A Fresh Start For Your Business

Julie Starr • Aug 16, 2021

A lot of businesses are very process-driven – it’s what keeps them running. But over time, some of these practices can become stale, leaving your employees tired, while also limiting your chance for growth.

Businesses can benefit from a change to help them stay relevant to modern business practices, while also bringing renewed energy back to the workplace. It can be a chance to assess and rebuild, ready to focus on a bright future. After the past year, now is the perfect opportunity to transform your business. By making some changes to the way you do things, you can also make sure your business remains

Want a fresh start for your business? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Consider a change of location

Many businesses have had to think about their location since the pandemic. For many, flexible working will be an ongoing part of the working fabric and could mean there are opportunities for you to downsize your office or move it to a more suitable location.

If you decide to remain in your existing space, there are things you should do to help make it safer and more sustainable moving forward. If employees have been away from the office for a long time, you should bring in a commercial locksmith to change the locks to prevent security risks. There are also opportunities to put your space to better use. You could let out some space to others, create coworking spaces, and more. You can also bring in new policies such as using energy-efficient lighting and equipment to reduce your business’s energy use.

Since the target is about giving your business a fresh start, consider changing your old business name in addition to changing your location. This can be particularly important if your old name no longer represents the new brand image or fresh start you’re seeking to create. Understandably, picking a unique business name that flows with your brand can be tricky. But you can always rely on the internet to suggest some good ideas for business names.

Complete your digital transformation

Digital is the future for many businesses, providing opportunities to do things better and more efficiently than before. You might have already made some changes to your practices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but is there more that can be done to modernize your business?

Digital transformation can bring a lot of benefits to your business, helping to make it more secure while also making information easier and faster to access. With your systems operating online, you’ve got an opportunity to take your business paperless and take another step towards creating a more sustainable workplace.

Brainstorm ideas with your team

It’s been a difficult time for everyone, and teams can feel disconnected after spending a lot of physical time apart. Taking the time to bring your teams back together to bond can help them reacclimatize to working in the office, or to work out how hybrid working can work as you take the next steps for your business.

Giving your teams the chance to share their ideas about the future of the business can help them feel empowered and more motivated. It can also help them take ownership of their work, helping to ensure better results for them and for your business too.

Clean up your office

Could your office benefit from a cleanse? A cluttered, disorganized office doesn’t make for a great place to work. But by having a clear out, you’ll probably find that there are a lot of things you no longer need, and things you can do differently to maintain order in the future.

When clearing out old equipment, furniture and paperwork, make sure you do it sustainably. There are companies that can help you with this, or you can look for local organizations that could benefit from your unwanted office items. Finding a sustainable dumpster rental you can ensure your items aren’t going to go to waste.

Think of ways you can give back

A fresh start for your business can also help you think about ways you can give back. There are a lot of ways businesses can give back to the community that can help you do good, and making sure your business isn’t just about making money.

There is a lot you can do to help the environment as a business too, so why not get involved in some local initiatives and clean-up campaigns to help you do your part? With benefits for both your business and your employees, it’s good to lend a helping hand.

Over the last year, businesses have faced hard times and tough decisions. Some will have undergone permanent changes to secure the future of their business and adapt to different priorities. As your business bounces back, it’s time to think about what you want the future of your business to be and how you can make it happen. Building a happier, more efficient, and more sustainable workplace could be the key to ensuring your continued success.

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Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • 07 Oct, 2024

Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

By Julie Starr • 04 Oct, 2024

Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.