Blog looking at scheduling, work-life balance, and all things shift work!

What Does the Mad Sad Glad Retrospective Entail?

If you’re part of a Scrum team, it’s your lucky day – today, we’re talking about the mad, sad, glad retrospective. This framework helps agile teams collect insight into each team member’s emotions during the sprint retrospective phase. It’s more than an opportunity to chinwag. It’s a type of feedback that can change the way you approach future sprint planning. In today’s article, we’ll explore this agile retrospective framework in more depth. By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll know how to get the most out of your team’s constructive criticisms. What Is An Agile Sprint? 🏃 If you aren’t familiar with agile sprints, you’ll scratch your head when you see us talk about Scrum masters and software development. So, let’s get you up to speed. In agile software development, a sprint is when a Scrum team breaks down a project into short, iterative phases. Source: Broadcom Note: That being said, the sprint process and mad sad glad retrospective aren’t limited to software development teams. You can even run shift-based sprints and retrospectives! These sprints are time-boxed, too. During a sprint, a team will work to complete specific tasks, reach certain milestones, or produce a set amount of deliverables. Sounds like a productive way of producing high-quality work, right? For that reason, you probably want to know about the Scrum sprint process… The Sprint Process 🧠 Source: International Institute for Learning Scrum sprints start with the Product Owner, who creates and prioritizes a list of items called the product backlog. After a sprint planning meeting, the Scrum team knows how many items they can take from this backlog to develop into sprints. Throughout the sprint, everyone gets together for a daily scrum meeting. This meeting is a chance for team feedback – after all, you need to know what obstacles they’re facing, right? With the team’s constructive feedback, the Scrum master will then try to remove those obstacles. At the end of the sprint, the team will showcase their deliverables to stakeholders for feedback during a sprint review. Last of all, there will be a sprint retrospective meeting. In this meeting, everyone will look back on the previous sprint and determine what worked and what didn’t. So, you can treat sprint retrospectives like performance reviews, where continuous improvement is the ultimate goal. So, About The Mad 😡Sad 😢Glad 😄Retrospective… Now that you know the basics, we can get down to brass tacks. The mad sad glad retrospective is a way of collecting data during a sprint retrospective meeting. It simply calls for every team member to consider which stages of the sprint made them mad, sad, or, of course, glad. While Scrum teams regularly review sprints – even while working on one – the mad sad glad retrospective allows every team member to vent. That’s why it’s so important to implement this framework. The last thing you want is for your team to feel too frustrated or distressed to continue improving the team’s performance. Plus, your team will have a safe environment where they feel comfortable to share their perspectives. As an added bonus, your team will feel much happier for having that safe space. Source: Harvard Business Review Did you know about the study that shows that 40% of 1860 employees said they don’t feel confident sharing their ideas? Well, the mad sad glad retrospective is one way you can lower that percentage. It’s a great way for the team to get things off their chests before the next sprint, which will help them identify action items. Tip: Action items are measurable tasks that the team agrees to complete to improve the sprint process and its outcomes. To give you a better idea of this framework in action, we’ve provided a few examples: ‘I’m mad that I have to attend a lot of many meetings.’ ‘I’m sad that I’m overwhelmed with my workload.’ ‘I’m glad that I got positive feedback from my managers.’ How To Stage A Mad Sad Glad Retrospective This part is a doddle. If you’re staging a mad sad glad meeting in person, start by drawing three columns (Mad, Sad, and Glad) on a whiteboard. Then, you can gather your crew in the conference room 🤝. If you’re hosting an online meeting, we recommend using a retrospective template from TeamRetro or Miro. From here, give your team some time to reflect on the previous sprint. After they’ve had time to reflect, instruct your team to grab some sticky notes and write down what made them feel – you guessed it – mad, sad, or glad. When your team has penned their thoughts and feelings, ask them to place their sticky notes under the appropriate column. The next thing you should do is read the team’s notes 🗒️and see if there are any common themes. These common themes make for great talking points in your upcoming discussions. On the topic of that upcoming discussion, it’s important not to point fingers or dish out blame. You simply just need to discuss how everyone can avoid the events that caused their anger or upset. You should also discuss the events that inspired joy and how you can incorporate those events in future sprints. This is how you’ll find those action items we mentioned earlier. Tips For Your Agile Retrospective Meetings We want you to get the most out of your mad sad glad retrospectives, so we’ve provided you with some tips below! Allocate 30-60 minutes of the day for your team to reflect on how they feel 🕜. Make sure the conference room is in a quiet location. Encourage your team to write out a lot of notes if needed. Assure your team that there are no right or wrong answers. Keep the focus on the team’s emotions rather than actions. Ask your team to turn their phones off or on silent for the retrospective 📴. Give equal consideration to each of your team member’s thoughts and feelings. Offer guidance on how your team can express their emotions constructively

Guaranteed-Ways-To-Boost-Team-Performance

Proven Strategies to Boost Your Team’s Performance

Exceptional team performances occur when employees communicate effectively, capitalizing on one another’s skills and strengths. However, unfortunately, you may have to deal with inadequate team performance from time to time. Many factors can cause your team to underperform, including ineffective leadership, poor verbal communication, and insufficient resources. Because there is no definitive reason behind poor team performance, it can prove a real head-scratcher when it comes to performance optimization. So, when you can’t determine the root issue, how do you enhance your team’s performance? You read our guide to discover the best, guaranteed team boost strategies. In today’s guide, we’ve revealed the best strategies you can adopt to create a positive work environment. By the time you’ve finished reading our guide, you’ll see your team’s productivity improve ↗️! Why Is Team Collaboration Important In Project Management? Effective team communication and collaboration sit at the center of maximized efficiency. Dr. Patrick Laughlin, a researcher from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, can attest to this. Dr. Laughlin claims the following: “We found that groups of size three, four, and five outperformed the best individuals and attribute this performance to the ability of people to work together to generate and adopt correct responses, reject erroneous responses, and effectively process information.” Aside from efficiency, however, good communication and collaboration pose other benefits. For instance, teamwork allows for higher productivity levels. In fact, studies show that businesses with closely aligned teams grow revenue 58% faster and are 72% more profitable 💰. Source: LSA Global Furthermore, teamwork can also help your team members build trust with one another. As a result, every individual employee will feel a sense of belonging and boosted morale. Best of all, research from the University of Warwick shows that happy employees are 12% more productive. How Can You Tell Your Employees’ Productivity Is Slipping? You know that it’s sometimes difficult to determine the reason for poor team performance. However, there are telltale signs to look out for when you suspect your team’s performance is declining. By knowing what to look out for, you can address these problems and work toward improving the performance of your team swiftly. Let’s take a look at some of the signs of declining work performance. An increase in the number of complaints from either customers or co-workers. Your employees don’t meet their targets or objectives. Your employees produce poor-quality work. The frequent missing of deadlines. Persistent absenteeism/lateness. Your employees are more stressed than usual. Your employees experience a lack of engagement or low motivation. If you notice any of these signs among your team, it’s important to create an open communication channel. By discussing how you and your employees can work together to get back on track, you’ll create a common goal that you all can work toward. Strategies to Improve Your Team’s Performance Now, let’s get down to business with managing team performance to get the best results. Below, we’ve revealed some of the best strategies you can adopt to improve team communication, collaboration, and overall performance. Regardless of which strategies you adopt, you must remember that communication is important. Remain transparent with your team and explain what each strategy entails and why you are implementing them. Involve your team in the refinement process from the beginning, and always ask for their feedback, thoughts, and opinions. Avoid Micromanaging 🧑‍💼 A great team starts with a leader who knows a thing or two about active listening. Specifically, you need to listen to what your team wants and needs to increase production. And research shows that your employees want you to focus less on micromanagment. Source: LinkedIn Micromanagement can cause low morale for your employees, high staff turnover, and decreased productivity. To avoid micromanagement, you can delegate tasks that make use of your employees’ strengths and goals. You can also empower your employees to share their thoughts on how to approach their tasks, allowing them to come up with creative solutions. Incentivize Your Employees 🎁 If your employees are running out of steam, it’s best to provide incentives to inspire them to meet and exceed their targets. While you can incentivize your team members with cash bonuses, you don’t always have to if you have a limited budget. In fact, research from the Incentive Marketing Association claims that around 65% of employees prefer non-cash incentives. So, consider providing your employees with incentives like time off, awards, travel incentives, and gift cards. You will find that your employees feel more motivated to produce high-quality work consistently. Cut Down on Unnecessary Meetings 🤝 Source: Project.co 65% of employees feel like they waste time in unproductive meetings. So, how do you make it so that all of your meetings are productive? Ask yourself the following questions: Is a meeting necessary? Can I convey/discuss the same information in an email or document? Have I only invited the employees who need to be present at the meeting? Can I stick to an agenda during the meeting? Can I discuss the topics of my meeting in a shorter amount of time? What should my employees take away from the meeting? Give Your Employees The Recognition They Deserve 📨 Every employee wants to know that you’ve noticed and appreciated their hard work. Best of all, recognizing your employees’ high-quality work and commitment to the business isn’t a complicated process. You can send a text message or a private email to an employee who has met and exceeded their targets. Alternatively, if you prefer a more professional approach to recognition, you can invest in modern messaging software. Facilitate Internal Communication 🗣️ By now, you know that your communication strategy is one of the best resources you have to improve your team’s performance. Without proper procedures and processes, crucial information will go amiss. What’s more, your employees won’t get the chance to voice their opinions and concerns. A great example of a proper communicative procedure is one-to-one meetings. Source: Andreessen Horowitz Schedule frequent one-to-one meetings with every member of your team and ask how

How To Manage Your Mental Health This Pandemic

Work looks so different from what it was twenty (or even ten) years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the change. As the pandemic spread, our “new normal” came into effect. One of the major adjustments was working from home. Some organizations kept the changes. Specifically, they kept ‘working from home’ as part of their major policy. And yes, while remote work has given employees more control over their time, there are also downsides. Working alone all the time without your colleagues and bosses can impact your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Anxiety. Depression. Burnout. All of these things can be caused by isolation. Still, there are ways to manage your mental health when working remotely. Here’s how. How Did Covid-19 Affect Remote Work? Whether you remember it or not, remote work was rare before the pandemic. Normally, employees would commute to work every day. They’d even enjoy the odd social interaction in the workplace! In March and April of 2020, this all changed. Many organizations embraced remote work. Not that they had much choice–everybody had to stay home to support the healthcare system. From social distancing to lockdowns, everybody had to do their bit. And so, remote work was on the rise. It changed the working landscape in a few different ways. Source: intuition.com Work From Home 🏠 To keep operations running as smoothly as possible, organizations had to act quickly. They had to prevent the mixing of employees while keeping the business going. Everyone from startups to multinationals embraced the WFH life. New Technology Introduced 🖥️ Video conferencing tools. Messaging software. Cloud-based collaborations. To support the working-from-home process as much as possible, organizations introduced new technology. Workers had to adjust to these new technologies and use them to remain as productive as possible. Juggling Work and Life 🤹 The shift from working in an office to working at home can destabilize a very delicate balance. There’s already a fine line between work and home, but when your living room becomes your office, that line is suddenly very blurry! Many workers struggled with the transition, feeling increased pressure to stay online. This had a knock-on effect on mental health. Impact on Mental Health 🧠 The first year of the pandemic saw a global 25% increase in anxiety and depression. For many reasons, people felt uncertain about the future. Isolation caused loneliness to creep in. Health anxiety and fear of the new normal (coupled with the stresses of being cooped up with family members) were a dangerous mix. How to Manage Your Mental Health When Working Remotely The world may have moved on from the pandemic, but some organizations still allow their employees to work remotely. This works great for some people. For example, with more flexibility, some employees find it easier to manage their work-life balance. There’s also the freedom you get from being at home and the lack of a commute. Not to mention the convenience. What did people do before they could get a laundry load done on their breaks?! On the flip side, working remotely can trigger those aforementioned mental health issues. Source: Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) To manage these negatives and put your well-being first, there are some steps you can take. Stick to a Routine ✅ Daily routine disruptions go hand-in-hand with symptoms of mental health conditions. So, while the pandemic might be behind us, sticking to a consistent schedule is still important. Without a reliable schedule, the line between work and personal time becomes blurred. Treat your remote working schedule like a regular 9-5 in the office. Follow your usual sleep and work patterns, getting up at the same time you normally would. Get dressed and have breakfast, using what would be your ‘commute time’ to exercise, read, or listen to music. Then, when your workday ends, it’s time to switch off from work in every possible sense. Shut down your laptop, leave your workspace, and stop checking work-related emails/messages. Now is the time to enjoy your personal interests and detox from work. Take Regular Breaks 🌷 Taking care of your mental health includes taking regular breaks, no matter how pressing your deadlines/tasks are. Allocate time during your work schedule for a lunch break and regular screen breaks. Why not try the Pomodoro Technique? Even just taking five minutes away from your work can really boost your productivity. Better yet, exercise your green thumb in the garden during your breaks. In fact, several studies have shown that spending time in green spaces is great for your mental health. Stay Connected 🗣️ Feeling isolated can be difficult. It’s enough to negate the positives of working from home. That’s why it’s so important to connect with your loved ones and co-workers. Source: Sage Journals So, ditch the emails and make time for video and phone calls. Call a friend on your break, or arrange a meet-up outside of work. Don’t forget that your co-workers are in the same boat here. So, reach out! Ask how they are doing and see if you can find ways to support each other. Celebrate Positivity 😄 When you’re not interacting with your coworkers, you might not feel like you’re contributing to your team’s performance. Get over this by celebrating your own accomplishments. Embrace positive thinking and celebrate every day, regardless of how small your achievements are. Maybe you went above your targets on a particular day. Maybe you used your break time to read a chapter of a book that has been collecting dust on your shelf. Everything is worth celebrating. It’s the small wins! Managing Your Mental Health: Final Thoughts Your mental health matters whether you work remotely or on-site. Make sure you adopt healthy lifestyle patterns to protect yourself. Most importantly, always strive to stay connected with those around you. Together, we can strengthen and protect our mental health. For more advice relating to employee wellness, check out our blog! How Did Covid-19 Affect Remote Work? How to Manage Your Mental Health When Working Remotely

Useful Ways To Reduce Stress In The Workplace

In our everyday lives, stress plays a large part in our well-being. From personal relationships, financial issues or even daily tasks, stress can immerse our minds and affect our moods. Workplace-related stress is a common concern and affects everyone, no matter their profession. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report, Australia and New Zealand have the second-highest stress rate of 47%. As a manager, considering your employee’s mental health is vital when creating a positive work environment. By implementing strategies to reduce the stress of your employees, you’ll foster a culture of support where productivity thrives! Are you ready to learn more about stress reduction? Let’s take a closer look at work-related stress. What is Work-Related Stress? The World Health Organization claims that work-related stress is a response that “…people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope.” Source: The World Health Organization Workplace stress occurs in jobs of all kinds, and, unfortunately, it often spills into other aspects of a person’s life. According to a study in 2023, “60% of UK employees claim that a poor work-life balance has had a negative effect on their relationships at home.” Some possible reasons for workplace stress are: Heavy workloads Tight deadlines Changes in the organization A lack of work-life balance Intense pressure 😫 Conflict with colleagues Feeling overwhelmed Long work hours 🕥 Lack of growth opportunities ↗️ Lack of support from senior members of staff 🧑‍💼 What’s the Impact of Workplace Stress? The impact of work-related stress goes beyond the physical workplace. Stress can affect a whole range of factors, like an employee’s physical and mental health 🧠. Thus, stress has a detrimental impact on both the individual and the organization as a whole. Here are some examples of workplace stress: Employee Well-Being Stress can have a significant toll on a person’s well-being. Worry and stress can lead to a whole range of symptoms that impact a person’s physical health as well as their emotional state. For example, high levels of stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and strokes. According to the Mayo Clinic, some common effects of stress are: Headaches Muscle tension/pain 💪 Chest pain Fatigue Change in sex drive Sleep problems 💤 Stomach upset Weak immune system 🤮 These health problems alone can lead to bad moods, increased heart rate and blood pressure, low self-esteem, anger and, in some cases, depression. Overall, stress is extremely powerful in diminishing a person’s well-being. Poor well-being can lead to a person lacking motivation and productivity and, therefore, altering their performance at work. Productivity and Performance at Work As previously mentioned, stress can change a person’s performance at work by having a negative impact on their productivity. High levels of stress can impact a person’s cognitive function, making it harder for employees to focus on tasks. In the workplace, this might have a negative effect on a worker’s performance. Employee Morale Employee morale is a critical factor in the workplace. High morale creates a positive work environment where people feel more comfortable, engaged and happy. If your workplace has stressed employees, they might find building friendships or positive relationships at work too challenging. As a result, morale will decrease. Staff Retention Issues If your employees are suffering from stress in the workplace, they’ll likely search for a job elsewhere. This can lead to a high turnover rate, causing disruptions to workflow and an increase in costs for training and recruitment. Overall, work-related stress can have a wide range of negative impacts on not just employees but organizations. However, by recognizing and understanding the significance of stressed employees, you can implement strategies to address it. In the following section, we’ll look at some ways you can cope with stress in the workplace. Ways for Employers to Reduce and Cope with Workplace Stress As an employer, it’s your role to implement strategies to reduce and help employees overcome stress in the workplace. For individuals and organizations, putting strategies in place to support stress can foster a positive work environment. Here are some ways to support your employees and help them deal with stress: Offer Flexible Work Options Implement flexible work options for your employees and allow them the option to work some days a week. You could introduce flexitime, compressed workweeks, and remote work 💻. This will allow your employees to separate their professional and personal lives more effectively. As a result, employees can spend time with family members or enjoy some alone time away from work, guilt and stress-free. Encourage Breaks Promote the importance of taking a break away from work to recharge your batteries 🔋. Encourage your employees to take regular breaks throughout the day to give them a break from their workload. Studies found that breaks can reduce or prevent stress. They can even help to maintain performance throughout the day and reduce the need for a long recovery. Source: The Wellbeing Thesis Furthermore, encouraging your employees to take their vacation days ⛱️ can also help with their stress levels. A long break away from work will have a positive impact on their well-being. As an employer, leading by example is vital. So, make sure you take your breaks, too! By doing so, you’ll create a workspace where personal time is not only a luxury but a core value. Promote Healthy Communication There are many ways to promote healthier communication but for this article we will focus on one that is easy to do and will have an outsized effect on your team if implemented. Real-time communication tools are everywhere in todays work environment but thanks to the “Read” status that is a feature on many messaging tools where a status of if the message sent has been “shown” to a user we are often tricked into a cycle of a needing a quick reply vs a considered reply in ones own time. Disable that “Read” receipt

7 Effective Steps to Lower Employee Absenteeism - MyTommy.com

Employee absenteeism has an incredible financial impact on businesses around the US. In fact, absenteeism costs businesses $225.8bn a year. This is a huge amount of money to be losing annually, so how do you limit absenteeism and save your company money? In this article, we’re going to take a look at the steps you can take to tackle and reduce employee absenteeism to save your company money and ensure you’re running an efficient business. Take a look below to learn more now. Source: Expert Market 1. Implement an Attendance Policy ✅ Implementing an attendance policy is the first step to setting out rules regarding employee attendance. It can improve attendance, punctuality, and fairness when it comes to management and shift distribution. Your attendance policy should include processes for requesting time off, reporting absences, and handling tardiness to ensure that managers and employees all know what the standards are. You will also need to specify acceptable reasons for absence, for instance, a family emergency or illness, so employees know where they stand. You might even consider implementing a method of monitoring and tracking attendance, like using our app, which makes tracking and reporting attendance simple. 2. Continue to Share and Discuss the Attendance Policy 🗣️ When you first implement your system to tackle absenteeism in the workplace, you may find some team members or managers object to such a formal method of tracking and monitoring attendance. So, it is important that you continue to discuss, share, and train people in the use of the system for managing absenteeism. It is important that they understand how absence rates affect the business and other employees and that they are aware of what is an acceptable reason for absenteeism and what is not. 3. Monitor Absences 🧑‍💻 Monitoring absent employees, as well as the overall absenteeism rate within your company, can give you a number of helpful insights, including which employees use sick days most often, employees that miss work for issues that don’t qualify as valid reasons for absence, and which employees are covering shifts for those who are absent. Monitoring absences can also be beneficial for the following reasons. Early identification of patterns, like frequent Mondays off or sick leave after vacations To prompt intervention and support when necessary To boost accountability among employees who know they will be monitored To identify the root causes of absences, like employees who call in sick based on the manager on shift or those who dislike morning shifts To implement preventative measures, like wellness initiatives, childcare support, and more To improve workforce planning, i.e. shift scheduling 4. Address Instances of Absenteeism as They Occur 👀 When instances of absenteeism occur, it is important to encourage employees to give their reasons, whether a personal issue or a health problem; you need to know why they’re off work. This is because you may need to plan for long-term coverage if the health issue is serious, and it is important for your own tracking data. Addressing instances as they occur can have a number of benefits, including the following. Maintaining productivity: With employees absent, your workflow may be disrupted, which can impact productivity. If you address each case as it happens, you can minimize its impact. Preventing Escalation: If you ignore absenteeism, then it may normalize the behavior. If you address it as soon as possible, you will send a clear message that it isn’t acceptable, and you can encourage employees to take absenteeism seriously. Identifying underlying issues: By addressing instances as they happen, you have the opportunity to take steps to address the underlying issue early on so that it doesn’t become an ongoing issue. Maintaining team morale: Absenteeism leads to an increased workload for other employees, which can also lead to decreased morale. If you have addressed the absenteeism and gotten information on how long-term it is going to be, you can work collaboratively with employees to ensure that work is distributed fairly. Preventing abuse of policies: If employees see that you do not address unscheduled absences, they may take the opportunity to abuse these policies, too. Demonstrating leadership: Prompt action on absences can demonstrate your leadership to your employees. 5. Attempt to Understand the Cause of the Absenteeism 🫂 Source: Gitnux Once you have the data, you can begin to look at the common causes of absenteeism in your staff. You can work out whether employees are struggling to complete certain work hours, i.e., they may miss more morning shifts due to child drop-off times, and you might also find that certain employees have repeated personal issues. With this information, you can attempt to understand issues that individual employees face. You might find that you could implement childcare services or offer flexible hours to allow employees with families to attend work around childcare responsibilities. In cases where employees’ mental well-being is impacting their attendance, you might consider implementing services that help employees with their mental health. This could be an app or wellness service that employees can use to reduce stress. 6. Reward Employees for Good Attendance Levels 🥇 While encouraging a work-life balance is always going to benefit your staff, it might also be helpful to reward employees who have good attendance rates. This could be part of wider recognition awards where staff get the chance to benefit from good work, good attendance, and good punctuality. Benefits of rewarding good attendance can include: Motivation for other employees to boost their attendance rates Better engagement when at work, knowing that employees recognize hard work Boosting morale among employees Enhancing team dynamics and showing dedication to each other Reducing overall absenteeism 7. Create a Culture of Motivation 👏 Lastly, creating a positive workplace culture can have a huge impact on ensuring that employees actually want to come to work. So, how do you go about creating a culture in the workplace where employees want to work hard for you? Set clear goals and expectations: Clear communication is at the heart of all positive workplaces.

Tips To Improve Your Toxic Environment At Work

The term toxic workplace gets thrown around a lot nowadays. From employees feeling like they cannot have a good work-life balance to issues with specific team members impacting the overall employee experience, one thing that we know for sure is that if your company has been described as having a toxic workplace, it is a bad thing. Source: Micro Biz If others know your company has a toxic organizational culture, many prospective employees will see this as a red flag 🚩. This means you’ll have less talent interested in working for you and will likely lose employees to other companies with better corporate culture. In this article, we’re going to give you as much information as possible about improving a toxic workplace now before it’s too late. Take a look below to learn the next steps you need to take to improve your employees’ experience with your company. What is a Toxic Environment in the Workplace? 🏢 So, what is a toxic workplace? A toxic workplace is essentially one in which negative behaviors, attitudes, and dynamics overshadow the productivity, well-being, and morale of employees. It might include abusive behavior, a lack of support or communication, unhealthy competition between employees, or overbearing supervision, known as micromanagement. What Are the Effects of a Toxic Environment on Workplace Culture? 🧑‍💼 A toxic workplace can have many impacts on workplace culture, and while a significant number of them impact the well-being of your employees, you might be surprised to see that it can also impact your productivity and growth as a business. Impacts include: Decreased morale: A toxic workplace is a highly negative environment that can foster low morale in your employees. This leads to disengagement and apathy in their work, which can, in turn, lead to poor work outcomes and lack of effort. Increased stress levels: Stress is toxic for the system and can lead to employees feeling overwhelmed, burnout, and even physically ill. This will increase staff sickness and absenteeism. Undermined trust: Trust is a key component of good teamwork, but if your employees don’t trust each other due to high competition or lack of support, then they’re not as likely to collaborate and innovate. High turnover: Toxic workplaces often lead to a high staff turnover rate, which means you’re going to end up spending more on recruitment than necessary. Poor productivity: If staff are burned out and lack the necessary support to get work done, then they’re going to be less productive overall. Damaged reputation: Unfortunately, word will spread about your toxic workplace, which means your reputation can be damaged both internally and externally. This will make it more difficult to attract talent to your company. Toxic Workplace Culture and Mental Health 🧠 While a toxic workplace impacts employees in a range of ways, one of the long-term effects is the decimation of your employees’ mental well-being. If employees feel more stressed, then they’re going to be much less productive, less engaged, and less likely to feel creative or innovative. The results of poor mental health in your employees include everything from increased sickness and absenteeism, lack of engagement, and a decline in productivity to legal consequences and safety risks. Ensuring your employees have good mental well-being is part of your duty of care as an employer and shouldn’t be ignored. Tips for Improving a Toxic Workplace ✅ So, now you know what toxic workplace culture is, how do you go about improving workplace culture? What steps can you take to have a more positive workplace culture, more focused staff, and employees who feel happy coming to work? We’ve got five top tips below. 1. Engage with Your Employees and Ask For Feedback 🗣️ The first thing to acknowledge about a toxic workplace is that every toxic workplace is toxic in a different way. While there are many signifiers of toxicity, you will never know which combination of these issues is causing a toxic workplace for your company if you don’t ask. Along with HR, find a way to gather information on what is causing the toxicity in the first place. Make sure it is confidential and keep it professional. It’s not going to look great if this turns into toxic name-calling and blaming others for problems. 2. Accept Responsibility and Work to Create a Safe Space 🛟 As we said above, the key part of improving workplace culture at your company is to take on board the feedback you are given and implement change. One of the first things you need to do for this to be successful is to create a safe workplace for improvement. This might include establishing clear changes in the way things are done, promoting open communication, and asking for feedback on the changes. Depending on what is causing a toxic workplace, you will find that a combination of measures is needed. It might be that the company needs restructuring to move the various middle managers, or it could be that the unrealistic expectations set by the C-suite need to be evaluated. Whatever it is, you need a safe space for these changes to take charge. You also need to let employees know that any and all feedback is welcome. 3. Facilitate Employee Bonding 🫂 Employees with strong bonds are more likely to collaborate and innovate together. A lack of bonding between employees due to high competition or micromanagement may cause a toxic workplace. In an effort to improve a toxic workplace, you should implement measures that help employees bond and spend more time together. Options for facilitating bonds include: Have team building days where employees have to work together to complete challenges. Plan social events where employees can relax and socialize in a more casual way. Encourage cross-departmental collaboration. Develop mentorship schemes where senior employees can guide newer employees. Encourage managers to have an open-door policy. Implement peer recognition programs to celebrate each other’s achievements. 4. Lead By Example 💪 As a manager, you should aim to lead by example to improve a toxic

How to Win your Employees’ Love and Respect

As a leader, having the respect of your employees is key to getting what you need from them. Respect from your staff can improve morale, engagement, and productivity–all of which will benefit your business. So, how do you ensure that your employees have respect for you and actually want to work for you? This article will cover a few ways that you can ensure that your staff respects you. Take a look below to learn more now. 1. Be Proactive, Not Reactive 🏃 Proactivity as a leader means taking action before it is needed. This might mean implementing strategies or processes that benefit workers, like flexible working hours, childcare support, or mental well-being services. It could also mean streamlining operations so that staff can work as efficiently as possible. Ways to be proactive as a leader include: Set goals for your team and clearly communicate expectations 🥅 Anticipate challenges before they arise and build in contingencies Encourage open communication between staff and yourself Empower your team to make their own decisions regarding their time and projects Stay flexible where possible 🤸 Evaluate and reflect on changes to ensure that they are working Proactivity means taking the initiative for yourself and your employees. It demonstrates good leadership and can show workers that you’re taking actions that benefit them without needing to be told to do so! 2. Don’t Micromanage 🧐 Source: Acuity Training Micromanagement is defined as excessive control, close supervision, and a high level of involvement in the day-to-day tasks and activities of employees. Managers who micromanage their employees closely scrutinize work and make frequent interventions and corrections. Micromanaging your staff can have many negative consequences. It can lead to a lack of trust, with employees feeling like they don’t believe that they can perform their jobs independently. It will impact morale and productivity, with staff feeling disempowered and demotivated, and may even lead to an increased workload for yourself as you frequently intervene in work that should have been delegated to others. If you have a tendency to micromanage, it is time to take a step back. You need to trust that your employees can do their jobs and only step in when entirely necessary. Let staff look for ways to overcome challenges first and provide insight when they need it. 3. Make Your Expectations Transparent 📄 Clear communication is necessary for an engaged and motivated workforce. Simply put, if your staff doesn’t know what you want from them, then they’re not going to be able to provide it. When setting out goals and expectations, make sure that all staff are aware of what you expect and what goals should be met. 4. Show Respect to All Employees 👊 If you want respect from your employees, then you need to show it to them, too. Showing respect includes actively listening to staff when they have problems or want to give you feedback. Listen to what they have to say and implement changes when you can. You should show that you value contributions made by staff and be respectful when giving feedback. Always communicate openly and honestly with employees, too, and ensure that even when the company is going through challenging times, you respect employees enough to keep them updated. Respect people’s time by offering flexible working hours when you can and empower them to take initiative in their own projects. Allow them to manage their time themselves but provide support and resources to ensure they still meet targets. Recognize the individuality of each employee and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Give them opportunities to develop weaker areas and take initiative in their stronger ones. When conflicts arise, ensure you handle them with respect and humility. Listen to issues and try to understand them before resolving them. 5. Get to Know Your Team 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 One of the best ways to show respect to your staff is actually to get to know them. You could plan social events where staff may relax and socialize in a more casual setting or take the time in 1-2-1s to get to know each employee individually. If you, as their leader, know them as a person and not just a cog in a wider machine, your staff are more likely to feel motivated and happy at work. It will also give you the chance to tailor opportunities to their future plans and areas they want to improve. 6. Provide Opportunities for Growth 💪 Source: BetterBuys Offering opportunities for growth among your staff will help them feel more engaged, more motivated, and have more respect for you. On top of this, having staff who are actively upskilling means that your workforce will be ahead in terms of new processes, new thought leadership, and training in general. It can put your business ahead in the industry and means that when it comes time to promote people, you can take on people from within your company who already have the skills rather than looking for talent outside. Employees thrive when they’re given the chance to grow and learn. It shows them that you’re actively invested in their careers and gives them a chance to work their way through different employment levels with you. It will also boost respect and loyalty. Conclusion Having employees love and respect you will benefit the company as a whole. Employees will want to come to work, will be motivated when there, and will be less likely to leave. Giving employees the opportunity to take initiative, grow in their careers, and give open feedback where possible can all empower employees and help you earn their respect. For more support with employee engagement, check out our solutions and apps to support your business today. 1. Be Proactive, Not Reactive 2. Don’t Micromanage 3. Make Your Expectations Transparent 4. Show Respect to All Employees 5. Get to Know Your Team 6. Provide Opportunities for Growth Conclusion

How Happiness Grows Profits & Why Relying on Profits for Happiness is Dangerous

How Happiness Grows Profits & the Dangers of Relying on Profits for Happiness

A 2019 study from the University of Oxford found that happy workers are more productive workers, 13% more productive in fact. More productive workforces tend to be more engaged, have better customer satisfaction, and are more profitable. While this knowledge is out there and well-known by many in research fields, often owners and managers of companies forget that happy workers are good for business. Instead, they rely on profits and their bottom line, not just for happiness among workers but as a way to boost morale. More and more we’re seeing profits be the number one goal of companies everywhere, and while profits are obviously important, a focus solely on them can actually be detrimental. In this article, we’re going to look at employee happiness, its impact on company culture and performance, and how relying on profits for employee happiness doesn’t work. Learn more below. Source: University of Oxford How Employee Happiness Affects Company Performance 📈 Happy workers are known to be more productive, and engaged teams show reduced rates of turnover and absenteeism. This means that not only are happy employees going to produce more work of a higher quality, but they’re also less likely to be absent from work and leave the job altogether. Studies show time and time again that happy employees are engaged employees and engaged employees are more likely to: Be more creative and innovative 🎨 Offer better customer service 🗣️ Contribute to a positive company culture 👍 Adapt to change more easily 💪 And perform better overall 🥇 If your staff are performing better, then the company overall is going to perform better. Happiness Creates Profit & Resolves Problems – Relying on Profits To Create Happiness Creates Problems 💰 So, if happiness can improve your profit margins, as happiness research suggests, then what are the dangers of relying on profits for happiness, over other things like good mental health and work-life balance? Neglecting the emotional state of employees: Focusing only on your operating profit and ignoring whether you have happy people working for you tends to make employees feel undervalued. By rejecting their well-being as something that is not important, you are suggesting they are only there to make a profit Unsustainability of the practice: If your sole focus is on profit growth, then you’re likely overworking your employees, cutting corners, compromising on the quality of goods sold, and may even be neglecting ethical and legal standards. This kind of work can have an impact on the long-term success of the company. Poor employee engagement: Employees who perceive a company to have a sole fixation on financial outcomes are much less likely to be engaged. If employees don’t feel a sense of connection to the company’s values or goals then they will lack creativity, motivation, and any commitment to meeting the company’s goals. Increased turnover rates: If employees have no sense of happiness at work then this will play a role in a higher staff turnover rate. This can have multiple effects on your company. To begin with, higher turnover means you’re constantly spending money looking for, interviewing, and training new staff. In addition, a higher turnover rate may make it more difficult to find staff to replace those leaving as rumor gets around that your staff doesn’t feel happy. The level of happiness among current employees can have an impact on whether people actually want to work for you. Customer relationships and satisfaction: Prioritizing profits over anything else will more than likely have an impact on your customer satisfaction levels. Poor customer experiences can lead to a lack of loyalty and may even tarnish your brand image. Limited room for innovation: Employees working in profit-focused companies are unlikely to take a risk on new ideas lest they reap less than profitable results. While you may make good profits, a lack of innovation can mean you slowly lose status within your industry. Competitors that foster innovation will encroach on your market share and take over your leadership status quickly. There are so many negative outcomes for prioritizing profits over employee happiness, and as we have seen, happy people with good life satisfaction are more likely to want to try new things, are motivated to meet goals, and will go above and beyond for their company. A Checklist for Managers in Maintaining Employee Happiness for Better Profits ✅ So, if you’ve decided it’s time to stop focusing on your net profit or gross profit goals and focus instead on greater happiness for your employees, where should you start? Encourage a Good Work-Life Balance ⚖️ Source: Lorman For many workers entering or currently in the workforce, having a solid balance between life and work is of the utmost importance. As a manager, you should be encouraging a work-life balance by ensuring employees leave on time and considering things like hybrid working or 4-day work weeks. Managers can also implement better work-life balance in their own lives to lead by example. If employees always see you at work well into the evening, they may feel obliged to stay late too. Set an example and foster balance in your own life first. Invest in Employee Development and Training 📚 Giving your employees the opportunity to develop their careers and learn can have a huge impact on their happiness and how they see their company. By giving them this opportunity, you are essentially telling them that you care not just about the work they do for you, but their career in the future too. Utilize performance reviews or 1-2-1s to get an idea of where your employees would like to develop. You could come up with ideas together to foster development among your workforce. Recognize Good Work 🏆 Source: The Retail Bulletin Recognition is key to giving your employees purpose and boosting their happiness. Think about how you feel when someone publicly tells you you’ve done a good job. It feels good, right? If you want to show your employees that you don’t just think they’re cogs

Introverts vs. Extroverts: A Pandemic Perspective - MyTommy.com

Since the pandemic caused most people to stay at home, people think introverts were in paradise, and extroverts weren’t doing well. But is that the case? Read below to learn how introverts and extroverts dealt with this crisis. Also, learn tips for everyone in the spectrum that you can use in post-lockdown life How Did Introverts Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic? 📖 An introvert is a trait characterized by introversion: a reserved or quiet person who prefers spending time alone and is contemplative. People expected that introverts would work better from home during this pandemic. However, this was not the case. Introversion connects more with uneasiness and dread. The uncertainty of this crisis was tough for them. For many introverts, the lockdown was a welcome change from normal life, and a chance to stay home. However, it quickly became isolating. Source: Bloomberg Introverts also found it challenging to return to the office. They often hide their frustration and bottle it up, increasing their anxiety when returning to their original working environment. Introverts will avoid social situations and activities. They will find small talk awkward, and they might be unable to say anything. They might even be sensitive and misunderstand what people say to them. However, there are reports to show that the mortality rate was lower for introverts than for extroverts during the pandemic. Our Tips for Introverts After the Pandemic Don’t keep your emotions to yourself because they might bottle up. Ignoring your feelings will not help or make them go away. If it’s hard for you to return to the office, plan what you should do to increase your happiness. Tell your boss so they understand your situation. Use self-help resources or ask for help from professionals if needed. How Did Extroverts Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic? 🥳 An extrovert is a personality trait characterized by extroversion: a normally outgoing and unreserved person who enjoys and seeks out social engagement. Extroverts fared better in this pandemic than introverts—extroversion links with optimism, positive emotions, and resiliency. However, extroverts prefer socializing and working with their office mates rather than at home. They can handle working from home, but it can also increase stress and anxiety. When they got a chance for social connection, they often forgot the safety protocols and hygiene requirements; this can cause regret. For example, drug taking in the party scene increased, according to a UNSW report. The number of people taking ketamine jumped from 43% to 52% in their study. Source: The New Daily Our Tips for Extroverts After the Pandemic Be cautious about what you say. When you’re excited, you might overshare or mention sensitive topics to others. Be responsible for how you celebrate events. Try to avoid overdrinking liquor and consumption of drugs. Take care of yourself by washing and sanitizing your hands, following safety protocols, and being sensitive to others when socializing. Show social support. Tips for Introverts and Extroverts After the Pandemic Here are some tips that introverts and extroverts can follow now that the pandemic is over. Connect With Others Virtually and In Person to Maintain Consistent Communication 👭 Extroverts might automatically connect with their friends and family through social media and meet-ups. However, introverts might be more reluctant to do so. However, introverts must connect with their loved ones so their mental health will not diminish. Extroverts might organize parties or meetings with several people. Meanwhile, one-on-one communication will work better for introverts. Also, eat with your family, have a movie night, or do something else with your loved ones so you don’t feel alone. Social interaction is essential for great mental health. Keep Yourself Occupied with Tasks and Activities Although most entertainment is now available (clubs and concerts, for example), you may still need something else to entertain you at home (not including remote work). You can read a new book, learn a unique skill, or study a foreign language. Keeping yourself busy will enhance your outlook and give you a sense of purpose. But try not to overdo it and tire yourself. Go Outside to Exercise or Relax ☀️ You should go outside occasionally. Sunlight and fresh air will help uplift your mood. You can go for a walk, travel on a bike, or work in your garden. Here are some examples of what you can do outside to keep yourself occupied. Final Thoughts on Introverts and Extroverts During the Pandemic The pandemic was hard on everyone, and we all dealt with it in our own way. Now that life is returning to normal, remember that you may still feel the effects of extended isolation, so follow our tips to keep busy and see your loved ones. Remember that you are not alone if you are an extrovert or an introvert. Head to Tommy if you need more help adjusting to work after the pandemic. A Look at Introverts and Extroverts During the Pandemic How Did Introverts Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic? 📖 Our Tips for Introverts After the Pandemic How Did Extroverts Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic? 🥳 Our Tips for Extroverts After the Pandemic Tips for Introverts and Extroverts After the Pandemic Connect With Others Virtually and In Person to Maintain Consistent Communication 👭 Keep Yourself Occupied with Tasks and Activities Go Outside to Exercise or Relax ☀️ Final Thoughts on Introverts and Extroverts During the Pandemic

FLSA Timekeeping Compliance: What Your Business Needs to Know - MyTommy.com

Business owners in the United States must comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This federal labor law sets the minimum wage, overtime pay, and provisions related to timekeeping and record keeping. As a US business, you must understand the rules of the FLSA, how it impacts your business, and what processes you need to put into play regarding the regulations set out by the act. In this article, we’re going to simplify it for you. Read on to learn what the FLSA is all about, the benefits of FLSA timekeeping, and who is and isn’t exempt from the FLSA. What is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)?⚖️ Source: Time FLSA is a federal law set by the US Department of Labor (DOL) for part-time and full-time employees in private companies and local, state, and federal governments. It establishes standards for the following: Federal minimum wage laws: The FLSA sets out a minimum wage that all employees are entitled to. The rate is $7.25 per hour as of July 2009. It is essential to understand that many states have their own minimum wage laws and employee protections, which have to be complied with alongside the FLSA regulations. Overtime pay requirements ⏰: Employees working overtime are entitled to pay at a rate of one and a half times their regular rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. The FLSA means that employers must keep track of the hours worked by non-exempt employees to ensure that proper compensation is given based on the number of hours over 40 hours they have worked. Unauthorized overtime: Even overtime that has not been authorized must be paid, but employers may take disciplinary action against employees for unauthorized overtime. Recordkeeping requirements for businesses: The FLSA indicates that companies may use any timekeeping method that they prefer as long as records are complete and accurate. The records must include basic employee information, hours worked per day and workweek, regular pay rates, overtime, and the total earnings per period. Timekeeping ⌚: Employers are expected to implement reliable timekeeping methods, like time clocks or electronic timekeeping software, to ensure all worked hours are accurately recorded. These records must be kept for a minimum of two years. Some employees are exempt from FLSA regulations, meaning that they are not entitled to overtime pay. It is imperative that you have each employee properly classified so that you are complying with FLSA rules. Benefits of FLSA Compliance FLSA compliance can ensure that you are not fined or subject to lengthy lawsuits, but there are also other benefits of following these regulations. These include the following. Accurate overtime calculations 🧮 and records so you know exactly who is working more hours and why. This can help you decide when more staff are needed to ensure everyone is getting a good work-life balance. Productivity can be monitored, ensuring you know which employees are the most productive and which are the least. This can help you to implement productivity initiatives to ensure all employees are working optimally. You can assess the need for automation 🤖 in areas where it would be beneficial based on productivity, overtime, and other timekeeping records. You’ll be able to analyze the length of time needed per project based on past instances of similar projects. You’ll figure out the most time-consuming work or client, which can help you plan for the future or even put processes in place to reduce the time spent on said client or project. Who is Covered by FLSA Regulations? FLSA regulations cover the following employees. Interstate commerce employees Goods production for commerce workers Domestic service employees Hospital workers 🏥 Employees at schools for disabled or gifted children Employees at educational institutions 🏫 Public agency workers FLSA regulations cover the following employers. Those that have $500,000 (or higher) yearly gross Those who operate schools for gifted children Those who operate elementary & secondary schools and institutes with higher education Those who primarily care for the elderly, sick, or mentally challenged people Who is Exempted From FLSA Regulations? The FLSA is not applicable to all workers and workplaces. The following workers are exempt from FLSA regulations. Professional, administrative, and executive employees who earn at least $684 per week Computer workers who are paid not less than $27.63 per hour or $684 per week Outside salespeople who usually are away from the place of business and are typically paid via commissions Apprentices Small farms workers 🧑‍🌾 Casual babysitters, seniors’ caregivers, personal companions Newspaper delivery workers 🗞️ Seamen or sea women on foreign ships ⚓ Employees of recreational businesses or seasonal amusement Employees of local newspapers with a circulation of less than 4000 FLSA Recordkeeping Rules To comply with the FLSA, employers must adere to the FLSA rules on recordkeeping. These rules cover what must be recorded by employees and are as follows. Additional Records Required for FLSA Compliance Storage of Records 📦 Records should be accessible for inspection by the Division’s representatives. They may ask the company to make computations, extensions, or transcriptions. The records can be kept in a central records office or at the employment location. Records which must be kept for at least 2 years include the following. On top of this, employers are expected to keep the following records for a minimum of three years. Timekeeping Methods ⏳ The FLSA, while making timekeeping a rule, does not prescribe which method of timekeeping an employer should use. This means that you can use any method you prefer. The following are some options to choose from depending on what suits your business best. Manual or automated time clock Timekeeper that records all employees’ hours Timekeeping software Manually input timesheets Mobile apps GPS tracking systems Self-reporting If you’re considering using timekeeping software, then why not check out Tommy for timekeeping? It is a reliable and effective method of keeping track of your employee’s workdays as well as giving insight into productivity and overtime shares. Learn more about it. FLSA’s Out

VAR vs MSP: What’s Best for Your Business? - MyTommy.com

Whether you’re already operating as a VAR and looking to transition to the world of MSP, or you’re just setting up your business and wondering which is better, a thorough understanding of these two acronyms is going to help you out. Both VAR and MSP businesses operate in the business and technology services industries but refer to different types of businesses and business models. This article is going to take a closer look at both VAR and MSP to help you determine which business model is right for you. Take a look now to learn more. VAR Vs. MSP: The Basics 🧑‍💻 Even if you’re already operating as a VAR, you may find that the MSP acronym leaves much to be imagined. It can be difficult to get your head around what both these business models actually entail and how they work when put into action. Below is a basic overview of both VARs and MSPs to help you fully understand what each business type entails. What Is VAR? Source: LinkedIn VARs, or Value-Added Resellers, are businesses within the business services industry that resell tech products, like software, to other businesses. Rather than just being a middle-man, though, these businesses add value to the products before selling them, often including services like customization, integration, and support. VARs focus primarily on sales and selling the tangible products that they stock. They make most of their month through the resale of products, and additional revenue comes from the value-added services that they provide. VARs can be on-site and cloud-based businesses and often aid both large enterprises and SMEs. VARs are attractive to clients looking for a one-stop experience, i.e., if they have an extensive project and need lots of different software products, they could go to a VAR to ensure all their needs are met in one simple transaction. What Is MSP? An MSP, or a Managed Service Provider, is a business that provides ongoing and proactive management of a company’s IT, infrastructure, or end-user systems. Services MSPs offer can vary but may include network monitoring, security, data backup, customer support, and more. When compared with VARs, MSPs are much more service-oriented. While a VAR looks to sell a product, an MSP offers support to its clients. MSPs often aim to nurture a good relationship with their clients and support them with various services to ensure the smooth running of the company’s operations. The MSP model is most often subscription-based, meaning that MSP businesses make their money by charging a recurring fee. This makes for a more predictable revenue stream when compared to the way VARs make their money. Pros and Cons of VARs 🧐 The VAR model comes with both pros and cons, which you should consider when deciding between the two. Pros of VARs 😃 Flexibility: VARs can adapt easily to changes in current market trends, meaning they can supply the products people want and need. Diverse revenue streams: VARs can stock a wide range of third-party products, which means there are lots of different methods of income. Customization: The whole VAR model relies on the fact that the company adds features or services to already existing products. This means that they can create the exact products or services businesses need, no matter whether they’re working with a large enterprise or a small business. Cons of VARs 😬 Competitive market: The VAR market is a highly saturated field, which means that VARs are always facing steep competition from others in the industry. Market dependency: When businesses cut spending during times of economic downturn, most often, it is VARs that suffer. This reduction in demand can lead to a drop in revenue. Margins: Due to the saturation of the market, VARs are under constant pressure to ensure their profit margins remain competitive. This could add pressure to pricing and negotiations with clients. Supplier dependency: VARs are completely dependent on the availability of products from other suppliers, which means that their inventory is subject to outside fluctuations. Pros and Cons of MSPs 🤔 MSPs tend to have more pros than the VAR business model, which we have detailed below. Pros of MSPs 🥳 Recurring revenue stream: One of the major pros of the MSP model is that you have a consistent revenue stream from subscription fees paid to you by your clients 💰. Scalability: The MSP model can grow with their clients, so as the business gets bigger, your services can match their needs. Expertise: MSPs can often be highly specialized in the information technology sector. This could mean specializing in data management or cloud services. Specialization gives you a niche to target and an edge over the competition. Proactive maintenance: The MSP model means you proactively maintain a system for your clients. This can save them time and money, as well as reduce downtime when something goes wrong. Cons of MSPs Intensive customer relationships: Client satisfaction is absolutely crucial to MSPs, so client relationships need to remain strong. Security: Because MSPs are dealing with sensitive client data, their security systems need to be robust. MSPs are often the target of cybercriminals. Client education: Sometimes, MSPs will need to educate their clients on why the services they provide are worthwhile. This might include educating them on the long-term benefits of IT management rather than relying on the break-fix model. Income: VARs Vs. MSPs 💸 If you’re looking to start a VAR or MSP business or transition from one model to the other, you’re likely interested in the kind of money you can be making. VARs and MSPs have different revenue streams, and because of this, they often have different annual incomes. We’ve detailed the differences below. VARs Income VARs make most of their money through third-party product sales. This means that income can fluctuate depending on the kind of profit margin set. For niche products, a higher margin can be added to ensure the VAR makes money from the sale, but with more popular products that competitors may be selling, it’s

10 Leadership Qualities Every Manager Should Have

Leaders need to be able to inspire loyalty, act in the best interests of their employees, and make decisions that could affect the entire company. For this reason, there are certain qualities that all managers should have to be able to do their job effectively. Whether you’re looking to hire a new manager and need a checklist of qualities to be on the lookout for, or you’re trying to decide whether or not you have what it takes to be a manager, this article is for you. Below, we’ve gone into detail about the top ten qualities that make a great manager. Learn all about them below. 1. Decision-making ⚖️ Decision-making is an essential skill for a manager, which is why we’ve included it at the top of this list. A good leader will need to make decisions in stressful situations, allocate resources in a way that ensures everyone has what they need, and make long-term decisions that could affect the livelihood of their employees. For those looking to take on leadership roles, it is necessary to be comfortable not just with decision-making but also with being able to take responsibility for those decisions and any consequences that come out of them. Effective leaders know how to act on gut instinct when it comes to decisions, and while you can learn many leadership skills, trusting your own intuition might be difficult to learn. 2. Acting responsibility 👥 A successful leader knows that they hold not just their own livelihood in the balance. One of the top qualities of a good leader then is being able to act responsibly. Acting responsibly can have many meanings, but it could include the following: Ethical standards: Managers must adhere to ethical standards and principles when working within their organizations. This ensures that everyone, from employees to other stakeholders, can maintain trust in their leader. Legal compliance: In almost all industries, there are legal standards that managers must adhere to to ensure that the organization is legally compliant. Acting responsibly means adhering to these regulations. Stakeholder relationships: A manager needs to maintain good relationships with clients, customers, and other stakeholders. This means that you need to act responsibly in communications with these individuals or entities. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Organizations often recognize the need to contribute positively to society and the environment. Managers should weigh these social responsibilities in all decisions they make. Employee trust: Last of all, if you aim to be a great leader, then you’re going to want to have a trusting relationship with your employees, and that means behaving responsibly. 3. Confidence 💪 Confidence is key to being able to make decisions, communicate well, and look after the people in your charge. While you might sometimes struggle with confidence or lose confidence after a blow to your abilities, having a general belief that you can do your job well is always going to translate into good leadership. If you don’t necessarily feel confident at all times, then remember the old aphorism, ‘Fake it til you make it.’ While we don’t suggest outright lying, feigning a bit of the confidence you need to be a good leader can help to remind you that you do actually have the skills to do the job at hand, even if imposter syndrome sometimes gets in the way. Confidence is often one of the soft skills not mentioned on a job listing, so it is important to remember it at an interview if you’re looking to move into a management position. 4. Communication Skills 🗣️ Communication skills are a vast area that strong leaders need to fulfill, but that’s because there are many expectations to meet as a leader. Below are just a few of the instances when effective communication is an important leadership skill. Clarity of expectations: For your employees, effective communication of the expectations you have of them is the simplest way to help them not only meet deadlines but enact good overall time management. Motivation: Keeping your employees motivated is the simplest way to keep them productive, so being able to communicate with them in a way that motivates them is a good quality for a leader to have. Feedback and development: Being able to communicate an employee’s strengths and weaknesses to them is key to helping them develop. Managers need to know where the line is between being constructive and just outright criticizing an employee. Conflict resolution: Unfortunately, your employees aren’t always going to get along, and for this reason, a good leader will need to have some conflict resolution skills. 5. Listening Skills 👂 On the topic of communication skills, active listening is also important as a leader. You’re never going to understand your team members and any issues they’re facing if you cannot listen effectively. A good leader will likely need to deal with conflict and problems brought to them by their staff, so having the patience to listen to people and understand their worries will serve you well as a leader. On top of this, listening and understanding briefs from clients and getting to know what they actually want from you comes from good listening skills, too. Being able to listen and understand is key to building trust with employees and ensuring happy clients 😀. 6. Empathy 🥰 Empathy and emotional intelligence are key for leaders. Empathy essentially just means that you can understand and share the emotions of another person, which is key to building healthy workplace relationships. 7. Vision 👀 Long-term vision and a growth mindset mean that you believe in your ability to grow and can see where this growth will take you. In all leadership styles, being able to envision and plan for the future is absolutely crucial. A growth mindset means that though you have a vision for the future, you’re also adaptable and can change depending on the needs of the business or your employees. It also means that you’re open to continuous learning and developing as a person and as a

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Creating a Work-Life Balance in an “Always On” Workplace