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Archive for the ‘Small Business’ Category

• 8 Apr

  4 strategies to keep employees motivated

  

  by MTS on Apr 8, 2011

  Inspiring employees can often be hard to do when you’re running a small business. Funds are typically limited and there is not a lot of time to spare. Keeping your employees motivated, however, is imperative to the success of your business.

  Luckily, there are plenty of ways to keep employee morale high without breaking the bank.  Here are a few ideas:

  1. Ask for input

  By encouraging input from employees you are letting them know that their opinions are appreciated.  This goes a long way in making them feel like a part of the team, which then inspires them to work hard for the good of the team.

  2. Change it up

  Sometimes boredom arises when employees fall into a rut.  By mixing up their projects and responsibilities, and allowing them to showcase their skills, you are likely to spark a little inspiration that may not have been there before.

  3. Focus on a great company culture

  People who love their jobs often do because they feel their company is distinct from others.  Companies that offer unique or fun perks often lure great employees and tend to keep their employees longer.  Things like a game room in the office, where employees can go relieve a little frustration when need be, can go a long way in employee motivation.

  4. Recognize people for a job well done

  Working hard on something often feels like it was all for nothing if you are not recognized for doing it well.  That’s why it is so critical to show some sort of recognition for your employees to keep them working just as hard.

  Something as simple as discussing their accomplishments at a company-wide meeting or sending around an email recognizing their accomplishments can make them feel especially appreciated.  Although they may shy away from attention, they will likely be pleased to know that they’re being recognized.

  Each of these methods is a great way to motivate employees without breaking the bank. It is easy to lose motivation when there are no incentives to do well. Applying one of these options is an easy technique for avoiding employee burnout and keeping inspiration high.

  For more employee motivation techniques, check out this article.

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• 6 Apr

  How can you use smartpens to become more efficient?

  

  by MTS on Apr 6, 2011

  Smartpens are a new office trend with ever-expanding possibilities. The features of smartpens have grown a lot since the technology first came about, and they’re still expanding.

  What many smartpens do is capture the notes that you are writing down and convert them into a digital format.   Additional capabilities vary by brand and model.   Here is some information about some of the models that are available today.

  IOGEAR Mobile Digital Scribe

  This smartpen was the first on the scene. For that reason, it doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles that you might find in a newer model.

  It captures and stores everything you write and doesn’t call for a special notepad or piece of paper.  This makes it especially easy to upload your notes to your computer.  If you already have the Mobile Digital Scribe linked to your computer it will automatically transfer any text and drawings directly to the screen.

  Logitech IO2 Digital Pen

  The Logitech IO2 Digital Pen executes most of the basic functions that you can find on IOGEAR’s pen. Once you transcribe your notes, you are able to save them in a number of different formats and file types.

  You can then search for words and phrases by date, file type, or file name. You can add items to your calendar merely by writing them down.  The Logitech IO2 Digital Pen doesn’t work on any surface like the IOGEAR pen, but it works with Post-It notes and Franklin Covey’s iScribe software and digital planning pages.

  Livescribe Echo

  The Livescribe Echo has far more functions than its counterparts. It not only transcribes your written notes into a PDF, it also records any audio and lets you save that in a variety of different formats.

  The coolest feature that you’ll find on the Echo is the Pencast functionality.  A Pencast allows you to play back the audio and synchronize it with your notes, making it much simpler to keep a detailed record of your thoughts without writing down everything.  Apple has also built a free app that allows for easy sharing and replaying.

  All of these pens are excellent for their own reasons and they can really help you become more efficient in the office.  You’ll never be forced to remember the tiny details of a meeting again.

  If you’d like to take a look at a review of the Livescribe Echo, check out this Inc. article.

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