Principles for Leading Your Company through COVID-19 Crisis

20 November 2020

Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak in the UAE, the government and other institutions have been fighting to curb its spread. The virus spreads when a healthy person inhales droplets from a person who is infected. It also spreads when you touch surfaces that are contaminated then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose. It is necessary to adhere to the recommended health guidelines like washing your hands or using an alcohol-based sanitizer, maintaining social distance, avoiding crowds, etc. Employers should ensure that the workplace is safe and can accommodate employees without compromising their health.

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 at the Workplace

Keeping your workplace COVID-19 free does not have to cost much; maintain hygiene and cleanliness. Ensure that surfaces like tables and desks, keyboards, and telephones are wiped and disinfected regularly.

Encourage regular hand washing by workers and customers. Provide sanitizers and hand wash soap at entrances, exits, washrooms, etc. Ensure that sanitizer dispensers never run out. You can also hang informative posters on the importance of washing hands to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Promote the use of face masks at all times and practice good respiratory hygiene. Make sure your employees are well aware of Coronavirus Health Insurance.

How to Lead Your Company during the Coronavirus

Leading a team during the COVID-19 can be tough; there is uncertainty, and employees are constantly worried about their families and health. Here are principles you can use to lead your team during this time of crisis.

Preach Hope

Your employees will mirror your behavior, so as you talk to them about the present and unclear future, it is necessary to remain optimistic. Be truthful and assure them that the company will withstand the hard times, and things will be back to normal. You need to give them hope, act like a leader.

Taking leadership training Dubai lessons teaches you how to handle overwhelming situations in the workplace. Although preaching hope is necessary, avoid giving false assurances as this can break their trust in you and the company.

People-Centered Approach

You need to be in tune with how the staff feels and thinks during this crisis; watch for changes and respond to any concerns. Employees are going to be worried and anxious about job security and health. Executives who take leadership training in Abu Dhabi classes know how to act even in a crisis. Show genuine concern for your workers; some risk their health to be at the office while others work from home juggling family and workload.

Effective Communication

Communicating is not enough; you need to ensure that the message is understood and not blown out of context or misinterpreted. Try to maintain personal but professional communication with each member. Be transparent, and keep the employees informed, but don’t bombard them with too much information.

Communication is a two-way-street; listen to your team and receive feedback without judgment. When employees are free to issue their concerns and opinions, they feel appreciated and valued which leads to job satisfaction and improved productivity.

Collaboration

Don’t pretend to know everything; nobody expects you to. This is the ideal time to rely on your resources, employees, and all team members. Create taskforces, sub-taskforces, and explain each person’s role; this makes them feel that they are contributing positively to the workplace during this crisis. Collaboration fosters cohesion and builds trust within the team. When people work together they can come up with better solutions to problems. It also helps employees to adapt to the new norm. Change is inevitable, and organizations need to adapt accordingly.

Establish a Common Vision

Focus on setting out a simple, shared vision; this fosters a sense of purpose. As the crisis escalates, a shared vision reminds the team to work on what is needed at every stage and to focus on important issues. It also helps employees to focus on the organization’s goals without getting distracted by the outside world. It steers employees in the right direction. Having a clear vision ensures that every member is on the same page. A good vision is not enough; you need to communicate correctly to let everyone know their responsibilities and expectations.

Be Present

It’s crucial to be present at the workplace to interact and support your team. It is also necessary to do the same if you have a virtual team. Most organizations have all or some of their employees work from home. It is necessary to schedule regular meetings through video conferencing. This makes remote working employees feel seen and included in everyday routine and decision-making processes. You don’t have to be physically present to lead your team. If you lead managers, you need to keep a tab of their daily routine and continue with your coaching conversation.

The COVID-19 crisis has changed the workplace; some people work from home while others continue with their normal routines while observing health recommendations. It can be overwhelming to lead a team during a crisis; some workers are confused while others are worried and frustrated. As a leader, you need to develop strategies to keep your team focused during these times.

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Starting A Small Business – Finding Your Target Market And More

Starting a small business can be an exciting step towards entrepreneurialism, yet there are numerous considerations when embarking on this path. As part of your startup plan, it is vital that you save enough cash to launch your business successfully. Furthermore, creating a marketing plan to reach out to specific demographics and psychographics of target consumers should also be top of mind. Find your target market Finding your target market can seem like a daunting challenge when starting out in business, but starting by talking to existing customers can be the key to unlocking success. Start by talking to those who already invested their hard-earned cash with you: They provide invaluable information about why they shop with you, what they like about it, and their goals for doing so. Look at your sales data from POS and CRM systems to gain a clear understanding of which products and services are selling well in your area, which gives an indication of what the target market wants and allows you to tailor marketing efforts towards satisfying that demand and bringing in more business. When trying to identify your target market, it's essential to keep in mind that finding an optimal focus requires treading a fine line between having too narrow a focus and going too wide. Aiming too broadly will lead to wasted efforts and may prevent your business from receiving its due consideration from customers; yet too narrow of a focus may impede business expansion efforts altogether. You can visit https://magneticmarketing.com/blog/why-your-secondary-target-market-matters-more-than-you-think for more information. The more research you conduct at this stage in your business, the better prepared you will be. Once you have identified your target market, the next step in starting up a business should be finding additional funding. This will enable you to expand operations and reach more customers as well as scale up products or services -- such as by opening physical locations or hiring employees. Get to know your customers Before starting your small business, it's crucial that you conduct sufficient research into who your ideal customers are. That way, you can create a strategy to get in front of these potential clients; those who will return again, recommend your brand to friends, and praise you on social media - the people that will drive its growth. Getting to know your customers is an integral component of starting up a small business. By understanding their wants, needs, and buying patterns you will be better equipped to target advertising and marketing efforts and offer exceptional customer service resulting in long-term customer loyalty and increased sales. Researching your target market means first understanding their preferences and spending habits as well as their preferred brands and products. This knowledge will be crucial in creating your business model, product offerings, and marketing strategy; additionally, it will prevent unnecessary resources being wasted on products that don't resonate with their target demographics. Preparing to start your own business means setting aside enough funds to cover startup expenses and remain ahead of bills until profitable. This involves setting aside savings and investing in your company, as well as managing cash flow to pay off debts, purchase inventory or supplies and cover daily bills until profitable. Be familiar with local resources available to small businesses, including the Small Business Administration and local chambers of commerce. Many of these organizations provide free workshops and webinars designed to give you the knowledge and tools you need for success. Do not forget to register your business and secure any necessary licenses and permits, such as articles of incorporation or operating agreements, an EIN (employer identification number), DBA name (doing business as) name registration forms as well as income tax forms as soon as possible. Additionally, obtain any relevant industry and location-specific licenses and permits needed. Get to know your competition As you develop your business idea and market, it's essential to get acquainted with existing companies filling this niche. Conducting a competitive analysis can help you distinguish yourself from them and draw in customers. As part of starting your small business, it is also essential that you become acquainted with all laws and regulations associated with doing so. Speak to an accountant experienced in small business accounting to gain more insight into these requirements that apply specifically to you. Once you've decided on all the details surrounding starting a business, it is time to save up for startup costs. Many small companies choose to fund themselves through personal savings while reinvesting any profits back into the venture; if your plans are more ambitious than this though, additional funding might be necessary. Before selecting the optimal method for funding your business, you'll also need to set up an accounting system and evaluate the costs associated with running it. Register your company and buy insurance coverage that will protect against financial losses, theft, property damage, and customer lawsuits. You can visit this site to learn more. Create a marketing plan Your marketing plan serves as an essential guide that will enable you to set goals, understand your audience, and optimize the impact of campaigns. It also serves to keep everyone on your team focused on what really matters. First and foremost in developing your marketing plan is stating your mission, vision, and values. Doing this puts all the information contained within it into proper perspective while helping to explain why you're undertaking such efforts. After identifying your target market and competition, the next step should be defining your marketing strategies that will reach them - this may include social media posts, email blasts, and billboard ads. Be sure to consider what competitors are doing as you formulate your approach; pay particular attention to any response they're getting from their audiences when developing this list of tactics. Your marketing plan should also include a budget that outlines how much each of the strategies will cost to execute, helping create realistic expectations about them and setting out what could happen if something does not go as expected. Once your marketing plans are in motion, it is crucial to create a timeline. This will allow you to assess when results from your efforts will begin appearing and allow any necessary modifications or modifications if needed. Read Also: How You Can Invest In Your Small Business 6 Incredible Tips To Reach Your Small Business Customer How To Apply For And Get The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) For Small Businesses

What Does Business Law State about Monitoring Employees?

Occasionally, we come across many individuals that are conflicted about the role monitoring applications have to play in the day to day office routines and activities. The most common question asked deals with the boundaries and limits that are “bendable” with the installment of monitoring applications. And the answer is simple; monitoring applications and software programs are legal and frequently advised to be installed in any firm or company. Here is why. Legal but… Monitoring or spy applications are legal in any court of law across the world. However, there are some regulations that need to be upheld by the employers’ side before installing monitoring software around the company premises. These guidelines include: Informing Employees Beforehand When it comes to employee monitoring applications, every court of law strictly states that the employees should be clearly notified about being monitored. The best way to accomplish this is via policies and guidelines that should be always kept on display within office premises. These guidelines should clearly explain every element of the employee monitoring intervention put forth by the company. Moreover, even when the firm decides to take on new employees, they should adjust a clause in the contract which makes it mandatory for every person being hired to sign a nondisclosure stating that they are alright with being monitored on company-related matters. Only Limited to Company Owned Gadgets Monitoring software programs tend to give employers an unwarranted power over the employees. And to protect the employee's interests, legal guidelines regarding monitoring apps clearly state that the spying should be only limited to company-owned gadgets. This means that every information coming in and going out through the company-owned gadgets are company property. The guidelines placed around the office premises should also clearly pinpoint this clause so that it poses as a reminder at all times. Furthermore, it is also recommended that the employers get their employees to sign a nondisclosure agreement that clearly states that all information on the company owned gadgets is company property. This means it can be used by the company in court if need be as well. Using Reliable Technological Sources When another’s a source of income and image in the business world is on the line, it is always best to be careful and use reliable technological sources and software programs rather than the usual cheap ones. The expensive yet well-reputed ones can be easily programmed and altered according to the specific needs of the company, hence always used for easy access and usage. Balancing is key Putting so many restrictions and highlighting many stingy clauses regarding monitoring applications like TheOneSpy mobile spy software around the office can definitely scare an employee and hence hinder their overall productivity. This is primarily due to the lack of rapport that should be there between the employee and employer to help increase profits as employee motivation grows. Therefore, it is always recommended by experts to use a system that is similar to a token economy where the employees are given some leeway and flexibility in some areas while at the same time restricted in some too. For example, allowing them access to specific social media sites during a few designated hours of the day. Never Resort to Open Slander It is never healthy to insult or accuse an employee openly among their peers. And with monitoring applications installed, there will be many times that the system may show you red flags which in reality are nothing but some mishap with the coding of the monitoring application itself. Therefore, rather than losing your cool and openly slandering a perfectly loyal employee, it is always best to take them aside or discreetly conduct a further investigation either with their knowledge of it or without it. This is because an employee can otherwise sue you for slandering their image followed by wrongful termination which would prove bad for your company’s image. The law about monitoring applications is specifically made to protect both the employees as well as the employers in case of any mishap or misunderstanding between the two parties. While it may look like the employers have all the power with monitoring applications installed, but in reality, analysis has shown that monitoring applications have been found to be more useful to employees. For example, if an employee faces discrimination at the hands of another employee or employer, they can use the backup made by monitoring applications to highlight the wrongful act in court.

Why You Must Embrace Green Home Technologies?

Did you know? Buildings in India account for… 33% greenhouse emissions 38% energy consumption 30% landfill waste 12% water consumption And, every year, built-up areas in the country grow by 10% with a whopping 700% increase in energy consumption! It’s time to re-evaluate our priorities, It’s time to give back to nature, And for our children, it’s time to ensure that our homes do not destroy the world. India has been a fascinating growth story. Our story of growth is also about stress on the environment and natural resources. Fragile ecosystems and endangered species are struggling amidst the fast-expanding concrete. However, there is a silver lining in every cloud. Staying true to the traditional ethos of living in harmony with nature, Indian real estate is welcoming new technologies and innovative architecture to ensure a sustainable future. New-age financial solutions and subsidies are likely to encourage the adoption of green technologies in the construction sector. Your contribution, however small, is significant in creating an eco-friendly living space. Going green is an important milestone for your family where you create a positive environment for growth. It saves you lots of money as you pass down the lessons of conservation to the next generation and add to their inheritance. Green constructions and architecture are the flavors of our times and builders are incorporating environment-friendly and energy-efficient features like LED lights, waste management plants, urban forestry, natural ventilation, thermos bricks and many other design elements for your conservation and well-being. Why do you need a green home? Money, money, money A green building creates many financial benefits for owners and tenants. Natural materials are compatible with the environment, while solar energy, proper ventilation, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, waste management, and foliage help to cut energy consumption and save large amounts of money for you. Tenants are clearly attracted to buildings which offer a reduction in everyday costs. Environmentally safe with GRIHA It feels great doing your bit to safeguard the environment. Buildings are responsible for one-third of greenhouse emissions and that portion can be reduced by 35%. Demand for high-quality, eco-friendly and energy-efficient real estate is growing across India. It applies to both, residential and commercial spaces. And with our urban air becoming a pollution hazard, it is imperative that as an Indian, you seek green alternatives to safeguard health, environment, and productivity. You can choose environment-friendly homes as per GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) rating. It evaluates how your home stands against accepted benchmarks of green buildings. Better innovation As an investor, you gain a higher yield from green buildings. The practice also spurs design and material innovation, which is important for our nation. The “green wave” has brought forth new technologies, understanding of ancient practices and ample research interest. Green buildings are using traditional material and recycling old materials to reduce our carbon footprint. Reduce, reuse and recycle: that’s the mantra sustaining your green home. A great start-up culture Grassroots awareness will drive greater adoption of green technologies. Rural artisans, cottage industries, and agriculture have felt a positive impact of the green drive. A new culture of entrepreneurs providing new solutions to builders is enriching the green economy. Green buildings in India are becoming a part of the culture. You should be thrilled to know our country was ranked #3 on a list of 10 countries by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED outside the US. India today boasts of 1 billion square feet of green building area. With over 200 million square feet of commercial space and 45 million square feet of construction coming up, you can say without a doubt: The sky is our limit! Apoorva Bharadwaj is a freelance blog writer. She has written blog posts largely catering to the real estate industry. Throughout these many years of her career as a blogger, she has kept up with changing trends in the real estate industry. She has written many blog posts on why the real estate prices are skyrocketing in major metros, how to choose the right real estate agents, about new apartments in metros, etc. At present, her latest blog work is on Jain Height’s new eco-friendly homes, luxury condominium projects for sale in Bangalore and about the right time to invest in an apartment.

Principles for Leading Your Company through COVID-19 Crisis

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 at the Workplace