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Access Your Career – Support For Disabled Workers

Muzahed I.
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Access Your Career – Support For Disabled Workers

The right support for disabled employees can make a huge difference to their working experience.  Improving access in the workplace and reviewing working practices can enable them to excel at their jobs.  In many cases these improvements will come at little or no cost.

Moral Support

It is important that disabled workers get support from both in and outside of the workplace.  Moral support from family and friends can be critical to helping those with disabilities achieve job places and succeed in their careers.  Even everyday tasks can be difficult for those with disabilities and holding down a steady job can be a big challenge.  Plenty of moral support at home can really help disabled workers to keep on working and achieving in their lives.

Moral support should also come from within the workplace.  It is important that disabled workers feel accepted and integrated in the workplace.  With the right guidance and training, managers and colleagues can learn how to support and encourage disabled workers and help include them as part of the team.  Disabled workers also may find it beneficial to get some additional training in teamwork and communicating with others in the workplace.

Financial Support

It can be difficult for disabled people to get the formative experience they need to compete in a busy jobs market.  Many employers are looking for relevant experience and this can leave some disabled applicants falling behind.  Financial assistance can help to support disabled workers whilst they train and gain experience for themselves.

Volunteering in relevant jobs fields can be a good way to gain valuable experience.  For example many charities offer volunteer placements in their retail and office spaces.  This can help disabled workers to gain valuable experience both in job roles and also working with others. In some cases you may be able to get financial assistance from your family. There are also various government and charity grants available to help disabled workers train and get to into work.

Reasonable Expectations

Disabled workers don’t expect to get a ‘free ride’ in the workplace.  However it will need to be understood that some leeway may need to be offered in certain circumstances.  Disabled workers may find it difficult to complete certain tasks and may need more time for these.  However they may be able to make up for this at other times or in other work areas.  Studies have shown that this ‘give and take’ approach is highly beneficial to disabled workers and enables them to feel like valued members of the workforce without putting them under too much pressure.

Access to Work

It is important that employers have professional access audits carried out. These audits will highlight areas in which employers may need to improve when it comes to access for physical or sensory disabled people.  This includes both visitors to business premises and also workers.

  • Access audits will help employers to understand their legal obligations.  These audit specialists will also be able to offer practical suggestions for ways to improve access to the workplace.
  • It is a good idea for employers to become familiar with any formal support offered to workers such as the UK government backed ‘Access to Work’ scheme.
  • This is provided through the Jobcentre Plus and offers a range of support for disabled workers from providing specialist office chairs through to assisting workers in buying computer equipment or devices that they made need to carry out their work.
  • Some charities can also offer support for disabled workers.  This may be in the form of financial support towards the costs of training and attending interviews or counselling support to help people back to work.

Image rights reserved by Red Planet2009

Three Ways To Attract People To Your New Business

Muzahed I.
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Three Ways To Attract People To Your New Business

The United States is truly the land of opportunity; where people with talent, expertise, and business sense can combine their skills and make money.  According to data given from the Small Business Association, U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Census Bureau there are 27,500,000 businesses in the United States.  Some businesses seem to be instant successes as soon as they open, and others take a long time to be successful.  Even though there are plenty of businesses that do well, there are still those that end up failing. Data from the Small Business Association, U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Census Bureau show that an estimated 675,000 businesses closed in 2010, and 65, 250 went bankrupt.

There are a variety of reasons why businesses fail.  Maybe the owner picked a location that wasn’t easily noticed by the public, or they chose to open their business somewhere where there was already a substantial amount of competition.  Sometimes businesses end up failing despite the best practices of its owner and employees, but there are some things new business owners can do if they want to start off their venture on a good note. If you want to have a successful business, you need to develop a loyal and happy customer base to support and promote you.  If you want to attract customers, keep these things in mind when you plan your business.

Research Your Customer Base

If you want to be able to attract customers, you’re going to need to know what your idea customer base wants.  Since you’re new to the business world, do a little research on your competitors and see what they do to keep their customer engaged.  Learn about what they look for in a product or service, study their buying behavior (remember to pay attention to the prices they’re willing to pay for certain products), and think about potential untapped markets your customers would be interested in.

Utilize SEO

Today a lot of people rely on the internet to learn about new businesses and products, and if you want to reach a lot of potential customers you need to make sure that they can find you online.  Having an online presence is crucial for businesses, and you need to make sure that your website isn’t just visually appealing and informational, you also need to make sure that it can be found on search engines.  Hire an SEO company to make sure that your website is optimized for search engines, and be sure that you also have a solid presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Make Your Store Front Attractive and Attention-Grabbing

If you want customers to keep coming back to your business, you need to make sure that your store is easy to spot.  Find an inexpensive LED sign that can change colors and advertise sales to attract customers and let them know about shopping opportunities.  Create a unique visual display for the front of your store, and if you have a storefront window place one there as well.  Make sure that your store is designed to flow well with human traffic, and research the best ways to set up store displays.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward with your small business.

Image courtesy http://tip.office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/MH900431177.jpg

How Social Media Platforms are Changing the Face of Advertising

Muzahed I.
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How Social Media Platforms are Changing the Face of Advertising

It won’t take a genius to see how social media can produce amazing results for any business. Whether it is advertising for multinational companies or small cottage enterprises, the use of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for marketing is bound to produce the best results for the least amount of effort and cost. Here are some reasons how social media can ensure success for any kind of marketing campaign.

Better Exposure to Potential Customers

With more and more people having access to the internet 24 hours a day, it is not hard to reach new and old customers no matter where they are in the world. Business owners have the opportunity to gain exposure for their service or brand just by posting these on Facebook or Twitter, and they have the advantage of being able to reach millions of people around the world with one Facebook or Twitter post. You can maximize this with use of the Like or Share buttons on Facebook or the Retweet button on Twitter. By allowing your followers to share the contents of your profile in their own feeds, you are increasing your exposure. You even increase your own exposure just by liking your own Facebook page on your own profile. This gets shown on your feed as one of your activities and is visible to your network.

Cheap and Efficient Advertising

Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube do not require users to pay anything if they want to advertise, although you may need to pay a little for your commercial FB pages. However, even personal profiles can be used to post links to your website or store. If you have a large number of followers on Facebook, each post with a link can draw a considerable amount of traffic your way, and you didn’t have to spend a dime!

Better Visibility by Upping Engagement With Readers

Business owners can increase their exposure by replying to comments, by liking readers’ posts, and by encouraging readers to like, tweet or share. Each activity they make puts their Facebook profile or page on someone’s feed, which increases their visibility. This enhanced engagement with readers not only increases visibility, it also encourages first timers to come back.

Cross-platform Advertising for Effective Saturation of the Market

Most business owners are now taking advantage of advertising on multiple platforms. Advertising a product on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube allows business owners to reach a wider audience and to utilize more creativity in presenting their products to the world. You may need to adjust each post to make it suitable for a platform, such as shorter posts on Twitter, a short intro for a post on Facebook, as well as hashtags, with a maximum of three, for both. Youtube videos should be fun, interesting and encourage the audience to Like, Share, or comment. However, the use of videos is much more diverse than just putting them up on Youtube – videos have found their spot in TV advertising, marketing campaigns, presentations, etc. It is important to link your Facebook, Youtube and Twitter accounts, so that one post can be shared on other networks in one go.

Social media is changing the face of advertising in drastic and positive ways. With all the benefits that a social media platform offers, it is no wonder why it is fast becoming the number one advertising outlet for big and small businesses.

Image courtesy of JanPietruszka /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Real Offices Vs. Virtual Offices

Muzahed I.
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Real Offices Vs. Virtual Offices

Over the past few years it has become increasingly common for people to set up virtual offices instead of real ones. Virtual offices can take many different forms, from a single entrepreneur working online from home, to a large company offering telecommuting and online servicing to their employees, who are unable to commute to the company’s real office location.

There are even actual companies who offer virtual office services, taking care of all administration, for instance answering the telephone or emails. Real offices and virtual offices both have many advantages and disadvantages. This often leads to the question as to whether having a virtual office is better than having a real one and this is discussed further below.

1. Renting of office space

One of the biggest advantages for having a virtual office instead of a real one is there is no need to pay high rent for a property. Many businesses that utilise the idea of a virtual office are small or just starting up and so cannot really afford to rent a standard office space, especially if living somewhere like London or another city.

Setting up a virtual office means entrepreneurs can stay in their preferred location without having to worry about steep rental prices affecting their profit margin each month. Employing a virtual office company means you don’t worry about rent at all, as they take care of themselves and you just pay for their service.

2. Overhead costs

When you rent an office space, it is not just the rent you need to factor into your budget. You also need to consider a vast number of small overhead costs, which quickly mount up. For instance, gas and electricity, internet and cleaning bills will all need to be taken care of, amongst other things.

Having a virtual office will mean all these costs are immediately cut down or in some cases eliminated completely. Although this will depend on whether you are working from home or not, as you will obviously have to pay your own home’s bills but at least you have control over these and are not spending thousands of extra pounds each year on overhead costs for your office.

3. Paying your employees

This will vary depending on which kind of virtual office you employ. For instance, if you have employed a virtual office service company you will generally only have to pay for the actual office package itself. The people doing the virtual office work are taken care of and paid for by the virtual office company.

If you are a single entrepreneur working online from home, you will only need to pay people on a freelance basis, depending on what you have agreed in advance. A company who are utilising the idea of a virtual office has more flexibility in what they pay their employees since there is no need for employees to commute, buy work clothes and so on. In this way a lot of money can be saved on salaries and benefits.

The downside to not having employees right in front of you is you are not always aware of how they are conducting themselves when working for you. The same is true of those working for virtual service companies but in this case; you don’t even know them. Many of those answering your calls and emails will also be working for other people too, and as such their knowledge base will have to be spread. This means their answers for you may not be as detailed as you might like and you may find they are portraying a less professional image of your company than you might like.

4. Productivity

If you employ a virtual office company to take care of all your administrative duties, it can take a lot of the pressure off you. As such, you may find your productivity levels increase because you no longer have to worry about, or spend time on, all the admin. You are therefore able to focus on the most important aspects of your business and hopefully make more money by doing so.

However, companies who allow employees to work from a virtual office, or even entrepreneurs who work from their own home, are taking quite a risk. This is because there are many distractions at home, from the TV and children to the home phone, internet and local shops. As a company it is very hard to supervise your employees working in this manner and it can easily lead to productivity levels decreasing.

5. Social and business interactions

Many people prefer to work alone and are actually much more productive when they don’t have the distraction of colleagues asking them for coffee or general office chit chat. However, as the old adage goes, ‘No man is an island’ and as such everyone needs social interaction to some extent. Employees working from a virtual office are also very isolated and slow to pick up on what is going on in the real office, such as opportunities for promotion and other exciting prospects.

Business interactions can also suffer since everything is done via telecommuting or web conferencing. For example, simple brainstorming sessions, or on the spur of the moment meetings, can be a lot of bother, especially considering the likelihood of the technology malfunctioning.

The truth is, no matter which option you choose, a real office or a virtual one; you should be able to make it work for you. There are a lot of cost implications for renting a real office and employing full-time staff to work in it but you do get to see what each of them is doing on a daily basis and can therefore measure productivity and check you’re getting the most for what you’re paying.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to virtual offices and all options should be able to save you money, depending on how determined you are to make it work. In this day and age where we all crave flexibility and freedom at work, a virtual office is the perfect solution.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How HR Should Approach An Age-Diverse Workplace

Muzahed I.
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How HR Should Approach An Age-Diverse Workplace

A number of stereotypes exist in today’s HR departments. While a director may be expected to be middle aged, a clerk might be on the verge of his or her golden years. Meanwhile, senior clerks may be expected to be either fresh out of high school or middle aged. This illustrates how age distribution can be unusual in today’s companies. Formerly, older employees would have been in charge of younger ones. With modern age distribution, HR staffs have greater challenges in store.

Eliminating Stereotypes

HR departments would be best served to stop regarding employees in terms of their generations when it drives the use of demeaning labels. However, HR staff can likely expect certain characteristics to be more common among the age groups. For example, those who reached adulthood in the beginning of the 21st century are now in their 30s. Those older than 40 are likely to remain with a company until retirement for social as well as economic reasons. Finally, workers who were born in the 1990s are newcomers to the employment world.

People Are Defined by Their Behaviors

  • Employees who were born shortly after the second world war are likely to work until later than they might have initially expected. They are traditional and have respect for those in charge as well as considerable experience and loyalty to employers.
  • Workers born after the Vietnam War comprise much of today’s workforce. These are today’s managers, in their 40s and 50s, driving today’s economy. They are known for their progressive ideals and supreme leadership when the economy is challenging.
  • Staff born in the 1980s are creators in today’s business world. They were strongly affected by the attacks on the World Trade Center, and their expectations for the future have been shaken. As workers, they require special care to realize their potential.
  • Workers who were born as the personal computer and Internet became popular are self-contained workers who value their gadgets most of all.
  • For HR staff, it’s important to recognize each of these types and work to utilize their strengths and work through problems. The unique needs of each group must be considered in order to do this.

Recognizing Strengths

Diversity can represent strength and value in today’s world, and there’s no doubt that diversity will remain on the scene. With this in mind, HR should talk about how to put diversity to work. Managed effectively, this can be the making of a great team at any company. For the best results, display how the HR department can make a difference by bringing unique skills together in the workplace.

To create an amazing team, unite employees and get them to share skills with one another. Job duties, including social networking, development, analysis and HR payroll software usage are just as important as records, benefits processing, payroll and filing. Build a team that serves as a model for other departments.

Be sure that you don’t interpret all differences to be big ones. One example is the reluctance of skilled trades people to share their skills on the factory floor. With a vigilant manager on site, conflicts can be minimized by encouraging trades people to show their traditional methods to others. Once a tradesperson begins showing historically correct ways of accomplishing things, younger workers are likely to get on board. Encourage younger employees to recognize the value of this knowledge and tradition and bring their new ideas to the table to improve the workplace rather than cause conflicts.

Ideally, HR staff should use its software to model the distribution of ages in the corporate environment. Communications should be crafted to reflect the presence of unique languages, models and needs in the workplace. HR applications are valuable for coordinating cross-training of workers, analyzing output and assessing departments. In these ways, HR staff can turn age into a valuable tool rather than a cause of problems.

Image courtesy of basketman /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Career Management Tips To Turn Your Job Into A Career

Muzahed I.
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Career Management Tips To Turn Your Job Into A Career

Career management is a very personal responsibility. All of us want to have a bright and shiny future, like they say in the movies and literature. This means, you have to come up with simple plans to ensure that our jobs turn into careers. If you have just started working or you are at a crossroads with your current job and are looking to turn that into a career, you need to know the right way of going about it.

Career management has everything to do with knowing where you stand right now, deciding where you want to go and how you plan to go there.

Current Position

Every career management plan begins with you asking the simple question, where do you stand right now? There are two places to start from.

You have just finished college or school and are looking to kick start your career. At this juncture, you could consider studying further. The more knowledge and skills you possess, the better are your chance to land a career oriented job. There are considerations to take when looking to study further. Most of it usually comes down to money. If you are not pressed to start earning right away, then studying further is always a good idea. If you are not in the money, and not sure studying is the best thing to do right now, then start looking for a job.

If you are already working in a job, then look at the company and the position you are working on right now. When you were hired, your company human resource personnel would have shared with you some kind of a plan as to where you could probably find yourself a few years from now. All companies do this but how many of them are being honest about it? There is no way to find out except to ask co-workers who have been in the system for a while and find out if the promises made to them are being are true.

Assuming that the company does have a set career path, there is another factor to worry about. Even if you are going to get promoted, get an increment and all other employee benefits because of your excellent work ethics, is that what you want? It’s all about asking yourself if that is what you want. If you do, then you don’t have a problem and you already have a career. If you don’t, then it is time to think of other alternatives.

Entry Barriers

If you are already in a job and not sure about where it is taking you, then you will have a sliver of doubt bugging you like crazy. You are always wondering, if not the current employer then where? A lot of folks have been in this situation before. The best thing to do is to ensure that you have some kind of a money pot as a safety net, when you start exploring. We are not suggesting that you quit your current job and start driving around the offices of companies that you plan to work in, looking for an interview. That would not be the smartest thing to do.

The smart thing to do is to find out what is it that prevented you from becoming part of an industry and company in the first place. Perhaps at that point of time, you were pressed for money. May be you did not have the skills or the job wasn’t available in your current city. Start by looking at how you can circumvent some or all of these problems.

Let’s look at the barrier of skill. Was there a lack of specific skills that prevented you from securing a job that would lead into a career? Then, it is time that you did something about it. You are probably working eight to ten hours a day, no more than fifty hours per week. Use the remaining time to sign up for a weekend and evening universities to acquire skills that are needed to get ahead in your work life.

If you are pressed for time, then you can consider joining online universities which will help you acquire skills that would allow you to overcome barriers to new jobs and hence careers. If you are not sure about what skills you might need and really need some help in this regard, then it makes sense to speak with career management companies. Career management services are filled with people whose job is to interact with people from different industries. This will allow them to understand your current position and recommend the best way to go forward.

Image courtesy of stockimages /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

5 Training Tips For Business Leaders

Muzahed I.
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5 Training Tips For Business Leaders

Many lecturers and presenters tend to focus on the delivery of their message; they spend most of their preparation time on what they are going to say and what their slides will look like. On the other hand, the best of them focus on the receipt of their message. They spend their preparation time focusing on what they are going to ask, and how they can best orchestrate the necessary mental and/or physical activities on the part of their audiences to achieve the desired objectives.

Guide on the Side

A meeting leader, trainer, presenter or facilitator is a “guide on the side” rather than a “sage on the stage.” They are someone who guides an audience to a particular outcome (attitude, opinion, decision, or learning point) rather than someone who simply dispenses information. They are also much more focused on their audience than they are on themselves.

This is why it is of great importance for business Managers and Executives to constantly maintain a sense not only of what to present but how to present it. Companies like Exec|Comm provide wide varieties of training so as to ensure meetings and presentations go over with a bang and not a whimper.

Malcolm Knowles, one of adult learning’s pioneers, observed that adults should have the freedom to learn based on their individual style of learning. Learning style is an individual’s natural or habitual pattern of acquiring and processing information.

And what ways to people learn? There are at least five styles of learning:

  1. Auditory/oral is a learning style in which a person learns through listening. An auditory learner depends on hearing and speaking as a main way of learning.
  1. Kinesthetic (also known as tactile learning) is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student carrying out a physical activity. People with a preference for kinesthetic learning are also commonly known as “do-ers” and make up about five percent of the population.
  1. Interactive learning is a pedagogical approach that incorporates social networking and urban computing, evolving out of the hyper-growth in the use of digital technology and virtual communication.
  1. Olfactory memory refers to the recollection of odors. I other words, people’s memories are associated with smells, or odor recognition. Unlike with verbal or non‐verbal visual learners, this sort of learning is not functionally strong.
  1. Print or read/write learners prefer to read the instructions or book rather than watching it or listening to it. As with kinesthetic learners, read-write learners adopt a deep approach learning strategy and perform better academically than do the auditory, visual learners that employ superficial study strategies.

The important thing is to adopt an “audience-focused” or “other-focused” mentality. Unlike theatrical productions, the most important things happening when you are presenting are not happening up on the stage, but out in the audience.

As you hone your presenting, training or meeting manager skills, remember—move the spotlight off of you and on to others.

Reduce Your Charges With Criminal Lawyers

Muzahed I.
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Reduce Your Charges With Criminal Lawyers

Laws vary from state to state making it important for individuals to be aware of them and the repercussions of breaking them. Should an individual find themselves facing charges for an offense, having access to criminal lawyers is necessary. Not only will a criminal lawyer be able to provide counsel to the charged individual, sometimes free of charge, a lawyer will also be able to defend the individual in various ways depending on the case such as: a violent offense, a sex offense, a DUI offense, and a theft or larceny offense.

Charges of Domestic and Sex Offenses

When facing violence charges, the charged individual needs to seek out counsel and defense. Since violent offenses typically carry hefty fines and prison time, the charged individual requires a good lawyer to defend them in court. This type of offense can result in up to 12 months prison time and a $2500 fine should the violence be domestic. Otherwise, depending on the severity of the charge, the charged individual may face up to 40 years in prison. Having good criminal lawyers defending the charged individual can be helpful in preventing a maximum sentence from being given.

When a sex charge has been made against an individual, the sentence can be lengthy. The charged individual is looking at a possible five years to life maximum prison sentence if convicted; additionally, the charged individual will be added to the Sex Offender Registry upon conviction. The registry ensures that the convicted sex offender will be forever known to the public no matter where the convicted sex offender resides in the United States. Having criminal lawyers can aid the individual in preventing this from happening as well as reducing or lessening a charge.

From Drunk Driving to Reckless Driving

Being charged with an offense, such as a DUI, can result in a tricky situation. Since there are many variables to take into consideration when dealing with a DUI, it makes sentencing more difficult and the case more intricate. Depending on the number of times the individual has been convicted of a DUI offense and who was in the vehicle at the time, criminal lawyers may argue that the DUI offense is actually a wet reckless. This would reduce the charge to a less severe one as it would become a case of reckless driving rather than drunk driving.

Reducing Charges of Possession and Larceny

Another charge that can range in severity for an individual would be the charge of distribution or possession with the intention of distributing controlled substances. Again, this is a slightly more complicated charge as the sentencing is dependent on the amount of and type of drug being trafficked or intended for trafficking. The fines for trafficking can range from several hundred to nearly a million dollars due to the varying drugs and dangers they pose making it necessary for an individual charged with distribution or possession with the intention of distributing to have access to criminal lawyers. By having access, the charged individual will be made aware of their rights and possible outcomes of the charges laid against them including fines and prison time. Theft or larceny also has varying punishments and outcomes for charged individuals.

An individual charged with theft or larceny can face up to $2500 in fines as well as a prison sentence of up to 20 years should the larceny include items with an overall value exceeding $200. A charged individual that seeks the counsel and defense of criminal lawyers are less likely to serve the maximum sentence or pay the maximum fine. This is due to the lawyer’s expertise and knowledge on how to best defend the charged individual to either reduce the fine amount and prison sentences or to successfully free the charged individual of the conviction completely. This is somewhat dependent upon the charged individual’s criminal history as it is more difficult to defend an already convicted criminal.

However, through the professionalism and knowledge that the criminal lawyers have obtained through their various experiences and a thorough education, they are capable of handling a wide range of cases. Should an individual be charged with offenses ranging from theft, through to a Driving Under the influence (DUI) charge – or even a violent offense – criminal lawyers will be able to assist and inform their client of possible outcomes, defenses and options. Their experience and knowledge make them invaluable, no matter what criminal charges have been laid.

Image courtesy of nirots /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How to Find a Qualified Contractor for Your Home

Muzahed I.
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How to Find a Qualified Contractor for Your Home

Hiring a contractor to perform services on your home isn’t an easy task. Everyone wants to find someone they can trust, will do a good job, and will stick to an agreed upon time schedule.

A lot of contractors are recommended by friends and family and that’s usually a good way to go when it comes to choosing a company to work on your home. Outside of asking for recommendations, what else can you do to make sure you’re hiring the right contractor?

Find a Contractor that’s Insured

Hiring a company that isn’t insured is just as bad as driving without car insurance or owning a home without homeowners insurance. It’s in your best interest to hire an insured company and it doesn’t cost you anything extra. You simply need to ask for proof of insurance.

Hiring someone with insurance is important because it attributes responsibility in the event an injury occurs on the job. For example let’s say you hire a contractor to build an addition onto your home and one of the workers gets injured. If the company you hired isn’t insured, the injury claim will be filed against your homeowners insurance instead of the contractor’s insurance.

Make Sure They are Licensed

Rule number one to hiring a contractor is to make sure they’re licensed. A lot of companies can complete the job, but a license shows you’re permitted to work in the city or state and are knowledgeable in the field.

Experience goes a long way but a license is the credibility you’re looking for. Would you rather take the advice of a doctor or someone who claims to know a lot about the human body? The person claiming to know a lot about health may seem knowledgeable, but you can’t take their advice because they don’t have the schooling and training to back up their recommendation.

Ask if They are Bonded

Most people understand the importance of making sure who they hire are properly licensed and insured, but a lot forget to ask if the company is bonded. Bonds act as another form of insurance and cost absolutely nothing for the customer. It’s something a company invests in to show their responsible and trustworthy. This is why it’s important to spend the time finding a company that is also bonded.

When would hiring a bonded contractor be more beneficial than hiring a non-bonded contractor? Let’s say you’re building an addition on your home and the contractor picks up and leaves half way through the project. You’re left with an unfinished home and need to find another company to finish the job. Well if the contractor is bonded, you can file a claim against the financial institution who issued the bond and they’ll be financially responsible for completing the project. They might also be responsible for finding another contractor.

Finding a contractor that’s insured, licensed and bonded may take some time but it’s worth the effort because it’ll give you peace of mind in the long run.

Image courtesy of ddpavumba /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The 3 factors behind any successful commercial rental property search in Johannesburg.

Muzahed I.
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The 3 factors behind any successful commercial rental property search in Johannesburg.

No matter how you look at it -whether you’re up-sizing, downsizing or just starting out – finding that new office space can be difficult.

But having a carefully defined set of requirements will help speed up the process, and lead you to better, more appropriate properties much earlier in your search.

Understanding what to look for right from the very start is key – and knowing what’s best for your business lays behind all smart property decisions.

Find out the three most important rental property decisions that all South African businesses need to make.

Location

Remember that location is about much more than communicability or convenience.

Location depends on a number of factors: your industry, your demographics, where your competitors are and, of course, your own preferences.

And it’s important.

Traditionally, Johannesburg CBD has been the region’s business hub, but over the past ten or fifteen years, businesses have migrated north to more affluent areas like Sandton and Rosebank.

But CBD is turning its image around. It’s currently undergoing massive urban regeneration and renewal. Prioritised development of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) is now in place, and encouragement is being given to South Africa’s growing creative industries.

Keep an eye out on up-and-coming locations, be open, and don’t be swayed by the herd.

Price and lease

For commercial properties, the rental price is usually determined by the property’s size.

So if you’re looking for an office to rent in Johannesburg, the quoted cost of rental will usually be per meter squared.

But prices are affected by more than floor space alone. Rent is also affected by the type and length of the lease, and can include various service charges and insurance costs.

Know exactly what it is you’re paying for and be aware of general maintenance and operating costs, which may or may not be included in the rent.

If you do decide to make an agreement, make sure that the stated terms are reflected in the written contract, and don’t be afraid to negotiate on price.

Note that commercial rental in South Africa is very rarely considered on a fixed contract, and annual rent escalations are to be expected, so make your projections as soon as possible.

Space

Good commercial rental property decisions aren’t based solely in the here-and-now.

Obviously, there’s a play-off between space and cost, but don’t just focus on your immediate need for office space.

Think about the future.

Hiring new members of staff also means finding places for them to work, and new pieces of office equipment will need to go somewhere.

Ask yourself: how do I expect my business to develop over the course of the next 6 months?

But be sensible. Only factor in realistic business changes and try not to be overly ambitious – after all, the beauty of office rental is in being free to move after your agreed contract comes to an end.

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