Archives for March 2022

How to Ensure Your Business Stays Compliant and Legal

March 10, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Running a business is no easy task. Along with making sure your products and services are up to par, you also need to make sure your company is compliant and legal. This can be a daunting task, but it’s important to remember that it’s better to be safe than sorry. This blog post will discuss some of the most important ways to ensure your company stays compliant and legal. This will cover everything from HR best practices to data security. By following these tips, you can rest assured that you are doing everything possible to stay on the right side of the law!

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#1 Laws and regulations

First and foremost, you need to make sure you are complying with all relevant laws and regulations. This includes things like employment law, data protection law, and health and safety regulations. Depending on your industry, there may be other laws and regulations that apply to you as well. Make sure you are up to date on all of the latest changes so that you can ensure your business is compliant. For example, if you had a company that specialises in borehole drilling, you would need a water abstraction licence in order to trade legally.

One way to stay on top of changes in the law is to have a lawyer or compliance officer on staff. This person can help you understand new laws and make sure your business is following them. They can also help you create policies and procedures to ensure compliance. Another option is to outsource this function to a law firm or consultancy that specialises in compliance.

#2 Invest in software

Another way to ensure compliance is to have a robust system in place for tracking and managing your company’s compliance. This system should include things like a central repository for all relevant policies and procedures, a process for reporting compliance violations, and regular audits. By having this system in place, you can be sure that you are doing everything possible to stay compliant.

There are a number of different software options available to help with compliance. Some companies opt for an all-in-one solution that covers multiple areas of compliance. Others choose to use multiple products that each focus on a specific area. Whichever route you choose, make sure you select a product that is easy to use and that will meet the needs of your business.

#3 Train your employees

Another important way to ensure compliance is to train your employees on the relevant laws and regulations. This training should cover things like what they can and cannot say or do at work, how to report compliance violations, and what the consequences are for violating company policy. By ensuring that your employees are properly trained, you can help reduce the risk of non-compliance.

Make sure you have a plan in place for training new employees as well. This plan should include who will be responsible for providing the training, what will be covered, and how often it will be given. You may also want to consider having a quiz or test at the end of the training to ensure that employees have understood the material.

#4 Create policies and procedures

One of the best ways to ensure compliance is to have written policies and procedures in place. These documents should outline what the company expects from its employees, how violations will be dealt with, and any other relevant information.

It’s important to note that these policies and procedures should be reviewed and updated regularly to account for any changes in the law or your business. You may also want to consider including a section on whistleblower protection so that employees know they can report any misconduct without fear of retaliation.

#5 Conduct regular audits

Another way to ensure compliance is to conduct regular audits. These audits can be internal, conducted by staff, or external, conducted by an outside firm. Either way, they should be done on a regular basis to identify any areas of non-compliance.

Audits are an important part of any compliance program, but they can be time-consuming and expensive. As such, you may want to consider outsourcing this function to a firm that specialises in compliance auditing.

By following these tips, you can help ensure that your company is compliant and legal. While it may seem like a lot of work, compliance is vital for protecting your business. In addition, by taking the time to implement these measures, you can help reduce the risk of costly penalties or fines.

Solve These Problems That Are Slowing You Down

March 10, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Do you often find yourself working slower than you would like? The things that slow you down might be external factors that get in your way but they can also be things that are more personal to you and your habits and behaviors. It’s frustrating when things get in the way of your work and slow you down, especially if you feel like you’re getting in your own way. Fortunately, there are always things that you can do to change things. If you feel like there are things slowing you down at work, you can take steps to speed up your work and get more done.

Slow Computer (and Other Devices)

Technology can be one of the worst culprits for slowing you down at work. You can end up waiting a long time for a program to respond or for a device to restart when you just want to get on with your work. If your computer is slow, one of the first things you can do is find out what might be slowing it down and how to speed it up. You can use a tool to spot and tame CPU hogging apps so that the worst apps stop using up all of your computer’s power. You might also want to consider doing things such as clearing out unneeded files to free up memory and removing apps you don’t need.

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Trying (and Failing) to Multitask

Many people try to multitask when they’re at work. They flit from one task to another, trying to do several things at once but ultimately failing. Instead of getting your work done faster, it actually slows you down and can result in worse outcomes too. Instead of trying to multitask, the best thing you can do is prioritize your work and get tasks completed in batches. Organize your work so that you complete the most important tasks first. You can also group tasks together so that you can do similar tasks one after the other, which can help you save time.

Writer’s Block/Lack of Inspiration

When you have writer’s block or you’re not feeling very inspired, it can make it difficult to get started on any work involving creativity or creation of any kind. Whether you have to write an email, draw up a technical document or think of some ideas for your next meeting, it’s not always easy to get the ideas or words to come. If you’re struggling to get going, reframing what you’re doing or approaching it from another angle can be helpful. You might also find it helpful to look for inspiration elsewhere so you can get your creative juices flowing.

Struggling to Focus

A lack of focus is a problem that many people face. You might find it hard to focus when you’re feeling tired or there could be lots of things happening around you that make it difficult. The first thing you should do if you find focusing hard is make sure you’re physically ready to concentrate on your work. Have you had enough sleep? Did you have a nutritious breakfast? Do you need to wear glasses? All of these things can matter if you’re finding it hard to focus on your work instead of getting distracted by other things.

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Distractions from Others

Another problem you might experience when you’re trying to get your work done is distractions from other people. This might be someone sending you emails or popping into your office, or it could be people having a chat right by your desk. If you’re struggling with these issues, one of the things that can help is setting boundaries. Being able to tell someone to come back later or giving them a set time when you’re able to help them will put you in control. If you find emails or other communication distracts you, you can set rules for when you will pay attention to them (unless it’s urgent).

Not Scheduling Tasks

You have a list of things to do and perhaps some corresponding deadlines. But, rather than work out what you will need to do and when, you just pick up various tasks at random and do them as and when you feel like it. You might get everything done eventually, but it takes you longer than it really needs to. If you find this is usually how your day or week goes, you need to get better at scheduling your tasks. You know what you need to do and you know how much time you have to do it, so why not schedule your time and make sure you’re using it effectively.

Being a Perfectionist

Wanting to do the job right and do it right the first time is nothing to be ashamed of. But if you’re something of a perfectionist, you can find that you get in your own way. No one can ever really do everything perfectly and often there isn’t really a perfect way to complete a task. You might feel like you have to do everything in a perfect way, but you could just be wasting time trying to achieve the impossible. Instead of trying to be perfect, focus on getting everything done to a satisfactory standard that fulfills your goals.

Not Taking Breaks

You might think that you can get a lot more done if you don’t take any breaks. If you just power through, you’ll have another hour or more to do your work. But the truth is that if you’re not taking any breaks, you’re probably slowing yourself down. Not allowing yourself to take breaks could mean you’re less able to pay attention to what you’re doing when you’re working. When you take breaks, you have time to reset and refresh so that you’re ready to get back on track when your break is over. Taking breaks ensures you have something to eat and drink, as well as take care of anything else.

If you feel like you’re always working slower than you should be, address the things that are slowing you down to get more done.

The 4 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Digital Nomad

March 8, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Anything that is worth doing requires planning ahead and patience. When you take the time to put things in place ahead of time, you are able to achieve just about anything. If you are thinking of traveling the world and still making money while doing it then you can certainly do that. Being a digital nomad has become a very popular way of dropping out of the corporate rat race and living life on your own terms.

The thing to remember, however, is that although working as a digital nomad is a wonderful experience, it will only give back what you put in. Working remotely has challenges so the better prepared you are the better you are able to overcome those challenges. In this article, we will go over what you need to know before you set out on your digital nomad adventure so you can get the most out of the experience.

1 – Get your papers in order

The first thing to do before anything else is to make sure that you have a valid passport that isn’t going to expire at any point in your travels. The next thing is to secure visas. Since many countries require that a passport be valid past six months from when the visa is issued, you can see how important it is to have your passport sorted out before anything.

You’ll also need to have some form of expatriate health insurance. Traveling can mean that you get sick from being tired or from the exposure to different viruses that you don’t have immunity from already. Getting sick abroad without insurance can be very stressful so having coverage is a great idea. Not only that, but many countries will require you to prove that you have insurance before issuing you a visa.

You may need to have vaccinations to enter certain countries, especially developing ones, so look into what is required and then check with your doctor about your vaccine history.

2 – Work on your skills

The most important thing to have to be able to travel as a digital nomad is a stable income. Some people will be lucky enough to have a job that can be worked remotely so they don’t have to worry about getting paid. The rest will need to make sure that they have what it takes to make enough money to travel and set money aside.

Long before you buy your first ticket to go, you have to start building your skillset to make enough money. Getting really good at a particular skill ahead of time will allow you to build up a business or steady stream of clients to make sure that you are able to support yourself.

Take the time to take courses or do some projects to hone your skills and build a network of connections that will help you grow your career or freelance business.

3 – Understand your needs

There are so many ways to travel and everybody has their own idea of what works for them. You need to either think of your past travels and consider what worked and what didn’t, or do a type of self audit. This is so you can figure out how to travel and what will work for you so you can plan things out.

For instance, will you be comfortable staying in hostels and working in coffee shops? Or, do you need more privacy and need to have an apartment with a work area so you can work in peace and on your own schedule.

You’ll also have to factor in how you will get around since you can choose to go by bus, rail, or plane and each has its pluses and minuses. Your budget will probably be the biggest factor in this followed by your comfort level.

4 – Find your people

It will be very lonely on the road as you will likely be going alone. When you are in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language then making friends with locals is difficult.

Try to look for meetups in the places where you plan to go. You may find that there is a vibrant community of fellow digital nomads that you can socialize with. There may even be groups of expats that have regular meetings that you could end up becoming a part of while you are in their area.

Without some kind of community it may end up being depressing and not as fun an adventure as you had hoped for. While you are on the road you can easily keep in touch with the people you’ve met to be able to continue the connection and maybe even ,meet up again somewhere down the line.

Top Reasons to Visit Mississauga

March 7, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Despite being the largest suburb of Toronto and the sixth most populated city in Canada, Mississauga is a highly underrated area. It was originally a town and was only recently upgraded to a city in 1974. Since then, it has grown to a population of over 700,000 people.

Situated west of Toronto and looking onto the shores of Lake Ontario, Mississauga has a fascinating history, which is weaved into the heart of the city. From the historical sights to the large shopping malls, there is so much that Mississauga has to offer.

Whether you’re paying a short-term visit or relocating to the city, there are plenty of incredible apartments for rent in Mississauga with stunning views of the urban landscapes. You can view the impressive Toronto skyline from the comfort of your own luxury apartment and everything you could ever need is right at your doorstep.

Here are some of the top reasons to visit the city of Mississauga in Toronto.

Shopping Malls

If you love splashing the cash and shopping for new things, you will love the Square One Shopping Centre. Situated in the heart of Mississauga, it is the largest mall in Ontario and the second largest in the whole of Canada.

The Square One Shopping Centre is easy to access from anywhere in the city and it houses everything that you’ll ever need. From 330 high street and high-end brands to over 60 different restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, you can easily spend your weekends browsing the shopping mall.

Few shopping malls compare to those in Mississauga, so it’s the perfect city for those of you who adore retail therapy!

Thriving Art Community

Mississauga boasts a thriving creative community. It is home to the Art Gallery of Mississauga, which opened up back in 1987 and houses a collection of over 500 works of art.

If you love art, you will enjoy viewing the various exhibitions and pieces of artwork inside the gallery. There is something for everyone, with indigenous art to contemporary styles.

Inside the gallery, workshops and live performances are also held on a regular basis. You can learn more about a variety of subjects while meeting locals.

Peaceful Parks

There are more than 350 parks in the city of Mississauga. They vary from small walkways with benches to large open spaces with ponds, picnic areas, and recreational facilities.

Jack Darling Memorial Park is one of the most popular parks in the city. It has a stunning beach where you can swim in the water or try out kayaking and windsurfing.

For a more peaceful park, Kariya Park is a great option. It is a Japanese garden that is named after Kariya, Mississauga’s sister city in Japan, and it provides a calming escape from the busy city centre.

Every spring, Kariya Park comes to life with cherry blossoms and magnolia trees. Spend time in nature by walking through the various trails, while you admire the scenes and breathe in the fresh scents of flowers and shrubs.

Why is your Small Business Going to Fail- And What Can You Do About It?

March 7, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Research has shown time and time again that only 50% of small businesses succeed past the first year. Eight out of ten businesses fail within the first 18 months. If you want to make sure that your business is not part of another failure statistic or if you want to make sure that you are securing success as much as possible then this is the guide for you.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Leadership Failure

Your business may well fail if you exhibit poor leadership skills. This is evident in a lot of different forms. You will struggle as a leader if you do not have the capabilities needed to make management decisions, or if you are not able to supervise your staff properly. You may even find that you do not have the vision needed to lead the organization in question, and that you are not able to make the right decisions either. Dysfunctional leadership will trickle down and it will affect every part of your business. You may find that it impacts everything from financial management to morale for your team and more. Failure may be lurking around the corner and this is the last thing that you want if you feel as though you are already in the red. If you want to prevent this, then you need to find a mentor and you also need to try and learn, study and enroll in training. Conducting personal research will help you out a lot here as well, so be sure to explore things like that.

Lacking Uniqueness

You may have a great product, or you may even have a fantastic service but if there is not a strong demand, then you may end up falling behind. Your business will still be failing and if you do not take the right steps now, then you may find that it is just too late for you to turn things around. If you want to avoid this, then you need to focus on what sets you apart from your competition. You need to look at how you conduct business, and you also need to look at what your competitors are doing that is better than you. If you can develop a customized approach or if you can develop a good service package, then this will help you in the long run as well. If you believe your product is good, you also need to market it properly. Programmatic display advertising is a great way for you to ensure this.

Not Being in Touch with Customer Needs

Your business will fail if you do not stay in touch with your customers and if you do not understand what they need. Your customers may like your service or your product, but they may love it even more if you were able to change or alter it. It might be that your customers have been telling you what they want to have changed, but you might not have been listening. Either way, it’s vital that you take steps to make sure that you keep your eye on trending values. You also need to try and survey your customers as well as doing market research. If you can use this to your advantage, then this will help you out more than you realize.