Does Office Design Really Affect Productivity

Does Office Design Really Affect Productivity Over the years, there has been a drastic change in the way office space is designed. From large offices crammed full of desks, to the more recent open-plan, collaborative spaces office interiors have evolved to reflect attitudes to work and changes in the economy. So does office design really effect productivity in the workplace? In the infographic below, from  USC  have shed some light into the evolution of the office space, and how each design has affected workers. Takeaways: In the early 1920s, the goal of the office space to to create an environment for maximum productivity. All desks faced a supervisor and each worker sat alone at a forward facing desk. The 1930s and 40s bought air conditioning and fluorescent lighting to offices. This changed interior design of offices as office furniture was no longer limited to being near  windows or plug sockets. The 1960s saw the rise of the cubicle. Now this word may strike fear into your heart, but it actually worked in improving productivity and gave workers there own makeshift offices. The recession between the 80s and 90s saw cubicle design to the extreme companies were cramming as many people as they could into whatever space they could find  to save money. In more recent times, the world has embraced a more open plan type office, with space for collaboration and discussion. It has been argued that this causes distractions in the workplace. Distractions, air quality and office lighting are the top  3  factors which decide whether or not your office is a productive one. Having a nice working environment means workers are going to be happier. Unmotivated workers cost money! RELATED: What Office Design is Best for Creating a Happy and Productive Workforce?

The Advantages of Online Courses

The Advantages of Online Courses Millions of people all over the world are turning to online educational and vocational courses to help them to start a new career, progress in their current one or just to learn more about the world around them. Previously, online learning was seen as second-best to traditional schooling, but this image is being swiftly overhauled as the numbers of providers and the quality of their courses increases. Providers like The Knowledge Academy, for example, offer thousands of courses, some online and some at physical venues, that will help people to develop and make progress. If you’re thinking about starting an online course, here are five advantages you’ll soon notice. You can do what you want Of course, you can aim for anything you want in a physical setting as well, but you need to get onto an often highly competitive course, pay for your halls as well as your tuition, and possibly give up your job. Online courses, be it Russian literature or inorganic chemistry, allow you to get on board even if you hated chemistry at school and totally flunked it. You get a second chance! It’s more comfortable When you’re working, or busy raising a family, the thought of leaving home for a couple of evenings a week, in all weathers, to attend a course is just too much for some. Learning from home means you can make yourself comfortable once the children are in bed or at school and get swotting. Another aspect of this advantage is not having to take public transport or spend money on gas to get to and from the venue. That said, you mustn’t slouch around when studying â€" get into some constructive habits and do at least some of it at a desk. Online courses boost your resume Think about it â€" you are showing that you’re a self-starter and that you’re disciplined. You’re really committed to improving yourself and you can think and act independently. Hiring teams won’t look at your online qualifications as inferior to ones gained at a physical university. You can go at your own pace One of the biggest advantages of online courses is that some of them allow you to progress at your own pace. Even if it takes a few years, you’ll get there in the end and you won’t have to choose between family and work commitments and your course, which is a serious problem for many people, especially women. And remember that you can still use a CLEP study guide to help you prepare for online exams, or for entrance exams should you decide later to go to a bricks-and-mortar school. Online is often cheaper Many online programs are significantly cheaper than campus-based ones. Even the more expensive options don’t involve renting a room on campus or giving up your day-job, so that’s still a bonus. Sadly, there’s no Spring Break The one downside to doing online courses is that it can be lonely at times, as you’re not on campus or dorming with a bunch of other people; you’re still commuting and making stews. When you consider the doors that you could open, however, it’s something of a trifling matter. . Images via pixabay.

Olympian Action for Entrepreneurs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Olympian Action for Entrepreneurs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As I watched the Olympics this year, several analogies came to mind in regard to being an entrepreneur. To begin, it was the apparent determination to succeed that brought about invitations for those finalists to participate at the games. Economies have been very slow over the past number of years. And many entrepreneurs have felt they were under water as if they were alongside the swimmers, not knowing if they too would rise to the surface. Others have attempted very large and exciting projects but were overwhelmed by all the components requiring attention and in-depth learning. These became heavy weight-lifting burdens to get off the ground. Finally, the entrepreneur continually needs to delicately balance time versus projects and clientele as if they too were standing on a balance beam. Goal and mind setting Success down the road begins with the mindset of today. The most basic question is, “Do you believe your business will ultimately thrive?” Unless your answer is 100% “Yes!” there will be little chance for success. Business requires Olympian thinking. To win your medals of accomplishment, put together an action plan for what you wish to achieve in 12 months and into the far off future. What are your long-term and near-term goals? It takes years of baby steps to see your practice makes perfect achievements come to life. Are there areas in which you need help? Are you willing to tackle the most difficult areas to master and excel? Can you self-educate or is the troubling area one in which you need your own private coach? After all the hard work is put into your business, what do you foresee as being your most important outcomes? Ask yourself, “Will it be worth the time, effort and monetary output to make this happen?” Once again your answer needs to be a resounding “Yes!” Working on your goals A difficult next step is to not let those days where little progress is felt, get you down, or allow yourself to become distracted. On occasion others may ask you to participate in their activities requiring money or considerable time, both of which may potentially cause you to give up on your own dreams. Maintaining focus on who you are, your motivations and goals is what will sustain you and get you to your most desired next level. As achievement is almost at hand, think creatively regarding possible new partnerships or collaborative efforts. In the case of Olympians many become sponsors of companies. Do you have an idea for one particular company that may further their goals too? With your newfound knowledge, is there a community you may assist? The idea here is as one rung of achievement is almost at hand, plot out new long-term projects and goals to continue the momentum of further building business. The dedication to your work and your clientele is the winning strategy to boost awareness of your personal brand. In the end, your business is a never-ending marathon that keeps you on your feet and in your mind. The ultimate question becomes, “Are you willing to take the risk and enjoy the roller coaster ride?” Over time, the journey becomes easier and it almost appears as if it were a Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC, (800) 704-1499, was honored by Open View Labs with inclusion in their international list of “Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and the best selling career book, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press. She provides team sales training, private coaching and highly acclaimed inspirational keynotes for conferences. Elinor is available for consultation.

Personal Branding Interview Lisa Hoover - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Lisa Hoover - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Lisa Hoover, who is a freelance writer and professional blogger. Her work includes being a contributing editor for Lifehacker and other major blogs. In this interview, Lisa talks about how to she become a professional blogger, who she admires, how she balances her time with multiple children, and some lessons learned. How did you get started as a professional blogger? What obstacles did you face in the beginning? I was working full-time for a technology Web site and blogging part-time for a couple of Web sites on the side. Eventually I was faced with the decision of whether to continue where I was or focus more on blogging. My gut told me blogging was the right decision so I dove in full-time. Now the site I was working for is defunct and I support my family through blogging so I guess I made the right decision. ?? The biggest obstacle was, and continues to be, people taking professional blogging seriously. It is a very real job with its own pitfalls and peaks. Interestingly, its often other writers who show the most disdain for the professional blogging industry even though most of us hold ourselves to the same standards of professionalism expected of any writer. As with any profession, there are people who cast a pall on the industry but, overall, the bloggers I know and work with are wonderful and amazingly professional. Who do you admire online and what have you learned from them? I admire Brian Clark so much for his ability to be consistently fresh, insightful, and informative. He manages to engage his audience in a way that makes readers feel like theyve known him forever. Matt Haughey of MetaFilter fame has built an amazing site where smart, articulate people gather to seek advice and learn from each other. Im constantly amazed at what a tight, kind, and thoughtful community MetaFilter is, and that kind of thing doesnt happen by accident. Matt has obviously spent a lot of time grooming and cultivating MetaFilter to make it what it is today. How do you balance your time between your three children and your work? Very, very carefully. ?? Since Im a single mother and I homeschool my kids, it means getting up extra early in the morning to get work done before they need me during the day. I try to structure schoolwork, homeschooling group activities, and field trips during late morning and middle of the day. While they have neighborhood friends over, I work on my laptop amid the chaos, then I use the time after they go to bed to pick up the slack on anything I missed during the day. Every now and then we need a break from it all so I get my work done early, then toss them in the car and go somewhere to play hooky all day. Its a lot to balance, but its worth it all to me in the end. You write about a variety of different topics, from parenting to linux. Do you ever have trouble with switching between them? Actually, I dont have trouble adapting thanks to the old adage, write about what you love I love technology, love being a parent, and thoroughly enjoy most of the other topics I cover. In fact, I really enjoy learning new things so Im always looking for new things to write about. If I had to only cover the same two or three things day in and day out, Id get bored pretty quickly. What three lessons learned would you give to new bloggers or freelance writers right now? Check your ego at the door. Bloggers and freelancers can best serve themselves by listening to their editors, readers, and colleagues. Editors can help you become a stronger writer and often what you learn from one will help you in other assignments down the road. Readers are an excellent source of guidance and ideas, as are your colleagues and peers. When you encounter rude commenters, just let it roll off your back and dont take it personally (easier said than done, I know) it goes with the territory. Never, ever, ever, give your work away for free. There are too many Web sites that will take advantage of a writers willingness to work for nothing just to get name recognition, but you must put a value on your work or no one else will. Writers who are just starting out may not be able to command as much money as those with a long work history, but theres no reason to simply give work away. If youre trying to build a portfolio, pick one or two charity organizations and volunteer to write for them in exchange for using them as writing samples to land work. Make your editors life easier and youll have a gig for life. Hit your deadlines, follow their style guide, and be consistent, and editors will welcome you back time and time again. Freelance writing and blogging is a crowded field and there are a lot of talented people out there. Everything else being equal, editors will assign work to freelancers who get their work done on time or early, and turn in clean work. Being a reliable writer whos easier to work with will get you invited back, and a good reference for future work. Lisa Hoover is a freelance writer and professional blogger. Her work includes being a contributing editor for Lifehacker, blogging for OStatic The Apple Blog for GigaOm, blogging for SourceForge.net, and writing and editing for TypeAMom.com. She writes about lots of different topics but my passions are technology, social media, emerging Web services, Linux and open source, parenting, and homeschooling.

8 Budget and Finance Tips for Small Business Owners CareerMetis.com

8 Budget and Finance Tips for Small Business Owners When starting and maintaining a successful business venture, there are a variety of evolutionary stages that need to take place. However, one of those stages that never seems to have an end date associated with it is the need to accurately budget and finance the business over time.The truth is, every business owner, at one point or another, is faced with difficult decisions to make regarding the growth and sustainability of their organization. Many times these decisions have to do with balancing the short-term financial needs of the organization with long-term goals. But these decisions can be difficult to approach without the right strategic planning and foresight.evalSmall business owners need all the help they can get when it comes to preparing their companies for future success and cutting the excess costs associated with growth. Below, we’ll discuss a variety of budget and finance tips that you can use to help your business thrive in 2020 and beyond.1) Invest in a Financial Ad visorRegardless of whether you run a brand new company, or have been in business for years, working with a financial advisor can be key to developing a successful business model. Financial advisorsoffer helpful advice on several money-related issues, ranging from personal and business finances to retirement options, tax returns, and insurance.An important aspect of a financial advisor’s role is correctly managing the cash flow of a business, keeping an eye on cash and debt levels while reducing financial risks. This gives organizations better insight when planning for growth and helps to create more sustainability longer-term.Financial advisors can also help you develop longer-term strategies when it comes to product development, inventory management, and market research. The benefit of an advisor is that they help to inform on important decisions“before” they are made, saving an organization from taking expensive detours on their road to success.The role of a financial adviso r can vary widely from one business to the next. Typically, however, organizations will rely on their ability to provide accurate business projections and develop a business plan around them.2) Capitalize on Green Initiative Tax CreditsThe concept of “going green” isn’t a new one for many business owners. For years now, large organizations have been taking a stand and looking for ways to create better efficiencies around their energy consumption and reduce their carbon footprints. In many cases, specific organizations have made significant investments in these initiatives, becoming outstanding ethical examples for other organizations.A couple of great examples of companies that have prioritized their green initiativesover the years are McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. McDonald’s recently focused their attention on the energy consumption levels of their appliances and transitioned most of their equipment to energy-efficient alternatives. This has cut their energy consumption acros s all restaurants by nearly 25%. In a similar fashion, Coca-Cola focused on becoming environmentally conscious when they invested in new energy efficiencies, specifically concentrated on how they manage the production and packaging of their cans and bottles.evalBut preserving the environment is only one of the many benefits businesses can enjoy when they work to reduce their carbon footprint. Small business owners have the opportunity to capitalize on several business energy tax credits. These credits are designed to award businesses that take the initiative to reduce their impact on the environment and help alleviate some of the financial stress in doing so.3) Utilize Crowdfunding and Angel InvestmentsOf course, for newly developed or quickly growing companies, no matter how well you budget for your business, it won’t matter unless you’re able to secure some form of funding. But while many owners’ first response is to look towards securing a business loan as a potential solut ion, in many cases, acquiring funding from a financial institution may prove difficult. This is especially the case with high-risk business models and uncertain success.Thankfully, there are a variety of methods businesses can use to gain their much-needed funding. Crowdfunding has become a popular alternative to traditional funding and has become especially useful for younger startups with strong marketing prowess. Angel investors and venture capitalist groups are another way small businesses can gain their funding by incentivizing investments with shares in the company or royalty deals.4) Regularly Audit Your BudgetsEstablishing a budget for your business should be one of the first steps you take when building your company. However, many business owners fail to realize just how important it is to not only create but maintain and audit these budgets over time. Aside from the frequency in which you review your budgets, it’s essential to ensure your finances are being looked at wit h the granularity they deserve. Budget management is another area that can benefit from the involvement of a financial advisor who can help you understand the financial impact of your decisions and establish a reasonable budget to support them.evalIt’s not enough to simply establish a spending limit at the beginning of your fiscal year. Smart business owners analyze all areas of their spending, including variable business expenses, fixed product and service costs, predictable variable spending, and emergency resources.Putting all of this together is what makes a reasonable business budget, and businesses must take the time they need to accurately forecast their business needs at the start of their fiscal year. Working with a financial planner to develop an optimal budget is another great way to ensure no critical considerations are missed.5) Carefully Follow Your Sales CycleTo effectively budget for your business, you must have a solid understanding of your business’s sales cycl e. All companies inevitably hit a slow season, and no industry is immune to the challenges they present. But rather than remaining reactive to these changing conditions, predicting and planning for peaks and valleys in revenue streamscan significantly improve your budgeting accuracy throughout the year. Business owners should, therefore, take the necessary time to analyze the trends associated with seasonal demand and plan accordingly.Paying attention to your sales cyclehelps with more than just better understanding your business’s seasonality, however. Following your sales cycle closely gives you better insight into areas of your business that may need to be improved and can be more efficiently managed. While slower revenue months may be a sign of seasonal demands that are out of your control, they may also point to inefficiencies in your sales and marketing efforts that could be contributing to your losses.For example, many times business owners will focus their attention on the bottom line when reviewing profitability month to month and year to year. This top-level view can sometimes miss underlying issues affecting your business growth like poor performance from the sales and marketing teams, missed deadlines, and inadequate forecasting efforts. Maintaining visibility over all of these KPIs will help you benchmark your organization’s growth abilities and ensure all departments are functioning the way they should.6) Consider Changing Your Approach to Talent ManagementOne of the most significant considerations business owners need to factor in with their overall budgeting is how they approach talent management. Employees are the lifeblood of any organization, but one business may have very different viewpoints when it comes to their hiring formats and organizational structures than the next business. Creating an optimal budget for your employeescan be challenging, especially when balancing growth and profitability. However, business owners are wise to co nsider all the pros and cons associated with being too aggressive or conservative when choosing the right budgets.Employees affect every aspect of your business operations, especially your revenue streams and overall profitability. Still, business owners need to decide how much value they are willing to place on any individual employee while also considering the costs associated with sourcing and training new hires. Along with this consideration, business owners also need to consider if outsourcing their employees is a better solution than hiring internal staff members. In some cases, the cost benefits may not outweigh the productivity risks of having an all-remote workforce.7) Cut Costs Where PossibleAs companies continue to grow, so does the need for adoption of larger scalable systems and sourcing of additional staff members. However, while many businesses may be willing to invest in their business as the need arises, fewer take the time to evaluate their legacy processes and cut costs wherever possible.evalAs the years go by, it can be easy to lose sight of how many little expenses can add up to be. Whether it’s the cost of paper products, equipment maintenance expenses, or even how you spend your time, anything required to run your business should be regularly audited to ensure it is still supporting your business goals.Another important exercise is to regularly review the departmental workflows of a business to ensure they are still a critical part of the organization’s success. Certain processes can be a significant drain on departmental resources, even if you don’t realize it.An example of this may be in teams who are used to creating their own ad-hoc reports for the projects they’re working on. Rather than having multiple people create similar reports and documentation, one person could be generating a master report and distributing it to the team, keeping the rest of the team members productive and eliminating duplicate work.In these circumst ances, business owners and department heads should identify potential areas of inefficiency like these and implement newer, more relevant workflow for their staff.8) Improve Your Time ManagementWe have all heard of the saying “time is money,” and there are few things for small business owners that ring as true as this. The problem is that while we all understand and accept how precious our time is, many of us don’t know how to get the most out of it. When budgeting resources for your business, it’s critical you take active steps in establishing the right level of automation to streamline your processes and maximize your time efficiency.evalMany times, productivity suffers at the hands of too many administrative workflows. While administrative tasks are a necessity to a certain degree in nearly every industry, they can also lead to lost opportunities for revenue growth and business scalability.Business owners should look for opportunities to automate as many administrative ta sks as possible without sacrificing accuracy. There are several affordable third-party solutions that businesses can integrate with their current systems that both streamline existing workflows and give employees back the bandwidth they need to execute higher-value activities for the organization.Automation tools like IFTTT and Zapier are designed to connect multiple platforms together and create self-serve automation on everyday tasks. With a click of a button, businesses can save hours a day on automating their essential processes, giving them more time to focus on other areas of their business.Small business owners have several challenges to navigate when growing their organizations, especially considering the increasing demands of today’s consumers and the dynamic nature of our modern digital landscape. To be successful, it’s imperative to be proactive when preparing for and addressing important financial decisions.Establishing a budget and strategically planning your financ es are crucial steps to ensuring its long-term viability. By following these essential tips and dedicating resources to improving your overall business efficiency, you’ll keep your organization scalable while ensuring it remains successful for years to come.

Is Procrastination Sabotaging Your Job Search - Hire Imaging

Is Procrastination Sabotaging Your Job Search - Hire Imaging The one-thing-a-day strategy. Productivity and time management are very paramount to a successful job search. How are you doing? Everyone postpones tasks sometimes. But if you find it’s a tendency for you in your search, it can cost you dearly, in the way of lost opportunities. Procrastination is not an easy habit or pattern to break. Some people constantly put off to-dos because they haven’t clarified their goals. Others procrastinate out of fear: fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of change. If procrastination is an issue for you and a habit you’d like to break, try these anti-procrastination tips. The one-thing-a-day strategy. One effective way to avoid the obstructions fueled by procrastination is to establish as one of your daily to-dos, the completion of at least one task that you have consistently been putting off. This strategy may not come easy for you, so begin on a small scale, choosing a task that doesn’t seem either overwhelmingly hard or horrible. The idea behind this strategy is to allow the sense of triumph (and relief) that comes from finishing a task you’ve been dodging, to be its own inspiration. The fact that you’ve completed the task that has been nagging at you, can motivate you to attack other tasks you’ve been avoiding. The back-yourself-into-a-corner strategy. This is a more assertive strategy where you make a commitment to someone other than yourself, that you will do one of your procrastinated to-dos at a certain time. This technique works best â€" for obvious reasons â€" when the failure to come through on the promise can have consequences that you’d rather not deal with. The beauty of this strategy is that there is power in accountability partnerships, whether that person(s) be a career coach, associate, friend or family member. When you promise someone else that you’re going to do something within a particular timeline â€" make those five calls, edit your resume, or research a potential employer, for example â€" you’re more apt to deliver. And if you don’t, it’s going to be more uncomfortable dealing with the feedback and consequences than when the debate is merely in your head. In fact, ask that person(s) to pester you on the subject. The dangle-the-carrot strategy. This method, while quite apparent and straightforward, can be extremely successful. You simply build in some kind of reward for tackling a task that you have been putting off. It’s most effective when your “reward” is something that you wouldn’t normally do for yourself. If you have a glass of wine each evening, that is not going to inspire you to reach out to the stranger at ABC Company or tackle your LinkedIn profile after six months letting it sit idle. But if your carrot is to take a full day off to recharge and relax â€" something you rarely do, this can work beautifully. In the same vein, try penalizing yourself if you aren’t making the progress you’d like in your job search plan. What tips do you have for professionals who are dealing with procrastination in their job search? How do you keep yourself on-task and productive? Please share your insights in the comments below!

Writing a Music Resume - How to Write a Music Resume For Your Career

Writing a Music Resume - How to Write a Music Resume For Your CareerWriting music resume can seem intimidating, but with some simple and clear guidelines, it can be simple. It's not as hard as it sounds and with a little common sense, your music career could take off without you even knowing it.There are several things to consider when writing a music resume and they all have to do with what kind of information you provide in the 'About Me' section. First, you'll want to know who you'll be presenting your resume to, so make sure that the person you are submitting it to is responsible, objective, experienced, and committed to helping you.The next thing you'll want to know about when writing music resume is the type of music you'll be performing. How much experience do you have with that particular genre? Or, what is your favorite genre to perform?In addition, keep in mind what the job entails when you write your cover letter. Keep in mind the nature of the position, whether it is an e ntry level or upper level, and look for a specific job title and specific instructions regarding how to get to that position.If you are applying for a position that requires a musical resume, write down the major instruments you play as well as the most common genre or styles of music you play. Write them out phonetically if you must, but at least it will be easier to read.Once you have that information and have demonstrated your musical talent, move on to the skills you have that will help you land the job. For example, if you are good at playing the piano, write down the best songs you've played and those that you feel are well suited for that position.Know the difference between 'required'recommended' skills. Some jobs require a different level of training or a different level of knowledge or focus, while others are not as specific. Know what's important to the position you are applying for.Know the requirements for any certification or degree you may have. There is a lot of info rmation that goes into writing a music resume, but once you get started, it will be easier.