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The use of automation in small business is becoming more and more popular. We all know that machines can do things faster and better than humans, but what about when it comes to replacing them altogether? In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of using automation in your small business. The Automation Conundrum Automation can help businesses run more efficiently by replacing manual labor with machines. This can lead to increased productivity and lower costs. However, there are also some disadvantages to using automation in a small business. For example, automated systems can be unreliable and may need maintenance or repairs that can be costly and time-consuming. There is a growing need for business leaders to seek innovative ways to increase the output of their workers in order to retain their competitive positioning. Deciding to automate your workplace, partially or fully, is an important decision that needs to be made after carefully considering the pros and cons. —Businessing Magazine Additionally, if not used correctly, automation can actually decrease productivity by replacing skilled workers with machines that do not have the same level of expertise. In conclusion, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of using automation in your specific business before making a decision about whether or not to incorporate automation or even replace human employees. Business Automation Advantages and Disadvantages Of course, there are always upsides and downsides to making such changes in any size company. So, let’s take a look at the biggest advantages of using automation in a small business: Increased efficiency and productivity: Automation can help small businesses to run more efficiently and produce more output with fewer inputs. This can lead to increased profits and competitiveness. Reduced costs: Automated systems often require less maintenance than human workers, leading to reduced costs over time. Reduced risk of error: Automated systems are far less likely to make mistakes than human workers, leading to improved accuracy and reliability. Although these reasons definitely make it seem like a smart move and bode well for streamlining with technology. There are distinct disadvantages of using automation in a small business, like the following: Lack of flexibility: Automated systems are not able to easily adapt to changing circumstances the way that humans can. You might be faced with expensive and tedious reprogramming. Extra expenses: Can be expensive to set up and maintain automated systems. Machines break down and this alone could lead to substantial out-of-pocket costs. Overall efficiency: Automated systems may be less efficient than human workers in certain tasks. What other pros and cons would you include in regard to introducing automation in a small business? Please share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your perspective! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Pandemics, natural disasters, and other unfortunate events might be a rarity, but they do happen. While it’s certainly possible we may not experience a major event in the near future, it’s irresponsible to ignore the possibility. After all, there’s an undeniable truth to the old adage, “Better safe than sorry.” Even if it is only a minor occurrence, being prepared is just plain smart. Fortune Favors the Prepared You’ve no doubt heard the expression, “Fortune favors the prepared.” The reason it’s been around so long, is because it’s proven true time and time again. When you have a plan in-place, you’re much less likely to panic. Stress and anxiety are very powerful emotions which can cause you to make rash decisions. And, everyone knows that making decisions in a rush often leads to worsening already bad situations. Today’s business landscape has several unique features, which will add new complexities on top of the historical playbook. This makes it important for business leaders to prepare for the specific circumstances of the next downturn, as well as exploiting the right lessons from the past. —Harvard Business Review So, knowing what you’re going to do in advance provides you with an immense advantage. You’ll be able to follow along a predetermined path. At the very least, you’ll have parameters in-place to help guide you, should your plan not be totally applicable. Planning for the Next Big Disruption We’ve already gone over some of these points before, but most, if not all, warrant repeating. When you prepare, it’s much easier to take decisive action, virtually eliminating the need to debate a course of action. Here are some helpful tips for how to plan for the next unplanned event: Ready your team for truly remote capabilities. When the impact of the novel coronavirus was foreboding and uncertain, precautionary steps were the only responsible thing to do. If you allowed your employees to work from home, they did so on the fly. And, since reopening, might have returned part- or full-time to the office. However, they probably did not have and still don’t have all the necessary resources to truly work remotely. Put those tools in place now and this will offer you a more seamless transition if needed in the future. Prepare your place of business. We previously discussed protecting a business from vandalism. Although this is unpleasant to think about, it is something that you should plan for. Having the right security and structural preparedness is a necessity to limit damage caused by vandalism. Additionally, you should have prevention and recovery tools in place for other events, like natural disasters, criminal activity, and other unfortunate events. Streamline your organization. Due to the global pandemic and subsequent shutdowns, many businesses furloughed or outright terminated employees. But, expenses remained, despite a marked decrease or near complete cutoff of earnings. While you may have made some temporary adjustments or even cut some expenses out altogether, now is an ideal time to re-examine your operations, pinpointing duplication, inflated expenses, and other unnecessary elements. The overall point being, even if you managed to pull through this last disruption, you may not be able to do so again. Now is an ideal time to plan ahead put in place measures so they are ready to go at a moment’s notice. What other suggestions do you have getting prepared? Please, take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences by commenting and benefiting others! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

There’s an internet meme going around that makes a profound point, “Hire based on attitude, not skills — because you can always teach skills.” And, it backs up some very interesting statistics. For instance, did you know that 85% of a company’s success is due to the team’s attitude, and only 15% is due to individual skills? That’s why when businesses are looking to hire new employees, they should focus on finding individuals with the right attitude, not just those who have the perfect skill set. So, let’s expound a bit as to why. Attitude vs. Skill When it comes to hiring new employees, many businesses focus on finding candidates with the appropriate skills for the job. However, in order to create a successful and productive team, it’s important to also consider attitude. A positive attitude is essential for maintaining a positive work environment and achieving company goals. Is it better to have someone in a team lead role who has a strong work ethic and is all-around positive and can learn the skills or is it better to hire someone based on skills only? What is most important — the skill set or the attitude and growth potential? It depends on the job. There are some jobs where it might make sense to hire for attitude and teach the work itself when it won’t require a major investment of time to do so. There are other jobs where experience and a pre-existing skill set are essential. —Inc.com Therefore, businesses should focus on hiring people who have the right attitude, even if they may not have all the necessary skills. With the right attitude in place, employees can be taught the required skills over time. This makes sense, especially when looking at first-time job seekers in entry-level positions. Those individuals often have little to no skills at all. Those are taught through direct instruction and experience. The Advantages of Hiring Based on Attitude Rather than Skills There is no question that skills are a critical component of any employee’s toolkit. However, research has shown that an individual’s attitude is a stronger predictor of success than their skills. In order to capitalize on this, businesses should consider hiring based on attitude rather than skills due to the following reasons: Longevity. Hiring based on attitude will help you find candidates who are motivated and passionate about their work. These are the employees who will go above and beyond for your company. They will be more engaged in their work, and they will be less likely to leave their positions. Synergy. Hiring based on attitude will help you find candidates who are a good fit for your company culture. This is extremely important, as it can save you time and money in the long run. If a candidate is not a good fit for your company culture, they will likely be unhappy and unproductive in their position. Flexibility. Hiring based on attitude will help you find candidates who are able to adapt to change. When a company hires based on skillset, they may hire someone who has very specific knowledge and experience in their field. But this person might not be able to adapt when things change in the future. What other benefits are gained by hiring based on attitude instead of on skillset? Please take a moment to comment and share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your perspective! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.