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Your gym membership may be discarded already but there
is still time to turn over a New Year leaf at work. Alpha Training has
compiled a list of easy ways to help your business, or you, survive the
credit crunch intact…
Video and conference calls
Save time and money by not travelling to those weekly regional team meetings.
Conference calls are easy to arrange or better still see them too and
try video conferencing. Use Skype or the Microsoft Office Communicator
system - it could revolutionise the way you work!
Website
If money is tight and the external maintenance contract for your website
is not being renewed due to budget cuts, don't let the shop window to
your clients get out of date. With some web design training this could
be tackled internally, and a staff member benefits by getting the chance
to learn a new skill too.
Time Management
There is much more to it than getting in by 9 and leaving at 5! Stop making
up excuses and start tackling the hardest bits from your to-do list first.
Divide your tasks into manageable chunks and set achievable goals so you
don't get overwhelmed by what you have to achieve.
Appraisals
Whether your appraisal is next month or in six months time plan ahead
for it NOW! With redundancies predicted across all sectors take the opportunity
to demonstrate your best assets. Look at the aims and goals from your
previous appraisal. See just how much you have achieved and set it down
on paper. Consider looking at ways you can develop your role or impress
your boss with ideas to save money or gain new clients in the next 12
months.
Communication
When were you last misunderstood at work? Was it due to what you said
.. or how you said it? Forget office jargon or management speak. Know
your own mind and speak simply and clearly for the most impact. Think
what message or point you want to make at a meeting and stick to that.
Say less - be heard more!
Writing reports
No matter how good you are at your job, writing a report still fills most
people with dread. You know what you do and why you do it but setting
that down on paper in a structured way can be very daunting. To avoid
writers block and staring at a blank document page brainstorm your ideas
to get you started. Remember why you are writing the report and who you
are writing it for. Keep focusing back on that and edit or cut out anything
that is not relevant.
IT Skills
There are so many shortcuts and new features on each IT product that would
revolutionise the way you work... if you knew about them and used them
daily. Are you building up a database of contacts - these could be marketing
gold. Have a look at the free hints and shortcuts on the Microsoft website
and try them out for yourself.
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