerships and forming bonds between colleagues, making them motivated to engage more in their work. Moreover, coming back to the office after several months can make a difference in their productivity and growth. 

Find the most flexible workspaces ideal for today’s modern requirements by contacting us today!

The Ideal Alternative: How Seat Leasing Benefits BPO Call Centers

The Ideal Alternative: How Seat Leasing Benefits BPO Call Centers

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The Ideal Alternative: How Seat Leasing Benefits BPO Call Centers

The Ideal Alternative: How Seat Leasing Benefits BPO Call Centers

Today, the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) sector is among the fastest-growing and most successful industries in the country, and it is said to be the powerful force that drives the Philippine economy. The BPO industry has contributed largely to employment generation, export growth, the rise of telecommunication businesses, and even real estate developments.

And as call centers expand nationwide, there is even greater demand for commercial infrastructures such as offices and multifunctional workspaces.

You are probably wondering why Seat Leasing has dominated the local and international BPO sector for many years. 

This arrangement is favorable among call center companies as it offers various innovative business and office space solutions that are both cost-effective and functional. Typically, it comes complete with fully furnished offices equipped with workstations, computers, maintenance, admin & IT support, even outsourcing services, and the list goes on. These long-standing requirements that a traditional working environment could not offer are now made more flexible and affordable with seat leasing. 

Now, what makes Seat leasing beneficial for BPO Call Centers? 

BENEFITS

Cost-Effectiveness

Many businesses often have a hard time setting up an office because of the upfront capital needed for construction, furnishing, IT Equipment, and many other operational expenses. When companies lease or purchase an office, receiving separate monthly bills for utilities, electricity, and water apart from the actual rental payment can make it even more inconvenient. Not only that, registering a business takes time and presents a huge amount of paperwork. 

Seat leasing serves a great alternative for all types of businesses and sizes, whether it’s a startup BPO that has a limited budget in building their own office or an established call center company that cannot afford to wait several months for a business expansion. Seat providers usually offer fully furnished workspaces saving them from the need to buy their own equipment. Moreover, they have the freedom to lease only the number of seats for as long as they need and start their operations immediately without worrying about the amenities.

Flexibility

Seat Leasing offers customizable lease agreements that are entirely based on clients’ specific needs and personal preferences. From specifying the length of commitment, identifying working hours, designing office layout, and choosing which services to procure, all these requirements are possible with leasing seats than renting a traditional space.

Even more so, BPO call center companies can maximize their business efficiency and productivity as most seat leasing providers operate 24 hours a day and are often accessible during weekends, even holidays. With this type of arrangement, they can worry less about expanding their business as scalability is one of seat leasing’s core offerings. 

Variety of Workspaces

It does not end with flexible lease term agreements and plug-and-play offices. Seat leasing deals offer not only the workstations, partitions, and basic equipment a call center agent needs but also a wide array of amenities ranging from shared desks, enclosed offices, conference rooms, business lounges, and conventional areas where agents can work according to their needs. 

Complete Package

Most BPO call center companies benefit from seat leasing because it offers all-inclusive and ready-to-use deals obliterating the inconvenience and lengthy process of establishing an office of their own. From fully functioning offices equipped with high-end PCs, reliable internet connection, call center software, and VoIP solutions to well-ventilated workspaces, clients can start their operations smoothly. This setup also allows the team to work uninterrupted and achieve maximum productivity.

Moreover, call center work can sometimes be tiresome but granting companies with quality workspace design, top-notch furnishings, and a variety of spaces can lead to a more productive atmosphere. Seat leasing has become a global trend because most providers invest in the overall health and well-being of its members through the kind of working environment they offer. 

Those days of spending too much time and money to put up an office are long gone. Today, seat leasing is considered as a viable option for every business and, most importantly, for BPO call center companies who require versatility over luxury. With readily available furnished workspaces and cost-efficient rates, they can focus more on the core processes of their business and alot their time in the improvement of their operations at ease, knowing that everything is running according to plan. 

Conclusively, seat leasing does not simply serve as an ideal alternative to traditional office spaces, it also opens doors for startups to thrive and launch their business amidst a highly-competitive market. 

If you want to learn more about seat leasing services, get in touch with us today!

Sustainable Office Set-up Solutions Through Seat Leasing

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Sustainable Office Set-up Solutions Through Seat Leasing

There seems to be a continuous rise of call centers and BPOs in the main cities of the Philippines like Manila, Makati, Cebu, and Davao. And because of this, organizations and businesses are showing more leniency towards outsourcing and seat leasing deals. Local and even foreign enterprises have given great feedback to these types of office space solutions, to the extent that some may say that it makes more sense than building your very own facility.

You, yourself may probably be thinking of jumping on the trend. But before doing so, here are some important basics on seat leasing.

Origin

As of writing, there is no record of when, where and how the trend actually started. With the increasing number of providers, many may claim that they are the ones who pioneered it when in reality, none of us actually knows.

It could be because of the need of businesses from the United States to survive and grow during the recession of their economy. It can even be because of opportunities entrepreneurs saw in countries like India and the Philippines.

Though one thing is for sure, seat leasing is continuously helping the economy prosper

Types of Seat Leasing

There are two types of seat leasing – Warm Seats and Cold Seats. The better you understand the differences between them, the more likely you are to make the most out of the deal you are about to make.

Warm Seats are usually an all-in-one package with agents and employees that will help you with your operations. These group of individuals work for you but instead of directly reporting to you, they are managed by an offshore lead. All the while, Cold Seats would usually offer office space and infrastructure.

2 Types of Seat Leasing: Warm Seats and Cold Seats

Premium Equipment and Maintenance

Aside from office spaces, seat leasing also comes with high-end PC’s fit for your needs and well-ventilated function rooms for the convenience of your staff. Moreover, seat leasing providers take care of maintenance including technical support and troubleshooting errors in units.

And with the Philippines considered as one of the most technically wired country in Asia Pacific, your organization can compete with other countries in terms of technological advancement in information and communication.

Focus

With the convenience offered by seat leasing, you are given more time to focus on business operations and shaping future plans and strategies for your business. This sustainable office set-up saves you the time of procuring legal requirements needed for office construction.

Savings

Seat leasing offers business solutions at a very affordable price. Instead of acquiring a new infrastructure, you can rent the needed seats for your operation – setting aside your funding for more essential aspects of the business. In addition to this, there is no long-term commitment required. You can specify how long you intend to stay.

Operation at any time

Most seat leasing providers operate 24 hours a day, 5-7 days a week – giving you the opportunity to scale your business operations in order to maximize business efficiency.

Now that we’ve tackled the very basics of seat leasing services, let’s talk  about why seat leasing may just be the best decision your company will ever make.

The Philippines Ranked as Third Happiest Country in the World

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The Philippines Ranked as Third Happiest Country in the World

It is a well-known fact that the Filipino people, together with its beloved homeland, went through several bleak circumstances the past year. With the rampant war on drugs and the various political disputes that they have witnessed firsthand, one would assume that these individuals would be pessimistic about the coming year.

Yet it seems that this is not the case at all.

According to the Gallup’s annual global End of Year Survey, the Philippines ranked third as the happiest country in the world following Fiji and Columbia – a completely stark contrast to the results of the 2017 World Happiness Report wherein the Philippines found itself all the way down to the 72nd place.

Orchestrating an opinion poll amongst 55 countries, the aforementioned research covered the overall optimism of the participating countries for the coming 2018. The Philippines garnered a net rate of +84 in the study’s happiness index and a net rate of +40 in its hope index, classifying it as the 9th optimistic country in the world.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a conference last Wednesday, January 3rd that the current administration would see to it that the Filipino people’s happiness will have a strong foundation by ensuring improvement of the economy and of the government as well.

Economic Optimism, Hope, and Happiness

Going further, the study reported a decline in economic optimism over the last months. Results showed that though 28% of the world now possess a confident outlook towards the year 2017, economic pessimism remain to be 2 points higher. A downward trend has been observed since the end of 2015 down to the end of 2017.

As for hope, a bit less than 40% of the surveyed population believe that 2018 will surely be better than 2017 – 13 points down compared to last 2016. An alarming 23% expect an even worse year and 32% believe that things will remain to be the same as 2017.

Lastly, over two-thirds or 59% of the participating communities claim that they are happy – almost 10 points lower in contrast to twelve months ago. And though the past year was deemed to be a tough one with numerous terrorist attacks around the world, majority of all the respondents are happy.

Third Happiest Country

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says that the country’s ranking didn’t surprise him. In a statement to Inquirer, Roque said that Filipinos are known to be happy, resilient people who manage to smile amid difficulties. Hence, it’s not much a surprise to him that the Philippines ranked 3rd in the global happiness index.

The Filipino people’s inborn nature of hospitality is one of the major characteristics that attract foreigners besides its beautiful beaches and scenery. Digital nomads is sure to have an easy time settling in with the help of its friendly locals. In addition to this, plenty of coworking spaces can now be found scattered among the islands. These shared offices is home to several passionate resident professionals always ready to welcome new members with open arms – another crucial factor that captivated the hearts of remote workers.

Freelancers and entrepreneurs fell in love with the country’s happy nature for it helps them overcome loneliness that is often felt by independent workers. According to a 2010 YouGov poll, a vast majority of homeworkers suffer loneliness and isolation as they don’t have the presence and support of colleagues and workmates.

Recently, an alarming increase of the number of affected workers have been observed, resulting to psychologists and scholars highlighting the potential danger it possess. A study from the University of North Carolina reports that loneliness can elevate an individual’s risk of heart disease, stroke as well as cancer – making it as menacing to your health as the lack of physical activity. Majority of us have undermined loneliness and isolation for years, unaware of how treacherous it could actually be.

Experts says that in order to alleviate this, collaborating with other fellow professionals is suggested rather than isolating oneself. By doing so, it gives them the opportunity to have a helping hand in terms of tasks and even someone to confide during bleak days.

Nowadays it’s become one of the most contributing factors as to why the coworking movement continues to rapidly grow. The Philippines’ contagious happiness and relentless hospitality have made it even a more desirable country to cowork in.

Want to catch a dose of the happy virus? Talk to us today on how to find the perfect spot in the third happiest country in the word!

Millennials are Shaping Today’s Office Design Trends

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Millennials are Shaping Today's Office Design Trends

The rumors seem to be true, the traditional workplace is slowly fading – making way for unconventional spaces such as coworking spaces and serviced offices.

The emerging trends and today’s technology seemed to be the reason why more and more organizations are turning their backs against traditional offices. Experts have stated several studies that highlight the deterioration of conventional offices due to the pressure of rent escalations and the fluctuating office space density per worker.

There’s also a rising demand for balance between work and life coming from today’s workforce. A survey conducted among more than 2,000 adults during the year 2015 have reported that 38% of employees missed live events because of a bad work-life balance.

Amongst all the aforementioned factors, there is one major reason that drives and pushes workspaces to innovation – the Millennials.

The Millennial Generation

By the year 2020, Millennials would take up to one third of the global labor force and by the year 2025, 75% of the global labor force will come from this generation.

Born from between 1980 and 2000, the Millennials are arguably the most tech savvy generation in history and though highly educated, they face debt and global competition for the best jobs. They entered the market with fast-changing business cycles and increasing demand for new skill.

Despite of this, a survey conducted by Manpower Group have said that two-thirds of their participants are optimistic about their immediate job prospect. And though they are being shaped by the world of labor, they are redefining the employer-employee relationship. Moreover, they have made a big impact to today’s traditional workplace and office design trends.

Trends Driven By Millennials

Over the past year, we saw several companies take quite the unconventional path in terms of office space. The world marveled at the flexibility and creativity coworking spaces brought to the world with its alternative work areas and synergistic layout. These communal areas allow employees to choose where and when they work, a variety of desks and workspaces are made readily available so that they have the freedom to choose what suits them best.

More and more businesses are adapting designs such as dynamic spaces and homestyle comfort design to cater both the needs of its operations and their employees.

Majority of the demand for unconventional work areas were driven by the Millennials’ knack for atypical offices. They favor flexible furniture over mundane cubicles for it allows them to collaborate more with their colleagues. Moreover, they find flexible work arrangements to be more likely conducive to productivity, innovation and engagement. Experts’ call this as ‘work casual’ integrated into the physical designs of offices.

Though constantly undergoing advancements, Millennials know that the technology is here to stay. Hence, designers and architects are incorporating technology into modern office furniture such as docking stations, cable management systems and easy to use power points.

With today’s technology and the increasing demand for a healthier environment, work is changing. It always had and always will, yet in the end, each and every one of us – no matter what generation – simply want to work in a space that somehow reflects our personality and allows us to be more productive.

To Millennials, there are other far more important things than just the paycheck. Hence, they are demanding for a flexible and well-appointed workplace.

Think your office already has what it takes to attract Millennials? If not, we’ll show you the perfect workspace for the young generation!

Importance of Successfully Nurturing Culture in the Workplace

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The Importance of Nurturing Culture in the Workplace

The word “culture” have been thrown around aimlessly over the past decade. It was Merriam Webster’s most popular word during the year 2015. All the while, companies use this buzzword to attract more talent and to appeal as humanly as possible to its customers. They talk about their space and the cool amenities they have; how these ping pong tables, brightly colored walls and stylish furniture highlight the culture of their company. And with numerous coworking spaces claiming the same thing again and again, the distinction of culture from one company to another gets blurry.

But what is culture anyway? Is it working in a well-lit room with walls covered with inspirational quotes?

Defining Culture

Culture is not the quirky features these communal areas have. Yet at the same time, it is. Defining it can be quite difficult, it’s somewhat an indefinite word. There are those who define it as “what happens when nobody is looking” and there are those who see it as a multisensory experience. Successfully nurturing culture involves complex set of behaviors, values, systems and rituals that define an organization. It can be seen through a team’s enthusiasm, behavior and their workplace itself. The culture of an organization is what sets them apart from other companies and plays a significant role in the overall success of their business.

Why It’s Important

A 2010 survey conducted by Time magazine have said that employee satisfaction boosts productivity and creativity. The study also reported that engaged and satisfied members of a team drive innovation and success. In addition to this, several research have said that overall happiness and satisfaction of a person is greatly affected by the culture embedded in their respective workplaces. The stronger the culture, the happier and more productive people become, which in return, contributes to the identity and value of your organization. And as the global economy grows more competitive over time, understanding how a company can improve their employee experience in order to successfully attract and retain talented employees is now a top priority.

Nurturing Culture

Well-known enterprises like Google, Facebook, Twitter and Zappos have remained strong in nurturing culture within their teams. Each of the aforementioned company offer perks and benefits that may be similar to one another but are different on their own. And as recent years have passed, more and more companies have followed suite.

Some encourage individualism and team work. They embrace the diversity that everyone brings to the table with their ideas and approaches in solving problems. Executives believe that bringing a person’s “whole self” to work can inspire creativity and can help shape innovation in the company. It’s also important to foster communication among the members of your team, this gives lee collaborations and discussions the leeway to flow freely within your workspace. In addition to this, it helps create a kind of healthy competition that builds goals and a support system.

With so many kinds of culture going around, it’s important to remember that the perfect culture does not exist in one single rubric. Each of them work differently from one another but in order to create one that would help you in the future, a strong and consistent set of values is needed.

The Art of Workplace Communication is The Language of Leadership

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The Art of Workplace Communication is The Language of Leadership

American author and presidential speechwriter James Humes once said that the art of communication is the language of leadership. And though certain leadership characteristics are inherent traits, effective communication is a learned skill.

For an organization to be successful, good communication practices are needed. It is the foundation of every aspect of the business. Whether it’s a large scale company inside private offices or startups in coworking spaces – no matter the size, without it, the basic functions of the management such as planning, organizing, motivation and controlling will not go smoothly.

Miscommunication is an error most of us are already familiar with. Even in our daily lives, we tend to miscommunicate with one another. From the errors between the sender and receiver, to the ambivalent language used to words that has multiple meanings and connotations; a lot could go wrong in a simple conversation between two people.

These drawbacks, though simple, can majorly affect business operations. Poor communication can hit both customers and suppliers. Staff morale can go down when relevant information aren’t relied timely. It can increase absenteeism by impacting motivation and can escalate levels of stress.

According to a survey conducted among 1,400 corporate executives and employees, eighty-six percent of the respondents have said that the lack of collaboration or ineffective communication contributes to workplace failures. In addition to this, the aforementioned study also discusses how common these issues are to various industry sectors. Its authors says that these miscommunications can slow down projects, productivity and has the ability to ultimately impact both client and employee relation.

Data from other reports have showcased how costly poor communication can be. Over an estimated $37 billion are spent on employee misunderstandings regarding company policies and business processes are in both the US and UK and companies lost a cumulative cost of $26,041 per worker per year to productivity losses resulting from communication barriers.

Why You Should Communicate

Conversely, the abovementioned report stated statistics demonstrating the positive impact of good workplace communication.

Companies who practice highly effective communication among their leaders receive 47% higher total returns to shareholders over the past five years compared to those who have least effective communicators. In addition to this, American electronics provider, Best Buy found out that high employee engagement scores result to better store performance – for every percentage point it raised employee engagement, there was a $100,000 increase in the operating income of their individual stores annually.

Improved workplace communication has the ability to change the game for your business. Several studies have said that this can deliberately increase a worker’s productivity.  Effective work group communication can lead to significant improvement in the overall performance of a company. Moreover, experts have found a strong link between organizations observing effective communication and the productivity ratings of their employees.

It increases employee job satisfaction by empowering the workforce with upward communication – information flows upward and would usually entail feedback. The more employers are able to listen to their employees, the better. Job satisfaction can also decrease rates of absenteeism and turnover.

Improving Workplace Communication

There are several ways businesses across various industries can improve the communication within their workplace.

Assessing the current communication utilized can give you an idea on the areas that needs to be improved. For example, your team is struggling to keep up with conversations through email. Why not try social intranet solutions and collaboration tools. Listing down your workplace communication methods can give you a clear idea on what to do next.

Internal communication is essential so it’s only apt to check in with your employees regularly. You can set meetings with them to discuss their thoughts on a project and task. By doing this, you are somehow implementing an open door policy between you and your employees – they are likely to feel more comfortable to bring matters to your attention.

Startups and teams in coworking spaces can take advantage of the open plan layout to improve their communication. Unlike in traditional workplaces, members of the team can easily approach their superiors to discuss tasks and project updates with them. Readily available communal areas can set a relaxed vibe during discussions.

The group’s internal communication can be strengthened by attending weekly happy hours or team-building events. In addition to this, each member can improve their communication skills by interacting with other members within the vicinity.

As per James Humes, leadership’s language is the art of communication. It is a skill that can be learned and improved throughout one’s life time – just like swimming and biking.

Hone your skill and communicate with us today!

The Makings of a Healthy Office

The Makings of a Healthy Office

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A lot has been said about the importance of a workplace that cares for the well-being and health of its employees. Moreover, there’s an increasing number of overworked employees from today’s workforce, each one demanding for a better working environment and a healthy office.

Several reports from last year have said that workplace burnout have reached epidemic proportions. On a survey conducted among 614 US human resource professionals, 95% of HR leaders said that burnout is ruining workplace retention. When asked on the main contributors to burnout, respondents said that unfair compensation (41 percent), unreasonable workload (32 percent) and too much overtime (32 percent) ranked the highest.

The millennial generation have also made it clear that they want companies to be more attentive of their health. Experts have said that companies need to develop workplace wellness programs in order to attract more talents from the younger generation.

Due to the complexity of workplace culture and company policies, it became very hard for one to know whether or not his/her workplace is a healthy office.

HR.BLR defined workplace wellness as workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy in support of healthy behavior in the workplace and improve health of the employees. Companies can either incorporate medical screenings, on-site fitness programs or allot time for exercise sessions.

Dr. Carmella Sebastian of the WELCOA (Wellness Council of America) says that though it’s hard to quantify, a company’s investment on the well-being of its workforce can increase their morale, loyalty and engagement – all of which are good for both parties. She also adds that as the generation of Millennials start pouring in to talent pools, proactively engaging them is deemed to be a smart move.

But before anything else, there are certain things a company should take into consideration in developing its very own workplace wellness program.

Making It Healthier

Before implementing any changes or new regulations, it is only right to assess what you’re up against.

Taking into consideration that healthcare and associated costs can differ from company to company and from one industry to another, organizations need to know their population. Among your employees, how many of them are active smokers? And who among them are desk-bound?

Assessing the health of your employees through medical examinations can give your real time information on your population. In addition to this, it’s also important to know what activities and health topics they will be interested in. Create surveys and analyze what they would like to in terms of improving their health.

After gathering all the data needed to get a picture of what your company’s wellness is like, challenges will arise. For example, majority of your workforce are chronic smokers and the rate of bronchitis as well as lung cancer within your organization have gone above average.

Go for the low-hanging fruit and start turning your organization into a smoke free enterprise. Start executing policies that prohibits smoking in front of the building or anywhere near its proximity. By doing this, you are decreasing your workforce’s smoking rate by 6 percent and can result to people quitting.

Dr. Carmella Sebastian says that companies need to win their employees over and make it known that their health and overall well-being matters to the whole organization. Incentivize their efforts for participating and make them see that it matters to the company that they take good care of themselves.

And as your program flows through, celebrate your successes. Share with them the setbacks and challenges they conquered and the goal they have reached. Through this, you are increasing their morale.

A Healthy Office

Private companies aren’t the only one’s taking care of the health of today’s workforce. Serviced offices like call center seat leasing, private offices, and outsourcing spaces are taking into consideration the impact the workplace has on a person’s wellness. From spearheading events such as health fairs to designing their facilities to be healthier – installing bright lighting and ergonomic chairs and desks – providers are making sure that their members’ health are prioritized.

The discussion is yet to be over and there’s still more to cover. Day by day, our idea on how we work are changing and though these changes are deemed unorthodox, all of them are necessary for us to be better in our respective fields.

Change for the better and see what a healthy office looks like.