Characteristics of a Modern Business
And now, as the contemporary companies need to operate within certain parameters, but also be abreast to constant change, this means there's a lot of peddling involved in which to keep up. As such, there is a lot that we can rest on, as far as our laurels are concerned.
Hence, this can mean back peddling, avoiding modernity, and sticking to the more outdated approaches to running a business.
And if you want an easy life, then by all means, go for it. But if you are looking to maintain a modern business, you need to be aware of the essential characteristics.
Health Awareness as Characteristics of a Modern Business
Health comprises of two key areas, physical and mental. Business leaders out there who run a threadbare company, with a skeleton staff, or hire people purely on a self-employed basis are able to sidestep the issues when it comes to supporting their workers. But, if you go down this route, you will find that there is some sense of disengagement from your employees.
Because after all, you won't have their full attention. And while you may be very grateful that the work they are doing for you is top notch, would you expect these high-caliber employees to stay with you, especially when you don't provide support or the perks?
Because after all, a healthy employee is a productive one. So if you provide nothing in the way of health support, don't expect to have engaged employees. I know for me having a new office chair really improved my health and makes it easier to work longer.
A Supportive Environment For Your Contemporary Business
Wherever you go now, this talk of the workplace "culture" crops up. To make a business provide a culture that's nurturing and caring isn't an overnight fix. In fact, to create an environment that is supportive, it involves digging deep. Digging not just in terms of the processes and the people you employ, but the overall environment that you have laid the foundations of.
After all, it stems from you. If you have been lax in your attitude to work, and you relied on the factory line approach to work, where people do as they're told, clock in and clock out. You can't expect employees to feel supported within these confines.
And when we factor in the employee journey, we've also got to think about whether they are happy or not. If we provide this supportive environment, not just with appropriate employee programs, but the ethics you communicate, these naturally feed into the environment, and they will begin to form this culture over time.
Giving The Customers A Voice
It's not just about the employees, but it's about that dialogue between company and consumer that needs fixing. Companies get a bad name for themselves for numerous reasons. And this can be a lot of pressure on any business leader.
But if we can work to manage the expectations of our customers, and provide a sense of satisfaction, we are automatically helping our business to grow in an organic sense. By giving our customers a voice, and a sense of control, we will make sure that problems are solved. But we will also get real-time feedback.
And now, while social media becomes the most important mouthpiece of any customer, we should find appropriate methods to deal with customer dissatisfaction. Not only putting out the fire, but also striving to improve their relationship with us. It's a big ask, but it has to be accomplished!
Operating Like A Small Company
It's a common oversight that we want things big and we want them . But by making our company larger-than-life, we can relinquish some form of control over the proceedings.
I f we work like a small company, in mind and in matter, this doesn't just make everything easier to implement. It will provide a better sense of personality to our clients, customers, and employees. When we think of big multinationals, there can be a facelessness about their operation. And this may turn people off dealing with us.
This is a very important thing to iron out at the very beginning, with regards to the business plan and the products. Because if we can communicate our brand and personality as being personable and easy to approach, this will naturally feed into the culture, the product, the marketing, and everything else.
A Good Boss
While it sounds so simple, so many employers have followed their dream of starting their own business, but they haven't had the goods to back up their good intentions. A good boss isn't just someone who is able to give orders and look convincing doing them; a good boss is all things to all people.
Some people want to run their own business. They like to be in charge and it makes them feel big. But if this is the sole reason you want to run a business, it's time to make some alterations.
A modern business doesn't have the antiquated notions of line managers, and bosses that bark orders. A good boss in the modern business landscape feels like one of the team. While they may have a lot more on their plate to deal with, this doesn't stop the employees feeling that they can't approach them with problems. These problems could be personal or professional.
A Contemporary Business
A modern business encompasses so much that it can be a very difficult journey to implement all of these things. But if you can start making small, barely noticeable changes, the company could transform. It could transform in an ethical sense, a personal one. And then, it can become an organization that consumers and potential employees will flock to.
Watch the video below to see what makes start-ups succeed by Bill Gross! Bill has founded a lot of start-ups, and incubated many others. He got curious about why some succeeded and others failed. So he gathered data from hundreds of companies, his own and other people's, and ranked each company on five key factors. He found one factor that stands out from the others - and surprised even him.
What do you think is the most important factor for a new business to succeed today? I'd love to know more in the comments below!