Business Networking. Strategies to enhance your rolodex!

Networking for business – sometimes, it is who you know.
While networking cannot replace solid relationships that are built over time, it is an effective way to begin those relationships. With each new person you meet, your network expands to include their contacts as well. And, since most of us tend to prefer doing business with people we know, being introduced to a new contact by someone in your network is a great way to grow your client base. Along with repeat clients, referrals are the lifeblood of most businesses – networking is a key strategy for developing your referral business while building your new business.

These days, everyone networks, so it’s unlikely you’re new to the game. However, even the most seasoned professional can use a few tips to keep them off the bench and their business on the winning side.

Focus, focus, focus.
When you meet new people, whether as a part of your business, through a professional organization or just in the course of your day, it’s important to keep in mind what you can do for them. Focusing on their needs first and foremost helps you recognize opportunities where you may be of assistance to that particular contact. Perhaps you can refer business to them or share some knowledge regarding one of their prospective clients. Either way, the more helpful you prove to be – or even attempt to be – the more likely that person will think of you first when they need something from a business like yours. Even if you don’t see an immediate return on your efforts, have patience; eventually it will pay off.

Use technology to your advantage.
Thanks to new technology, keeping track of networking contacts has never been easier. Current software enables you to create databases of contacts that can be updated frequently with information on each person. Rather than jotting pertinent facts on the back of your contact’s business card, you can now enter this information into a database like Microsoft Outlook “Contacts” that can help you sort them into categories and then be synched-up with your handheld electronics so you can have this information at your fingertips. Attending a cocktail party and need to refresh your memory on a few guests? No problem! Simply retrieve the info and impress the contact with your knowledge of their spouse’s name and occupation.

Seek professional help.
Join professional organizations specific to your field, but don’t ignore general professional organizations like your local Chamber of Commerce. This “indirect networking” method helps you take advantage of associations whose members are varied and is an excellent way for you to build your contact list.

In addition to increasing the number of people you may do business with, building your network in this way also allows you to learn more about your existing contacts, which in turn helps you make smarter business referrals. And, since a bad referral can come back to haunt you, it’s important to take any opportunities available to get to know the people you’re referring. This way, you’ll be more comfortable the next time you recommend one contact to another. Remember, a strong, successful network is built on solid relationships that you develop over time. Indirect networking is a great way to do this.

Always be networking.
Keeping the lines of communication open with the people in your network is crucial. As important as it is to add new people to the network, it is just as vital that you keep in touch with previous contacts. Once you’ve developed a rapport with a contact, consistent follow-up helps to build the relationship by establishing a comfort factor and keeping you in touch with their needs. This way, you’re in a better position to not only be helpful to them, but to remind them of your goals as well.

Want some more simple, yet effective tips for succeeding in today’s working world? Contact an Adecco staffing professional today and they’ll give you more great advice to succeed in today’s workplace!

Give a Little. Gain a lot.

When your employees get what they need, so does your business.

For many people, a job is mainly a means to an end – it pays the bills and enables them to enjoy time with their family and friends, and pursue their interests outside the office. But if the majority of your employees view their job this way, your business could be in trouble. Employees who are invested in your company and their position are happier, more productive, more innovative and more likely to stay with the organization and help it succeed. Determining what – beyond fair pay and benefits – motivates your employees and providing it for them whenever possible, is the key to developing and maintaining a happy workforce and a successful business. Fortunately, we’ve compiled the following insights to help you identify what your workers are looking for from their jobs – and how you can ensure they get what they want.

Live and let live.
You’ve built a team of hardworking, dedicated individuals – people you rely on to go the extra mile whenever necessary. But what happens when that extra mile (or two) is constantly needed? Employees with jobs that consume all of their time and leave them too exhausted and stressed to enjoy their evenings and weekends are unhappy, unhealthy and unproductive, and eventually, they leave – taking valuable experience and company knowledge with them.

Fostering a healthy work/life balance is crucial for warding off burnout amongst your people – and for keeping turnover low. So promote a company culture that supports employees’ having a life outside of the office. Be flexible if they occasionally need to work from home in order to care for a sick child or elderly parent, and let them leave early or come in late if it means they’ll be able to attend their children’s sporting events or school meetings. Encourage them to take vacations and leave the office on time whenever possible, and be an example for the people you manage: try not to work late every night, occasionally leave the office for lunch, take regular vacations, and when you’re sick – stay home. By showing your employees that you recognize that work can’t always be their top priority, you’ll earn their loyalty, keep them happy and help your business achieve its goals.

Give them room to grow.
When the learning curve wanes, employee interest often follows. After all, for many people, the opportunity to continuously improve and grow within their position – and the company – is a key incentive. So, for employees who show an interest in learning advanced skills and taking on more responsibilities, providing them with chances to do those things whenever possible could go a long way towards keeping them happy – and happy employees are good for business. Provide access to your company’s internal training program, or, if your business doesn’t have one, send employees to seminars, workshops or professional development classes.

If your company doesn’t already have a formal performance review process in place, start planning one today. The performance review is an excellent talent management tool that helps ensure you and your employees are on the same page regarding their career path. So, develop a review process that allows for open dialogue on both sides, helps employees set clear goals and creates an action plan to help them attain those goals. Remember, every person is different – performance reviews help ensure that each member of your team has what they need to succeed.

Mix it up a bit.
Raise your hand if you enjoy doing the same thing every single day with no hope for change. Nobody? That’s what we thought. And your employees feel the same way as you. In every business there’s necessary – but often tedious – work that must be completed. Try spreading the “good” assignments around whenever possible so the same people aren’t spending all of their time working on those essential, but dull, tasks.

Create a culture of empowerment.
With any luck, you’ve hired qualified individuals who are prepared to handle any assignments you send their way – and smart enough to ask for assistance or more information when they need it. If that’s the case, give them room to do their jobs. Micromanaging can add to everyone’s stress level – including your own, and often results in employees believing you doubt their competency. Letting your people take ownership of their own work and make decisions where appropriate increases their job satisfaction and company loyalty – and frees you up to focus on higher-level tasks.

Likewise, companies that take the time to build an environment that fosters mutual respect among colleagues and encourages “outside-the-box” thinking are setting the stage for success. An atmosphere where employees know that their input is valued – and, more importantly, feel secure enough to offer it – benefits everyone.

Let them know they matter.
Employees who believe in the value of their work – and the company as a whole – are better team members and higher contributors to the business’s success. So take the time to ensure that each member of your department understands where they fit into the team and how their work impacts the company’s results.

No cookie-cutter answers.
Above all, keep in mind that everyone is different – and so are their reasons for working. Employees are individuals, and what motivates you may not be the same as what inspires your workers. Staying in tune with your staff’s needs will help keep turnover low and results high.

To learn more about how we can help your business achieve success, please contact Adecco today www.adecco.ca

Staffing Up for Tax Season: How companies can run an efficient process while ensuring success.

Corporate tax filings are an annual endeavor for companies across the country. The value of finance and accounting staff with tax experience is particularly high during this time of year when long hours, increased stress and tight deadlines are commonplace. Given the time demands and growing list of priorities for finance and accounting staff, effective management of human capital is crucial to ensuring a successful tax season.

Plan ahead.

Corporate tax return preparation and submission follows a similar cyclical workflow each year. As a result, it is possible to prepare for the process far in advance of its annual arrival. Doing so can lead to a more proactively managed approach when tackling the demands and challenges of tax season’s heavy workload.

An important part of planning ahead is ensuring staff is continuously educated on process changes in a timely fashion. This lead time is important in arming staff at all levels with the right information, while providing ample time so they may overcome any learning curve associated with process adjustments. Maintaining this open dialogue with employees will ensure a well-organized and efficient tax season. Some additional planning tips include:

* Address questions and concerns as soon as they arise, easing concerns and allowing for more time to focus on delivering solutions as deadlines quickly approach
* Use prior year’s experience as a tool for planning the upcoming year’s strategy
* Learn from what was and was not effective in the past and think about the new challenges that will need to be overcome
* Ask yourself and your colleagues, will this year be more complicated? Will additional resources/hours be necessary?

Answering these questions up front will go a long way towards ensuring success this coming tax season and beyond

People agenda.

Corporate tax work is often very detailed and complex, making staff with direct experience even more essential. Although it is only a portion of an employee’s job description, it is important for accounting and finance hiring managers to consistently look for individuals with tax experience when interviewing and selecting staff. This will ensure your organization is consistently staffed with the appropriate manpower as tax season approaches each year.

Further, actively identify other internal accounting and finance staff that can pitch in on other activities to relieve the burden during the busiest portions of tax season. In doing so, be careful to ensure there are sufficient resources focused on day-to-day objectives so that nothing falls through the cracks.

Set clear expectations among staff in planning their workloads and/or any additional hours needed to complete all required tax and regular work assignments. Utilizing the expertise of experienced employees is also a great way to prepare newer staff before tax season. Some additional people agenda tactics include:

* Train high-performing employees to facilitate tax training courses and/or act as mentors for new hires who need to quickly come up to speed. Leveraging the experience of seasoned professionals is imperative, and employers should reward high performers appropriately to keep them on board.
* Allowing flexible work arrangements, for example, is one way to increase employee satisfaction, thereby improving retention. Although companies often require weekend work during tax season, think about letting staff disperse their hours as they see fit in order to achieve a better work-life balance.
* If possible, provide access to email and shared drives from home to increase staff productivity while simultaneously providing further flexibility for employees.

Temporary staff.

Prior to tax season, corporate tax managers must assess whether or not they have the skills and capacity in house to manage the process effectively. Oftentimes managers view temporary staff as a solution for low-level administrative tasks, but well- trained and experienced temporary resources are also available and offer employers highly-specialized skills.

As tax season presents a short-term need for increased support, temporary staff can be a great resource to help manage this crunch time successfully. Further, temporary employees often do not receive the same benefits and compensation as full-timers, presenting a cost-effective approach to solving the short-term need for additional resources. Retired corporate tax professionals and top accounting students are great examples of temporary staff that can expand your company’s diversity while adding valuable intellectual capital and experience to your business.

Hiring temporary staff also provides a test period whereby an employer can evaluate the performance of a worker should they wish to hire them full time. If all goes well during tax season, employers can make a well-informed hiring decision when open positions become available. This provides more valuable performance information than can be obtained during a half-hour job interview or brief phone call with professional references.

Outsourcing.

Accounting staff is often needed to manage day-to-day processes aimed at maintaining internal controls and/or producing detailed reporting, which leaves staff little time to assist during tax season. When this happens, employers can look externally for solutions. As such, outsourcing can be a viable option to consider as part of a company’s plan for executing a successful tax season.

Outsourcing the preparation of tax returns enables staff to focus on providing more valuable services necessary to meet regulatory and other business obligations. It is important, however, to appropriately assess internal capabilities before looking externally. If process efficiencies, including the use of new technologies and/or software, can be initiated in order to manage tax season internally, try to put these in place before looking outside.

A well-planned process is a smart process!

Tax season brings with it increased demands on a company’s resources. Creating a strategy that appropriately utilizes the various tools at your disposal is key to planning a well-organized process. Although executing an efficient and compliant tax season can be challenging, there are clear steps corporate tax managers can take to ensure this annual practice is successful for both their business and staff.

For more expert advice on how to properly staff your department during tax season, contact Adecco today.