I think it is safe to assume that most people’s resolutions for 2021 won’t be the same as they usually are. Those ambitions to hit the gym could be hindered if your area is within a certain lockdown tier. And those ideas of catching up more with friends aren’t going to sound as much fun if it means another endless parade of Zoom calls.
There is one area though that is prime for making small, but mightily effective changes for in the upcoming year: your business. You may never have ever thought of it as something to proactively reflect on and adjust at the start of the year (let’s be honest, that first week back is always slow to start), but there is a lot to be said for having some goals in mind on a micro level that can provide a much-needed boost for the year ahead.
So what kind of resolutions could a business make looking ahead? Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling!
Get a bit more social
Gone are the days when you could hide behind the notion that using social media was something people with computer skills were good at. If your older relatives know how to get a video chat working, you can learn how to use the likes of Facebook better for your business. I’m mentioning this first because I think it’s the kind of resolution you can do before the new year begins.
See those days between Christmas and New Year’s where all sense of time goes out the window, and you’re glued to the sofa for a few days? Start playing around on your phone and looking at what businesses similar to you do. You don’t need to sit and write out a full year’s social media plan, but you can pick up on how other companies use the platforms and how you can too.
Even if you think it may not prove profitable, it will help your business if you can develop a habit out of it.
Break your website
Sticking with technology and free time, if you have a small website someone has built and is maintaining it for you, get the laptop out and break it. Check on it every once in a while and see what goes wrong.
Why would you ever want to do such a thing? Well, if you can find problems, potential customers can too. A quick check every few weeks of how the site performs, and what it looks like for potential customers, can make you look at it in a new light.
Get bills down
Is the price of your electric, water, and internet always on the up? Make a review of all your billings a priority for the year ahead. Again, you don’t want to do it all at once. Break it into chunks maybe every few weeks to look at just one recurring payment and ask yourself if you can get it down.
For example, if your water bills are static or your supplier has never phoned to ask if you want bills down, get on it. I highly recommend Castle Water if you’re not well versed in water bills and would be looking for a cheaper tariff.
Ask More Questions
Promising that you’ll come back to work with a sparkling positive mental attitude is going to be hard if you’re prone to get riled up by workers who are seemingly oblivious to what’s going on. Want to know how to combat this and keep your emotions in check?
Start asking everyone more questions. You know how they say there’s no such thing as a stupid question? Start being the one asking stupid questions. You will be surprised how much better communication gets if you’re checking in on staff more and seeing if they know x,y,z without sounding condescending.
Figure out your milestones
Are you running a goal-oriented business? Ever get the feeling sticking to goals and hitting markers is causing stress? Then flip the switch for next year and start considering milestones instead. Look at how your business has performed and see if you can pick up on trends. Take that information and apply it going forward with your team by saying you want to hit milestones and not goals. It creates a more positive approach to hitting targets.
Home Surprises
One final resolution before I wrap up. 2020 was the year of home working, and the same could be said for 2021 depending on how things go. If your business is in a situation where some or all staff are working remotely, get a plan in place to send gifts to them. A surprise from the postman will keep spirits high more than a team talk in the work chat ever will.
Also, take the time to catch up with workers individually. You’ll be surprised just how much you’ve missed out on from those seemingly small conversations when walking around work.
There we go. Six quick resolutions you can employ in your business next year. If you’re looking to read more helpful articles on related topics, check out the site’s business section.
