Ringing in the new year means the chance for a fresh start – both personally and professionally. It’s an annual opportunity to reflect on the failures and successes of the past year. More importantly, it’s also a chance to plan for the future.
Particularly as we move past an economic recession, the question of how to strengthen your organization in 2013 has never been more important. Here are a few strategies to consider as you plan for a successful 2013.
Stay Competitive. Go Digital.
Many Ontario businesses feel that they’re facing more competition. Perhaps you’re feeling pressure to compromise your standards in order to keep up with an oversaturated marketplace. Or maybe you’ve noticed that your marketing and advertising dollars don’t seem to produce the returns that they used to.
The bad news is that this competitive environment likely isn’t going away anytime soon. The fact is that technology has enabled the expansion of the business market, allowing your customers or clients access to more information and choices than ever before. The good news, however, is that you now have a whole host of cost-effective tools at your fingertips to face your competition head-on. Decide what makes your organization unique (how do you deliver what your customers or clients truly want?) and utilize your online presence to make this known. This could mean allocating more time and manpower into building a user-friendly, highly engaging website for your business, or venturing into the world of social media.
But if your competition is embracing the digital space to grow their business, it’s crucial for you to think about ways to stay in the game in 2013.
Become Self-Sustaining.
Another important consideration for 2013 is the longer view of your organization. For your team to fully grow and prosper, it’s imperative to begin training the future leaders and thinkers of your business. In addition to leadership development programs, work towards creating a company culture where all team members hold themselves accountable for the development of their professional skills. Many of the best companies claim that the absolute key to their success has been fostering this type of culture within their organization.
To begin, ask all team members with direct reports to write out a personal learning and development plan for 2013. Have them consider where they need to improve and what type(s) of professional development they feel would help them become a stronger leader. Even if this means using more resources to fund development programs in the short term, it will undoubtedly pay off in the long run.
Find and Keep the Best People
Ontario businesses spend countless dollars every year in an attempt to find and retain talented employees. Whether it’s a problem within your hiring process or a problem of keeping team members engaged, if your organization struggled to hold onto talent in 2012, it may be time to revise some of your processes in 2013.
Employment Professionals Canada is staffed by industry experts who can work with you to create a stronger employee retention strategy. Make 2013 the year that you build your organization’s dream team. Get in touch today to learn more.
