Business Education

4 Big Problems with a WFH and On-Site Hybrid Business Operation

With the roll-backs of local, state, and federal COVID-19 restrictions, businesses are attempting to return to a state of normalcy. But, reinstating pre-pandemic conditions isn’t as simple as they ought to be, and too many entrepreneurs are experiencing such a cruel reality. So, some are experimenting with a hybrid solution: a combination of work-from-home or WFH and on-site business operation. Sure, it certainly sounds like a logical solution. But, every solution breeds new problems. Meaning, there are distinct disadvantages to adopting a WFH and on-site business model.

Biggest Hybrid Workplace Advantages

Obviously, corporations around the world wouldn’t put a hybrid model in-place unless it had substantial benefits. And, there are some compelling reasons, like the potential of increased productivity via a customizable schedule. After all, happy employees are more productive and that’s certainly good for the bottom line. Then, there’s the morale boost which comes from being able to choose from WFH and on-site. Employees cherish the freedom and that too, helps to boost both productivity and morale.

What many companies are converging on is a mixture of remote working and traditional office working, known as the hybrid workplace. A hybrid workplace exists when a business allows their employees to work either remotely or from the office. In a typical hybrid workplace, employees have the choice of working in a central office, working from home, or splitting their time between the two. —WeWork Ideas Blog

Additionally, it can help to reduce operating costs, which decrease with the lessened need of supporting individuals constantly on-site. Moreover, it allows employees to avoid toxic situations. For instance, two or more employees who don’t get along very well in-person can find relief by not having to be in close proximity.

4 Issues with a WFH and On-Site Hybrid Business Operation

While a hybrid operation might sound like a perfect answer, that just isn’t the case. Unfortunately, there are big potential problems with adopting a hybrid model, as the following issues might present:

Managing a hybrid team is very difficult. Anyone with experience in managing a team is familiar with the vast time and effort that goes into making it work. Now, add-in a bunch of other variables that weren’t present before and it’s easy to imagine just how more difficult or nightmarish managing people in totally different physical locations is in reality.
Some WFH employees will take advantage. Put this problem in the all-too-obvious column: some employees will exploit the new policies to their own personal advantage, even if it results in harming others and/or the company. While it’s not something you might relish thinking about, it is most definitely a possibility or perhaps, even a probability.
A hybrid scenario can easily foster resentment. Another potential problem is along the same lines as the one above — that one or more employees will gain a sense of others’ nefarious behaviors regarding the hybrid operation. That could very well cause resentment to rear its ugly head.
Not everyone will contribute the same amount. Expounding on the last two possible issues, is the real possibility one or more employees will shuffle responsibilities off their own shoulders and onto their coworkers through a form of sleight of hand.

What other suggestions do you have to deal with potential work-from-home issues? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and experiences. Perhaps others can benefit from your unique perspective! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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7 Challenges Every Bootstrap Entrepreneur Faces

May 16, 2017 No Comments

The entrepreneurial experience is one of duality, a paradox, that’s both exciting, full of hope, and, anxious, stymied by fear. Two very different states of mind and emotion, however, in the majority of instances, one set is preceded by the other. It comes with that spark of the proverbial, “ah ha!” moment–excitement and genuine, heartfelt belief that whatever it is, it will work. Often, this elation is short lived and it’s little wonder why. We grow-up with expectations and more than enough are not fulfilled. So, we learn skepticism, caution, and to examine our actions before blindly leaping. This is precisely why extreme success stories remain so unfathomable–often accompanied by the phraseology, “against all odds.” These sets of circumstances cause us to look at those odds and be honest about the entrepreneurial journey, which more often than not, requires a lot of work, much dedication, and, the ability to see and believe what others don’t. 7 Challenges Every Bootstrap Entrepreneur Faces When you start your own business, it might be a side gig, something that only takes a few hours out of your week and is intended to grow incrementally. It could also be the resort of finding yourself suddenly unemployed and the opportunity to take control of your own future provides all the drive necessary to start and never look back. Others partner together and use old fashioned sweat equity to get their businesses off the ground. Whatever the case might be, there will be obstacles. Regardless of size, most businesses face many of the same challenges every day. Maximizing profits, minimizing expenses and finding talented staff to keep things moving seem to be top challenges for both SMBs and large corporations. —Entrepreneur.com It might come as a surprise, but new companies fail for two primary reasons: too little business, and, too much business. In the former instance, there’s obviously a lack of revenue; but, the latter seems counterintuitive, perplexing, though perfectly explainable–overwhelming demand. These dynamics are usually out of the company’s control but there are others, and, just one of these can be enough to cause failure: Stability. While you might have a marketable and sellable idea, possess the talent to sell it, and have enough resources to get it out there, you don’t control the economy. Being employed provides a sense of security, though arguably, it’s a false one. There is no guarantee your vision will come to fruition in the way you now imagine it, or, at all. Income. It’s a fact that many entrepreneurs don’t take any salary for the first several months, even for a year or more, because the money’s better spent rolled back into the business. Having to forego a steady income, even temporarily, can be too much to bear for some, it’s looking to the future and taking stock of gains that provides the remedy. Sustainability. The marketplace changes and some businesses become near or completely obsolete. In the wake, new opportunities emerge, but that doesn’t undo the damage suffered by those caught on the wrong side. Pivoting when times begin to change is a necessity to embrace. Comfort. One thing that seems strange is what’s obvious by its absence–being the boss. Sure, it will be you who’ll be in charge, which means you will be making the tough decisions, you will be the one responsible for company mistakes, and you who must put your foot down. Schedule. Your work and personal lives will intersect many times during your startup period and here again, it’s because you’re the boss. While you’ll have set boundaries, you’ll have to do so smartly and be flexible. Sleep. Lying awake, brainstorming, putting in a lot of extra hours to get something done, having to meet this deadline or be present for a meeting, all of these are common. Try to find a schedule that largely works and take advantage of downtime. Seventh on the list is confidence, and, it’s among the most powerful of influencers. Your confidence will be challenged many times, but this just comes with the territory. You will have doubts, falter, and make miscalculations, but these are only as hurtful as you allow. Finally, if you have a viable business model with a demand for a product or service, then much of your success falls on you ability to persevere. Many businesses fail or fall “three feet from gold” because the entrepreneur quit. In the toughest of times, I encourage my clients, as I did for myself, to take Action every day on something that will help to grow your business. Sitting, worrying or praying does no benefit without Action. And, Action helps to resolve anxieties and fear. So, go out and pursue our dream today, and take Action every day to building your business! [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Feel Overly Distracted? You’re Not Alone and Here’s Why

December 22, 2017 No Comments

You’re busy. No, you’re super busy. People might even say super-duper busy. As usual, there’s more to do than hours in the day. And, your schedule isn’t slowing down. You’ve got to do X before Y and then onto Z. But, you can’t seem to shake the notion you’re not actually get anything done. It’s not due to a lack of effort. However, it can easily be explained simply by distractions. Top Focus Problems People Suffer From Now, there are several things you can quit doing to be more successful. But, even the most self-disciplined individual isn’t immune from distractions. After all, distractions are everywhere you turn. No matter where you are or what you’re doing. And, it’s not just technology. Sure, smartphones, social media, and more are all culprits. What’s more, you’re not alone if you feel distracted. In fact, the average person’s mind wanders when doing a task between 15 and 20 percent of the time. That statistic, according to Canadian researcher Jonathan Schooler. We created the labor-saving devices that catalyzed the unplanned explosion within which we live today. But as enlightened managers everywhere are learning, we can learn to manage what we created. When we learn how to take back controls that we’ve given away, we can get better at managing our attention and not surrendering it to every distraction. —Fast Company Therefore, if a wandering mind is so prominent, what can be done about it? That’s a good question. And, the answer lies in identifying precisely the cause. You know you’re not a scobberlotcher, an idle person who just sits at a desk, twiddling your thumbs. But, you’re certainly not immune to distractions. Distractions break down focus. If you want to improve your productivity, you’ve got to key in on the cause. Here are the top focus problems people suffer from: Lack of sleep. We all know what it’s like to work through a drowsy day. It’s uncomfortable at the very least. So, don’t let sleep deprivation be an obstacle. Get into a routine that helps you to get a good night sleep. Unplug from technology about an hour before you go to bed. And, be sure to go to bed at a reasonable hour. No priorities. Okay, you have an end goal but along the way, there are many, many different tasks. Without prioritizing them, you’re creating a stressful, chaotic situation. And, it will typically result in a lack of focus precisely because there’s little to no prioritization. Give everything a priority and reap the rewards. Stress. Speaking of stress, when you try to multitask, you’re inviting undue stress. Think about it this way, if you’re trying to do more than one thing at a time, would that cause you to feel more stress? Sure it would. So, put your focus on one thing at a time. Lifestyle. Stress is just one factor; lifestyle is another legitimate cause. You can lose focus because you’re not eating a healthy diet. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and more all make focus easier. Plus, you’ll feel better when you have a healthy lifestyle. How do you maintain your focus? What methods do you use to keep on task? Have you found different ways to deal with distractions? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

These Two Words Reveal Bad Leadership Skills

September 14, 2020 No Comments

Harry Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Ronald Reagan echoed that sentiment. JFK famously said, “…ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Taking credit, even when legitimately earned, doesn’t sit well with others. People often take it as pompous, even narcissistic. That’s because it simply comes across that way, even if you don’t mean it at all. That’s why two simple words can give you a glimpse into someone else’s leadership style. Language Reveals a Lot about Personality The two words that serve as warning signs of bad leadership are merely pronouns — “me” and “I.” Someone who repeatedly uses “me” and “I” are subtly (perhaps overtly) expressing their worldview. That’s right, he or she is the center around which everything revolves. Leadership is one of the most important factors determining the success of a company. Poor leadership can seriously affect employee morale and even cause the company’s bottom line to plunge. Bad leadership leads to poor employee retention and demotivates the remaining employees, causing them to be much less productive than they would otherwise be. —Houston Chronicle Small Business Okay, that’s cliche, but it exposes a hard truth. We don’t like to think of ourselves as selfish, so we also don’t like to apply that label to others. Though, when the behavior is egregious, it not only seems appropriate to think of as an undesirable quality, but almost a necessity to call out. 3 Devastatingly Poor Leadership Traits While there are certainly numerous bad leadership attributes, three are among the absolute worst. They undermine the very role of a leader. So, doing any one of them (or more) will only be counterproductive. Here three hurtful leadership characteristics to avoid all the time: Micromanaging. Unsurprisingly, this makes the top of the list. Micromanagers are among the most despised people because their behavior is completely counterproductive. Insisting on control of everything means there’s really no need for anyone else. It’s so hated, this trait ranks among the highest in dissatisfaction among people in survey after survey. It shows you have no confidence in anyone else. Plus, it proclaims you’re the only competent person in the workplace. Not recognizing others. This isn’t much different from micromanaging because it stirs up just about as much resentment. It shows a lack of care and regard for others. It also says that you have little respect for the work others work so hard to produce. If you aren’t encouraging others through recognition, you’re insulting them in more than one way. Failing to share information. When you aren’t transparent and open about what’s going on or what’s expected, you’re effectively sabotaging anyone without that information. “To be unclear is to be unkind” the saying goes. It speaks volumes because keeping too much too close to the vest shows a real lack of trust. Without trust, there’s no way to have a working relationship. What other signs tip you off to a bad leader? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Others can greatly benefit from what you have to contribute. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.