"Cash
flow... the key to success" should perhaps be renamed "Cash flow... the
key to survival!" Australian Securities & Investments Commission statistics
tell us that in 2004 and 2005 there was an average of 18,000 businesses
that entered into external administration or insolvency. Furthermore,
the Small Business Development Corporation statistics tell us that 60%
of small businesses fail in the first three years of operation. We believe
that in many, instances, these failures are due to a lack of understanding
of the importance of cash flow.
Read
the full article by clicking here
EXPERT
TALK: Five factors that disconnect your team
The
word team is often a misnomer for many workplaces staffing a bunch of
individuals doing their own thing in ways that merely keep them employed.
So
what do you do about it? One of the five factors Peter Aldin from Great
Circle Life Consulting identifies is ‘Napoleonic wars’. There are some
individuals who - while occupying "small" positions in context with the
wider organisation - pursue their own grandiose dreams with a super-sized
passion.
Effectively
they wage a war of attrition on your resources, your time, the morale
of the team, annoying and distracting some of your most talented and loyal
people. But there is an upside to this Napoleonic lust for conquest and
expansion. If treated correctly, these people can be an asset rather than
a pain in the assets. Rather than blocking them, negotiate to find the
way in which their "vision" can serve your vision.
Debrief
and rebrief them regularly. Make them go through management to access
resources so that they don't play people off against each other. Empower
them fully to the limit that you set and remind them constantly of their
place in the team.
Read
the full Expert Talk article by clicking here
The
Case for Safety
The cost
of not maintaining a safe workplace can be injured workers and criminal
action against directors.
Businesses
that ignore workplace safety obligations are not merely foolish; they
and their directors risk criminal prosecution. Just ask the founders of
The Brief Group - former police detectives Tony Morris and Bruce Whitehead
- who show companies how to develop safety management practises aimed
at averting or minimising costly workers' compensation claims.
Click here
to read more.
Employee
Departure - A Checklist of Steps
When
an employee departs a business, whether it's due to a resignation or termination
at the initiative of the employer, there are a number of matters for an
employer to "close-off" prior to the actual termination process.
These
matters are usually co-ordinated by human resources personnel, but may
be the responsibility of relevant line managers or, in a small business
the owner/employer.
One
of the most important goals an employer will have when they are faced
with an employee termination is to ensure that there is as little disruption
and inconvenience as possible to the business, other staff and clients.
To
ensure a clean, amicable break and continued productivity, high staff
motivation and client satisfaction, there are a number of quite diverse
issues that need to be addressed.
Following
a list like the one below is a good method of ensuring that you, or other
staff responsible, are consistent in covering all the required issues
each time an employee leaves.
To
continue reading this article click here.
Branding
Australian Food
Australias
food industry is set to leverage Tourism Australias multi-million dollar
international branding campaign.
NFIS Ltd
has developed a set of guidelines for use of the brand at international
in-store promotions. The guidelines, which incorporate the distinctive
kangaroo logo, will be used for the strategic positioning of Australian
food and beverages in targeted international markets.
NFIS Ltd
has also established a library of food photography to compliment the brand.
Interested
in knowing more? Contact Deann Stevens, NFIS Ltd Communications Manager,
(P) 02 6270 8800 or (E) deann.stevens@nfis.com.au.
How
to Motivate Unmotivated People
All
it takes is an understanding of the appropriate steps to take and a willingness
to do them.
This
article contains the steps. The willingness is up to you.
If
you walk around a Walt Disney World resort or theme park, you are likely
to witness something that in most other settings would seem bizarre. Not
the presence of a large animated character, although you may witness that
also. Rather, at any given moment, a person in dress clothes will be walking
from one destination to another and will stop, pick up a piece of paper,
a cup, or other piece of trash someone dropped, and throw it in a trash
can. Executives do it, front line managers do it, hourly employees do
it, everybody does it.
There
is no special monetary compensation for this behavior. No point system
exists where $5 bonuses are given out for every fifteen pieces of trash
that someone picks up. There is also no special monitoring system in place
which watches for people who don't do it and then issues penalty points
or demerits. Yet, people are motivated to do it anyway. Now picking up
trash may not be your top concern, but are there other things in your
department, division, or company that you would like your employees to
do?
Are
you looking for ways to motivate your people?
Click
here
to read on.
Customers
Behaving Badly
First
published in National Accountant, the journal of the National Institute
of Accountants, Australia Customer rage is on the increase, threatening
the health of employees and harming business.
An
application of the rules of good service is the remedy. Australian customers
are throwing tantrums, swearing and making physical and other threats
(including bomb threats) to staff of businesses! And why? Because those
customers are sick of bad service.
The
University of Queensland revealed this disturbing aspect of doing business
in Australia in research results released in November 2005. The research
further revealed that the main triggers for the rage we are witnessing
and experiencing in the service context are rudeness, incompetence and
indifference from staff.
Is
this the way we wish to conduct business? What's happened to the service
experience that customers are displaying such unmitigated rage?
Click
here
to read on.
You
can obtain more information about the author of this article by visiting
their website here.
Be wise
when purchasing equipment!
Buying
the correct equipment is extremely important to the success of any business,
and in the bakery trade it is even more relevant. In a bakery having good
equipment that is supported well by the manufacturer is essential as without
equipment working you are regrettably out of business. This is the first
consideration when making your purchase.
Click
here
to read more.
For
more information regarding this article plus more click here
to visit the Leading Edge Journal website.
How
Flexible Agreement-Making Can Benefit Your Business
Employees
today are looking for more flexible and supportive workplaces. They are
more prepared to display loyalty to a business that places a high value
on lifestyle balanced and family-friendly practices. This is often a decision-making
factor for accepting employment and remaining with an employer.
WorkChoices
offers employers the opportunity to adopt innovative and collaborative
agreement-making policies incorporating best practice work, family policies
and adaptable workplaces. As an employer you will be in a stronger position
to appoint the best person for the job which will in turn result in higher
retention rates, better morale, increased return rates from parental leave
and higher productivity.
Click
here
to read more.
The
Secrets Of Performance Management
How
to get people to do what they are supposed to.
When
George took on the top job at a prestigious high profile company he thought
it would run like clockwork, such was the public perception of this quality
business. What he didn’t realise, was that the reputation was founded
on just a few brilliant people and the product they had developed. The
rest were merely trying to manage the chaos. Most people were reactive,
even though the previous CEO had worked with the Board to develop a very
effective set of strategic plans.
Click
here
to read more.
Right
Staff Mix Is Baker's Secret Recipe
By
hiring, training, and motivating good staff, the Beechworth Bakery gets
results - without paying above-award wages.
Few
retail, shopfront businesses win awards for "Most Significant Regional
Tourist Attraction". But Tom O'Toole's Beechworth Bakery, which serves
600,000 customers a year in a town of less than 4,000 people that is 270km
from Melbourne, has won twice since 1995. There have been many other business
awards too.
Click
here
to read more.
Make
customers the key to a huge success
Tom
O’Toole’s wildly successful bakery has three simple principles — all focused
on customers.
Tom
O’Toole’s Beechworth Bakery took $2.7 million in cash across the counter
in the 1999-2000 financial year, making it the highest earning, stand-alone
retail bakery in Australia. The business has come a long way since it
turned over $100,000 in 1984, when O’Toole purchased it.
Click
here
to read more.
Stop
Making Decisions
Hundreds
of decisions are made in the workplace every single day. If just a fraction
of these are pushed down by managers to employees, engagement levels will
skyrocket.
Click
here
to read more.
Motivating
Your Sales Team
Money
is not necessarily the only, or best, way to motivate your sales force.
Getting sales people motivated. Surely it's a matter of money? After all,
the assumption is that most sales people get into the selling game because
it pays well in comparison to many other careers.
Click
here
to read more.
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