Business Ownership
While there is no doubt that running a modern business is stressful, it’s sometimes worth taking a step back and getting some perspective.
After all – as the saying goes – those who do not learn from history are therefore doomed to repeat it. Sometimes, it’s worth looking back at how things used to be, and taking a more to appreciate how much easier you have it. Times have changed, and if you think running a business now is stressful, it’s nothing compared to the hiccups the entrepreneurs of the past had to put up with.
In fact, read through this and you’ll soon be blossoming with appreciation that it’s 2017 and not a moment before…
Hiring Staff:
Then: Most hiring by businesses of the past was done on word of mouth, a recommendation for a friend, or a leap of faith. It’s the latter part that should scare you the most.
Now: We have the benefit of huge amounts of records and data when it comes to hiring staff. We don’t have to take a leap of faith as modern business owners! Not only can we quickly use the internet to verify someone’s claims as to who they are, but we can also use official databases to ensure their history in terms of criminality. There’s far less risk involved, as we can use verifiable sources to ensure everything a potential employee is claiming about themselves is true.
Monitoring Staff:
Then: Monitoring staff was done visually, in person. You could go around the workshop, factory, or field and directly look at what people were doing with their time. If they immediately downed tools the moment you left, there was pretty much nothing you could do about it. Any tales of bad workmanship coming to your ears would rely on someone else in the workforce “snitching” – an unlikely prospect.
Now: Not only can you monitor what an employee is doing remotely, you can track that they are where they say they are with the likes of an indoor navigation iBeacon. You don’t have to take someone’s word for it; you can sit at your desk and scan your workplace, check in with apps and various tech, so that within seconds you know what everyone is up to. It’s efficient, it’s simple, and you don’t have to leave your comfortable office chair. Oh, talking of…
Staying Healthy:
Then: Working in years gone by has not been the safest of pursuits. From workers dying in factories due to asbestos to even further back in time to our ancestors when young children were used as chimney sweeps, work should have come with a horrible health warning.
Now: Not only can you ensure your own health with a myriad of research on how to keep fit while working, but your employees are healthier too. You can cite studies on keeping office air clean, ensure they have bright open spaces, and provide equipment to prevent RSI. It couldn’t be simpler – and let’s be honest, having employees drop down with consumption would really impact the company productivity. Yes, better to be a business owner in 2017 for sure!