Business Education

The Corona Virus is a Stark Reminder of How Businesses should Deal with the Flu

As the coronavirus continues to dominate the news headlines, people grow ever-more concerned about its spread and possible contagion. While the risk of contracting the illness is very slight, it does help to raise awareness about the spread of common infections, like the cold and flu. And, this is something businesses need to be prepared for, particularly when employees start getting sick.

Why Illness and Work just Don’t Mix

Either an outbreak of a cold or flu strain can wreak havoc on any small business. Worse yet, in more ways than one. First and foremost is of course, the spread of it to other team members. Then, there’s the productivity hit that follows. With fewer people on the job, it’s more difficult to keep up and quality eventually begins to suffer.

The threat cold-and-flu season poses to companies isn’t something to sneeze at. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the flu alone costs U.S. companies $10.4 billion in direct costs including hospitalizations and outpatient visits. The CDC also estimates up to one-fifth of the U.S. population will get the flu in a given flu season, and more than 200,000 Americans will be hospitalized with seasonal, flu-related complications. —Entrepreneur.com

Even employees who can power their way through a sickness can’t bring their A game and that can make the difference in key situations. Plus, it encourages people to spread the illness to others without regard to employees’ health.

How to Prevent the Flu from Spreading in Your Business

The flu or a cold can be devastating to any small business. But, it’s better to handle it in a smart way than trying to go about business as usual. Here are some effective ways the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends businesses prevent the spread of cold and flu in the workplace:

Encourage team members to get a flu vaccine. The CDC advises anyone who is 6 months of age and older to get an annual flu vaccine. (Remember, this is just a recommendation and not a requirement.)
Develop and stick-with good sick leave policies. Create sick policies which encourage employees to take time off without fear of losing out on compensation or fear of reprisal.
Advise sick employees to stay home for enough time. Anyone who gets a cold or the flu should not return to work until at least 24 hours after they get over a fever. This way, they aren’t a continuing source for infecting others.
Allow well employees with sick family members to work (at home). Although the CDC says healthy employees with sick relatives can come to work, it’s not always a good idea. For instance, if a child or elderly parent is sick, their head won’t be in the game anyway.
Provide proactive, preventative necessities throughout the workplace. Things like hand sanitizer, tissues, hand soap, and more preventative necessities should be readily available, all throughout the workplace.

What other suggestions do you have to deal with a cold or flu outbreak in the workplace? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Like this article?

Creative Ways Entrepreneurs can Expand their Small Businesses

May 3, 2023 No Comments

Starting a small business is a big undertaking, but it can be incredibly rewarding. However, growing a small business can be just as challenging. There are many factors to consider, such as marketing, financing, and staffing. But with a little creativity and ingenuity, entrepreneurs can expand their businesses and achieve their goals. Creative Ways Entrepreneurs Can Expand Their Small Businesses One neat trick (that isn’t necessarily easy to pull off) is to expand in order to provide not only additional revenue streams but stability, too. This helps to meet basic financial needs when certain products and/or services fail to perform to their normal or even desired standards. Fortunately, it’s possible to expand a small operation without incurring a lot of time and expense. You’ll find some of these strategies don’t require work or capital whatsoever. In fact, a few are quite simple and straightforward. So let’s take a look at a few creative ways entrepreneurs can expand their small businesses: Partner with other businesses. One way to expand your business is to partner with other businesses that complement your own. For example, if you own a restaurant, you could partner with a local bakery to offer delivery or catering services. Or, if you own a retail store, you could partner with a local marketing firm to help you with your advertising and promotions. Expand into new markets. Another way to grow your business is to expand into new markets. This could mean opening up new locations, selling your products online, or targeting new demographics. For instance, if you own a clothing store, you could expand into new markets by opening up a location in a different city or by selling your products online. Develop new products or services. Another way to expand your business is to develop new products or services. This could mean adding new items to your product line, offering new services, or creating a new line of business altogether. Here’s one example to follow, if you own a landscaping company, you could develop a new line of gardening products or offer lawn care services. Offer franchising opportunities. If you have a successful business model, you can consider franchising your business to expand your reach. This involves licensing your business model to other entrepreneurs who can operate their own franchises. Franchising can help you expand your brand and increase revenue without incurring the costs and risks associated with opening new locations. Create a loyalty program. A loyalty program can help you retain customers and encourage repeat business. You can create a loyalty program that rewards customers for their purchases or referrals. This can help you build a loyal customer base and increase sales. Attend industry events. One way to stay ahead of the curve and learn about new trends is to attend industry events. This is a great way to network with other entrepreneurs, learn about new products and services, and get inspired. So, let’s say you own a restaurant. You could attend a food and beverage trade show to learn about new trends in the industry. Get involved in your community. Another way to grow your business is to get involved in your community. This could mean sponsoring local events, volunteering your time, or donating to local charities. Getting involved in your community is a great way to build goodwill and support for your business. These are just a few creative ways entrepreneurs can expand their small businesses. By being creative and thinking outside the box, entrepreneurs can achieve their goals and grow their businesses into successful enterprises. Obviously, this isn’t a complete or exhaustive list of ways entrepreneurs can expand their small businesses. If you have any other bits of advice or suggestions, 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 to learn more about us and the services we offer.

Entrepreneurs Can Use These 5 Tricks to Fight Drowsy Days

September 14, 2017 No Comments

Everyone pushes through drowsy days. In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals 35 percent of adults ages 18 through 60 do not get the recommended 7 hours per night. That leads to a perpetual sense of tiredness. And, if this affects you, you know full well it’s not good for your productivity. But, if you’re unable to get a decent night’s sleep, you’ll need ways to cope to get through the workday. 5 Ways to Beat Drowsy Workdays There’s a lot you can stop doing to be successful in business. When it comes to sleep, you can also stop doing a few things. First and foremost, give yourself some tech-free time in the evening, particularly before you go to bed. About an hour before you go to sleep, turn off or silence your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and other devices. Also, get in a routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time. We live in a fast-paced world where everything is quicker and more urgent. In leadership, in business, and in life, it seems we’re always behind: It needed to be done yesterday! It needs to be done now! Why isn’t it already done? Our days are hectic and our nights are busy. We constantly have to be on and available. Unsurprisingly, the side effects of this constant rush include an epidemic of fatigue. —Inc.com When you’re an entrepreneur, you work long, hard hours. And, it’s not easy to just relax and unwind at night when you have so much idle time. It’s natural to mull over the day and to plan ahead for tomorrow. But, you need a good night’s rest to be your best. However, you can’t let go and toss and turn through the night. Now, that familiar mid-afternoon 3 o’clock yawn grips you. What do you do? You need to make a good impression when you have a face-to-face meeting. Even if it’s just another day, without a big agenda, you might still need to fight fatigue. Here are a few helpful suggestions for beating those drowsy workdays: Leave your workspace. Being in the same environment for hours can easily lead to boredom (especially if you’re already tired). So, do yourself a favor and get outside. A walk around the block. A trip to the nearest mall for some quick window shopping. Just get out of the office for 15 or 20 minutes. Have a quick, healthy snack. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are excellent sources of nutrition. And, some even help perk up your blood sugar levels. That’s enough to give you some more energy. It’s also a great way to counteract the effects of a big lunch that bogs you down. Do a little exercise. You don’t necessarily have to go outside to reinvigorate yourself (although it does really help). You can exercise right in your workspace. Do a few stretches and follow-up with some simple calisthenics. Tackle a few no-brainers. Tiredness can also be made worse by staying on a difficult task. One solution is to go with a few mundane chores. Take out the trash, clean the kitchen, organize your desk, anything that doesn’t require a lot of concentration will do the trick. Play some music. It’s a well-known fact that music stimulates the brain. And, it also impacts the body itself. So, put on some of your favorite tunes and get into the rhythm. Your attitude will quickly improve and you’ll feel reinvigorated. What do you do to power your way through a drowsy afternoon? What methods allow you to cope the best? Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group. [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

How to Turn YOLO into Action

January 10, 2019 No Comments

YOLO — You Only Live Once. It’s true and that’s precisely the reason to give that business idea you have a real go. Really. What you’re waiting for isn’t likely to happen. You have to make it happen. So, let’s get right to it. Why Most Business Start-Up Roadblocks are Imaginary Okay, you need money, right? Wrong. But, you need an extensive business plan. Nope. You need a retail store, an office, a professional space. Probably not. Whatever the reasons, you’re probably talking yourself out of it rather than being thoughtful and careful. There are no limits on who can become a great entrepreneur. You don’t necessarily need a college degree, a bunch of money in the bank or even business experience to start something that could become the next major success. However, what you do need is a strong plan and the drive to see it through. —Entrepreneur.com While thoughtful and careful are good qualities, you need a healthy dose of impulse. In fact, almost every “roadblock” is merely you making an excuse. It’s no more complicated than you making it more complicated. 4 Simple Steps to Start a Business In reality, there are very few steps to start a business. With all the technology at your disposal and a little can-do attitude, it’s entirely possible. All you need is to do the following: Do a bit of research (but not too much). Learn about the product or service and its industry. You don’t need to become an academic expert. Research enough to get acquainted and feel more confident. Although, there’s a point of diminishing returns. If you keep going, you’ll eventually become overwhelmed. In other words, don’t get stuck in the paralysis of analysis or you’ll never actually get started. Test it out in a few different ways first. Whatever it is, test it out and don’t expect to charge — at least in the very beginning. Instead, ask for feedback and listen carefully. Others will give you invaluable input and that’s more valuable than money when starting out. (Now, if someone is willing to pay, give them a nice discount.) Start spreading the word, far and wide. Use social media, your family, your circle of friends, and acquaintances to spread the word. But, don’t hard sell. Just let people know about it. Make changes as you go and learn along the way. More than likely, you won’t hit the ball out of the park at first. You’ll need to make changes as you go. Be flexible and you’ll enjoy the ride a whole lot more. What other advice would you give to people who want to start a business? What motivated you? Please share your experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.