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Discover how office temperature influences employee productivity

July 8, 2015 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Did you know that employees that aren’t comfortable with the office temperature are not as productive as those who are? This is a real issue in Australian offices, and can be very difficult to manage, as what is comfortable for one person may not be for the next. You can adjust the air conditioner all you like, but the reality is that there is no one temperature that will please every employee.

So, as a business owner what can you do? Never fear, all is not lost. While the optimal air conditioner settings for each individual might be different, you can still aim to keep the average optimal settings on your office air conditioning system. This is the best tactic available to you when trying to get the highest productivity levels from your employees.

Optimal Productivity Temperatures

According to studies, it is recommended that the temperature in an office should be 25 degrees Celsius. Set your air conditioning unit to 25 and watch as productivity increases. Temperature settings between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius have shown productivity to drop by between 3% and 13%. Every degree makes a difference, so pay careful attention to what works for your employees.

Keep an eye on humidity levels

Keeping the correct humidity levels is crucial to maintaining employee productivity. Having, low humidity levels in the office can cause workers to feel uncomfortable and therefore decrease productivity. Low humidity levels can also leave employees more susceptible to illness, which is never good for productivity. On the other hand, high humidity levels in the workplace cause condensation and encourages the growth of mould, which makes for an unpleasant work environment.

Stock the fridge

Hydrated employees will feel the effects of warm weather less. Encourage workers to drink less caffeinated drinks and to increase their water intake. Install a water fountain near the air conditioner to give employees a place to escape the heat and really shill for a few minutes in the middle of a busy day. Employees who are not hydrated properly will find it difficult to concentrate on any one task for very long.

Air conditioning

The air conditioning unit in your office is vital in the extreme Australian summers to maintaining a comfortable working environment for your employees. Since each person working in the office will have different preferences regarding the optimal temperature, why not run a survey. This will give you some valuable knowledge to work off when trying to figure out what conditions are optimal for productivity.

Ventilation

Air conditioning systems are the go-to for many business owners in terms of maintaining a steady office temperature. However, there are some greener alternatives, which should not be overlooked, and ventilation is one of these. If your office has windows on both sides of the building, consider opening these to create a draught of fresh air through the office. Not only will this keep the office cool but it will also provide more natural light which is a fantastic, natural energy booster. Allowing the warm air a chance to escape and allowing fresh air in is vital to keeping your employees on their toes.

The bottom line

No matter what way you look at it, the bottom line is your employee’s productivity levels have a direct impact on your company’s success. Air conditioning, optimum temperatures, humidity levels, proper ventilation and hydration are all critical to this success. Remember, as temperatures change from day to day, so will your employee’s comfort levels. Always be considerate of these changes and listen to what your employees have to say. The optimum air conditioner settings will change on a daily basis depending on how your employees are feeling. Be sensitive to this and you will see productivity levels rise, even if temperatures do too.

Make A Great First Business Impression With Quality Printing

May 5, 2015 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Despite digital marketing becoming more and more prevalent in advertising agendas, traditional print marketing undoubtedly still has its place.

With that in mind, how do you go about securing a good impression through your print materials to drive new customers through your doors, increase profits and maximise brand awareness? Take a look at our advice below to ensure your print marketing has maximum efficiency with minimum fuss, effort and expense.

Choose your products carefully

When you actually think about print marketing as a whole, there are actually a lot of different ways you can get your message across and promote your business to the world. You don’t have to do it all – depending on the nature of your campaign and what message you want to get across, different products are more appropriate than others. There are of course essentials for every business – such as business cards, letterheads and compliment slips – then some which are specific to each individual company. When it comes to marketing campaigns have a look at what competitors are doing and factor in cost and your desired audience. It’s also a good idea to measure your marketing to see what’s effective and what isn’t so useful – you can see more on this below!

Invest in a good graphic design company

Good design can make or break your print products. Don’t skimp on the design element of your products – especially if they require a unique element or are for a special event or campaign. Different products have different design remits and it’s important to get the balance between design and information right – as well as making them easy to read and inviting to look at. Posters and fliers need to be eye-catching; brochures and leaflets must be informative and engaging. A professional graphic designer will have a good understanding of this and can mould your brand and business requirements around the campaign in question. Your money on print is wasted if nobody will read it or engage with it – so design really is key.

Measure what works and what doesn’t

If you have done print marketing before, cast your mind back and have a think about the things that worked really well (and the things which didn’t!) Maybe you get a better response from posters than from fliers. If you’re new to print marketing, have a think about a campaign which is difficult to ignore but is also measurable. Be different! Calls to action often work very well. If you include an offer which is only valid if customers redeem coupons, use a special code or bring the material back to your store, you can then count up how many people engaged with the promotion and then you know which offers and print campaigns to do again and which to put down to experience.

Research companies and get quotes

Once you’ve decided on your design and which products you’d like to order, it’s time to choose a printer that will deliver your perfectly designed wares. Take a look at both local and national companies, get quotes and compare prices. Make a shortlist and then take a look at any reviews or recommendations from previous clients. Good printing services in Melbourne should be able to provide you with plenty of testimonials from happy customers even if they don’t have any on their website. Checking before signing on the dotted line means you can rest assured knowing you’re in safe hands and have made the right decision. Your graphic design company should also be able to recommend a reliable, reputable printer.

How to do a national police check

March 31, 2015 by Reporter Leave a Comment

In many countries and industries, there is a need to do a mandatory national police check in order to know the type of the people that a company or employer wants to use.

A police check can be taken and found online which makes it an easy, straightforward and simple way to access such information. Whenever you use InfoTrack to get access to such information, you will be confident that you are getting an accredited and correct police check. After filling in your information in the check application, you can use a tablet, mobile phone and webcam to verify who you are. There will be no need to post the application form or any ID since the system is done completely online.

You may have to do a police check, if you are seeking to enter into the private homes of people, if you want to work in hospitals, schools and aged care facilities, if you will come into contact with children who are under 18 years old or if you want to work in any health care discipline.

What is the point of a police check?

A national police check is about checking the police history of an applicants and it is needed not only for employment but also for many potential different reasons like visa applications and screening. It is also a requirement if you want to apply for an Australian Credit or Financial Services Licenses.

The search involves identifying and releasing of relevant information and it is subject to the relevant conviction, information policies and non-disclosure legislations. The checks on an individual can be done only when the person who has to be checked has given his or her consent that he or she wants to be checked.

The process of a police check involves accessing a central index that contains any and all persons and the names of the interest to the police, including convictions. When there is a possibility of a match, the person has to be referred to the police in order to be evaluated against their records. When everything has been confirmed to be above board, the person will get a National Police Certificate.

It is good for any business to know the people who they want to get involved into their company by performing a national police check. Remembering that the success of any business is based on the employees that work with the company.

A police check helps to verify the accuracy of the claims of the candidate on their CV before making a final decision! Some research has shown that some resumes contain lies about academic qualifications, work history or professional association.

Always make sure that you conduct a police check for an employees (and also for companies – if you need to!)

Sadly, it is no longer safe for an employer to assume that their candidates have shown complete honest by using only their certificates and by accepting a copy of their resume.

Some documentation can be untrue or falsified, but when you do a police check on an employee that you want to hire, you will protect your business against reputation risks, non-compliance, brand damage, decreasing of share price, embezzlements, low employee productivity and morale, the theft of the goods, and possible theft of intellectual and equipment/property. Your company will also reduce possible recruitment costs, the turnover of the staff, and they will improve reliability and honesty across the board.

A national police check gives the results about the Australia-wide court outcomes including any pending charges that are deemed to be disclosable during the time that the application is being made.

The check can take around 15 days to be completed and the results will be sent to the address provided on the form. Depending on how you are applying for the check, you can get the results in less than 2 days.

The application forms are faster and they take only few minutes to fill. The services of the company are trusted and secure, and seek to provide the highest level of data encryption and secure back up processes.

Start up steps for setting up new businesses

October 20, 2014 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Setting up a new company isn’t easy and making it successful is often even tougher and there are numerous things to consider, think about and evaluate. So, here are ten things that entrepreneurs learn in their first year of a start-up.

Pitches

In The first year, pitches don’t always come to fruition and contracts aren’t often earned – you’ll prepare, pitch and won’t win any contract. However, what you do get is interest, and you let people know your company exists and are doing something of note.

Mentoring is Important

You’re better off having a good mentor for a long term project than a great one off advisor. Simply, the more you meet with each other, the more you can get to grips with each other and delve into the depth of the project.

Communication

Talk to customers, clients and employees and always look for feedback – it’s helpful and allows you to see where things are falling down.

Sacrifice is Great….but

Take some time off during the week and relax. Spend time with family and don’t buy into the myth of working 7 days a week. There are negative returns in the quality of work and thought if you don’t take a break. So, work hard, but take some time off to ensure you feel human.

Branding and promotion

You need to be honest with branding and promotion and show people what you’re really about. This means there is no upheaval at a later stage, helps you create trust in people and it’s easier to promote because it’s your brand and your brand alone.

Business Types

There are all sorts of successful ways to start a business and though a high tech company is often the one people envisage when they think of start-ups, there are all sorts of other ways to begin a business. From franchising to buying and rebranding an already existing company – there are numerous ways to get started and create a buzz.

Funding

Getting people to take interest and to put up venture capital will most likely take longer than you expect, so prepare for that. Don’t spend money like it’s falling from the sky – be careful and vet everything you do.

Be Happy

You’re doing something amazing by setting up your own business and by doing so you need to celebrate and let of steam. It’s often hard to find the time to celebrate or get into the mindset of doing so, however you need to. Every little accomplishment is worth celebration, so ensure you do so.

Build a Community

Create a community rather than actively go out there and promote yourself. It’s a great way to foster influence and get people interested.

Be Grateful

Things happen, fall outs occur and people can get on each other’s nerves. A start up is a stressful way to go about business and earning a wage. However, if you’re grateful you can be sure that this will resonate with others and this will help you navigate your way through the issues and turns in the road.

So, now you know how you can get started with making that start-up a huge success a little better prepared.

Business IT Security tips – Top 10 passwords you should not use online

January 2, 2014 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Losing or forgetting your password is not the only problem when it comes to password security, but Hacking of websites are increasingly becoming common and therefore having a easy to guess password is not the only risk now days in contrast to popular belief.

new logots 2

But having a weak password is often the easiest way to gain illegal access to a user’s account, by illegal means. Wedding anniversaries, the name of a child and dates of birth for close relations were also among the most common passwords chosen by users.

An old favourite “Password” featured in the top ten codewords. Quite often the easiest way to remember a password is to add your date of birth to a name which and hackers know this already , making it easy to crack manually or by an automated software that inserts random names and numbers to crack it easily.

Australian Business Channel (Password software video)

If you forgot or lost your computer desktop /laptop password this video might help

The top 10 most common hacked and used passwords:

1. 1234 and 123456

2. Password

3. Name and date of birth

4. Your username created

5. Passwd

6. Test

7. Abc123

8. Qwerty

9. 12345678

10.Letmein

Not surprisingly these passwords are some of the most common passwords used on laptops , Desktops and computers. Tablets and smartphones have been spared of these weka passwords due to new locking methods. Other inspired entries included “qwerty,” “monkey,” “111111″ and “password1.”

Above are the top 10 passwords and their positions relative to the 2013 rankings. Be well aware when it comes to letting your employees choose their passwords for your business IT systems and have a policy for enforcing stronger passwords.

If you have lost or forgot your password to a local or personal windows machine you can use password reset software to reset your local machine password instantly

How Small Businesses Can Bring Their Online Marketing Offline

August 14, 2013 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Before there was Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, there was direct mail. It’s not cool, it’s not sexy, but it works and it works very well. If your printer has been sitting in the corner collecting dust for a while, it might be time to pull it out and put it to good use. With pay-per-click platforms becoming increasingly expensive, it might actually be cheaper for you to physically mail something out to your prospects.

Use QR Codes

QR codes aren’t all that difficult to implement. Most printers can print them – even Lexmark products have this nailed down. How you use it is up to you. Many businesses use a QR code to link to their homepage, a "squeeze" page, or to another promotional page on their site. But you’re not limited to hot-linking.

You can also embed your contact information, order info, a special offer, or anything else you want right into the code. When people scan it with their smartphones, the phone will automatically process the code and do what you want it to do.

Advertise Your Company’s Social Media Pages

You’ve got social media pages – why not use them? Advertising is expensive? Use direct mail. That way, you’re not competing with someone else with a bigger bank account. When you use printed materials to advertise your social media presence, it doesn’t have to be low-tech either. Again, you can embed codes into the link you print out so that you can track everything.

In a sense, you’re merging online technology (tracking) with offline reliability and cost-effectiveness. Facebook, LinkedIn, and even a Twitter presence can be boosted with nothing more than fliers and postcards.

Use Augmented Reality

There are a lot of companies out there that use the same technology but Blippar has pretty much perfected the technology. Basically, you aim your smartphone at a piece of specially printed material, and the camera snaps a photo of that image and adds interactivity through the Blippar app.

It’s an interesting and unique way to add a hidden sales message, special offer or gift, or get people to pick up your flier or postcard and interact with it. The more you get people to interact with your message, the higher your odds are of converting them.

Advertise Your Website

Of course, you can use plain old postcards with a link to your website. A simple "www.yoursite.com" in the body of the postcard, direct mail letter, or flier is enough to get the name of your company out there. Of course, your message should actually say something and entice people to get on the Internet and pay you a visit.

This is probably the most low-tech way there is to transition your online efforts back to offline marketing. Once people are on your website, you can track their movement. Most businesses don’t like just throwing their web address out there because they think they can’t track the user once they’re left. Nothing could be further from the truth. Remarketing allows you to continually advertise to everyone who lands on your site – regardless of how they got there.

Michael Holmes is a business marketing consultant. He enjoys passing on his insights to small businesses through blogging.

TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS

July 27, 2013 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Did you ever wonder, that why doesn’t somebody create a gadget that just mirrors everything that you can get on your desktop on to your tv , well Google has just come out with a gadget chrome cast that does that.

Now you can enjoy your favourite online shows and music from YouTube, Netflix, Google Play and Chrome on your High Definition TV

Chrome cast App is an new gadget by google that allows web content to be played on your HDTV hassle free. All it needs is the chrome browser on your pc which is available for free if you don’t already have it

The program makes use of a “Chromecast device” and your Wi-Ficonnection to send web media content from your computer to your TV.

The Chromecast App makes for one of the easiest ways to enjoy the online media experience on your TV, playing shows and audio streams from online services and it also has the ability to broadcast a tab on to your tv. The Google chrome browser uses tabs to open different windows in your browser.

The requirement for this to function is

· Chromecast device (The chrome cast gadget)
· Wi-Fi Network
· Internet Connection

-Chrome browser ( with the chrome cast app available free)

Now this isn’t just “technology for business”, but technology that can be used for homes as well as business and offices. getting this gadget you can get rid of you projectors and just get any content on your laptop or pc onto that TV screen. Article by digitalfrog for Cool Gadgets Online

Distinguish Your Business with Smart Online Marketing

April 30, 2013 by Reporter Leave a Comment

There are millions of websites on the internet, and sometimes it can be tough for business to rise above the crowd. A business owner might offer great services and products, but if they can’t differentiate their business from the many others in the industry that also have websites, it is unlikely they will improve their business much.

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Part of a “smart online marketing campaign”, though, focuses on distinguishing your business from all the competitors and imitators. The most effective online marketing will leave you with a memorable brand and impactful online presence.

1. Polish Your Website

The first step in distinguishing your website is to project a distinguished image. Web users should navigate to your site and immediately think they are dealing with a professional, reliable company.

If your business doesn’t have a website, or if the website you do have is dull, you won’t be able to take advantage of the benefits the internet can have for business. Fortunately, setting up a website has gotten easier and easier over the years. Now, many sites offer templates and low-cost site hosting, so you need neither design skills nor a huge budget for online expenses to run a professional-looking website.

You might think about setting up a blog. Blogs can be very effective because they allow businesses to communicate directly with readers, and with more content (and more page views), the company’s search ranking will improve. To do that, Premium WordPress themes look through some and choose one that is suitable for your company’s brand. Modify the colors and graphics to fit your style, and you will be good to start blogging.

2. Have a Clear Message

Confusion on your website is only going to encourage users to click over to other sites. If you have five million products posted to your front page, your visitors will be overwhelmed and turned off. If, on the other hand, you are not clear enough about any of the services you offer, your visitors will be similarly discouraged from purchasing your products.

WordPress theme

Strike a balance by giving customers a clear idea of what your business does and how they can use your website. The shotgun approach to advertising—putting as many products on the screen as possible and hoping for success—will not pay off. Instead, provide an honest account of what your business is and how you can help. Also, don’t over-exaggerate your services. With all of the hyperbole on the net, users can easily recognize it when they see it.

3. Connect with Users

Does your company offer awesome services that can help lots of people? Prove your confidence in the brand by reaching out directly to your potential customers. Engagement is a central part of online marketing, and it is a great way for businesses to express their personality and bolster their reputation.

Get involved in social media. It can feel a bit empty at first, because building a community is slow and you won’t actually sell any products on your social media feeds, but it’s a great way to get noticed. Active social media will eventually result in a larger audience online, with more potential customers coming to your business’s website rather than that of a competitor.

In addition, be sure that you use every opportunity to boost customer service by communicating with customers and addressing their needs. Be proactive in offering answers and advice regarding your field, and get back to customers quickly whenever they have a question or concern. In addition, thank customers for any positive feedback, and always work to modify your company and its online activities according to feedback you get from your visitors.

About author Anny Solway is a dedicated writer at ThemeFuse – a leader in the Premium WordPress Themes area. She likes to discover new ideas about internet marketing, social media and blogging.

Mortgage Tips and building you own Business

April 6, 2013 by Reporter Leave a Comment

More and more Australians are taking the plunge and starting their own home-based businesses. There are currently over 1 million individuals operating a business from home, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This number looks set to grow even larger with the easy availability of website building software.

The best website templates allow new business owners to create a professional ecommerce site from scratch, with little to no prior knowledge of web design. Recently there has been a surge in Real estate Start ups in Australia

However, starting a home business requires more than simply setting up a website. You’ll need to think of legal issues like registering for company names, business licences, and taxation. Using your residence as a place of business will mean that you must comply with all state, territory, and federal government regulations. To get started with this process, it’s best to contact your local council for more information.

At the same time, home business owners in need of a new mortgage may find that they face some unique issues. Applying for a home loan when you are self-employed can involve a completely different process than the usual one for salaried workers. There may be zoning issues that could affect your mortgage, as well as different standards for assessing your income. It’s best to weigh all these issues to finance a home that will be suitable for your business needs as well.

Choosing the Right Live/Work Property

One of the first unique challenges that a home business owner faces is choosing a property that provides adequate room for business needs. If you have just started up a basic ecommerce site using a Shopify website builder, you will most likely only need one spare room. However, those who plan on meeting with clients could need a full floor of the home. This could also impact your mortgage rates if a significant percentage of the property is used for commercial purposes. The exact percentage will depend on the lender.

How Lenders Assess your Finances

Every lender uses its own methods for assessing your income. In most cases they’ll look at your income using one of three basic methods.

1. Using the most recent year’s income – Although most lenders will use an average over a greater time period, some will only look at earnings from the past year to assess your income.

2. Using the average income from the past two years – Calculating the average income from the past two financial years gives lenders a well-rounded picture of your self-employed earnings.

3. Using the lowest income out of the past two years – If the most recent year’s income is lower than the previous year’s, it may worry a lender who will assume that this downward path could continue into the future. In this circumstance, they may use the lower figure out of the two years as the basis of their assessment.

To assess your earnings from a home-based business, lenders will look at your most recent tax returns as well as other expenses and financial information. Income from other sources, such as rental income, will usually be deducted from the figure that is scrutinized.

Low Document Loans

If you’re unable to find a lender who will help finance a mortgage using traditional methods like tax returns, you may qualify for a low doc home loan. These are available to home business owners who don’t have adequate financial proof available to satisfy income requirements. However, they usually require a higher down payment of at least 20% of the purchase price, and incur higher interest rates than traditional mortgages.

Telstra plans to throttle customers internet speed

February 10, 2013 by Reporter Leave a Comment

Telstra is now planning to slow the speed at which its ADSL and Broadband customers download content through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks in peak periods as part of a new trial to provide them with better bandwidth savings.

A Telstra statement said it would be conducting the trial on a "small number" of ADSL customers in Victoria.

Broadband networks have been coming under increasing pressure in recent times with the explosion of hand held devices like FAST smartphones and tablets that now also add to the list of devices that consume internet , other than the traditional Desktop PC.

AS per a statement , P2P networks are commonly used to download pirated material such as movies, music and video games and so speeds of many consumers could be affected. Many popular software’s like torrents software’s and DC++ use peer to peer networks, including some chat messengers with the capability in the past.

As per media reports “the telco planned to introduce throttling as a "trial" that could become permanent and which required users to opt out if they didn’t want to take part in it.The trial could begin as soon as this week.

Critics of ISPs says that interference with P2P downloading or throttling could also affect users that use peer to peer networks for legal purposes.

"Once the trial is complete we will consider the results as part of our future network planning and product development activities," the company said.

Telstra published a blog post explaining its trial after Fairfax Media published this story.