5 Companies Getting Employee Engagement Right
5 Companies Getting Employee Engagement Right.
Southwest Airlines is a company revered for their employee engagement practices.
With employee engagement levels having remained high over the years, they have a team full of committed, enthusiastic people who are passionate about the company’s vision and values and willing to help the company continue their success.
Every two weeks, employees are given the opportunity to provide feedback without rules or guidelines to their managers.
They are encouraged to give feedback on everything — how things are going, how they think things are managed, how the company interacts with customers and ideas for improvement.
Having this kind of regular, 360-degree feedback in place not only means things don’t get overlooked as often, it keeps the conversation going and ensures a company culture where people really feel as if they make a difference; that they’re more than just their role and really benefit the company as a whole.
This opens up an appreciation of non-work related projects, boosts creativity and makes employees feel that they are more than just the work they do for the company.
With other companies like Google also giving employees the time to work on and pitch their own projects, this is a great way to really tell your employees that you not only trust them, but really value their input and creativity.
While it may not be feasible for your company to provide huge amounts of money for “paid paid” holidays or assign large percentages of time to personal projects, these organizations definitely show the value of integrating employee engagement into daily company culture.
Implementing great employee engagement practices is a sure-fire way to improve company culture and have a team full of happy, productive and passionate people!
The Best Way to Avoid Your Next Business Disaster
The Best Way to Avoid Your Next Business Disaster.
With that caveat out of the way, let’s look at the six-step process that will help you diagnose a disaster: Step 1: What happened?
Without agreement on what exactly happened, your diagnosis won’t get anywhere.
In this step, you need your stakeholders to agree on the problem statement, and define the gap in the metrics between what you expected to happen and what actually happened.
The second step is to figure out how you executed the project, and make sure everyone in the room understands the steps that lead up to it.
This isn’t a time to start pointing fingers or talk about why your original process broke.
To continue our bobby sock example, you might have a timeline from marketing leading up to launch that shows all of the key events, like when the PR agency became involved and when the ads launched.
In this step, you’re simply listing what teams, contractors and agencies were involved with the disastrous project.
Now that you know the what, when and who, you can finally start talking about what went wrong with your strategy and/or execution.
However, going through the process and making changes to your future strategy and execution can keep disasters from happening quite as often.
The 7 Biggest Fast-Food Successes of This Year
The 7 Biggest Fast-Food Successes of This Year.
Fast-food chains are always coming out with new ways to entice hungry customers.
Sometimes these ideas flop, but other times they’re big money makers for a franchise.
From McDonald’s offering its all-inclusive all-day breakfast menu to Pizza Hut’s bacon-stuffed crust, innovation, creativity and logic are key to successful new product launches.
Check out these seven fast food successes of 2016.
Amazon Alexa Data Wanted in Murder Investigation
Amazon Alexa Data Wanted in Murder Investigation.
Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant may have information useful to a murder investigation in Arkansas, where authorities issued a groundbreaking warrant in a case that evokes Apple’s spat with the FBI earlier this year.
Police want access to data from the Amazon Echo speaker belonging to James Bates of Bentonville, Ark., who was charged earlier this year with first-degree murder, The Information reported Tuesday.
Amazon is fairly secretive about how it handles the audio recorded from Alexa-enabled devices.
According to its privacy statement, the company collects “information about use of Alexa and its interaction with your Alexa Enabled Product (such as device type, voice information, content metadata and location).”
Amazon reserves the right to store that information on its servers, and promises to handle it in accordance with its main privacy policy.
A key issue in the Arkansas case is whether or not Amazon’s servers have information that the police can’t otherwise access.
Engadget reports that it handed over Bates’ account details and purchases while refusing to let the police access server data.
Court records show that Amazon twice declined to give the actual voice search queries to local police, according to New York Magazine. “Amazon will not release customer information without a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us,” a spokesperson told PCMag.
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What Would Jack Bauer Do? 48 Hours To Get Startup Funding.
It is our goal to help you spend less time fundraising and more time running a profitable business.
Last time, in 48 hours, we had: 250 investors, 400+ startups and a total of 1500 attendees.
Some investors had 23 meetings per day.
This year we aim for 300+ investors, 450+ startups, a maximum of 2000 attendees and again – the name of the game will be “Deal Room”.
As a bonus, it will be a three day conference and we hope you will be able to start and get your funding round negotiations as close to being signed as possible in the shortest amount possible.
Prepare Before You Start: Investors, Presentation, Financials, Answers.
For instance if you send 50 investor e-mails at once, you can start getting 5 meetings per week.
This speeds up your fundraising process enormously.
Any update you have – update those investors you are talking to.
Make sure your round looks dynamic, fast-paced and that you are focused on running your business.
Career Choices are Hard But This Is How You Make Them Easier
Career Choices are Hard But This Is How You Make Them Easier.
– John Lennon, Watching the Wheels For some, the holidays are a time of reflection.
While there is some question about how happy he really was in that role, there’s little doubt that he willingly dropped out of “the big time,” as the song suggests.
And the funny thing is, I don’t miss being a corporate bigshot one bit.
I needed some me time.
But, exhaustion notwithstanding, my career had become routine.
The thing is, I couldn’t do what I do now if not for what I’d done before.
If you’re the kind of person who’s driven to make a difference, change the world, do great things, or any one of the popular memes of the entrepreneurial crowd, here’s my advice.
Just follow your interests, accomplish one thing at a time, and let your life unfold organically.
If you stay true to yourself, everything will work out fine.
Pay Yourself: Why Founders Should Set Aside Profits Every Month
Pay Yourself: Why Founders Should Set Aside Profits Every Month.
Although it’s normal during the startup phase to forgo a salary to get your company off to a running start, it’s also reasonable to start taking some of the profits each month to pay yourself back.
After all, the harder you work, the more potential you have for profits and income.
Your time is valuable: Founders often have curious ideas about startup costs.
In the startup phase you may need to take a lower salary, but when there is a monthly profit, you’ve reached the point at which the company can support itself and pay you a fair wage.
If you have turned a corner and your business is now profitable, it is reasonable to begin drawing some salary from monthly profits.
Many investors are understandably wary about founders who want to take lavish salaries from day one.
Paying yourself first each month, reinvesting profits into the business and paying your bills are all part of successful financial management.
Budget for your salary and apportion a percent of profits from the inception of your business so that when your business is profitable, you can pay yourself without worrying that investors or others will question the amount.
That ratio seems fair to most investors and others and gives founders enough of a reward that it prevents burnout and helps them pay the bills.
Watch the Original ‘Carpool Karaoke’ Starring George Michael
Watch the Original ‘Carpool Karaoke’ Starring George Michael.
In 2011, Comic Relief Red Nose Day (which continues to raise money to fight poverty and injustice around the world) aired this segment starring Smithy — James Corden — who is summoned to a meeting while giving his mate — George Michael — a ride.
After their conversation grows a bit heated, Smithy has the bright idea to turn on the radio and heal their souls with a little singalong.
One user on Reddit has called this the first instance of Carpool Karaoke.
We’re not James Corden historians, so we’ll take Reddit’s word for it.
Watch and just try not to shimmy in your seat when the chorus kicks in.
How to Start Thinking Big
How to Start Thinking Big.
There’s no better time than today to start thinking big, says Entrepreneur Network partner Patrick Bet-David.
In this video, Bet-David discusses the importance of thinking big as an entrepreneur and goes over 16 ways you can start living large.
Take big numbers that seem impossible, and understand that they’re just numbers.
Erasing your doubts about your ability to reach $1 million one day will put you on the path to success.
Success won’t happen overnight, which is why these simple, yet tricky tips can help get you started toward developing a driven mindset.
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Click here to become a part of this growing video network.
Thomas Jefferson University Receives $3 Million Marijuana Research Grant
Thomas Jefferson University Receives $3 Million Marijuana Research Grant.
With a $3 million grant from Australian philanthropists Barry and Joy Lambert, Thomas Jefferson University has established a new medical center for cannabis education and research.
That number includes four of the five most populous states: California, Florida, Illinois and New York.
“We are extremely grateful to the Lamberts for the bold and visionary gift, which will have an immediate impact on our research and education efforts,” Charles Pollack Jr., direction of the university’s Institute of Emerging Health Professions, said in a prepared statement.
The money will support research into the therapeutic potential of medicinal marijuana and a range of cannabinoids derived from marijuana.
According to a message from Pollack on the university website, the center’s goals include: Providing expert, unbiased information about the medical uses of marijuana, hemp extract and cannabinoids to clinicians and patients Conducting research and serving as a hub for multinational research to evaluate “and elevate” the evidence basis for cannabinoid therapy in a variety of medical conditions Providing “best-in-breed” support for development of entrepreneurial and socially responsible medical marijuana businesses and clinical approaches The gift, formalized at a private gathering on Dec. 6, is the second such gift the Lamberts have made.
In 2015, the couple made a $33.7 million gift for cannabis research at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Personal Reasons for Donation The Lamberts support medicinal marijuana research because of the experience of their granddaughter, Katelyn.
The pair hope the donations can lead to further research into medical uses for marijuana and provide relief to others. “We have directly experienced the miraculous life-saving benefits of medicinal cannabis derived from hemp,” Barry Lambert said, according to the university.
Take Some Time to Think Things Through
Take Some Time to Think Things Through.
Matrex founder and CEO, Jill Hebert, says staying true to her product has always made the company, which organizes exhibit and events, stand out.
You always have to go after the right client and not the wrong ones, she says.
In this video, she also shares that you have to have some sympathy.
Watch more videos from BizCast on its YouTube channel here.
Entrepreneur Network is a premium video network providing entertainment, education and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders.
We provide expertise and opportunities to accelerate brand growth and effectively monetize video and audio content distributed across all digital platforms for the business genre.
EN is partnered with hundreds of top YouTube channels in the business vertical and provides partners with distribution on Entrepreneur.com as well as our apps on Amazon Fire, Roku and Apple TV.
Click here to become a part of this growing video network.
Money matters: Here are 5 ways to finance your startup or small business
Money matters: Here are 5 ways to finance your startup or small business.
Financing the business is always a challenge for small business owners, however.
Crowdfunding There are many successful stories wherein people who went this route raised significant amounts of money for their project.
The benefit with such sites is that if your campaign gets viral, you are very much likely to get funding from big investors, aside from crowdfunding backers.
Also Read: Financing your startup: Can a loan be a better alternative to VC funding?
Though this is not a permanent solution — considering finance rates can be high — but it can be a good way to get you buy and buy some time to survive in your industry until your financial situation gets better.
Conventional bank loans I would suggest this method every time, although one major problem is that it is little hard to get approved for a loan, especially if you do not have all the business documentation in order yet.
Get a microloan Since not every small business is eligible for conventional bank loans, one can also borrow money from alternative lenders in case their loan application form is rejected by banks.
This also helps a small business mitigate the risk that the original payor will not honour their payment.
If you are interested in sharing your point of view, submit your post here.
5 Marketing Essentials for Your Business to Appeal to Millennials
This shift in realization means marketers who have always targeted their products and services towards the older generation now have to adopt a new set of strategies to win this younger one.
To target the millennials right, you need to connect with them on almost every level.
The following strategies will help you capture an active millennials market.
To win the heart of millennials, you might as well start from their mobile phones.
The first step to successful mobile marketing is to create content millennials want to consume on their phone.
Almost 90 percent take selfies daily or weekly.
Now, your focus should be on marketing to a target audience who prefers experience over material things.
Adopting marketing strategies like selfies and prioritizing on experiences could endear your business to millennials.
The growth of the millennial workforce means businesses must adapt their system to suit how millennials prefer to work.
This is the generation that celebrates genuine, non-airbrushed images of regular people promoting products they like.
Amazon Says the 2016 Holiday Season Is the ‘Best-Ever’
Amazon Says the 2016 Holiday Season Is the ‘Best-Ever’.
Amazon.com Inc. said it had its best-ever holiday season, shipping more than 1 billion items worldwide through its Prime membership program.
The company said on Tuesday more than 72 percent of its customers worldwide shopped through mobile devices, adding that Dec. 19 was the busiest shopping day this holiday season.
The Amazon Echo home assistant and its smaller version, Echo Dot, were best sellers, said Jeff Wilke, chief executive of Amazon’s Worldwide Consumer division. “Despite our best efforts and ramped-up production, we still had trouble keeping them in stock,” he said.
Other best sellers included 72-pack Keurig K-Cups, the movie Finding Dory, Samsung Electronic Co. Ltd.’s Gear VR virtual reality headset and Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon roleplaying video games, the company said.
Amazon’s shares were up 1.4 percent at $771.24 in morning trading.
(Reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) Latest News and Headlines from Reuters
Even Golden Handcuffs Are Shackles
What they rarely investigate are the more enduring aspects that humanity plays in motivations.
If the employer sees golden handcuffs as an incentive, then they communicate to that employee a very base relationship that fails to connect with a human experience.
Despite money being a large lever in our hyper-competitive Silicon Valley culture, many companies realize something more must be provided to prospective employees.
These are good starts, yet they still miss the essence of humanistic employment.
They need to feel safe.
Creating a place people want to be In open societies, people have a choice as to where they work.
Instead, management’s key job is to communicate — openly and transparently — about all matters, from changing market realities to internal operations.
Unlike golden handcuffs that confine a person with real motivation, profit sharing connects being part of a corporate family to individual contribution.
Enduring companies never use golden handcuffs for long, and when they do, the effects on employee loyalty are minimal.
Great companies understand people are free agents, who can leave at any time.