Workforce Prospective Articles

When you think of networking, what comes to mind? Handing out business cards? Sending a direct mail piece?

Yes, those things are part of networking-the process of communicating with potential and existing customers and suppliers. But for the entrepreneur, there are some specific techniques that are especially beneficial:
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Have you heard of RSS? It stands for Really Simple Syndication, and it is just that: Through RSS, you can distribute or "feed" information from a website to a group of subscribers.

Let's say that your company website includes a blog. A blog (short for "weblog") is like an online journal where the most recent entries show up at the top.

In a blog, you write about pertinent topics. Perhaps a new product offering or a tradeshow where you'll have a booth. The topics are up to you-whatever new information will benefit people who read your blog. To be most effective...
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For any business to succeed-large or small-it's important to first define what "success" is. Yes, every business owner wants to make money. But more than that-what will you sell, and who will you sell it to?

Identifying the "who" part of that goal is an important part of the equation. That's your target market.

Let's say that you're selling skateboards. Then you can probably characterize your target market in this way: kids. Or let's say that you're selling bus tours. Who's your target market there? It's more likely to be adults, perhaps from middle age to retirees.
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On the Information Super-highway, which one would you rather be? These days, you can choose from a dial-up or broadband connection:

• Dial-up means Internet access through a telephone line. This type of connection is "on" only when the computer is connected to the phone line. Dial-up is considered to be a slow Internet connection...

Social networking has been around forever. But web-based communities like FaceBook and LinkedIn have put a modern spin on an old classic. Could your company benefit from these online tools?

Originally intended for social purposes, networking websites crept into the business world and are here to stay. Cost-free and typically easy to navigate, you can use them for a variety of purposes:
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Small business owners have long known that they need stationery and business cards. In today's world, many small businesses have also realized the value of a website, even if it's a basic one.

Something that not everyone thinks of is the power of branding-making a company and products recognizable and memorable. Branding can be a huge undertaking. The giant corporations spend mega-bucks on it and employ whole teams of people. Branding for a small business is important, but it can be simple and affordable.
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Offshore or global outsourcing is the practice of sending some of your work to a company located in another country. You may already be aware that many large corporations have outsourced their customer service operations to countries in Asia, for example. This trend is increasingly common in areas of IT-information technology.

While global outsourcing or "offshoring" has typically been done by very large corporations, small and medium-sized companies have also given "offshoring" a try, as reported by Business Week in Small-Scale Offshoring. As that article points out, there are risks, but there are also some successes for small and medium-sized companies. In fact, the article reports that 9% of small businesses and 6% of mid-size businesses surveyed plan to implement or increase offshore outsourcing. The article goes on to cite some stories of both success and failure.
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Employee turnover can be a hardship for small and mid-sized businesses. In those companies, having to replace even one skilled person can become an expensive undertaking, taxing people whose time is already stretched thin.

Aiming for employee retention is perhaps even more important in a company with limited staff. But what is the number one reason that employees leave? Is it for more money or more opportunity?

Find yourself at a loss for what to say when you're in the interviewer's hot seat? Here are some quick tips to ensure you have covered all the bases:
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If you are a small business owner, did you know that you could be supplying goods or services to the federal government? It's true. Federal procurement policies often provide set-asides that earmark portions of government contracts for certain types of businesses, such as small businesses and those in "protected" categories like women-owned businesses.
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Every day, the number of businesses with websites is increasing. But is it enough just to have a website? Do you know what impact that site is having on your business?

Let's step back a moment. Maybe you own a business but don't have a website yet. "I can't sell my goods and services on the web," you say. "So why do I need a website?" Here's the short answer: These days, every business needs a website.
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If you search business magazines and the Internet, you can find many answers to the question, "What's your greatest asset?" As a small or mid-sized business owner, you might read that it's your company name, your "brand," your reputation, or your customer list.

Yes, all those things are important to a company's success. But there's another answer that is, perhaps, the most compelling of all: It's people.
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Is Twitter just a tool for soccer moms and teenagers who want to feel connected? Maybe it once was, but not any more.

Twitter is now a secret weapon for businesses of all kinds. If you spend a few minutes on Twitter, you're likely to encounter elected officials, movie stars, news anchors, huge corporations, and small businesses, just like yours. And they're all there, tweeting away, 140 characters at a time.
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Did you know that America's workforce is getting older? It's true. From 1977 to 2007, the federal government says that workers age 65 and over increased by 101%. Further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, over the next seven years, workers age 55 to 64 will increase by 36.5%, and workers 65 and up will soar by more than 80%.

But are companies prepared for what happens when their most experienced people retire, and there are fewer younger workers to take their place?
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Did you know that Google started out with only a handful of employees working in a suburban garage in 1998? Today, the company has more than 20,000 workers in offices located throughout the world. And the company founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, credit much of their success to Google's quirky office culture that breaks so many business norms.
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The Governors Advisory Council on Aging, in partnership with Jobing.com, developed a website to provide information to employers recruiting mature workers and mature job seekers looking for employment opportunities. Up-to-date listings of certified employers, employment opportunities, resources for mature workers and employers, community events and job fairs can be found on the Arizona Mature Worker Job Bank and Resource Website at www.azmatureworkers.com.

There are many benefits for employers that become Mature Worker Friendly Certified, including the free use of the Mature Worker Friendly logo on employer's materials and website. Employers also receive increased company visibility by being listed on the Mature Worker Website, special rates at job fairs hosted by one of the Initiatives community partners, and recognition as a 'friendly' work environment when recruiting seniors as volunteers.

Employers interested in obtaining Mature Worker Friendly Employer Certification in 2010 may now apply. After the 2010 application time period closes on July 16, 2010, it will not re-open until the summer of 2011. Due to the limited number of slots for the required employer training program, applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis.
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Have you invented something unique-a better mousetrap, a new social networking application, a kitchen tool, or something else? If so, how do you get the world to line up and buy it?

The secret is two-fold. First, you have to find the right niche for your invention. Once you know that, media exposure is key. Here are some ideas:
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Do you have employees, coworkers, friends, or kids who do a lot of text messaging? If so, do you find puzzling abbreviations creeping into their daily communications with you?

Even if you don't "text," as text-messaging is called, you might like to know what some of this strange new language means. You've probably already seen it in a quick note someone left you, in an e-mail, or maybe on a fast-food restaurant's text sign.
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If your business is overloaded with work, or faced with a project that your staff doesn't have the know-how to complete, you may consider hiring a consultant to save the day. And while consultants can offer many benefits, it's important to look before you leap.
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Large corporations have been providing flexible work schedules (also known as "flextime") to employees for a while now. It's a great setup for working parents that need to get kids off to school, and a low-cost incentive for folks who hate commuter traffic. Can small- to medium-sized businesses reap benefits from flextime too?
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Have you noticed the recent increase in TV spots for products like the PedEgg and ShamWow absorbent towels? No, it's not your imagination. The companies behind these products and others like them (remember the Veg-O-Matic?) are thriving, thanks to infomercials and the falling cost of TV airtime.

Because fewer car companies and financial institutions are spending less on advertising, TV airtime is becoming more and more affordable for small- to medium-sized businesses. And the rise in unemployment means that more folks are at home watching TV.
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Today's economic climate has caused many people to start evaluating new options for employment. If you have been thinking along those lines, you might consider going a different direction from a traditional job hunt. You might start a business of your own. That's right, reach for your own star!

So let's say you have an idea. A shop you want to open, a product you want to market and sell, or a new service you want to provide. How in the world do you get started?

The very best starting place is the Internet, which is an unequalled resource for business owners. And your first stop should be the U.S. Small Business Administration website. On that one site, you can find a wide assortment of information on topics like these:
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With so many people out looking for work, many businesses get bombarded with resumes these days. How can you find a diamond in a pile of rhinestones to find the most qualified candidate? By using the business world's equivalent of an online dating service - an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Similar to matchmaking websites like E-Harmony, online services like RealMatch and SnagAJob will post your job on popular employment websites like Job.com and SimplyHired. As resumes are received, the ATS scans them to match an applicant's qualifications with your wants and needs. After resumes are ranked and rated, you receive profiles of the applicants.
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Telecommuting used to sound like science fiction, but it's a fact in the workplace now. According to Make Telecommuting Work for Your Business (Microsoft Small Business Center), more than 23 million people telecommute at least part time.
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Could you use some objective opinions about your business plan? Interested in learning more about e-commerce or marketing? Free business advice from seasoned business owners and managers is just a click (or a phone call) away.

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a mentoring organization that provides free counseling, resources, and advice to people who are running a small business or want to start one. As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth, and success of small businesses.
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Winston Churchill once said "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." How is the attitude at your business these days - bright and optimistic, or dragging and dull?

In these tough economic times, it's important to keep people motivated. Not only can a good attitude increase overall productivity, but it can decrease employee turnover and give a group a collective sense of purpose.

But you don't have to break the bank to improve morale. Here are a few cost-effective ways to boost your team spirit:
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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has already made ripples in the ponds of the economy and the environment, and its latest focus is on healthcare - an issue that affects us all, both personally and publicly.

In addition to computerizing Americans' health records and aiming to reduce overall health care costs, the recent stimulus plan hopes to make COBRA payments more manageable for eligible, unemployed people and their dependents by providing a 65 percent COBRA premium subsidy for up to nine months.

People who are eligible for this subsidy include anyone who:

Want to start a new business or grow your existing business? If your business is organized for profit and meets the Small Business Administration's (SBA) size requirements, you may have an easier time getting a loan these days, thanks to the Recovery Act.

Also known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the government hopes the SBA-related features of the Recovery Act will help small businesses by:
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These days, the news is filled with talk of the Recovery Act, which is more formally known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This federal act, enacted in early 2009, intends to jumpstart the economy by creating and saving jobs, and modernizing the national infrastructure.

So how can small businesses benefit from the Recovery Act? The first step is to become certified with the State of Arizona as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), a designation for minority-owned, women-owned and small businesses.
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In tough economic times, many businesses - large and small - face layoffs. Did you know that the State of Arizona offers an alternative to a layoff?

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) runs the Shared Work Program for Arizona Employers. Through this program, a business that is facing the need to lay off at least one employee can take a different approach. Once approved for the program, the employer can reduce the total hours for a group of employees, equivalent to the hours that would have been cut through the layoff. Then the affected employees are eligible for a portion of their unemployment compensation while they continue to work.
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In ever-increasing numbers, today's consumers are tossing their Yellow Page directories in the recycling bin and turning to the Internet to find goods and services. Does your business have a presence on the web?
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