Better business has, in the past, been defined as business with a conscience, responsible capitalism, or business with a vision.
But as we move toward an economically unsure future, better business no longer appears as any of these but instead encompasses a much larger definition, one that includes employment standards, a shifting of the demographics that apply to the age of employees and an increase in those who work from home. Not only have these redefined better business but they have redefined everything we ever knew about the typical business.
As an example, a recent editorial by Dave Dale caught my eye as it included many of these points and expanded on them with a quick look back into a past that wasn’t really so long ago. A past that included mature workers who taught those younger than them, not a company comprised of inexperienced employees, without experience and cheaper to employ.
I can remember when so many long time employees were forced into early retirement in the nineties, most of them still in their fifties and replaced by inexperienced workers because after all, the company would make more money this way. Gradually, along with this shift in the capability of the workers, came a decrease in standards, unfortunately. With no one at the helm and teaching the newer workers how things should be done, how were the new employees to know that what they were providing wasn’t up to par?
A sustainable business is one that can find a positive solution and balance both employee standards and service or product production, not giving up the quality of one for the other. In our present economy this has become more obvious than ever as some businesses take the cheapest road possible while others define themselves by their excellent quality.
Finding new solutions and putting in place the processes that will lead to overcoming any challenges businesses face may involve hiring someone from outside the business, as quite often a fresh look at the inside of the business by someone else is all it takes to spot the areas where help is needed.
Though businesses can’t be responsible for everything, it is still up to them to incorporate the knowledge they have to provide the best services to their customers and be held accountable when they fall far short of the mark.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014
image courtesy of beforeitsnews
