Articles Archives - Page 9 of 111

Green is the New Glam: If You’re Doing a Corporate Party, Do it Sustainably

Posted on November 21, 2023 | by Magdalena Lew

by Jeff Dewing, CEO of Cloud

As the holiday season sparkles on the horizon, businesses are gearing up for festive gatherings. Amid the glitz and glamour, there’s a rising awareness that corporate events can shine even brighter with a touch of sustainability.

As the CEO of Cloud, I’ve had the privilege of spearheading Cloudfest—an annual event that in September 2023 managed to pull off a truly sustainable day festival that ticked all the right boxes across Environment, Social and Governance (ESG).

In the wake of our success and learnings, I’m eager to share insights on the critical role sustainable event planning plays in the business world, especially in the face of the climate crisis.

Sustainable event planning: a necessity, not a hurdle

In a world grappling with environmental challenges, the need for sustainable event planning has never been more apparent. The key, however, is not to stop events altogether but to approach them with a heightened sense of consciousness. Cloudfest proved that celebrations can thrive without compromising our commitment to the planet.

Weaving sustainability into corporate events comes with its set of challenges and opportunities. It’s not just about finding eco-friendly alternatives; it’s about reshaping the very fabric of event planning. From meticulous research on local, sustainable suppliers to challenging conventional choices, the process requires a shift in mindset. Yet, within these challenges lie opportunities for innovation, creativity, and a positive environmental impact.

Positive impact on morale and culture: beyond green choices

One of the most profound outcomes of Cloudfest was the palpable boost in employee morale and the transformation of our corporate culture. Eco-conscious choices weren’t just about reducing our carbon footprint; they became a shared value that brought our team together. Employees felt proud to be part of an organisation that prioritised environmental responsibility, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond the event.

We can’t forget that work gatherings serve as a valuable opportunity to foster connections with your employees, emphasising the significance of the ‘S’ in ESG – social responsibility. It’s crucial to prioritise employee well-being and ensure they have an enjoyable experience. During Cloudfest, we offered a diverse array of wellness activities, ranging from soothing gong baths and invigorating yoga sessions to adrenaline-pumping adventures like axe throwing and glass walking.

Key considerations for a green event:

After the successful coordination of Cloudfest, an event attended by approximately 200 team members, where we managed to produce only three waste bags in total, I would like to share some essential factors to consider when organising an environmentally-conscious event:

Plan ahead

The journey to Cloudfest’s sustainability began a year before the event, with the Head of ESG spearheading the mission. A collaborative effort with the event organiser involved brainstorming sustainable alternatives, researching local suppliers, and challenging the status quo.

Sustainable transport:

Efficient transport to and from the event was a cornerstone of Cloudfest’s sustainability strategy. We opted for hybrid coaches from our Colchester office as our eco-friendly mode of transportation, and those travelling from overseas adjusted their schedules and meetings to align with their UK visit, reducing unnecessary travel at a later date.

Eco-chic venue: where style meets sustainability

Choosing a venue aligned with low environmental impact is a strategic move. We chose Home Farm Glamping in Elstree as it not only provided a picturesque backdrop but also championed sustainable development goals. From recycled toilet tissue to reclaimed scaffold plank benches, every element echoed a commitment to the environment.

Think creatively

Use sustainable creativity with your props and decorations. A single Cloudfest logo served dual purposes, and planters showcased recycled sunflowers, adding a touch of eco-glamour. The solar-powered stage was a beacon of sustainable innovation, soaking up the sun during the day to illuminate the night.

Sustainable corporate giveaways

Corporate events often come with a barrage of giveaways and branded merch you’ll likely never use again, but Cloudfest embraced minimalism. Organic Fairtrade cotton T-shirts and lanyards made from recycled plastic bottles showcased a commitment to ethical fashion and waste reduction. There was also a drop off point for lanyards at the end of the event for people who didn’t want to re-use them. No-rush shipping ensured sustainable delivery practices.

Waste not, want not: a circular approach to event waste

Waste management took centre stage at Cloudfest, with a commitment to reusable plates and cups. Food waste, a significant challenge due to hot weather, was meticulously separated for anaerobic digestion. The result? Only 3 small bags of general waste, a fraction of the norm.

Plant-powered choices

Food choices played a crucial role in Cloudfest’s sustainability narrative. Abundant vegetarian and plant-based options were more than just a culinary choice—they were an environmental statement. Attendees learned the environmental benefits of opting for a veggie burger, promoting conscious consumption without judgment.

Crafting sustainable legacies

As businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape, it’s crucial to recognise the power of events in shaping not just our present, but our future. Sustainable event planning is more than a trend; it’s a responsibility and an opportunity to craft legacies that align with our values.

Incorporating lessons from Cloudfest, I urge fellow leaders and event planners to embrace the challenges and opportunities of sustainability. It’s not just about making green choices; it’s about reimagining events as platforms for positive change. By doing so, we not only contribute to a healthier planet but also foster a corporate culture that values conscious choices and collective well-being.

How to Handle a Truck Accident Within Your Fleet

Posted on November 20, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

When you’re in charge of a fleet, one of the things you must prepare for is the possibility of accidents. There are many common mistakes that trucking companies and fleet managers can potentially make.

The best way to handle a truck accident within your fleet is through prevention. Trucking accidents are expensive, plus they lead to a loss of productivity that can negatively impact your bottom line. Read on to find out what you can do to minimize the effects of a truck accident in your fleet.

Promote Safety Culture

One of the first things you need to do is make safety a top priority of your company’s culture. When safety is put in the forefront, truckers will take the right steps to be more cautious and drive safely.

Proper Training

Since the trucking industry has grown exponentially, there is a huge demand for drivers. While you may have some seasoned truckers in your fleet, you may also have some newer ones that have less experience. Ideally, providing training for all of them, including refresher courses for the drivers who have been in this profession for a while, could help them learn to avoid accidents.

Follow the Federal Rules for Scheduling

Safe scheduling involves ensuring you do not put your truck drivers on the road for longer than federally mandated. Manage the fleet schedule for more efficient and safer freight transportation.

Rely on Technology

Technology can help you to better manage your fleet. You’ll be able to see that your drivers are compliant and following basic safety. With vehicle management solutions, you can check in on driving behavior and issue warnings to any that are breaking the rules. You’ll be able to stay ahead of the game to avoid trucking accidents in the first place.

Teach Your Truck Drivers How to Handle Accidents

While these preventative measures should reduce the chances for accidents, they are not a cure-all. Every truck driver in your fleet should be prepared and know how to handle an accident. Your trucking insurance will provide coverage, though doing things the right way can help in terms of liability.

You may want to install in-vehicle cameras that can get an objective view of what happened. Often, truck driver error is cited in accidents, though in many instances, the driver of a passenger vehicle may have maneuvered in such a way that your driver couldn’t avoid the crash.

Each vehicle in your fleet should have the right road safety and emergency kits. Your truckers should also have an accident report form and know how to fill it out. If a truck accident occurs, the truck drivers in your fleet should know the steps to take.

They must stop and turn on the hazard lights before getting out of the vehicle. They should also check themselves as well as the drivers and passengers of other involved vehicles for injuries. Reporting it to 911 is essential as is getting in touch with the truck insurance company.

If one of the vehicles in your fleet was in an accident, you should seek Nashville tractor-trailer collision legal help immediately.

Have Some Extra Cash to Spend? Here Are 5 Investments to Consider

Posted on November 16, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

Many of us tend to worry about the present. We think about all the plans we have for the coming week, all the work we need to get done today, and how we are going to make time for important tasks like grocery shopping. Often, the result is that we do not think about our long-term future, especially financially. Maybe you have a 401k through your job, so you think you will be all set once retirement comes around.

Trying to grow your savings is never a bad idea. Whether you are planning for retirement, saving up for a big vacation, or just increasing the size of your safety net, it is wise to come up with a strategy that secures your financial outlook.

If you have saved up a good chunk of cash, then you may be able to invest it so that you can earn even more going forward. Here are five opportunities you should consider if you have some extra capital and want to invest it in future income.

Rental Properties

The rental market has been growing for a long time. The last few generations are hesitant to get locked down with a mortgage, so they will often look for places to rent instead. Rental properties can also be used as vacation accommodations if it is in a location with lots of tourists. Either way, investing in a rental property could create strong passive income. With your cash reserves, you could afford a down payment with a debt-service coverage ratio loan that will fund the purchase. Then, you can use your research and skills to land a great real estate deal on a property. Once the property is ready for tenants, you can hire a property management firm to handle the logistics while you enjoy passive income from rental payments.

Mutual Funds

One of the most popular and low-risk investment options on the market is getting involved in mutual funds. Mutual funds are a large pool of resources from many investors that are used to build a diverse portfolio. The more diverse the investments are, the lower the risk to the investors. Generally, mutual fund investors let brokers take care of their money as they wait for long-term returns. Mutual funds are not a get-rich-quick scheme because they take time to build a lot of wealth, so this is a good strategy for growing your retirement savings. Plus, you don’t have to worry about doing the trade research yourself.

Buy a Business

A fully operational business may be able to make you money if you have enough cash to secure a business loan for purchasing a company. For example, if you notice a popular restaurant for sale in Calgary, Alberta and you have a background in the service industry or business, you could buy that restaurant and enjoy the profits. Sometimes, previous owners are planning to retire, so they will sell their business to someone who can take it forward. Other times, a company has been mismanaged and the owner puts it up for sale in hopes of making some money and turning it over to someone who can turn things around.

Get Into Day Trading

If you love the excitement of a fluctuating stock market, then day trading may be a fun and lucrative hobby to get into. First, you should know that it is not easy. Predicting the rises and falls of a particular stock can be incredibly challenging. You have to understand how markets work, analyze patterns from the past, and bet on predicted outcomes. Also, the market can shift fast, and not paying attention for just a few hours could significantly affect the value of a trade. Even so, if you have some money to invest, day trading on platforms you can access from your phone could be a good way to make some extra money, as long as you know what you are doing.

Certificate of Deposit

When you have money saved up, it often sits in a savings account. Most savings accounts have very low interest rates, so your thousands and thousands of dollars may only yield a few bucks every year. A better place to put some of that money would be a certificate of deposit (CD). CDs are like temporary savings accounts with much higher interest rates. You can put your money into them for six months, a year, or five years, depending on the firm you use. As long as you do not withdraw any money from the CD over the time period, you will earn guaranteed returns at the agreed-upon rate. It’ll earn you much more money than a generic savings account would at the end of the term.

When Money Makes Money

The main source of money for most people is a job. However, investments can be just as beneficial if not even more so. Or, you could just turn some of your savings into supplemental income. It all depends on the investment opportunity that you choose. Buying a business or real estate property can yield you some profits for a long time. Investing in a CD or day trading will let you earn profits over a shorter period. Each strategy uses the money you have to make more money, preparing you for a brighter financial future.

From Oceans to Boardroom; An Athlete’s Journey to CEO

Posted on November 14, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

Sport was my life. As a young boy I was dreaming of waiving the Union Flag on top of a podium at the Olympic Games. I never thought that as an adult I would end up in a boardroom running such an impactful start-up for global equality.

Sport has always been a key part of my life, with my parents always encouraging me to push myself and pursue success while maintaining the key aspect of fun! Growing up I did EVERYTHING: hockey, athletics, rugby, sailing, you name it. I didn’t have a normal teenage life: my younger years were spent playing for school and at a county level. Sport made me who I am today: a highly disciplined executive with grit, strategic thinking, perseverance, and optimism.

While I wish I could follow in my grandad’s elite rugby footsteps, at a certain point, as in any start-up, after trying multiple hats, iterating, enjoying some success and some failure, I laser focused on one discipline and became a professional sailor. No other sport has as many variables and as much complexity as sailing. You must train your brain to make decisions based on enormous amounts of ever-changing data, being driven by logic and not emotion. You must have crystal clear communication with your teammate and wider team. You must be confident, alert, and focused. And this is how you win, in sailing, and in the start-up world. While sailing taught me much of my transferable skills, rugby also helped build essential expertise such as discipline, control, respect and a crucial start up hack ‘knowing your team mates roles, skillsets, strengths, weaknesses and needs’.

After sailing for Britain for more than a decade, after winning, losing, getting severely injured, recovering, sailing again, winning world, European and national titles, it was my time to retire. My first business after retiring from the sports career was an athlete management agency specialising in underrepresented athletes. It was so much fun: the harder you worked, the more money you made. But more importantly, my first company was where I fine-tuned my time management, prioritization skills and learned a lot of lessons on start up life.

I was fortunate to manage some amazing athletes. One of them was Ali Jawad PLY, together he went to 3 Paralympic Games, won Paralympic silver, set 2 world records and much more. He and I became the co-founders of Accessercise back in 2020! Now, Ali is the COO of our company, my right-hand man. I consider myself lucky to work with a person with whom I align on values and work ethic. We know how to disagree and how to come to the right decision for the business, both having learned key fundamental skills from sport, particularly about performing under pressure, when so many break.

Accessercise is a true game changer in the world, the first fitness solution for the disabled community. How crazy is that 1.2 billion disabled people in the world didn’t have a fitness app that worked for them? We are changing that forever. Through health and wellness, through building community, we support disabled community to live longer healthier lives. We help reduce medical expenses, provide peer to peer support, educate and empower.

It’s terrifying to think that this important cause is under my control. I often wonder, who am I to sit in this boardroom and build the life changing app?

And then I remind myself, that sport made me who I am, and that cocktail of skills is perfect for an entrepreneur. Winning a world title, being best in the world is no different to building a successful amazing business. I am comfortable with failure. I use it to learn and to guide future directions. I am resilient. I have the ability to bounce back, from the small and the big. I never say never until it’s the end. I am strong when others are weak. I am focused when others are distracted. In sailing it was the ability to not dwell on a bad race and move onto the next one without a negative hangover. In running the start-up. It’s the ability to forget the closed doors, the “no’s” and “the next time’s” and to push forward one day at a time. I am driven by logic. I am able to separate personal from business. I can focus on strategic and long-term planning over short term gains. I am confident in myself and my team. However, I understand that to develop and grow we must continue learning and improving. We must stay humble, and balance between being confident and true to our beliefs and listening to external advice and change.

More than that I am able to make plans for short, medium and long term, I am able to pivot and adapt to changing situations, I am cool under pressure, I am focused and dedicated, I understand the importance of my team and those around me, I can speak in public, I can hold the attention of the room, I am able to allow my team to be empowered to make decisions and drive actions, I trust those better than me in their jobs, I can think on my feet, I can network, I can celebrate the small success without losing myself and the goal, I can make goals for myself, others and the company, I can track progress and holes in delivery, I can find innovative solutions to complex issues, and I never, ever give up! All thanks to sport and being an athlete.

So when all is said and done, when the sun sets and the board room is empty, I can’t help but thank my parents and all those who supported me on my journey to rule the waves and now the board room of one of the most exciting impactful companies created in the last decade.

An athlete no longer.

Sam Brearey

CEO

Accessercise

https://join.accessercise.com

Leading Digital Transformation in Tourism

Posted on November 13, 2023 | by Magdalena Lew

In the heart of the 21st century, it’s no secret that digital transformation has become an integral part of nearly every industry. From healthcare to finance, education to entertainment, the digital revolution has redefined how we operate, connect with customers, and achieve organisational goals. However, perhaps no sector stands to gain as much from embracing digital transformation as the Australian tourism industry.

As the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), Jan Hutton is acutely aware of the vast opportunities and challenges facing Australian tourism. Having been recognised as 2023’s Most Influential CEO in Tourism Strategy, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jan and explore her perspective on why spearheading digital transformation in tourism is a role she considers both a privilege and a passion.

Tourism has played a central role in your career. What inspired your choice of industry?

I’ve always believed that travel makes the world a better place. It changes us from the inside. Tourism isn’t just an industry; it’s an economic powerhouse that drives growth and prosperity. It builds local community empowerment, creates opportunities, and ignites collaboration beyond borders while playing an extremely important socio-economic role. Generating billions in revenue, the industry isn’t confined to just a few regions; it benefits the entire country, employing over 660,000 Australians (and many more needed!). Put simply, when tourism works, we all work.

Digital transformation for tourism: what’s the imperative?

Embracing digital transformation in the tourism sector is not just an option, it’s a necessity for responsible visitor economy growth. I’m privileged to work with a Board who are leading the charge, committed to equipping tourism businesses for the future. It’s become tough to keep pace with the changing expectations of travellers, the exponential impact of changing technologies, essential climate adaption, tightening margins, and fierce global competition; all of this is reshaping the way tourism businesses need to operate. Tourism businesses that embrace digital transformation are not only going to be better equipped to meet these challenges, but they’re also poised to be more resilient and thrive in our fast-evolving sector.

What is Australian Tourism Data Warehouse’s role in the tourism industry?

ATDW is a technology marketplace that connects products with people, powering visibility for tourism businesses across Australia. For 22 years, we’ve been the trusted source of truth for all tourism products, empowering local tourism operators to showcase their brand, reach global audiences, and grow their business. This was (and still is) the pioneering vision of Australia’s State and Territory tourism organisations, alongside Tourism Australia, the proud owners of ATDW.

How are you pioneering digital transformation for the sector?

We embarked on an ambitious journey to transform the way that ATDW supports tourism now and in the future, through genuine collaboration with our industry partners.

As a result, our platform has been reimagined and redeveloped, emerging as a modern marketplace to accelerate the way data is leveraged and tourism businesses are connected to increase their visibility and conversion opportunities. I’m grateful to our Technology Director, Todd Bachelder, who has led this program brilliantly.

At the core of our future-ready platform lies a fresh brand identity and an innovative data and distribution strategy, designed to put Australian tourism businesses in the spotlight, both at home and on the international stage.

Amongst the opportunities and hurdles faced by the tourism sector, which one are you most passionate about?

Being from South Africa, conservation and regeneration are part of who I am. We need to preserve that which preserves us. I’m thankfully one of many leaders in our industry that want to prioritise visitors who contribute to making a positive impact on our place, our community, and critically on Mother Nature.

I’m extremely proud that ATDW will shortly be launching an internationally aligned Sustainable dataset, as a direct result of our important partnerships with Ecotourism, Earthcheck, and Austrade. Our goal is to provide practical tools to every tourism business, fast-tracking the realisation of Australia’s sustainability goals, and acquiring extremely valuable national data in the process.

What’s the key to your success in driving digital transformation?

People… everything revolves around people and purpose. We couldn’t have achieved what we have without our Corporate Services Director, Rob Cain, who leads our business with equal measures of productivity and compassion. I firmly believe that game-changing performance emerges from sincerely caring about the well-being of all team members, cultivating an empowering workplace culture.

Each member of the ATDW team breathes our values. It’s baked into how we engage customers and partners and suppliers, and each other. While the ATDW Board keep us sharply focused on governance and performance, they also allow me to foster genuine resourcefulness, with everyone feeling responsible for contributing to positive change.

I’m privileged to work with remarkable people – they fuel our ambition, while keeping ATDW grounded, humble, and committed on truly serving our industry rather than merely offering services.

What does the future hold for tourism?

Over the next decade, international tourism will face unprecedented changes. Competition for the right visitors will sharpen as destinations chase the attention of discerning travellers. Aviation negotiations and investment prioritisation will play a critical role in determining which destinations thrive, and which falter. Destination marketing will wrestle with significant changes as AI and data mature, with digital platforms and channels dominating the customer decision journey.

Technology and data will be at the forefront of this disruption, exacerbating performance disparities between destinations and businesses. The ability to harness data and leverage technology will be the key competitive differentiator in the race for visitors. Those who can adapt and innovate will be the winners. Closing this delta is what motivates our Senior Manager of Industry, Nadia Feeney, who is incredible at translating the needs of our industry into future technology innovation.

In the face of these challenges, now is the most exciting era for ATDW. We’re expanding visibility through a new focus on distribution, leveraging the best technology, delivering sustainability tools, optimising conversion, driving bookings, and supporting businesses to make better decisions through high value insights. Our shareholders believe that the time is right for ATDW to play a meaningful role in empowering and supporting the future digital success of our national tourism sector.

About Jan Hutton

With a career steeped in global sustainable destination development, Jan Hutton has proven herself as a trusted visionary in the global travel and tourism sector. Her journey has spanned pivotal executive roles that include CMO at Destination Gold Coast, Destination NSW, South African Tourism and Deloitte Consulting Africa, and Managing Director of Ogilvy One. Serving as the Chief Executive Officer of ATDW, Jan is at the helm of a passionate business, poised to deliver the company’s most ambitious project in its 22-year history.

About ATDW

ATDW was born in 2001 from a collective endeavour between Australia’s official tourism organisations. Their shared purpose was simple: to assist local tourism businesses to expand their online presence. This collaborative spirit led to the establishment of ATDW; a globally unique platform that is a cornerstone in powering the digital future of tourism for Australia.

Today, ATDW supports more than 55,000 tourism operators, connecting them with an impressive 80 million potential visitors annually. It stands proudly as Australia’s only homegrown tourism marketplace, showcasing nearly 90% of the nation’s accommodation and attractions. “Our business is making sure everyone knows your business”.

For business enquiries contact Jan Hutton from Australian Tourism Data Warehouse Pty Ltd on their website – www.atdw.com.au

cyber security concept, finger logging in to account next to a padlock

Cyber Security of the Year 2023 – Aberdeenshire

Posted on November 13, 2023 | by Magdalena Lew

Onca Technologies provides a complete range of Cyber Security and IT services, creating bespoke solutions for businesses of an array of sizes across a wide range of industries. By prioritising the understanding of a client’s business from the outset, the team are able to gain a unique understanding into the challenges it faces, and in turn can provide adequate security solutions to fulfil these needs. Onca works alongside its clients to implement any required cyber security improvements or additional IT requirements in line with the client’s existing services. CEO Kurtis Toy is an experienced CISO, whose demonstrable successes in managing information security, IT, and large data content sets him apart from other business owners in the field.

Onca understands that cyber security is just one of the many demands its clients face when running a business, and it can often fall to the bottom of priority lists or be put off until it is too late. As technology becomes smarter, faster, and more prevalent in society and our daily lives, so too do the cyber threats. All industries are becoming increasingly digitised, and businesses rely more on the internet and technology now than ever before. In the wake of the pandemic, considerable shifts have also taken place in the areas of remote and hybrid working, which also results in a dramatic increase in the likelihood of a cyber-attack.

Safeguarding an organisation against such threats should be a priority, but it is no easy task, with the ever-evolving landscape of threats requiring time and expertise that most businesses simply do not have the time or resources to manage. This is where Onca comes in, as outsourcing cyber protection to an acclaimed Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP), provides business owners with the peace of mind that their cyber security and IT needs are taken care of.

Spearheading this whole operation, Kurtis has been CEO for more than seven years now and is qualified as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), as well as being experienced with GDPR and ISO standards implementation, management and compliance. Getting his start with a Master of Science in Biological Sciences and then a second Masters in Information Technology , Kurtis possesses considerable experience in the industry with such roles as a data analyst, Global IT team leader, Data Protection Officer (DPO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

With Kurtis and his team of qualified specialists on hand dedicated to protecting clients’ data, the company can confidently offer a range of cyber security solutions, ranging from guidance on GDPR procedures through to the implementation of a fully managed Security Operations Centre (SOC), which in turn continuously monitors, identifies, and responds to incidents, guaranteeing a high standard of 24/7 threat detection.

There are many benefits of outsourcing to a MSSP company, primarily this is due to a combination of experience and expertise. A comprehensive cyber security stack requires specialists that are always in demand yet are in short supply. Incredibly few IT teams in-house have the credentials necessary to carry out the task and ensure effective and reliable cyber protection company wide. Recruiting such talent can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly, making outsourcing a cost-effective choice.

Onca, not only provide practical support or technical solutions, but also offer strategic advice and recommendations at a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) level. This vCISO consultancy, or CISO as a service, provision allows a company to gain objective but informed insight into how to best improve their cyber security posture.

Under the EU GDPR, the repercussions of a security incident can be devastating for a business, not only on a financial level, but also in terms of reputation. Companies can be fined up to 4% of their global annual turnover in the event of a data breach, and these breaches must be reported, and the details disclosed to customers. Ultimately, this can damage or even sever relationships with customers, partners, and stakeholders, making it a matter of the upmost importance.

Onca can support in proactively identifying and targeting emerging risks, using an intelligent and dynamic tool to analyse possible vulnerabilities within a system or network before these are noticed by an outside attacker. This level of protection also demonstrates to customers, partners, and stakeholders, that their best interests are taken care of as matters of security are treated seriously.

In addition to an intact reputation, MSSPs like Onca will assess and implement the best security systems for a specific business, which ensures that all necessary policies and procedures in that specific industry are adhered to, resulting in compliance with the strict legal standards that are imposed on businesses. This is particularly paramount in industries such as financial services and health, where the handling of customer and patient data has additional security requirements. Onca keeps up to date with all these changes, so rest-assured the business is always on its front foot and will help you to stay informed and prepared..

The company fully appreciates that time is money, and businesses are often restrained on both of these fronts. Through partnering with Onca, efficiency will improve, and a clear ROI will be demonstrated through immediate and continual specialist access. Moreover, it is much easier to manage such a comprehensive service from a single security provider than invest in a combination of unfinished solutions, which will save time, money, and increase efficiency in the long run.

Onca understands that it is essential to choose the right cyber security partner and can assist its clients across every stage of the process, The level of support a business requires will depend on a number of factors, such as the current capabilities of the team, the size and function of the business, and where the key gaps in security defences can be found. As the organisation continues to develop, the cyber security requirements will evolve concurrently, and Onca can expand its service provision in line with this.

Ultimately, the right MSSP can mitigate the attack risks related to remote working, introducing necessary measures such as network access controls, security best practices and staff training, to better protect a client’s network while allowing flexible access for staff. This is in addition to providing and maintaining good “cyber hygiene”, including measures such as network firewalls, antivirus software, regular secure data back-ups, device and file encryption, regular software updates, and robust password control.

As a proud MSSP, Onca strives to deliver all of these services efficiently, robustly, and to the highest standards. Through his hard work, Kurtis has crafted a stellar cyber security firm that is providing innovative services while upholding everything that MSSP’s stand for and hold dear. With a free first consultation and excellent client feedback highly recommending the firm, business owners in need of a cyber security partner should look no further than Onca Technologies.

For business enquiries, contact Kurtis Toy from Onca Technologies LTD on their website – https://oncatechnologies.co.uk/

6 Strategies To Get the Best Investment Loan Terms

Posted on November 13, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

Are you looking for the best investment loans to purchase a new property in New Hampshire or elsewhere in the United States? You have come to the right place. Use this guide to help shop your lending options and choose the one that allows you to maximize your real estate investment profits.

Opt for a Prepayment Penalty

You’ll find prepayment penalties built into many mortgage loans. A prepayment penalty means the lender charges a penalty if you pay off the loan before its end date. Since lenders earn the most interest at the beginning of the loan, a prepayment penalty benefits them financially.

While the idea of paying a penalty for paying off your loan early may seem less than desirable, many lenders are willing to give lower rates in return for a contract with a prepayment penalty. Even if you plan to buy, renovate, and sell the home in the near future, the prepayment penalty may be much less than the cost of a higher rate. Of course, it’s important to calculate the differences and make sure whichever option you choose makes sense financially for your investment goals.

Consider Loan Length

Mortgage loans are available in different lengths, including 15- or 30-year loans. A 15-year loan allows you to pay off your mortgage faster, but you can expect higher monthly payments. A 30-year mortgage means lower monthly payments, but you’ll pay more in interest over the life of the loan.

The length of your loan should match your investment goals. You’ll likely need a long-term loan if you plan to invest in a single-family property with monthly renters. If you plan to purchase a property in need of repairs, make them, and then sell, you may not need a 30-year loan. Keep in mind that many investors will eventually refinance out of the original loan to obtain better interest rates or to tap into home equity.

Evaluate Loan Structures

The loan structure refers to whether your mortgage has an adjustable or fixed rate. Most homebuyers try to avoid an adjustable interest rate because it can unexpectedly lead to higher monthly payments. However, if you plan to flip an investment and sell it shortly after buying, then an adjustable-rate mortgage may qualify you for better rates.

Some investors may even opt for unique loan contracts, such as an interest-only debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loan. DSCR loans differ from traditional mortgages in that eligibility depends on the asset’s calculated revenue rather than your debt-to-income ratio. An interest-only DSCR loan means you make the first ten years of payments strictly to the interest, which can reduce the asset’s overall cost.

Consider Alternative Loan Types

Obtaining funding can be one of the biggest barriers in real estate investing, but knowing your options can help you overcome this. Real estate investors have a few loan options to choose from. Conventional loans aren’t always available to real estate investors since they typically have strict credit scores and debt-to-income ratio requirements. A home equity line of credit may be an option if you have existing equity in your current home. Some homeowners may also qualify for a cash-out refinance, which essentially restarts your current loan and allows you to cash out a percentage of the difference between what’s left on your mortgage and the property’s current value.

DSCR loans are a popular choice among real estate investors because they can be easier to qualify for without income. VisioLending offers DSCR loans New Hampshire or other U.S. state residents can take advantage of for all their investment needs.

Consider Your Investment Goals

Your investment goals can also influence how much you pay to borrow funds. Investing in short-term investments, including properties you purchase with the goal of flipping and selling, may allow you to earn faster. However, it can be more difficult to obtain lending with shorter-term investment projects. Some mortgage loans offer better terms for long-term real estate investments since the lender can earn more in interest over the loan term. Additionally, lenders often consider long-term investments to be lower-risk since housing fluctuations usually eventually level out.

Structure Your Investment Through a Business

Some states also allow real estate investors to structure their investments through a business entity or limited liability company (LLC). For example, if you’re considering a DSCR loan, you can borrow through your registered LLC, which isn’t always an option with a conventional mortgage loan. DSCR loans are one of the few that allow LLC financing.

Investing in real estate with other investors can also lower the lending requirements. Many DSCR lenders, for example, will consider the median credit score of multiple borrowers.

A successful real estate strategy requires a careful consideration of how you’ll fund your project and the length of your mortgage. Successful real estate investors commonly use each of these investment strategies to minimize risk and maximize profits. The loan you choose affects how much you pay in extra fees for lending and interest, making a significant difference in how much you earn.

Corporate Celebrations: Why Hosting Your First Party is Good for Business

Posted on November 10, 2023 | by Akeela Zahair

For many employees, the Christmas party is a key date on the corporate calendar. It is a time to celebrate the festive season with colleagues in a fun setting and let your hair down. For the business, it’s a chance to wave goodbye to a productive year and reward staff for all their hard work.

For CEOs in a new role who find themselves organising their first festive event, the pressure however, might be on to plan the party well. Not only do they need to organise an enjoyable get together, they need to ensure that they get the balance right when attending as the CEO in a relaxed setting. Ideally, the best corporate party is a win-win for you, your staff and the company. This article has the following tips to help you strike the perfect balance.

Plan and Personalise Your Christmas Party

As this is your first year hosting the company’s Christmas party, it’s an important event that you might want to stamp your personality on. The event is a fantastic opportunity for you to begin shaping the company culture you want, so choose a theme that reflects who you are and how you want to present yourself to the company. Your new employees will be meeting the real you and even eating, drinking (and dancing!) with the person behind the professional!

When it comes to choosing the theme, setting a budget, catering and picking a venue, be sure to engage in the early planning stages and be clear about what you want from the party. This can be done by choosing specific Christmas entertainment, food and music that aligns with your personal and professional opinions, but make sure you arrange an inclusive event for everyone.

Be Practical and Delegate the Minor Details

To help ensure your first seasonal social is a success, there are some practicalities to consider whether you want to host it in the office or hire a venue. Once you have picked the setting, consider contingency plans like hiring a corporate marquee if it requires an outside area that needs to withstand the elements.

You’ll then need to decide the date and preferably pick one that fits into most people’s working week and schedule. For today’s remote-working patterns, a mid-week evening might work well. Although some of the time-consuming but finer details might not fall to you, it’s a good idea to delegate someone to send out the party invites for at least four weeks. In addition, they might want to email and circulate reminders perhaps one week and, again, one day before the event to boost attendance. By starting these preparations early and delegating tasks, you’ll demonstrate that you want colleagues to attend and that the party is important to you.

Stick to a Realistic Budget

It is crucial that you organise a budget ahead of arranging your party and stick to it. Last year, 36% of businesses decided to cut back on party expenditure due to the cost-of-living pressures, high inflation and rising energy prices. In your role as CEO, you want to ensure that your budget is realistic and responsible, rather than spending too little or going over the top.

As this is your first one, the temptation might be to ‘push the boat out’ and spend more than you should to win the popularity stakes, but this is a bad move. Instead, research the expected costs for food, drinks, entertainment and decorations and approve the major expenses early on. You’ll also want to make sure your budget fits the numbers on your guest list. If you want to go all out with the festive decor and make your corporate party as Christmassy as possible, opt for low-cost lights, poinsettias, snow and fake trees for seasonal fun. Consider investing in small presents to thank staff for their hard work.

Boost Business with a Festive Event

Hosting your first Christmas party as a CEO can benefit you and your business. It is a great morale booster, and shows how much you value staff. In turn, your employees appreciate the company investing time and resources in the event, especially if other companies are cutting back.

Organising corporate events allows teams to celebrate targets met and shared goals which cement a sense of accomplishment and motivate employees going forward. Socials can help foster a healthy company culture that you’re aiming for as an onboarding CEO. In fact, as the new face at the top, it’s more important than ever to have gatherings away from the workplace, and the fact you’re having a party says a lot about you as the incoming person in charge.

Hosting a party also strengthens intra-office relationships. It enables colleagues from different departments or levels who don’t normally interact during work to mingle and connect. In a relaxed setting, colleagues can gain an insight into you as the new CEO as well as each other, building a greater and united front for the business and boosting future healthy collaboration. Dedicating your time, energy and investing in a celebration also shows staff they are valued, fostering a positive culture.

Behave Impeccably for a Winning First Impression

As a CEO, this festive event is a great chance to meet staff you haven’t met and you’ll want to make a good impression. It’s important to lead by example and this applies to social events just as much as to serious meetings. So from the start, greet your staff in a friendly manner and circulate as much as possible.

If you’re giving a speech make it heartfelt and if you’re presenting any gifts or awards, take the time to congratulate and praise your employees by name. Most importantly, as well as bringing employees together, your annual Christmas party is an occasion for you to show your human side. So, let your true personality come out and balance your toasts and speeches thanking staff with the right level of sincerity and humour. Thank staff for their efforts this past year and share your enthusiasm for achieving more together. It’s also a good idea to attend the whole event and to try and mingle with everyone. Remember, at all costs, to avoid the dreaded pitfalls of a festive party!

Ensuring a Successful Inaugral Celebration

Hosting a Christmas party delivers many benefits for a business and its leadership. It’s a chance to boost employee morale, strengthen work relationships, motivate staff and show appreciation for their efforts. Employees who feel valued through celebratory events like this are more loyal, engaged and productive.

For CEOs and leaders hosting their first party in a new role, it’s an opportunity to connect with employees on a more personal level. By attending the full event, giving a great speech and highlighting the success of individuals and the company as a whole, you’ll make your event a memorable one.

Unlocking Global Markets: CEO Strategies for Cyber-Resilient Expansion

Posted on November 10, 2023 | by Akeela Zahair

Scaling Cybersecurity for Overseas Expansion

Expanding operations into new countries introduces prolific new cybersecurity considerations for organisations.

New regulatory environments, staff training needs, response planning, third-party oversight, and segmentation strategies must all be addressed to secure global growth. So how can scaling up organisations implement strategic cyber policies and procedures to enable a smooth transition overseas?

That’s what this guide looks to uncover to empower you to undertake this endeavour with confidence and ensure your overseas expansion is successful.

Understanding Local Laws and Obligations

The regulatory compliance obligations in your new overseas location, should be fully researched and understood right from the start. Researching any new territories in depth that your business has identified as viable to enter should be the first part of your strategy.

Engaging experienced, professional legal counsel can help fully identify applicable cybersecurity regulations and repercussions of non-compliance. These should be baked into security and privacy policies from the outset. Special firms exist to help enterprises set up facilities in territories like Gibraltar with consolidated experience, advising foreign entities on establishment and regulatory obligations across technology and cybersecurity.

It’s always prudent to consult legal assistance and advice before taking operations overseas to understand the full extent of legal criteria your operation will have to meet.

Key areas to cover include (but are not limited to):

Data residency laws – Some countries require data on citizens to remain within their borders and not to be shared externally. Moving certain data overseas may be restricted.
Data protection regimes – Privacy rules like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the EU or CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) in the U.S. may apply with requirements like data subject consent, access rights, and breach notification.
Industry regulations – Sectors like finance and healthcare often have more stringent and legislation-backed cybersecurity rules to adhere to. Each region will have specific criteria to meet which is worth paying heed to if you operate in these industries.
Law enforcement cooperation – Mandatory data sharing and assistance for government inquiries sometimes are enforced in certain regions.
Breach notification laws – Timeframes for reporting breaches, and potential regulatory fines or lawsuits. These may be different to your native country of operation so pay close attention to these relevant cybersecurity regulations.

Training Local Teams on Security Best Practices

Do not assume any overseas staff – whether full-time hires or independent contractors – are familiar with your preferred cybersecurity practices and protocols. If you have spent time refining processes based on EU or US legislation and regulations, and you’re taking your enterprise to a new territory altogether, you may need to bring native workers up to speed.

Extensive training is required to uphold consistent policies across the organisation, regardless of geographical location.

You should enforce the following baseline protective measures for all workers, wherever they are located:

Password policies – Mandate complex passwords be used and changed regularly, ideally using enterprise-wide password managers.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) – Request users submit an additional credential like biometrics or one-time codes to access shared or collaborative systems.
Data handling – Deploy secure storage, encryption, access controls, proper sharing, and disposal procedures.
Physical security – Establish procedures concerning physical risks such as workstation lock screens, closed-door policies, and badge access controls.
Phishing awareness – Train all users on identifying and reporting potential phishing attempts. Conduct simulated phishing tests to reinforce learning.
Travel security – Familiarize all workers with proper protocols for bringing devices abroad, avoiding public WiFi, and spotting social engineering attempts.

Schedule regular refresher training to keep security top of mind. Bring in outside experts to deliver bespoke training where necessary.

Tailoring Incident Response for Local Realities

Existing incident response plans likely focus on infrastructure that’s established in your home territory. It’s likely that you will need to expand your plans to encompass any setup or facility that relies on connected and collaborative systems, particularly with more workforces working remotely on occasion

Cover overseas considerations like:

Jurisdictional variances – The likelihood of different breach notification and liability laws. This will also include potential interaction with foreign law enforcement agencies depending on the severity of a breach.
Language barriers – Communication plans to bridge language gaps during investigations and notifications, along with remedial efforts. Consistent communication is key during a crisis.
Public relations – Managing PR and communications across geographic regions during and after incidents. This will require careful consideration if a breach is particularly severe.
Alternative infrastructures – Response contingencies for any foreign data centre outages or loss of cloud access.

Vetting Third-Party Security Posture

Relying on vendors native to your new territory introduces risks, which is why it’s crucial to scrutinize their security carefully. While most firms will exercise proper security across their operations, don’t always judge a book by its cover.

For third parties like local infrastructure, software, and payment processors, as well as marketing and PR agencies, make sure that you do the following before committing to any agreement.

Review privacy controls – Do they meet relevant data protection obligations in the region?
Audit security measures – Request documentation on encryption, access controls, pen testing, and business continuity to support small businesses and larger corporations.
Check subcontractors – Any additional parties they use may provide alternate attack routes.
Visit facilities – Inspect physical security firsthand where possible.
Build review rights into contracts – Include audit, info sharing, and site visit rights.

Regular reviews of supplier security should be scheduled once under contract. Require swift remediation of any findings.

For organisations with constrained in-house resources, third-party cybersecurity services can provide quick capabilities for global growth. This can include the aforementioned penetration testing of incumbent systems to broader incident response retainers, policy implementation, vulnerability assessments, compliance consulting, detection & response capabilities and cyber threat monitoring.

While it’s safe to assume most qualified and accredited cybersecurity specialists will uphold data integrity, make sure that they can capably handle any anomalies that lie in your new overseas setup.

Controlling Data Access Abroad

Digital transformation has accelerated the adoption of systems that can coexist with geographically dispersed teams.

With most company data able to be accessed overseas, the benefits this can bring are apparent. However, managing and limiting access is still critical, particularly for workers who have less familiarity with best cybersecurity practices.

Companies should enforce strategies such as:

Data classification – Categorise sensitivity levels, and restrict offshore access to more sensitive data. Use the least privilege principle when allocating user permissions and access.
Access logging – Closely monitor who is accessing what data from foreign offices and validate any anomalies, blocking requests if necessary.
Data masking – Anonymise or randomise sensitive fields in datasets prior to sharing abroad. Make sure that all infrastructure is using valid TLS/SSL encryption for transmission.
Data loss prevention – Deploy DLP to monitor and control data exfiltration from foreign offices.

Remote access controls – Centrally manage identities and monitor remote access from abroad via VPNs. Enforce multi-factor authentication where applicable for additional security.
Data exfiltration prevention – Inspect outbound network traffic for unauthorised data transfers from foreign sites.

Expanding operations overseas generates plenty of viable growth opportunities. However, among those lie major new cybersecurity considerations, from local laws to new human and vendor risks.

Addressing these proactively enables organisations to scale securely and with complete peace of mind. With proper vigilance, foreign markets offer more growth upside than downside.

Financial Planning, Budgeting and Funding Your Start-up Business

Posted on November 10, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

Are you an entrepreneur in the beginning stages of starting a business? Are you worried about budgeting and funding for your business? This can be extremely stressful and can leave you feeling worried if your business is going to make it the whole way.

Luckily there is plenty of support out there to advise you, click here for more detailed advice on budgeting and funding. In the meantime, here are some tips to get you started.

Creating a Solid Financial Foundation

Before you even start to think about your budget, it’s important to establish a solid foundation for your start-up. No matter how big your business is, it’s crucial that your personal funds and business funds are separate. This means you need to set up a business bank account and bank cards.

As well as this, you need to obtain any necessary licenses and permits, this will create a legal structure for your business. These few steps will mean you are better equipped to manage your finances and will put you in a better position to track your business expenses.

Understanding the Importance of Budgeting

It’s important to understand that a budget is not there to restrict you, in some cases a budget will allow you to free up some funds to help your business grow even more. A budget will allow you to allocate your funds effectively and help you to make informed decisions.

With a budget you can track your income and expenses, this can help you gain more control and also identify areas where you may be struggling, or even highlight areas where you can cut costs.

Building a Budget Plan

When building a budget, there are many factors to consider. This is where you can use your business plan to help you, take a look at your goals and expectations and incorporate this into your budget. You also need to consider other costs that may not be in your plan, such as utilities, rent and even your employees’ salaries.

These are top priorities in your budget as your business can’t run without it. There are also costs such as marketing and advertising that your business may need to grow. Try to categorize these payments, this can help you make informed decisions about your spending. Distinguish between essential and necessary expenses for your business, this can help ensure you are allocating your resources effectively and help you to make cuts if necessary.

Forecasting and Projecting Financial Needs

While no one can predict the future, this is something you need to take into consideration. Try to forecast and project your financial needs, this will involve trying to estimate your future income and expenses and try to determine how much funding you will need to support your start-up.

Of course this will by no means be accurate, however having some kind of idea will help you be prepared and plan ahead to make sure you have enough funds to cover your expenses and run your business successfully.

Exploring Funding Options for Your Business

As well as budgeting, another option to support your business is through funding. You have many options when it comes to funding, therefore it’s important to do your research and find what option is best for you and your business.

You may want to consider more traditional funding such as finding an investor or a bank loan, however there are other alternatives too such as crowdfunding or grants. There may be opportunities you weren’t even aware of, that’s why it’s important to find out what is out there and available for you.

Financial Strategies for Long-Term Sustainability

Finally, it is important to develop financial strategies for long-term sustainability. Setting up financial goals is a great way to stay on track, however financial planning is an ongoing process, so it’s important to monitor your performance regularly review and update your financial plan as your business grows and evolves. This is essential for stability in the long run.

Unlocking Team Motivation for Workplace Success

Posted on November 10, 2023 | by AI Guest Posts

Team motivation is one of the unsung heroes of the workplace. Not just the flashy, cheesy away days or overcomplicated team building activities (although they do have their place); more meaningful yet subtle activities can have a much greater impact. Team motivation leads to a happier team, and we all know that a happy team is a productive team. But in order to motivate effectively, you need to understand how your people tick and what they consider to be rewarding and motivational.

Improving motivation and removing demotivational factors

Getting motivation right can be a challenge, because different individuals are motivated by different things. It helps to look at the team, as well as the unique characters within it. A good place to start is to look at what can be demotivating to the team. This can be poor work practices such as haphazard time tracking and invoicing or a disconnected remote working policy. It could be behavioral, for example, poor management or a toxic team environment, or it could be about lack of reward; nothing demotivates a team more quickly than the perception that their efforts are not recognized or appreciated with thanks and appropriate rewards.

According to the IT Salary Guide on Motion Recruitment, 76% of IT and Technology employers struggle to find the right skills for their open positions. One of the reasons why it’s crucial to reduce employee turnover and maintain high team motivation.

Why is team motivation so important?

A motivated team gets results. They are committed, creative, and energetic and the tend to work well together to achieve common goals. Team motivation differs to individual motivation because collective effort and results are focused on, rather than individual. While it is great to motivate and reward individual employees, better results are usually gained when teams work together as the combination of skills and ideas leads to an overall team that is capable of more than the sum of its individual members.
A motivated team saves money. A survey by Gallup found that disengaged and unmotivated employees were absent 37% more than engaged, motivated ones. In addition, they had 18% lower productivity and were 15% less profitable. The annual cost of demotivation is roughly a third of that team member’s salary.
A motivated team builds brand and organizational reputation. Higher productivity, greater levels of innovation, a happy workplace, and a motivating reward scheme will soon make your organization a popular one to work for. This will naturally lead to improved staff retention as well as the ability to attract top talent.

What does good motivation look like?

Good team motivation can – and should – look different for each team, because each team is unique. However, there are some factors that should be considered regardless of the size and skillset of the team.

Make it genuine and inclusive

Donuts in the office every Friday are great, unless your team happens to have people with specific dietary needs that aren’t catered for, they are fasting, or Friday is a home working day for some. If the idea is to motivate the collective team, then it is important that you don’t exclude or isolate individuals – even the most innocent faux pas can be forgiven the first time but can quickly be seen as a lack of understanding and sensitivity, which can make other activities seem disingenuous.

Bring everyone along

It is easy for employees to forget that their job is part of a greater collective effort. Every cog, no matter how small it is, has a vital role to play. Ensure that everyone knows what the goals are, and that their input is valuable. Be clear on next steps, company goals and ambitions, and what each team’s role is in achieving those goals; by making your teams an integral part of the journey, they will understand what is expected of them and be more engaged, invested, and motivated to achieve collective success.

Set clear targets

It is always important to know what the bigger picture is, but setting clear, smaller targets along the way can provide a sense of achievement and help to keep teams engaged and motivated. Recognize every time an interim target is reached to help maintain momentum and provide teams with a sense of satisfaction and achievement, which will be motivating in themselves.

A productive workspace

Whether your teams work in the office, remotely, or they are hybrid, a warm, welcoming and functional workspace will help to improve motivation and productivity. From standing desks to decent coffee, by listening to your employees’ pain points and doing your best to accommodate them, you are letting them know that they are valued and that their comfort and wellbeing means a lot to you.

Celebrate excellence

Duvet days, bonuses, office treats, or even just saying “thank you”. Appropriate, consistent, genuine and inclusive ways of recognizing great work will help to boost morale and improve teamwork and motivation.

Know your employees

In order to understand the team, you need to know the individuals that make it what it is. This can be relatively easy to achieve as part of your onboarding. A simple questionnaire that asks if an employee celebrates their birthday, what things they enjoy (flowers/chocolates/vouchers/time off), what their dietary needs are, and any hobbies can equip a line manager with enough information to ensure that all needs are catered for in collective rewards, and that individual rewards are welcomed and appropriate.

Motivating your teams for success

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to motivate your staff. A verbal expression of appreciation can go a huge way, and is free. Assigning a mentor, an extra hour for lunch, or the option to start an hour later on a Monday or leave an hour earlier on a Friday will have minimal impact on the bottom line but will reap considerable rewards in terms of staff retention, motivation and productivity.

Happy smiling diverse colleagues executives team two professional managers looking at laptop

6 Different Ways to Track Project Progress as a New Manager

Posted on November 9, 2023 | by Magdalena Lew

Starting a new role as a manager can be a daunting undertaking. An effective manager of a team must wear several hats: leader, coordinator, team developer, administrator, and motivator. Regardless of your position and scope, you will need to display several key skills, from organization and time management to decisiveness and communication.

Your role as manager will involve not only overseeing your team but also ensuring that the projects under your supervision run smoothly and meet their goals. To this end, your ability to track project progress is paramount. By keeping a close eye on the progress of your projects, you can identify potential bottlenecks, address issues, and make adjustments to keep everything on track.

These six different ways to track project progress will equip you with the necessary tools and knowledge you need to ensure that you steer and deliver projects successfully.

1. Create Clear Goals

Setting clear goals is the cornerstone of successfully tracking the progress of your project. Utilizing the SMART framework is the most effective way of achieving this. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Specific goals are well-defined and unambiguous. Measurable goals establish the criteria for assessing progress. Achievable goals are realistic and attainable. Relevant goals are aligned with the project’s objectives. Time-bound goals determine clear timeframes for completion.

By applying the SMART framework when setting goals, you provide your team with a clear roadmap to achieving the successful outcome of a project. This will also enable you to accurately assess the project’s efficacy and progress and make any necessary adjustments to ensure alignment with its ultimate objectives.

2. Use Project Management Software

One of the enormous benefits of living in the digital age is your access to technology. In this case, project management software. This is invaluable to you as a new manager. There are a variety of options available, from comprehensive platforms such as Asana, Basecamp, Trello, or Microsoft Project to simplified tools like Gantt charts and Kanban boards.

Project management software gives you a bird’s eye view of the overall project’s progress in real time. It enables you to keep tabs on every aspect of your project, from task assignments to timelines and resource allocation. These tools facilitate informed decision-making and enable you to adapt quickly to the project’s ever-evolving requirements.

3. Set And Track Milestones

As the term suggests, milestones are significant events or achievements within a project, such as the completion of a critical phase, delivery of a key component, or a major project review.

Setting and tracking milestones will provide you with a strategic approach to breaking down the project into manageable pieces and assessing progress at pivotal stages.

Milestones will offer your team a clear and actionable path and allow them to see progress and success markers like road signs along the project’s journey, showing the team that they are heading in the right direction.

Milestones will give you the opportunity to celebrate achievements and motivate your team while also enabling you to assess whether the project is on schedule and identify areas where adjustments might be necessary.

4. Monitor Key Metrics

Identifying key metrics that are specific to your project provides valuable insights into its progress. They act like a compass, affording you critical insight into how well the project is performing. These metrics might include tasks completed, time spent, resource utilization, and budget spent.

The primary benefit of metrics is that they provide data. Monitoring these metrics periodically will allow you to detect areas that require improvement or attention. You may discover a skills gap in your marketing team and need to hire an SEO expert to address this, or you could determine that you’re fast approaching your budget cap and need to rethink your expenditure.

Having accurate, up-to-date metrics will ensure that you don’t make decisions blindly that could impact the overall outcome. Instead, your decisions will be data-driven and have a solid basis to work from.

5. Assess And Mitigate Risk

Project progress tracking must extend beyond measuring successes. The reality is that risk is commonplace in the complex landscape of project management. You will need to identify and address these potential risks and obstacles if you are to track a project successfully.

By initiating and executing a risk assessment process, you will be able to stay ahead of potential issues and prevent them from derailing your project.

A successful risk assessment undertaking involves three preliminary steps.

Analyze the project to identify potential risks
Gauge their impact on the project
Assess the likelihood of the risk occurring

Having completed this analysis, prioritize which risks to focus on.

Once you have established the identity, impact, and likelihood of a risk occurring, you will need to create a risk mitigation plan that outlines how you will manage each risk if it materializes. You will also need to continuously monitor and update this plan so that you can take proactive measures to keep your project on track, even in the face of unexpected problems.

6. Hold Regular Team Meetings

As a manager, your ability to communicate effectively with your team will be key to you successfully managing any project, so it is vital to keep the channels of communication open. Holding daily or weekly team meetings is a powerful way for you to track project progress. This ensures that your team stays on the same page and is aligned with the project’s objectives.

Team meetings foster a sense of ownership and accountability. They afford your team the opportunity to provide updates on their assigned tasks, discuss challenges or roadblocks they may be facing, and brainstorm solutions collectively.

These meetings will also facilitate your ability to assess whether the project is adhering to the established milestones, allocate resources as needed, and address potential issues before they escalate.

The Bottom Line

As a new manager, your ability to successfully track the progress of a project will be a critical skill. By setting clear and measurable goals, leveraging project management software, monitoring key metrics, tracking milestones, addressing risks, and convening regular team meetings, you will go a long way to ensuring that your project remains on course and aligns with its principal objectives.

Effective project progress tracking will enhance your team’s performance and substantially improve the odds of successfully completing any project. By adhering to and mastering these six ways to track project progress, you will boost productivity, meet deadlines, and achieve desired outcomes consistently. This will boost your capabilities and confidence in navigating the world of business project management.