Be Wary Of These Business Troubles

Julie Starr • Apr 21, 2022



When you have your own business you are responsible for anything that happens to go a bit awry. Being prepared for all eventualities will help you manage everything should the worst happen. Here are six common business troubles that you can face and how to work around them.

High Energy Costs 

If when you created your business budget you catered for the costs of energy then you may need to rejiggle this around a bit. It can end up costing an arm and a leg these days when it comes to energy, and the cost only seems to be rising. In order to deal with this then it may be time to start reminding your employees and other workers to shut down their PCs at the end of the day. You should also turn the lights off rather than leave them on, this wastes electricity. 

It may be worthwhile investing in some form of renewable energy such as wind power or solar power. These will help cut your energy bills by as much as half. It may seem like a huge payout initially but it will pay for itself in the end. You can put the money you save on energy towards other aspects of your business such as sustainability programs. 

Security Trouble 

It can be quite common for unruly people to target businesses. This is due to the sheer amount they can actually take from them. Not only physical items but files and data as well. Keeping security tight within your business will alleviate any problems that could arise. There are many options when it comes to your business’s security, these include CCTV, security personnel, and smart locks. 

Continued COVID Concerns 

It might seem like the COVID pandemic is behind us but this just isn’t true. There are a lot of people who are still concerned about the impact of the virus, including long-COVID. This is still impacting a few different business sectors and it’s something that you should keep in mind. As well as this, some companies are still recovering from the knocks to profit that occurred during the pandemic. 

 

Make sure that whoever you choose to look after your business is verified and has reviews from previous customers and clients. You can also ask around your friends, family, or other businesses for recommendations. You just want the best for your business which means choosing the best security team for the job. Of course one of the greatest concerns is definitely cyber. That’s why you should make sure that you have the right insurance in place.   Insurance brokers  will help ensure that you find the best option on the market for your company. 


In the meantime, you can also invest in security solutions like a centralized platform for managing secrets to protect your business against online threats. Imagine a secure vault, accessible only to authorized users, where you can store all your passwords, keys, and other sensitive information. This feature not only makes it easier to manage and access your data but also strengthens your overall security framework. With features like role-based access, control, and automated rotation of secrets, you can rest assured that your data is protected and you’re following the best security practices. So avoid stress and embrace the peace of mind that comes with a centralized secret management solution and improved cybersecurity.

 

Another point to consider is essentially what’s next. Experts are already warning that COVID could just be the beginning. This could be because of constant changes to the environment and that means companies must remain flexible, ready to change for any challenge. 

Running Businesses Remotely 

Many businesses these days operate from home. This is another after-effect of COVID. Businesses were forced to operate from home because it was deemed unsafe for people to work in close proximity. Now, a lot of business employees don’t see why they should return to the office. They want a better work/life balance which is completely understandable. However, letting employees work from home presents other issues including trouble with productivity levels. As such, you will need to make sure that you do take steps to keep people firing on all cylinders. 

Injuries In The Workplace 

 

This can be devastating for your business, especially if the injured worker makes a claim in against you. It is important to be diligent in workplace safety. For instance, if the floor is wet, place a sign stating so with instructions to mind the wet floor with proper signage. This way you are avoiding any injuries from happening. Of course, some injuries are unavoidable but they are not the ones that will get you in trouble. If a worker gets injured then this will lead to them being off work. That could also lead to compensation and the need to fund a structured settlement scheme that leads to managing future payments.   

 

Bad Reviews 

Finally, bad reviews are not helpful for any business. 80% of individuals will check out reviews of a place or business before they go there. If you spot yourself getting some negative reviews then take action straight away. You don’t want one or two bad experiences to tarnish your brand. If the review was left online or on social media, be engaging and responsive by replying in a timely fashion to the consumer. Be authentic and acknowledging by commenting with ways to resolve the matter to the customer’s satisfaction. This proves that you care about your customers’ opinions and want to improve their experience with you next time.  It also helps you learn and grow as a business. 

 

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.
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