How firms can benefit from big data: Use analytics to gain a competitive edge May 5, 2015 Focus on building an analytics-savvy workforce with a deep understanding of clients’ needs Companies have access to more cheap and useful data than ever before. Business investment in data analysis has also risen dramatically. It crossed the $100bn mark in 2013 and is now expected to grow by around 10 per cent a year [...]
Bagging talent: How to recruit the best people May 4, 2015 Turn to the HR team to find the right recruiter and get candidate feedback. As demand returns to the economy, many organisations can’t find the people they need to grow. Talent shortages are rife, and are set to worsen over the next two years. Meanwhile, our latest data shows that 95 per cent of [...]
How to build a professional brand on LinkedIn: Avoid using out-of-date photos and make the most of hobbies and interests April 30, 2015 Do you remember being told not to judge a book by its cover? Perhaps it’s true, but there’s a reason that publishers have such large design teams. Of course, a person’s value can’t be established by their appearance alone, but the reality is that, as professionals, we’re always selling our skills and experience. Our professional [...]
How to raise your risk intelligence: Embrace numbers and constant feedback to make better choices April 29, 2015 Whether it’s investors estimating the future price of a stock, or anyone deciding what career to pursue or where to buy a house, we are constantly faced with the need to weigh up risk. Despite this, psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky — who laid the ground for our modern understanding of judgement and decision-making [...]
Five steps to improve business travel: From trying a new hotel to using a “jet lag optimiser” April 28, 2015 These days, when travelling on business, you’re more likely to choose your own hotels than trust the decision to a PA. And for good reason – the market for business hotels has vastly diversified in recent years, and today’s travellers can expect far more from them than a half-decent continental breakfast. Nevertheless, from jet lag [...]
The cost of charismatic leadership: Strong personalities can be distracing April 27, 2015 Companies are better off relying on old-fashioned expertise and openness to feedback. General Electric’s former chief executive Jack Welch is often posited as the archetype of the successful “charismatic” business leader. He rose to fame for setting big goals and communicating them with confidence, and his influence on business more generally has been substantial. [...]
How to limit distractions at work April 26, 2015 Instilling a culture of quality and ensuring a sense of personal responsibility is important. The pace of change at work can be considerable. Unfamiliar technology, team changes, office relocations or new leadership can mean that employees at all levels are often distracted, unfocused and prone to making mistakes. Recent research among more than [...]
What sport can teach you about career success April 23, 2015 Precision and discipline are vital if you want to make it in business. As any entrepreneur will tell you, setting up your own business is not for the fainthearted – but it is incredibly rewarding. Prior to starting my firm, I enjoyed a career as a professional footballer in Asia. While it’s admittedly a [...]
Habit change: Three common misconceptions April 22, 2015 Improving your daily routine does not require an iron will. There's no shortage of advice on why you should study the habits of the highly successful with a view to following them yourself. As most people find, however, changing a habit or developing a new one is quite hard. Aside from the obvious challenges involved [...]
How to build an award-winning firm April 21, 2015 From having a hot-desking boss to giving back, the focus always returns to employees. My company Simply Business enjoyed the great honour of coming top in the Sunday Times Best Companies To Work For ranking earlier this year. Our pole position is testament to the work everyone in the company has done to ensure that [...]