Category Archives: Tips and Ideas

How refresher training can boost productivity and lessen accidents

When staff have been in their roles for a while or your company has operated in a certain way for a length of time, it’s easy to get into routines that aren’t necessarily the most productive. Teams don’t look for new ways of working or take advantage of technological changes and can get into bad habits that lead to workplace accidents. All of these can be avoided through a programme of annual refresher training. Continue reading How refresher training can boost productivity and lessen accidents

Toroidal transformers in audio : Absolute clarity

It is no secret that many music fans and musicians are willing to invest large sums of money in sound system and amplification solutions in search of the perfect sound, whether it is for performance, recording or just listening. It is also fair to say that we are currently enjoying a period of unparalleled consumer choice, especially when it comes to audio, recording and playback technology.  Of course sometimes you can get these items cheaper as factories buy used plant machinery at a lower cost which passes down.    If used plant machinery from Iron and Earth is what you have chosen to buy you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and price.  Continue reading Toroidal transformers in audio : Absolute clarity

CSV v XLS: the differences

There are a lot of file extensions to keep track of, and many people find themselves getting confused about which is the best option to use. This is often the case with CSV and XLS files. They both handle data from spreadsheets, so what’s the difference?

CSV files

CSV is a plain text file, so all of the values contained within it are separated by a comma. In fact, that’s where the name comes from, as it’s short for Comma Separated Values.

According to a Big Commerce blog post, most social media websites sell potential customer data in CSV format as it downloads to a database very quickly. They’re very easy to export, import and convert across to other formats.

In fact, you can open a CSV file from any other spreadsheet program, including Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel and Open Office. You can also open a file in even the most basic text editor, so it’s extremely simple to use yet is compatible across multiple platforms.

Unfortunately, CSV will only store one single sheet within a file, and it will not include any formatting or even a single formula.

XLS files

XLS is a binary file format capable of holding huge amounts of information, encompassing the file contents as well as formatting and formulas. Since 2003, the files have adopted the XLSX extension, but they are compatible with one another.

Although they were created specifically for Microsoft Excel, XLS files can be opened by other spreadsheet programs, too.

Which is better, CSV or XLS?

Nowadays, converting one file type to another is easy. Rather than having to laboriously transcribe data by hand, there are loads of helpful tools available. If you want to convert PDF to Excel, for example, just head to https://pdftables.com/convert-pdf-to-excel, and it’s done in a moment.

The decision of which file extension to use, CSV or XLS, depends entirely on how you plan to use the data contained within the file. Where there’s a need for the data to be kept with formatting and formulas intact, XLS is the obvious choice.

CSV files, on the other hand, are supported by almost every available data upload interface. If you need to import and export it across multiple interfaces or keep moving it between platforms, CSV is the better option

Make Easy Gift-Tags for your personalised presents

Step up your Christmas game this year with beautiful environmentally friendly fabric tags. These tags make stunning Christmas decorations for around the house or can be used as a personal touch with your Christmas gifts.  Gifts have to be unique to the person you are buying for, for example things like candles, hobbies and Essential Oils which could be sourced from businesses like QuinessenceContinue reading Make Easy Gift-Tags for your personalised presents

How the construction industry can change the future

Over the last decade, digital technology has changed entire industries. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have transformed the worlds of media. Online retail giants such as Amazon have disrupted retailers who operate from bricks and mortar. Driverless vehicles are increasingly being seen on our roads. And the new technology is not just for meeting consumer demands for better entertainment, shopping and transportation. In many industries, innovation has increased the productivity and sustainability of companies and reshaped the skills and competencies required to develop them. Continue reading How the construction industry can change the future

Every business needs a social media presence!

We live in a day and age in which nearly everyone you meet holds an account on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Gone are the days in which these were just unheard of applications, and it has even become increasingly popular among several generations rather than just the younger ones – your granddad probably checks his Facebook feed more regularly than you do nowadays. So, with this being the case, how can small businesses survive when they don’t have a social media presence? Firstly they could contact a PR Cheltenham company found at sites like headonpr.co.uk/ and ask about social media, communicating with clients and how big the internet can be for business.  Continue reading Every business needs a social media presence!

Ways to update the office to boost morale

If your office hasn’t been decorated for at least a decade, then it could be affecting staff morale. These days, offices are increasingly being decorated in inventive and unique ways in order to boost employee morale and productivity levels. Whilst, it might not be practical for you to replicate the ideas some of the larger corporations, such as table tennis tables, play areas and slides – here are some useful ideas for updating your office interior: Continue reading Ways to update the office to boost morale

Six things that motivate employees

To get the best out of your team, consider what motivates them so you can be sure they always perform at their best.

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More money and responsibility aren’t the only ways to motivate people. These six points can all be effective in encouraging your employees to achieve more and stay with your business for longer.

Recognise Efforts and Achievement

Recognising people’s efforts and achievements makes them feel more motivated to perform well. Notice when people are going the extra mile, and be sure to mention it. Hearing recognition of a colleague’s achievement motivates others and helps foster a positive atmosphere.

Give Feedback

Give feedback so that employees can assess and improve their performance. Keep it positive and constructive. Focus on what’s gone well and give clear guidance on areas for improvement. Let your employees learn from others’ success, and share knowledge and expertise with suggestions on areas for improvement.

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Involvement

Empower your employees by involving them in plans and decision-making. People tend to do the minimum of what they’re tasked with if they feel they’ve simply been told what to do and can’t suggest or explore other possibilities and better ways of doing the task.

Offer Rewards

Rewarding employees gives them something to aim for. Bonuses or incentives should always set achievable goals. If people know there’s an achievable reward if they drive themselves further, they’ll be more motivated to do so. As this BBC article shows, it’s important that goals are realistic.

Be Supportive

It may seem obvious that you need to support your team to motivate them, but knowing how to support them isn’t always straightforward. Offer opportunities for regular training or strategy meetings to identify areas for improvement. Using the services of a motivational speaker can help to fire up your team, fostering a positive can-do attitude.

Bringing in someone from outside shows you’re happy to invest time, money and energy in your efforts. Watch video clips of motivational speeches such as https://www.adventureman.org/motivational-speaker/ to see how they can inspire and motivate your team.

Be Open

Explain what’s happening in the business and why decisions are being made. Businesses need to be constantly evolving. When a team is told why changes are happening, it helps them understand management decisions and gives them a chance to be involved and feel empowered.a