According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency—usually known by its initials as FEMA—instead of enjoying the Emerald City, up to 40 percent of small businesses never reopen for business after suffering the impact of a man-made or a natural disaster. While insurance can pay for the loss of stock, supplies and structural damage, it cannot replace customers—the lifeblood of any business.

Planning for an office emergency is an essential task often overlooked or postponed in order to attend to the profit-generating aspect of the business. However, an up-to-date and comprehensive emergency plan can help save lives, reduce injuries and possibly mitigate the extent of the damage done to the office structure and supplies.

The Emergency Action Plan

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a template for businesses to prepare for almost every conceivable type of emergency. This document is prepared by the employee or employees assigned by the office manager or business owner to serve as “emergency coordinator(s)” for the office. This Emergency Action Plan collects the names and contact information for any appropriate agency relative to the specific emergency. Employee information such as emergency contacts, any disabilities or chronic illnesses that might require additional assistance either during an evacuation or secondary to a disaster is also kept on file. The Emergency Action Plan should be updated at least annually and reviewed by all employees to make sure the proper reaction to disaster is understood and familiar and so that employees don’t replicate actions.

The Ready Campaign

Following the terrorist attacks of 1999, FEMA developed what the agency termed The Ready Campaign. First targeted toward the general population via family units, the program has since expanded to include businesses and government agencies. The three main goals of any Ready campaign include:

• Collecting the necessary materials for an emergency supply kit;
• Establishing an appropriate plan in case of an emergency; and
• Learning about potential disasters and specific actions to take for protection.

The Ready campaign provides information in English and Spanish for both children and adults with special information available for families or businesses.

A Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

While some adjustments are required depending upon whether a home or business disaster supply kit is being assembled, the following items are usually suggested for either type:

• A source of drinking water, recommended as one gallon per person per day, for a minimum of three days. Businesses can often utilize the large 5-gallon jugs of potable water delivered for use in water dispensers. Water fountains cannot be relied upon after a disaster as the electrical power to pump the water may be interrupted or water pipes may have burst. In this case, cases of drinking water in plastic bottles held together with shrink-wrap can be stored in a closet or storage area.
• A first-aid kit for treatment of any minor injuries.
• Both rechargeable and battery-operated flashlights with extra batteries should be on hand in the event of a power outage. These may be necessary to assist in an office evacuation by helping to locate emergency exits, to find injured employees in an inner office or at night and to signal to first responders. Fully charged rechargeable units should be utilized first. If the power outage is sustained in length, a rechargeable flashlight can be exchanged for a battery-operated one as its power fails.

Anticipating the Worst to Experience the Best

Neither the CDC nor FEMA’s work is designed to scare employees or families. However, preparation can often make the difference between an inconvenience versus an emergency situation. Keep your car’s gas tank at least half full at all times. Sign up for emergency text messages available from FEMA, the National Weather Service and your local government. Carry your cellphone’s chargers with you and keep your device fully charged. Cellphones are of little help in an emergency if the regular phone system is disrupted and your phone is running low on power. Finally, remember that cellphone provider capacities are often overwhelmed during crises; however, tweets reach Twitter and are read and shared with the appropriate authorities.

No matter how great your products are, how wonderful your customer service is, how efficient your staff or how good you are at your job, if your office environment isn’t pleasant, you’re going to turn off your customers. From a messy, cluttered waiting room to a smelly, dirty bathroom, you’ve got to get your office’s physical condition under control in order to truly please your customers.

If your establishment needs a revamp, here are five simple tips to brighten and freshen your working space.

Snack Attack

What’s worse than being stuck in a waiting room? Being stuck on an empty stomach. It’s rude to keep your customers waiting in the first place, but if they’re hungry, they’re going to get even more irritated. Solve both problems by offering More →

Job’s “Collar” Doesn’t Determine Potential Safety Risks

Despite many blue-collar jobs having high injury rates, a job’s collar has little connection to potential safety risks and the subsequent need for protective equipment. The US Department of Labor utilizes a term that can approximate a job’s collar in most situations. The agency uses the term job zone that applies to the length and difficulty of a career’s preparation time, training and education. According to O*NET OnLine, jobs can be classified along a range of one to five, with a job within Job Zone 1 requiring little or no preparation all the way to a job in Zone 5 which requires years of extensive preparation. Protective and safety equipment is necessary for a large number of careers, ranging from a leaf raker to an astronaut. Be aware of potential dangers whatever the tasks your job requires.

Protective Equipment Used by Example Careers in Different Job Zones

Job Zone 1

Jobs that are classified as Zone 1 positions are considered by the Department of Labor as those requiring little to no preparation in order to begin and perform the tasks adequately. This is decidedly not the opinion of some members who have worked in Job Zone 1-classified positions for many years. Especially in construction or similar jobs, workers cite the safety rules they must learn as well as subtle evaluation skills that help avoid some of the dangers of the positions. Other Zone 1 workers report a required learning curve whereby they learn to do their jobs efficiently.

• Continuous Mining Machine Operators ($45,570/per year)
  • Self-Rescue Respirator
  • Reflective Miner’s Belt to hold self-rescue respirator and filter, camp light battery pack and tools
  • Protective Helmet
  • Camp Light System to wear on helmet
  • Combination Radio & Camp Light System to wear on helmet
  • Fresh Air Bay Portable, Inflatable Refuge Chamber
  • Various Barricades for use while awaiting rescue
  • Wi-Fi Tracking System built into protective helmet.
• Maids & Housekeepers ($19,300/per year)
• Gloves
• Nose & Mouth Mask (optional) for use as needed when cleaning chemicals emit noxious fumes
• Knee Pads (optional) if cleaning floors or carpets by hand

Job Zone 2

Job Zone 2 positions usually require a high school diploma or GED. Training may be required for up to a year and may involve an apprenticeship or formal “career school” that provides a certificate upon completion.

• Pipe layers ($36,300/year)
  • Steel Toed Boots or Protective Footwear
  • Hardhat or Protective Helmet
  • Safety Glasses
  • Work Gloves
  • Hearing Protection
• Flight Attendants ($38,020/year)
• Evacuation Slides
• Side Raft Packs
• Window Exit Escape Ropes
• Chemical Oxygen Generators
• Portable Oxygen Systems
• Protective Breathing Equipment
• First Aid Kits
• Automated External Defibrillators
• Emergency Rafts
• Flotation Seat Cushions
• Life Preservers

Job Zone 3

Job Zone 3 careers are considered medium preparation positions and require one to two years of education or training for up to four years. Zone 3 careers also often require the satisfactory completion of an examination to confirm their skills and knowledge and a resulting licensure.

• Acute Care Nurses ($65,130/year)
  • Disposable Aprons
  • Disposable Gowns
  • Gloves
  • Safety Glasses
  • Face Masks
  • Lead Apron during radiological procedures
  • Sharps Containers
  • Needle-less Systems
  • Antimicrobial Soaps and Gels
• Commercial Divers ($55,940/year)
• Scuba Suit
• Diving helmet
• Diving mask
• Air Tanks
• Gauges
• Diver Harnesses
• Equipment Harnesses
• Signal Lines or Underwater Telephones

Job Zone 4

Considerable preparation is required the minimal starting point for Job Zone 4. Most positions under this category require a bachelor’s degree as minimal education and two or more years of work experience to be considered able to work independently.

• Real Estate Appraisers ($53,410/year)
  • Hard Hats (occasionally)
  • Boots (for use in construction or undeveloped)
  • Umbrella
  • Mace or Chemical Protection against dogs or other animals
• Chemists ($71,070/year)
• Safety Glasses
• Chemical Splash Goggles
• Laser Eye Protection
• Face & Neck Shields
• Flame Resistant Aprons
• Flame Resistant Lab Coats
• Closed Toe Shoes
• Negative Pressure Hood
• Appropriate Gloves for Type of Protection Necessary
• Respirators

Job Zone 5

Finally, Job Zone 5 careers consider extensive preparation, skill, training and practice. A master’s degree is normally the minimum degree level required to enter the career. Many Zone 5 positions require a PhD or a doctor of medicine or law degree. Five or more years of preparation are required with five to seven additional years of training plus an examination for licensure.

• Accountants ($65,840/year)
  • Office Chair with Lumbar Support
  • Proper Height of Computer Screen
  • Wrist Computer Supports
  • Personal Protective or Safety Equipment (PPE) for outdoor tasks
• Criminal Investigators & Special Agents ($63,840)
• Metal Handcuffs
• Plastic Handcuffs
• Service Revolver
• Mace
• Tasers
• Two way radios
• Bullet Proof Vests
• Gloves
• Night Stick
• Flashlight

Clocking Out

As demonstrated by this brief listing, protective and safety equipment may be a requirement despite whether your job is considered blue collar, pink collar or white collar. Be aware of job tasks, which might present an immediate or eventual injury and speak with your employer about injury prevention.

Most small businesses operate on a tight budget. When operations are small, the margins of error are much larger. Unnecessary costs, however small, can quickly add up and cut in to the company’s available funds. Money management is a huge make or break consideration for many companies, particularly startups. Cost considerations rarely trickle down to the everyday purchases that could be bleeding the organization of money.

Misusing a budget is an all too common oversight that leads to throwing away money. While these cost-cutting strategies are applicable to organizations of any size, they’ll have the greatest influence on a small business operating with limited funds.

Energy conservation and going paperless are two viable strategies, but if you want to cut costs on operational expenses, consider buying more products in bulk. Here are some great options to help you save money in the long run.

Trash bags

Trash bags are an inevitable expense. Keeping them stocked can add up quickly, especially if you have a janitorial service that dumps your trash every day. Most organizations are bound to go through large amounts of trash bags over time. By buying in bulk, you reduce the number of transactions and visits made to the store, which will provide time savings as well as financial gains.

Toilet paper and other paper products

Maybe you can go paperless when it comes to memos and expense reports, but some paper products aren’t as easy to eliminate. Toilet paper, facial tissues and paper towels are all integral parts of a sanitary office, and they do have an impact on the company’s expenses. These paper products are not always cheap, but you can lower their cost considerably by purchasing them in bulk. And when you do run out of a roll of toilet paper, you don’t have to place an order before you reload — simply run to the storage closet and replenish your bathroom’s supply.

Pens, pencils and other desk supplies

Even for small businesses, it makes sense to purchase common office supplies in bulk. Having products readily available in a supply closet minimizes the downtime suffered by employees left searching for the tools they need. Make a list of all the common items your employees use on a daily basis. Make bulk purchases and wipe out potential supplies-related headaches.

Printer ink

When printer ink runs out, it can bring operations to a halt. When purchased as individual cartridges, ink is no small expense. You can drastically reduce your printer ink expenses and improve your company’s uptime by buying ink cartridges in bulk.

While buying in bulk offers great long-term savings, it does deliver an up-front cost that may discourage some buyers from making the transition. While the large price tag of a bulk purchase can be intimidating, don’t let it keep you from making a final decision. While you’re paying more up-front, the future savings more than make up for these costs and will reduce your operating expenses.

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Performance appraisal of employees is part of any comprehensive career development program of companies.  It does not merely try to find inadequacies in performance but also the strengths that lie behind each employee performance. This appraisal or review puts into focus the capabilities that can be continuously harnessed by companies while placing attention on the areas that need to be improved as well.

Why is Employee Appraisal Needed

Regular employee appraisal or evaluation is needed to check whether employees are performing at par in relation to their given responsibilities and the expectations of the employers in relation to results.  The evaluation has to be in line with clear goals set by the company so that employees’ performance will be scrutinized fairly. Looking for results that have not been clearly established is quite unrealistic even among conscientious employees.

What Does an Employee Appraisal Include

An employee appraisal will include the evaluation of employees based on their organizational behavior, accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, and potentials. It usually involves an interview with the concerned employee so as to provide feedback, discuss areas for work improvement and other job-related issues, and provide counseling when needed.  The appraisal is done in line with organizational objectives and set employee criteria.

Applications of Employee Appraisal

The results of employee appraisal can be used for determining critical employment decision such as promotion, termination, pay increase, additional work responsibilities, or transfers.  Most companies use the appraisal as part of motivational program to encourage better work performance.  The main purpose of employee appraisal is work improvement but it is also an opportunity to improve employer-employee communication.

Expected Benefits of Employee Appraisal

Employee appraisal is expected to provide benefits to the company and the employee.  The results aid in company goal setting, determination of training needs, and provision of employee focus.  The main expected benefits are the improvement of work performance and better communication between employer and employee.

Potential Problems with Employee Appraisal

There are some potential problems with doing employee appraisal and much has to do with the perception of fairness in how it is done.  Since an appraisal is more or less an issue of judging an employee, some aspects can be very subjective. Judgments based on actual tests and performances are much easier to make as compared to behavior and decision-making capabilities.

The Human Resource Division of companies usually handles employee appraisal.  It is done typically on an annual basis.  It is expected to be carried out under the guidance of fair employee practices.

Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.

Putting up a website is a great idea for businesses of any size, but a surprising number of companies have no idea how to do it. Even today, you can find sites that are nothing more than a page or two of boring pictures and no information. Needless to say, these Web duds are not going to bring their operators the hoped-for results. To make sure that you create a site worth its bytes, keep these things in mind:

Your website is a storefront

Give it the same bright, clean look a brick-and-mortar showroom should have. Avoid drab colors and pictures of your back room. Customers don’t see those things when they come into your physical shop, and they shouldn’t see them online. Instead, show crisp pictures of your products or of your staff performing your company’s services. More →

There are business functions that need to be kept internal, but some functions can actually be done more effectively by an outside entity. Managed Print Services is one such function. By choosing the right service provider, outsourcing a company’s needs for print services can actually work.

The main reason why professional service providers of Managed Print Services are more effective in handling this function is their expertise in it. A company that focuses on specific services become experts in the field due to experience and comprehensive knowledge. When non-core functions are delegated to the best service provider, businesses can concentrate on the more vital functions they have to attend to.

A professional service provider of Managed Print Service will typically conduct an analysis of the existing printing environment of a company. It will need to assess the total cost involved in maintaining its printing fleet. This can easily be done without the need to disrupt daily business operation.

Everything that needs to be considered will be taken into account. This will include issues on breakage and fixing, expenses related to operating equipment that havebeen used for a good number of years, and the cost of using all other existing equipment including printers, copiers, fax machines, and other related devices.

A professional Managed Print Services provider is expected to be able to offer the client-business a highly-optimized plan that will result not only to cost reduction but also in time savings. The more printing devices are used by a company, the more advantageous it is to get the services of a professional. These professionals can work to address challenges from the seemingly insignificant to the highly critical areas.  Suitable strategies are put in place to swiftly address the recognized problems. Find out more about outsourcing this non-core function and discover the difference.

From something as basic as replenishment of consumables to something as complicated as a full hardware refresh provided with remote management, professional service providers should be able to properly address them. What is especially advantageous about getting their services is the no-nonsense way of addressing the issues about maximizing efficiency of networked printers and devices plus eliminating unnecessary costs.

Businesses will likewise be provided with a schedule of progress made so that they will fully understand the advantages they are actually harnessing in paying for such services.  Outsourcing print services requirements actually work.  Companies just need to find the perfect partner for this task.

If there is one benefit to be derived from going into business, it is the flexibility it offers in the nature of business, time, and, and people to work with.  While the main issue about going into business is the responsibility attached to it, the rewards that a successful business provides can be immense.  Business owners have total control over plans and decisions.  Apparently however, there is more to it than control.

Having control is one of the most commonly pointed-out advantage of going into business.  While this is true in a sense since business owners generally decide on how they will conduct the operation of their business, it has to be noted that there might be some control issues with regards to time.  While employees can usually go home for the day and leave without much worry, employers usually stay behind because of the need to ensure that everything is going smoothly, ready for the next day.  This is especially so in sole proprietorship businesses where the bulk of the responsibility for success falls on the owner.

The rewards however of having a business far outweigh the inconveniences.  As a business grows, the owners can slowly release and delegate other responsibilities to other people.  One of the best perks of successful business ownership is the ability to hire qualified people to do the job.  A single business has the ability to help several people to attain gainful living.

A recognized benefit of business ownership is the opportunity to create something which can be left as a legacy to the family or the world if applicable enough.

Image: spotfire.tibco.com

About the Author:
Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.

Image: youngadultfinances

All businesses will have to purchase specific insurance policies applicable to their respective nature. There may be one or two types that most would need to get but there are some that will only be applicable to particular types of businesses. One thing sure though is that no business can safely operate without suitable, sufficient, and timely insurance coverage.
Business owners should keep in mind some of the most important features for businesses to consider when looking for insurance policies and packages:
1. A Business Insurance Must be Appropriate
The appropriateness of insurance coverage is very important since paying for coverage that will not be likely needed is a waste of money. Think paying commercial auto insurance when there are no existing business vehicle to be covered. Business owners have much better use for their money. A personal car or vehicle would only require a regular auto insurance for example.
2. A Business Insurance Must be Sufficient to Cover Possible Losses
The reason why businesses buy insurance policies is for them to be afforded financial protection in order to recover losses. Getting a policy that offers too small coverage does not serve the purpose of protection while a policy that offers coverage that is too wide may just be too costly and wasteful. The key here is to determine how much is needed if in case loss actually occurs in the business. The insurance proceeds is expected to ensure the continuity of a business.
3. A Business Insurance Must Cover the Business in a Timely Manner
There is usually too little time to waste in leaving an operating business uninsured. In fact, the business cannot afford to be without one. Obtaining an insurance policy for a purpose that has long been rendered inapplicable because of a change in business nature for example is redundant and useless. Businesses should also take note of existing laws pertaining to the requirement of governing agencies.
These are just some of the insurance features that are basic to general needs. There will be others so business owners will have to check this out themselves. They can try online insurance providers which offer relevant advice to insurance products that are most relevant to their needs. Insurance consultants are in the best position to offer advice to confused business clients. Getting the right policy from the very start gives business owners the dual advantage of protection and savings.
About the Guest Blogger
Romina is a business student who certainly picked up some good points from www.InsuranceTown.com about the topic of business insurance for her own use.

Many companies in America, Europe and Australia are outsourcing work to Asian countries such as India and the Philippines. Their goal is to free up their organization with minor tasks that can be done by staff in remote locations at lesser cost. In fact, even celebrities do this to help them organize their schedule and respond to emails as well as phone calls.

This has been the case for the business process outsourcing industry for many years now and so far, a great number of firms that have outsourced major and minor work are satisfied with their remote staff. Even solo entrepreneurs are also now hiring virtual assistants if only to help them with certain tasks that they no longer have time to do.

At least with an assistant in another location, they need not concern themselves with the computer and other hardware the staff will use. They only have to install a remote monitoring software to allow them to keep track of the work their assistant does.
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