Understanding project scope and its key role in project management can significantly help small businesses. Effective scope management ensures small businesses run efficiently and profitably. However, if you find your business is suffering from scope creep, you could be at risk of losing money and damaging your business’s bottom line. A proper scope management plan […]
If you’re considering a career as a project manager, you’ve come to the right place. Project management as a career could take you in a multitude of directions. It’s a role that lends itself to many industries, from construction and design to marketing, IT, and so much more. When it comes to developing skills for […]
Do you feel like your to-do list never shrinks? It may be time to start delegating some of your workload to other employees on staff. Many small business owners who figure out how to delegate effectively have more time to focus on other crucial areas of their developing businesses. Delegation also empowers your staff and […]
As any discerning project manager or small business owner knows, calculating project budgets correctly is essential to ensure long-term profitability. Accurate job costing can mean the difference between a project making the company money, and costing your business more time, money, and stress than you anticipated. That’s why project time tracking is so important. Here’s […]
Project management professionals, or PMPs, are trained and certified professionals who have gained in-depth knowledge and expertise in project management. One of the main objectives of earning certification in project management is learning to successfully plan, execute, and complete large projects for organizations and businesses alike. For a professional project manager to successfully govern a […]
As a manager, understanding when your team members are succeeding and where they might need additional support is a crucial part of this position. But it’s not always clear exactly how performance measurement is conducted, especially when it comes to mobile or remote teams. If you’re wondering how to measure team members’ performance and whether […]
Many business owners and management teams will generally oversee projects and project teams. These individuals typically obtain some training at their work or gain real-world experience through years of working in a career. However, individuals can also partake in specialized training and earn certification in project management that will provide them with the knowledge and […]
The processes and knowledge associated with project management are not just for project managers. Small business owners and employees can also utilize these techniques and methods to help improve their internal services. As much of project planning revolves around budgeting, scheduling, delegating tasks, and completing deliverables, business owners can benefit from understanding these knowledge areas […]
Project management techniques are essential when establishing a new project and building a team around it. While you might work with familiar faces from your existing team on many new projects, sometimes new projects require project managers to build an entirely new team or bring in new members to expand an existing team. Managing project […]
Project management tools, like the work breakdown structure, help business owners and managers map out the lifecycle of a project, from conception to completion. This method used in project management supports business owners and managers to structure, progress, and track projects. If you’re looking to understand the WBS and learn how to use this method […]
How many items on your to-do list do you check off each day? Do you spend weeks dragging one task from one list to the next, as you never seem to find the time to complete it? Shifting your to-do list into calendar form and scheduling these required tasks into your days and weeks can […]
Emails can take up a lot of your time. Find out what you can do to improve your email productivity, with new organization tips, third-party apps, and more. Like most people, you likely receive an influx of email everyday, and not all of it is useful. The time you spend wading through spam, sales offers, […]
The best productivity hacks can be as simple as using the right tools to help get a job done right. Like time tracking and employee scheduling software, one tool can be a game-changer for businesses as they implement the technology in their everyday processes. Such software allows businesses to maximize their resources and up their […]
If you’re wondering how to start the day off right, even if you’re not a morning person, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. But your morning routine can make all the difference between a sluggish, unproductive day and a positive day where every task feels like a breeze and there’s seemingly no limit to what you […]
When you’re in charge, your productivity directly influences the success of your business. Using effective time-management strategies helps you get through the most important tasks efficiently. You also set a good example for your employees when you can avoid procrastination and boost your productivity. The Pomodoro Technique is one way to help you focus and […]
Increase your productivity, eliminate distractions, and reduce stress by learning the art of single-tasking.
Happy, healthy employees are productive employees. It may seem counter intuitive on paper, but in practice, regular work breaks and shorter work days can actually boost productivity in the long run. Keeping stress low and employee morale high can improve both the quality and quantity of work they produce. Consider various creative ways to get […]
When using a time reporting tool for employee time tracking and scheduling, businesses should have a policy in place that outlines the correct way to track time for employees. A well-thought-out and constructed timesheet policy can also help improve timesheet management, making life easier for you, your employees and your business as a whole. <<Back: […]
Small business owners know better than anyone that the saying money is time, and time is money, rings true. When it comes to employee time tracking, inaccuracies can cost organizations thousands of dollars. Many small businesses turn to employee time clocks to help them manage their team’s work hours and protect against these costly mistakes. […]
Timesheets for work are a vital tool for managers in companies. Unfortunately, they can be seen as an inconvenience by some employees. When they already have a busy schedule, completing a timesheet as well as their day-to-day tasks isn’t always at the top of their list of priorities. This can be one of the biggest […]
Employee scheduling can be a pain to complete when heading into a new fiscal period blind. If you don’t have the information of past schedules and labour requirements for busy seasons and downtimes, how can you accurately predict what human resources you need to cover the demand for your products and services? Using predictive analytics […]
Almost half of all adult Canadians have trouble getting to sleep and staying that way all night, and 1 in 3 adults have trouble staying awake during the day. Many adults find it hard to achieve healthy sleep hours while also working full time. As a result of a poor sleep schedule, many adults end […]
Being able to focus is an important skill to have in all walks of life, whether studying, at work or simply watching a film. But in the modern world, people are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain focus as the rise of smartphones offers many distractions at our fingertips, with the increased sense of pressure […]
Almost everybody picks up habits through the course of their lives, from biting their nails to snacking at the same time every day. While some habits are harmless, many people have habits they dislike or would like to stop, and others strive to form good habits. The problem is, habits are difficult to start and […]
Time management is an important and often overlooked tool that can help managers get the most out of their team. If you’re wondering how to improve time management, this guide has everything you need. <<Back: Time Management Strategies to Help Take Control of Your Time Next: What Workforce Management Modernization Means for your Small […]
We have all wished at one time or another for more hours in a day. Time gets away from us and we end up feeling like we wasted the day. However, professionals in every industry have developed techniques to help them improve their time management skills and boost productivity in all areas of their lives. […]
Time tracking is important in many industries in order to improve efficiency and profitability. But when it comes to nonprofits, whose goals are much bigger than the bottom line, time tracking is just as vital to success. Why? Just because they’re not being paid for the work, doesn’t mean volunteer time is any less valuable […]
As people working in law know all too well, busy schedules, multiple clients, long hours, and unpredictable days are part and parcel of working in the industry. However, it does mean that keeping track of how you or your team has spent their time needs to be complicated. That’s why anyone in the legal industry […]
The tech industry is booming as technology continues to grow and become a mandatory part of our existence. In 2019 alone, the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector in Canada made over $210 billion in revenue. From manufacturing and wholesaling to software and computer systems and communication services- there are over 43 thousand businesses across […]
The intricacies of running a business are intense, almost two-fold if you’re managing a seasonal business. Companies that work within industries with a steady flow of demand have an entire year to get their services, products, and finances in order. Seasonal businesses, on the other hand, need to account for their high-demand busy seasons, and […]
If you’re a property manager or real estate agent in charge of a team, you’ll likely spend a lot of your time ensuring that your team members are where they need to be and that jobs such as viewings, maintenance, and inspections are completed in a timely manner. Many elements of realty management boil down […]
Health care providers play a crucial part in our society, and as such, their time and energy are better spent caring for their patients than tracking their work hours and scheduling shifts. That’s where time tracking for health care workers comes into play. Time tracking and employee scheduling software benefit many aspects of the healthcare […]
Remote working was already on the rise before the pandemic, but since COVID-19, more people than ever are working from home. Adapting to full-time remote working has been challenging for employers and employees in different ways, but companies in Canada and worldwide have risen to the task admirably. For small business owners, the shift to […]
Tracking employees’ time has long been an effective way to ensure that businesses are running efficiently and profitably. But there hasn’t always been an easy way to keep track of time in some industries. While it’s straightforward enough to track office workers’ time, when it comes to scheduling retail workers, shift planning for servers, and […]
Download our free bi-weekly timesheet template to track employee hours, overtime, vacation days, and more. How to Use the Bi-Weekly Timesheet Template The bi-weekly timesheet template is a semimonthly, or two-week, timesheet for tracking employee time. The template is printable and optimized for Excel. Use our bi-weekly timesheet template for employee hours, overtime, vacation days, […]
Wonder what people really think about GPS monitoring at work? We asked 500 Canadian workers to tell us and the data reveals how and when employers track their employees. Workplace GPS Tracking: Reality vs. Perception TSheets surveyed 500 Canadian employees to uncover how they truly feel about workplace tracking and monitoring.* Almost 2 out of 5 Canadian […]
Stay on top of your game by hiring a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant can do some of your daily tasks so you can spend more time growing your business.
To track or not to track. It’s not even a question to business owners anymore because most employers have already bid farewell to traditional methods of time tracking. Time tracking tools can be classified as either a desktop, web, or mobile app software. This software tracks the time, workforce, and resources spent on one or […]
If you are a small business owner or manager, then you understand the intricacies attached to the time management of your employees. Keeping track of your employees’ work hours, schedules, and the leave they are entitled to can be an overwhelming responsibility. To help you with these time management and timekeeping responsibilities, we have put […]
Business owners have the difficult task of implementing new processes and procedures within their company. Take, for example, new time-tracking software for your workforce. When integrating time-tracking software with the company, the responsibility will fall to you to ensure your employees understand the new process and use it accordingly. If you are a small, medium, […]
Remote working is on the rise, which has many benefits for both employees and employers. But when it comes to remote working and time tracking, how can employers ensure that remote workers track time? Find out how your business can track time for remote workers and monitor remote employees to ensure efficiency and productivity. <<Back: […]
The best time tracking app should provide your small business with all the tools necessary to accurately and efficiently track your workforces’ hours to streamline management and the payroll process. Small businesses use these tools to boost productivity and improve the basic functionality of the business’s daily operations. But what exactly do those features look […]
From construction and transportation to healthcare and hospitality, more and more companies have employees that work outside of what is considered “regular” hours. The nature of shift work means employee working hours generally “rotate” around the clock, and managing shift workers can be complicated and stressful for managers. As a business owner or manager, ensuring […]
A timesheet is tabulated data where an employer can formally track their employee’s work hours. Many businesses will use timesheets as a record of the time which is spent on projects, clients or tasks. As technology is continually transforming in the world today, many businesses have opted to use a digital format of timesheets as […]
Small business employers should note that there are specific regulations that must be followed when it comes to working overtime in Canada. If you’re a small business owner with a workforce, then you should familiarize yourself with these labour laws to ensure the proper overtime regulations are adhered to. So what is overtime, and why […]
Get printable free timesheet templates for your time tracking needs. From hourly to monthly timecards, download a timesheet template for Excel, Google Sheets, PDF and more. Tracking time has never been easier with QuickBooks + TSheets. It's a simple way to track employees’ time, not only will the software help you track your employees’ time, but [...]
Skyrocket your sales by learning effective time management skills, including prioritization, focusing on individual tasks, and avoiding distractions.
Does it sometimes feel like your to-do list is playing tricks on you? Your plans seem totally doable at first and get more chaotic the more you plug away at them. Think of time management as a lifelong skill that requires ongoing practice and personal accountability. These good work habits improve your confidence and help […]
Incorporate field service management apps into the workflow of your service-based business to help save both time and money. Choose from a variety of applications to schedule appointments, create invoices, and even locate the fastest routes between jobs.
Increase the level of productivity in your brainstorming sessions with affinity diagrams. Learn what an affinity diagram is and how to make one, and see when is the best time to use one.
Finish your projects on time and keep client satisfaction high by learning how to better manage multiple freelance clients. Juggling clients is a common challenge for successful freelancers. With a few management tips, scheduling projects and getting them done becomes much simpler.
Simplify your legal process, eliminate paper waste, save on gas and travel, and improve client relations by bringing Closing Folders into your law practice. This cloud-based program takes the messiness out of closing deals and makes your life as a lawyer easier.
Learn how you can balance your home, family, and work responsibilities when you work from home. Discover ways to avoid distractions, sneak in short periods of uninterrupted work time, and make the most of the time you have without neglecting your family obligations.
Discover new habits and strategies that can help you to overcome procrastination and become a more productive person. Take action steps to work more efficiently, and learn about the psychological steps you can take to nip laziness in the bud for good.
Learn about the McKinsey 7-S framework. Read about how this framework relies on the alignment of seven core elements to help a business become more successful or navigate changes. Get tips for utilizing this framework in your business.
For small business owners, seeking advice from consultants often serves as a double-edged sword. When you need expertise outside your wheelhouse, consultants can prove invaluable. However, hiring a consultant doesn’t always provide solutions in the best interest of your business. Seeking too much outside advice can become a detriment to your company, and in certain […]
Encouraging or requiring vacation time can help your employees stay sharp and motivated when they return to the office. Some companies take this one step further and implement an unlimited vacation policy. Letting employees take off as much time as they want seems like an invitation to abuse the policy and certainly doesn’t suit every […]
Knowing how to handle a cash flow shortage can be crucial to the financial survival and success of your small business. Cash flow crunches are fairly commonplace for small business owners investing in expanding their business. It’s easy for you to become overextended when adding locations, inventory or employees. Seasonal or temporary marketplace downturns can […]
Every small business has to deal with customer complaints at some point. Successful customer engagement helps you turn those complaints into opportunities for solidifying relationships with your customers and learning ways to improve your customers’ experiences. These three tips help you handle customer complaints in a healthy, productive way that fosters long-term associations. Follow Up […]
One of the most valuable tools you can use to get things done is a to-do list. As a small business owner, your to-do list is a productivity tool that lets you accomplish tasks deliberately each day so that you no longer bounce from one deadline to the next. Why Use a To-Do List? Why […]
As an independent contractor, meeting deadlines is one of your highest priorities. After all, keeping your customers satisfied is what protects your reputation in the field. Sometimes, unexpected delays are unavoidable. When that happens, it’s important to handle them properly. Even if you deliver a project late, you can leave your client satisfied and willing […]
Do you run a schedule-based business? Your calendar is one of the top tools at your disposal that keep your business up and running. Even though a packed schedule is a good thing in business, getting paid on time is what really matters. To help entrepreneurs like you save time invoicing and ensure you’re being […]
Subtract low-yield products and inefficient processes from your small business, and enjoy an addition to your bottom line.
Ensure your business survives and thrives by adopting continuous improvement process planning to efficiently deliver excellent products and services.
Discover how unified communications make it easier for employees and clients to communicate with each other.
Learn how the Canada Revenue Agency is using key performance indicators to reach goals and improve operations.
Look through this step-by-step guide to getting the maximum benefit out of remodeling your small business’ office space.
Understand how absenteeism and presenteeism impact your business, along with ways to minimize both of these issues.
Has your construction business encountered a slowdown over the winter months? Discover four tips to help you overcome a seasonal slowdown.
Understand key organizational concepts such as Parkinson’s law to run your small business more efficiently.
Discover more creative ways of measuring employees’ productivity beyond merely tracking their working hours.
Learn what the Six Sigma methodology is and discover some of the many reasons it is a powerful and useful concept for businesses.
Discover a time management secret from the book, “Eat that Frog!”, to complete your toughest task early in the day.
Developing software or other types of products? Don’t let feature creep complicate your product or ruin your schedule. Use these tips to avoid feature creep.
Learn valuable tips for staging homes. Declutter spaces first, and then add furniture, lighting, and pops of color to make the home look inviting to homebuyers.
Where you work affects how you work. Whether you write blogs in a local neighborhood coffee shop or code apps on the beach, your surroundings make a difference when you work remotely. Creating an ideal work space helps you maximize productivity and efficiency. Even if you’re the digital nomad type who prefers ever-changing scenery, having […]
In a small business, every hour spent actively growing and establishing the business is important. That means everything you do, from your daily to-do list to the meetings you hold, should be concise and meaningful. While it helps to meet with the members of your team from time to time, it’s equally as important to […]
Travel much? Time waits for no man — and as a business owner, you know that productive businesses take advantage of every minute. While business travel is often necessary, it can also cut into your productivity without proper planning. Fortunately, your time at the airport and in the air doesn’t need to be a waste. […]
Burnout can happen at any level, from entry-level employees all the way up to the CEO. Maybe you’ve even had to deal with keeping yourself motivated to avoid burnout as the boss. It’s also important to watch for signs of burnout in your employees so you can help ease their stress and give them opportunities […]
Are you thinking of bringing your dog to the workplace? Bringing pets along to work can make the day more enjoyable and productive for some people. For others, the four-legged friends create a distraction that interferes with their ability to get work done. Before you establish your office as pet-friendly, consider the pros and cons […]
Customers love businesses that cater to their needs, wants, and preferences, and one great way to capitalize on this and build trust is switching to an agile manufacturing strategy. Agile manufacturing is the practice of rapid consumer response. In other words, you quickly adapt your products to meet the changing needs and wants of your […]
Concentration is a measure of how much of your revenue is coming from one specific client or partner. If too much business is coming from too few clients, this can signal danger for the business since at any time a client may stop using your product or service, causing revenues to drastically drop or even […]
Modern technology lets you automate lots of social media and email tasks you do during the course of your work day, saving you time and money in the process. These apps have the advantage of working across multiple social media platforms and email programs, giving you more time to communicate meaningfully with your customer base. […]
The 80/20 rule, also called the Pareto principle or the law of the vital few, states that approximately 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Or put another way, 20% of your efforts produce 80% of your results. As a small business owner or manager, it’s important for you to understand how […]
As you conduct business, you may have a client or customer request something you don’t want to do or can’t do. Denying your customer’s request doesn’t have to strain your relationship if you handle it well. Effective options exist that help you say no to your clients or customers in ways that build client relationships […]
Learn what the Ivy Lee method is, and see the steps involved that you can use to increase productivity in your small business.
Learn ways to stay focused on your work. Create a to-do list, prioritize your tasks, and schedule when you communicate with others to stay on task.
Your business is your baby, and you dedicate an enormous amount of effort to making it successful. Spending too much time on your business, however, can dampen your enthusiasm for it and could lead to burnout. Thankfully, there are ways to keep both your work life and personal life thriving as you grow your company. […]
As a small business owner, you deal with project management issues daily. The Agile Process is an alternative approach to project management. that many people find superior to traditional sequential or waterfall project management strategies, and you may find it helpful to your own business. The Agile Development Process is designed to incorporate feedback and […]
What is a learning curve in business? The learning curve depicts how the relationship between output and cost changes as your employees become more efficient at their jobs. You can use learning curves to compare employee improvement to expectations, forecast future costs, and measure production efficiency. A standard learning curve is its steepest in the […]
When you assemble a team with the skills needed to bring your business vision to life, you often end up with a diverse group working together as one. While their combined expertise might be just what your business needs to succeed, keeping them all on the same page can sometimes prove challenging. Interpersonal relationships between […]
As a small business owner, you probably spend a good amount of time working on a computer. During these long work days, a little comfort can go a long way. In fact, it can even make you more productive. The trick? Finding ways to change your position to prevent stiffness and allow the freedom to […]
When Henry Ford implemented a higher than minimum wage pay for his factory workers in the early 20th century, people began to notice the correlation between morale and productivity. Despite their higher wages, Ford’s workers produced quality cars at a quicker pace than the competition, more than making up for their cost of labor. Though […]
It’s very likely that you’re one of the most widely known basic personality types, Type A or B. Each one carries its own behavioral tendencies that affect your personal interactions and the way you approach work. Type A personalities are at one end of the spectrum by being extremely self-motivated, setting lofty goals, and constantly […]
Whether you work for yourself or simply have a job that requires you to manage your own time, you typically look for ways to keep your motivation high and improve your time management. Working in an office setting with other employees going about their busy days commonly provides most people with sufficient motivation to complete […]
Competitive and savvy business owners know the importance of choosing reliable and quality vendors to ensure a robust supply chain and healthy profit margins. Here are five key factors to consider when choosing a vendor. 1. Set Your Criteria Draw up a list of your fundamental business requirements including the products you need, the level […]
Throughout this past year, Intuit has shared a wealth of small business tips to keep you moving forward. In the spirit of the New Year and resolutions, it’s time to look back briefly at those tips and help you create a manageable list of items to start, stop, or keep doing when it comes to […]
For small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers like you, business activities and holiday festivities often fill the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. If you’re a retailer, you might be counting on holiday shopping revenue to fill in slow spots from earlier in the year. Are you a real estate professional? Perhaps you’re focused […]
You’re probably familiar with the financial, marketing, tax, and legal aspects of running a small business, but what about the health aspect? Actively promoting a healthy workplace can increase productivity, improve the mood, and cut down on the amount of sick time your employees take. You can do that in many ways, from educating your […]
Many small business owners often run behind schedule due to numerous time-consuming tasks that require attention. There are numerous inexpensive or free resources that can help you streamline complex tasks, whether you need more time for managing social media, collaborating with remote workers, tracking finances, managing projects, or keeping your work organized. When you need […]
When you’re an entrepreneur, you may feel like you never have enough time in the day. You can’t create more hours, but you can make the most of the time you do have. Maintaining focus and actively managing your time help you move your company forward. By evaluating how you spend your time and implementing […]
With the rise in tools that bring work and communication online, many people have opted to ditch traditional office environments in favour of working from home, a co-working space, or anywhere with a strong Wi-Fi signal. Setting your own schedule gives you tremendous freedom, but you also need a lot of discipline when working remotely […]
Do you want to implement an enterprise social network within your company? If so, good thinking. Internal social network platforms such as Yammer, Slack, and Convo are some of today’s top options. Before you dive in, though, you might consider how adding this feature to your small business network can potentially benefit both you and […]
You’re used to getting creative on a limited budget to get things done in your small business. Making the tools you have stretch to handle multiple duties makes sense. But by using QuickBooks or spreadsheets to manage your leads, you’re missing out on more robust lead tracking software that can offer time-saving efficiencies for you […]