The latest on all kinds of information, news, and resources that help you make working remotely better.

11 Skills Small Business Owners Need To Have in 2023 | Catherine Collins, Finance.yahoo.com

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or the CEO of a small team, small business owners in 2023 need to have a range of skills in order to compete effectively in the marketplace. Here are eleven of the most important.

Communication

It’s ironic that we have so many different ways to communicate with colleagues and customers, yet so much gets lost in translation and tone. Improving communication skills can go a long way in meeting customer needs, as well as creating a healthy work environment.

Digital Marketing

Learning about growing an email list, marketing to customers, copywriting and running social media ads can help entrepreneurs grow their small businesses over time.

Money Management

Managing money, budgeting, organizing receipts and paying quarterly self-employment taxes are necessary parts of running a business. A business owner who wants to grow and thrive in 2023 would be wise to take the time to understand their day-to-day business finances.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, also known as EQ, means you can understand emotions. Someone with a high EQ can sense other people’s feelings and empathize with them when necessary. It’s a crucial skill for a business owner to have, especially if they are interacting with customers or employees on a daily basis.

Time Management

Unlike a 9-to-5 job, it’s hard for business owners to completely log off for the day. Running a business takes significant mental space, and learning better time management skills can help with work/life balance as well as productivity.

Innovation

It’s important for business owners to think dynamically about their products and services and regularly think about ways they can better serve their customers.

Networking

Attending conferences and industry events is a great way to learn about innovations in the field and also meet fellow business owners. It’s also important to use tools like LinkedIn and local meetups to collaborate and cross-promote.

Remote Team Management

Teams that typically interacted in office buildings suddenly had to navigate the world of remote work. Because so many workers now enjoy the flexibility of working from home, understanding how to manage teams in a remote environment is a useful skill for business owners in 2023.

Cultural Competence

The world is a diverse place, and as such, it’s important for businesses to have a diverse workforce and serve diverse customers. Getting training to ensure your business and business practices consider diversity and inclusion is a respectful way to ensure you can attract top talent and create a successful work environment.

Resilience

Running a small business can be emotionally exhausting, and the path isn’t linear. You could have your best months followed by your worst months and vice versa. What typically contributes to a small business’ success is grit and resilience.

Final Thoughts

Only with continuous learning and resilience can businesses continue to find success in a new landscape. The business world has changed dramatically, especially since the pandemic, and business owners need to find new ways to market, network, communicate and lead to thrive in 2023.

10 ways to deal with and manage stress at work | Rich Henson, Hrmorning.com

Daily stress, like meeting deadlines and providing deliverables, is challenging enough. But when stress becomes chronic, it’s overwhelming and harmful to your physical and mental health.

10 steps to avoid work stress

1.Identify what stresses you

It’s essential to learn what’s causing your stress at work. Using “mindfulness” techniques at work can help you identify what raises your stress levels.

A great way to stay mindful is to keep a journal, even if only for a brief period, like a week or a month. At moments when you’re feeling particularly stressed, write down a quick description of the situation. You‘ll get better – and faster – at it.

2. Set boundaries

Allowing work to take over your life is bound to create stress. And the most common way for this to happen is by routinely replying to emails after hours. It’s toxic. And when after-hour responses become the norm, you’re the only one who can put your foot down.

Step one is to set firm boundaries. Set an example by respecting your team’s lives outside of work. And don’t send or encourage work emails or communications late in the evenings or on weekends.

3. Develop healthy responses

Many of us tend to fight stress with food or alcohol, so do your best to make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise. Any form of physical activity is a great stress buster (e.g., yoga, walking, swimming, gardening, cleaning).

Add quality sleep to your list of healthy things to do. Build sound sleep habits by limiting your caffeine intake late in the day and minimizing stimulating activities, especially screen time, before bed.

4. Take quick breaks

Simple quick breaks that put distance between you and the source of your immediate stress can work wonders.

Walk to your car to “get something.” Watch a two-minute video on YouTube or TikTok. Call a friend and say “Hi.” Go to the bathroom. Any quick distraction that can remove you from a stress-creating situation helps.

5. Stop trying to be perfect

Naturally, you want to “give it your all” when it comes to your career. But try not to be perfect at every aspect of your job. The top performers and hardest workers tend to deal with stress the most.

Self-awareness is your best friend in these situations. Whether it’s accepting that no one is perfect or realizing some people can do some things better than you, if perfection is your obsession, try to get a handle on it.

6. Get organized

Organizing your work life is a great stress reducer. Develop an organizational plan that’s easy to maintain, and stick with it. A basic component is a good filing system that works. There are countless examples online. Find one and use it.

This will save you time in the long run by making everything easily accessible. Consider creating rituals for your daily life. These may include personal routines like making tea before work or going on a walk every day during your afternoon break.

7. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

The workplace of the 21st century is becoming increasingly competitive and stressful. It’s more important than ever to have a mentor or coach to guide you through your career, especially if you feel unsure of your next steps.

8. Talk to your supervisor

Employee health has been linked to productivity at work, so your boss has an incentive to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being. Start by having an open conversation with your supervisor.

The purpose of this isn’t to lay out a list of complaints, but rather to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you’ve identified. This will allow you to perform at your best on the job.

9. Get comfortable

You might not notice you’re stressed if you’re sitting in an uncomfortable chair for a few minutes. But what if you practically live in that chair at work? You might have a sore back and be more reactive to stress because of it.

Even small things like noises or a colleague’s humming can be distracting and cause feelings of low-grade frustration. Do what you can to create a quiet, comfortable and soothing workspace.

Practice these 10 stress relievers

1. Count to 10 before you speak or react.
2. Take a few slow, deep breaths until you feel your body start to unclench.
3. Go for a walk, even if it’s just down the hallway and back.
4. Try meditation or a prayer to reset.
5. If it can wait, let it sit overnight.
6. Break down problems into smaller parts and tackle them one step at a time.
7. Hug a friend.
8. Find a colleague you can confide in.
9. If you owe your mom a phone call, take a few minutes to call her
10. Do something simple you’ve been putting off, like making that dental appointment.

Boosting Employee Productivity: Effective Strategies for Success | Richard, Streetwisejournal.com

From maintaining a great office environment to leveraging modern tools, we’ve got you covered with a variety of strategies that will transform your workplace into a productivity powerhouse.

Strategy 1: The Power of a Great Office

Maintaining a Clean Environment: Commercial Cleaning

A clean and organized office is the foundation of employee productivity. When employees walk into a well-maintained environment, they feel valued and motivated. Consider hiring a commercial cleaning service to ensure that your office space is consistently spick and span.

Strategy 2: Flexible Work Arrangements

Embracing Remote Work: Work-From-Home Options

Granting team members the flexibility to operate from home, even intermittently, can foster improved job contentment and a harmonious work-life equilibrium, elevating their overall output.

Strategy 3: Invest in Professional Development

Continuous Learning: Training and Skill Enhancement

Allocate resources to skill-enhancing endeavors, seminars, and instructional sessions, enabling them to refine their expertise and stay abreast with sectoral shifts. When they sense the firm’s commitment to their progression, their drive to excel intensifies.

Strategy 4: Encourage Regular Breaks

Mindfulness Breaks: Meditation and Relaxation

Encourage your employees to take regular breaks throughout the day. Short breaks can actually enhance focus and creativity. Consider setting up a relaxation or meditation space in your office where employees can recharge their minds.

Strategy 5: Embrace Technology Tools

Utilizing Productivity Apps: Task Management and Collaboration Tools

From task management apps that help organize daily to-do lists to collaboration tools that streamline teamwork, these tools can transform how your employees work. Platforms like Trello, Asana, and Slack facilitate efficient communication and task tracking, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and tasks are completed promptly.

Strategy 6: Recognition and Rewards

Celebrating Achievements: Employee Recognition Programs

Feeling valued and appreciated is a strong motivator. Implement employee recognition programs to acknowledge and reward outstanding performance. This can range from a simple “Employee of the Month” award to bonuses or additional time off. 

Strategy 7: Clear Communication and Goal Setting

Setting Expectations: Transparent Communication

Clear communication is the cornerstone of a productive workplace. Ensure that your employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities, and that they understand the company’s goals and objectives. Regularly communicate updates and changes to keep everyone informed and aligned. 

In conclusion

Boosting employee productivity isn’t about enforcing strict rules or pushing your team to the brink. It’s about creating an environment that nurtures their growth, respects their well-being, and leverages modern tools and techniques to maximize their efficiency.

Essential skills for remote leadership | Thunderbird School of Global Management, Forbesindia.com

Common problems leaders experience when managing remote teams and actionable strategies to overcome them.

Remote leadership challenges

Remote leadership comes with a unique set of challenges that can make it difficult to manage a team effectively. One of the most significant challenges is communication.

Communication

The lack of in-person interaction can make it harder to build trust and rapport. Written communications can also make it difficult to ascertain tone and lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.

Lack of team cohesiveness

Effective teams work toward the same goal, utilizing each team member’s strengths to achieve results. This can be difficult to create in a remote environment, especially in teams with a mix of in-office and remote members.

Managing time zone differences

Managing remote employees that work from different time zones can be challenging. Something as simple as setting meetings suddenly requires extra planning and flexibility as workers from later and earlier time zones work to find a time that is neither too early or late.

Maintaining company culture

Having a positive company culture can even help recruit and retain workers, but maintaining it is difficult with remote teams. This is especially problematic when onboarding new employees.

Tracking productivity

Keeping workers productive is an important part of management, but how do you ensure productivity in remote teams? Shifting from measuring the number of tasks checked off a list to more remote-friendly measurements isn’t easy for many leaders, but it’s necessary.

Tips for managing remote teams

Elevate your communication skills

Improving communication skills can help remote leaders create a more supportive and collaborative work environment. It can also reduce the frustration that comes with misunderstanding tone or instructions.

Provide regular feedback

Your remote team needs more than a list of to-dos that get crossed off. They also need feedback. Providing regular feedback may happen organically when you work in the same office, but in a remote environment, it takes more effort.

Measure productivity differently

Productivity has traditionally been measured by the time a worker spends working and the number of tasks they complete. This approach to leadership is largely ineffective when managing remote employees. Reducing an employee’s worth to how many items they check off a list fails to properly value the impact of the work they complete.

Trust and build trust with your teams

Trust is an essential ingredient for building successful teams, especially in a remote environment. Unfortunately, it is one of the more difficult challenges faced by remote leaders and their teams.

Set clear expectations

Setting clear expectations is essential for achieving success in any organization, but it is especially important for remote teams. When workers understand what is expected of them, they are better able to focus their efforts, stay on track, and meet performance standards. 

Establish the team’s purpose

When setting expectations for your remote team, start by defining specific goals and objectives that align with the organization’s mission and vision.

Practice empathy

Leaders may be obligated to focus on business objectives, but that is not where the job description ends. We are humans first and employees second, but leaders sometimes forget this due to the pressure involved in reaching company goals. As a remote leader, it is even easier to forget that the people on the other side of the screen are real humans juggling life and work.