When you’re looking for your next job, you always want to show yourself in a good light. Many people believe they’ve got the experience on their resume that will do all the talking for them.

At the other end of the spectrum, others write themselves off before they get to the interview stage and say that they aren’t employable because they don’t have a formal education or a long resume.

But it doesn’t really matter which one of these people you are - it’s important to know that you can change your employability for the better.

This is especially true when it comes to retail. In this sector, employers look for certain skillsets that will make you the perfect candidate for the job. Most of these will involve interacting with customers.

For example, retail often involves serving customers and meeting their needs and demands. This is the case no matter what the situation is. In other words, whether they are happy or disgruntled about something, it’s your job to deal with it properly.

Of course, the real question you’ll have is how you can build and improve on the customer service skills that you need for your next retail job.

One of the best ways to become more employable is to choose online e-learning courses. This is a fantastic and innovative way to learn new skills and train for your next job, no matter what role you’re thinking of applying to.

Training courses will increase your retail knowledge and give you something to add to your resume and talk about in your next interview. Choosing to enroll in online courses also shows initiative to your new employer, as well as the desire to learn yourself.

So let’s find out a bit more about online training and the benefits that it offers you.

Online learning is becoming the most popular way to complete training inside and outside of the office. For job seekers, it’s a way of gaining new skills that will allow you to remain competitive in the job market and land your dream job in retail.

Not only will new skills help you to get a job successfully, but it will also mean that you can perform better at your future job immediately.

The great thing is that there are hundreds of courses that you can choose from that will benefit you in retail. From learning about the best ways to deal with angry customers to improving your listening skills, there’s a course for everything.

But, one of the most important factors that can affect any training is motivation. Thankfully, online learning courses can be accessed anytime and from anywhere. This means that you can choose when you learn and at a time and place that is best for you and when you’re motivated to learn.

All you need is your own device and you can access lots of online courses. Whether you learn best relaxing on your couch in the evening or when you are heading somewhere on the bus, you can take your training anywhere with you to improve your chances of landing a retail job.

Everyone has a different learning style. So while some people assume you have to be tech savvy to enjoy online courses, this is definitely not the case. The truth is that anyone can use e-learning courses!

E-learning courses are designed to be easy. This means that it’s simple to work them and learn all of the information that you need to gain the skills you want.

Plus, online training takes many different shapes and forms. What we mean by this is that there’s a format that everyone loves to learn with. If you’re a visual learner, there are animated training videos that you can watch or if you are a gamer there are plenty of courses that use gaming to teach you. Doesn’t that sound great?

All of the e-learning courses are created by professionals and some are even accredited, which means that you can rely on this training for your retail job. You can gain certifications and really gain useful qualifications for your resume.

So, what are you waiting for? Online learning is the best way to make sure that you have the skills you need for your next job in retail. You can finally stand out from the crowd in a good way and become the perfect candidate for the job.

In fact, it’s never been easier to build your resume and become the best in retail. All you’ve got to do is choose the online courses that you want and get started right away. You’ll become employable for life with your new, useful skills.

When you train using online e-learning courses today, you gain your next retail job tomorrow.

False

Get the right training for your next job in retail

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘work-life balance’ more times than you can count. But how often do you stop to consider what work-life balance really means and how it applies to your life? After all, this shouldn’t just be a catchy phrase, but rather, a way of life. Setting healthy and distinct boundaries between your work life and personal life has many benefits, from improved career prospects to better interpersonal relationships. 

Unfortunately, while most of us understand the importance of setting boundaries, this is often easier said than done. Despite their best intentions, many people struggle to separate their work life and personal life, with one-third of employees saying it is harder to achieve a work-life balance than ever before. 

It can be all too easy to find yourself checking work emails on your day off, calling a client after hours, or working through your lunch break to finish a project. Failure to separate your work life and personal life might seem innocuous at first. However, over time, it can lead to disastrous results, including poor mental and physical health. You also could find yourself overworked due to your inability to unplug. What was once an active and thriving personal life has now made way for work, work, and more work. 

To help avoid these issues, we’ll offer actionable strategies to set healthy work-life boundaries and separate your work life and personal life once and for all. 

While work-life boundaries have always been important, the widespread move to remote working due to COVID-19 has highlighted this issue. Some people find it easier to achieve a healthy work-life balance while working from home, whereas others think it blurs the lines between your work life and personal life.

To demonstrate this, Fingerprint for Success found that the average workday lengthened by 48.5 minutes following the initial lockdowns in March 2020. Additionally, 51% of employees say they experience burnout while working from home, while 67% feel pressure to be available at all hours of the day. Further, 40% say that unplugging after hours is their biggest challenge. 

On the other hand, 67% of people say their work-life balance improved when they started working remotely. 

While this is a positive trend for some, 66% of full-time employees in the US say they have a poor work-life balance, and 52% of UK employees say that boundaries between their work and personal life have become increasingly blurred.

Why employees must prioritise their personal life

Poor work-life boundaries can have far-reaching consequences, adversely affecting everything from employee motivation and relationship satisfaction to mental and physical health.

For example, employees who neglect their personal life and work more than 55 hours per week have a 1.66 times higher risk of depression, 1.74 times higher risk of anxiety, and 1.3 times higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.  

Similarly, women with male partners who work more than 50 hours per week are less satisfied with their relationship than those whose partners worked less. A survey by Grand Canyon University backs this up, finding that family relationships (48%) and friendships (47%) suffered significantly for people with a poor work-life balance. 

These findings should send a resounding message to all workers: a poor work-life balance can have lasting real-world consequences. Addressing these issues should be a top priority for employees and organisations alike. 

Poor work-life balance harms organisations too

A poor work-life balance doesn’t just harm employees, it can also harm organisations. For instance, 72% of employees consider work-life balance very important when looking for a new job, while 33% say work-life balance is the most important benefit a job can provide. 68% of employees also say poor work-life balance negatively impacts their morale and motivation at work.

A majority of people (60%) say that bad bosses that are overbearing, demanding, or mean are the factor that harmed work-life balance the most, followed by frequent overtime, inflexible hours, incompetent co-workers, and long commutes. 

In contrast, a company culture that encourages healthy work-life balance can improve productivity and retention while reducing healthcare costs. 85% of companies that offer work-life balance programs report an increase in productivity, while 33% of employees with a good work-life balance say they plan to stay longer in their current role. Finally, companies with good work-life balance programs have 50% fewer healthcare costs. 

As such, employers must show a genuine interest in their employees’ work-life balance to create a happier, healthier, and more motivated workforce. 

With these statistics in mind, the question becomes: ‘how do I prioritise my personal life and establish healthy work-life boundaries?’

Once you learn to set boundaries based on your obligations and priorities, you will feel more in control, leaving you free to make decisions that allow you to lead a productive life both at home and at work.

While there are many strategies to establish healthy work-life boundaries, a good place to start is ensuring you take regular time off to avoid burnout. A study by Roy Morgan found that, on average, Australians have 16 days of unused personal leave. Further research revealed that 2.4 million full-time working Australians have gone over a year without taking leave, with 86% experiencing some level of burnout as a result. It should go without saying, but this advice also includes taking time off for sick leave when you need to. 

Additionally, employees should discuss flexible working arrangements with their employers. According to one survey, 69% of employees agree that companies should offer flexible working to foster a better work-life balance. Normalising remote working has been one of the few benefits of COVID-19, opening a whole new world of possibilities for flexible working arrangements. Many employees can benefit from a hybrid working model or even working from home full time. 

67% of people say their work-life balance improved when they started working remotely, while 86% say that working remotely reduces their stress levels. Plus, 97% of people say a job with flexibility has positive impacts on their overall quality of life.

Once you have committed to setting work-life boundaries, it’s a good idea to put pen to paper and write those boundaries down. Writing down your goals and commitments will help you take them more seriously.

Studies have shown that people who take the time to write down their goals are more likely to achieve those goals. For example, one study found that people who vividly describe or picture their goals are 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to accomplish their goals. 

Therefore, if you have decided that you will disconnect from work every evening by 5 pm to focus on your personal life, make a note of it on your calendar. Create a schedule that works for you, then stick to it.

Today, most people are bombarded by technology. As a result, most of us never truly unplug from technology, with one survey finding that 38% of people never unplug from technology, while only 20% say they unplug from technology regularly. This constant connection has blurred the lines between our work life and personal life. 

Simply turning off your phone and going for a walk, taking time to connect with your loved ones, or spending a few minutes working on another activity is a terrific way to relax and unwind. 

It can also be a good idea to unplug entirely on weekends or when you take personal leave by uninstalling apps such as Slack from your phone to remove any temptation to check them. 

Many people find themselves stuck at the office far later than they should be. Whether you’re so focused that time gets away from you, or you have too much on your plate and not enough hours in the day to get it all done, working long hours is a problem. Globally, 11% of employees say they work more than 50 hours per week. 

Not only is this not healthy for you physically, but it also eats into your personal life and negatively affects those who care about you. As mentioned, working more than 55 hours a week significantly increases your risk of depression, anxiety, and heart attack, while also reducing relationship satisfaction. 

One simple change can alter that. It’s as easy as committing to leaving the office on time, regardless of your workload. No excuses. If necessary, let others know about your commitment, so they can help hold you accountable.

Meditation is an excellent way to decompress and disconnect mentally from work once you arrive home. Regular meditation is a fantastic option for people who have trouble unwinding once they get home because they are still caught up in the day’s events.

Disconnecting from work once you arrive home can also help you be more creative. To get started, Go1’s Daily Meditation Collection is an online course designed to help people get into the daily habit of meditation.

Reserve time in your schedule for personal activities that add value to your life and allow you to recharge. These activities could include a weekly social night, daily exercise, a regular date night, or family activities. It is also important to set aside time by yourself where you can relax and unwind. This simple change will give you something to look forward to while also helping you manage your time more effectively.

On a related note, it is also vital to take time for your personal life during the workday. This means not working through your lunch break and taking regular breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout.

One of the most common problems that people encounter when trying to separate their work life from their personal life is that others continually tempt them to stray from their goals. 

Co-workers or even your supervisor might ask you to work later when you should be spending quality time with family and friends, or even just some time on your own relaxing.

To combat this problem, make sure you communicate your boundaries with friends, family, and work colleagues to ensure everyone understands the lines you have drawn to establish healthy boundaries. 

If you have decided you will no longer be available to work on the weekends, give your team at work a heads-up. You could also set up an out-of-office response for your email. 

If your manager is unwilling to respect these boundaries or your workplace culture is too demanding, it might be time to look elsewhere for a company that encourages healthier work-life boundaries. 

Juggling your work life and personal life is rarely an easy task. Yet, it’s imperative that you strike that balance to avoid burning yourself out. Remember, striking an appropriate balance between your personal life and work life is important not only for your physical health and mental wellbeing, but also for other people in your life.

Need some support to establish a better work-life balance? Go1 can help. Start your free trial today to access dedicated courses on Creating a more balanced workplace, Work-life balance tips for employees, and many more.

For more insights, be sure to subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

We’ll offer actionable strategies to set healthy work-life boundaries and separate your work life and personal life once and for all.

Work-life boundaries: how to separate your work and personal life

We’ll offer actionable strategies to set healthy work-life boundaries and separate your work life and personal life once and for all. 

The Go1 team are please to announce the release of the following capability in July 2018, including SCORM improvements, our Xero Integration, updates to our content management tools, and other minor improvements.

Please remember if you have an suggestions for improvements or new features, please email them to product@go1.com

Interactive Resource Display Improvements

Learners will notice an improved display when accessing interactive learning resources:

As a learner, you can browse for interactive learning resources through the Explore section of your portal. When you click to view a resource, if it has a price, you will be taken to the Overview page for that item so that you can purchase it. If that resource is available to you directly, either because it is free or it is available as part of your subscription, you will access a full screen display for that interactive resource (without having to click to Launch).

You can close the full screen display at any time and this will return you to the previous page you were on. By selecting the learning resource again, to be returned to your previous spot within the interactive resource.

Likewise for interactive learning resources within a course, when you click to open that resource, it will immediately open in the new full screen display.

When you complete an interactive learning resource within a course, at the end of the file you will see an option to continue to the next resource within that course and selecting this option will take you directly to that next resource.

If you select to close an interactive learning resource within a course, you will be redirected to the My Progress tab for your enrolment in that course.

The above improvements will also be visible to learners accessing standalone interactive learning resource or a course containing interactive learning resources from an external learning management system (LMS).

Administrators now have the ability to publish a standalone learning resource as a SCORM file, allowing for it to then be uploaded to an external LMS. This option is available on any standalone learning resource that has been created on your portal, or to which your portal is subscribed (such as items within Go1 Premium). Please note: To publish a learning resource to SCORM you will need to enable the SCORM Integration which is available through the Integrations area of your portal.

Content authors will also notice some usability improvements when adding/editing interactive learning resources:

When you select to add or edit an interactive learning resource, whether it be a standalone item or a learning resource within a course, you will see the display through which you can control the title, description, file and promotional image associated with that interactive learning resource.

 	You now have the option to remove the existing file, instead of having to first select to upload a new file.
 	The options formerly required for you to specify the display format for your interactive resource will no longer be visible, as all interactive learning resources will automatically display within our new full screen interface.


You now have the option to remove the existing file, instead of having to first select to upload a new file.

The options formerly required for you to specify the display format for your interactive resource will no longer be visible, as all interactive learning resources will automatically display within our new full screen interface.


Once you have saved your interactive learning resource, as the author you will have the option to access the Overview for that resource. This will allow for you to review the details associated with your resource, and to select to launch the full screen display to preview your interactive resource file.

You will also be able to view results tab for each learning item, and see a list of enrolments.

 	 Can be found within edit course .... button for the SCORM file you can View Overview , and you will see a results tab. You can also see a Launch button which will take you to a full screen display.


 Can be found within edit course .... button for the SCORM file you can View Overview , and you will see a results tab. You can also see a Launch button which will take you to a full screen display.


On the.... button for a standalone interactive learning item you can select Settings or as shown within a course, settings>publish/sharing . This takes you to the settings page of the file, and at the bottom of the page is the "Publish as SCORM" option.

Super administrators have the ability to enable this integration via the Integrations area on your portal. Once enabled and integrated with your Organisation from Xero, you will have the ability to import employees from the payroll section of your Xero organisation as learners within your portal.

Please note, this functionality is only available to Australian and US Xero organisations at this stage.

 	We are also offering a special promotion to current Xero customers who do not yet have a Go1 portal. Xero customers will have the ability to sign up for a free Go1 Portal and access a selection of 5 courses from our Premium offering, for FREE. 


We are also offering a special promotion to current Xero customers who do not yet have a Go1 portal. Xero customers will have the ability to sign up for a free Go1 Portal and access a selection of 5 courses from our Premium offering, for FREE.

Within the settings area of your portal, sits a new tab; Portal content selection. 

Selection: The first Go1 content management tools visible in the settings is the portal selection feature. The premise of this feature is it allows for administrators to control the marketplace, subscribed and shared content that is visible on their portal.

It works by allowing both super administrators and administrators the option to select the content that will be visible to the users via the Explore area of your portal.

Admins will see the option to select all or one of the following;

 	Free Content (Go1 marketplace which is available for direct enrolment for free)
 	Subscribed Content (Go1 Premium available, per your subscription)
 	Pay per use content (Go1 marketplace content which has a cost or requires learners to submit an enquiry)



Free Content (Go1 marketplace which is available for direct enrolment for free)

Subscribed Content (Go1 Premium available, per your subscription)

Pay per use content (Go1 marketplace content which has a cost or requires learners to submit an enquiry)

However, for some customers we understand that you may not want to make all of the content in the above content categories visible on Explore.

You must deselect at least one of the three content categories (Free, Subscribed, Pay for Use) for the Custom Selection feature to become available for enablement - the above are all enabled by default.

If you choose the button Custom Selection, you will be to see all the content available to include on this portal, where you can filter or use keyword search add the selection to the portal content group. Bulk actions to add all content within the results to your custom selection, or to remove the items currently selected, are also available.

For current customers who have the Go1 Marketplace option currently disabled within the Configuration page within Portal Settings, when this feature is released, the Free and Pay for Use options will be disabled by default.


Sharing: As the second improvement to content management tools, we are working to support the ability for content authors to control who has permission to view or access the content they create. Examples of content sharing include an author sharing a piece of content, such as a course or standalone learning resource, to specific users on their portal, groups on that portal, to another portal on which they are an administrator, or to public (meaning that it is submitted to the Go1 Content Team for consideration for inclusion as part of the Go1 Marketplace).

This feature is currently available for testing through our Early Access Program, as of 11/7/2018. If you would like to use this feature in EAP please email product@go1.com

Content Sharing also allows content authorities to share content across Go1 portals, without the need to publish that content to the full Go1 Marketplace.

When a Super administrator, Administrator or Author is creating a course or standalone learning resource, they will be able to access a sharing modal popup, giving them the ability to control the sharing permissions for that content.

The portal content selection as mentioned above also includes a Shared with portal section, this will allow for super administrators and administrators to select which content that has been shared to their portal through the Content Sharing feature should then be available through the Explore section of that portal.

Users must use the updated version of a quiz

Users must use the current version of a quiz

 	When an author selects the Edit Quiz button, they will see a message that there are Pending quiz attempts on this quiz, which means there are learners who have not passed the current version of this quiz.
 	Admin will then choose which version of this quiz learners will complete

 	Can Select: Updated version (this will remove all Learners answers from current attempts and the learner will need to restart the quiz)

 	If admin selects this option they can then Continue editing quiz.


 	Can Select: Current version ( L Learners will continue to see their current version until they have completed and passed the quiz) 





When an author selects the Edit Quiz button, they will see a message that there are Pending quiz attempts on this quiz, which means there are learners who have not passed the current version of this quiz.

Admin will then choose which version of this quiz learners will complete

 	Can Select: Updated version (this will remove all Learners answers from current attempts and the learner will need to restart the quiz)

 	If admin selects this option they can then Continue editing quiz.


 	Can Select: Current version ( L Learners will continue to see their current version until they have completed and passed the quiz) 



Can Select: Updated version (this will remove all Learners answers from current attempts and the learner will need to restart the quiz)

 	If admin selects this option they can then Continue editing quiz.



Can Select: Current version ( L Learners will continue to see their current version until they have completed and passed the quiz) 

If admin selects this option they can then Continue editing quiz.

If you are an an super administrator, administrator or manager on a Go1 portal, you can now add  Enrollment ID as a value within the Enrollments report

 	Select Enrollments within the Administration area of your portal
 	Select Filter to control the filters applied to this report and add the field Enrollment ID = generic or specific id
 	Select Configure to control the values that are visible within this report, select Enrollment ID to see the unique values associated with the enrollments within Go1 displayed in the report.



Select Enrollments within the Administration area of your portal

Select Filter to control the filters applied to this report and add the field Enrollment ID = generic or specific id

Select Configure to control the values that are visible within this report, select Enrollment ID to see the unique values associated with the enrollments within Go1 displayed in the report.

The ability to reuse learning resources across courses!

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

Individuals interested in landing a job in the accounting field will find that earning accounting and finance certifications can help them boost their marketability and advance their careers. Of the various certifications available in the accounting and finance fields, each certification has its own requirements regarding education, examination, and work experience. Additionally, there are specific skills that can be gained by attaining each certification. These skills could certainly benefit your career, which is why so many employers are looking for these certifications when recruiting new employees.

Continuing education to obtain accounting certifications does require an investment of money and time, but this investment can certainly pay off. Not only can obtaining these certifications make you more attractive to potential employers, but you might also find that continuing education can position you to climb the career ladder with your current employer.

The key is to choose the right certification. This will vary based on your resources, career goals, and eligibility. At a minimum, it’s important to understand the various accounting and finance certifications that employers value the most and which can help you advance your career.

The Certified Public Accountant or CPA license has long been regarded as the premier accounting and finance certification in the United States. This certification confirms a candidate’s expertise in a variety of sub-fields, including risk management, compliance, tax, and forensic accounting. This certification is granted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, or AICPA. To obtain this certification, candidates are required to have a minimum of five years of higher education as well as a minimum number of continuing education credits in accounting and business. This is usually about 150 hours. Candidates must also have verified relevant experience.

The exam consists of four parts, which can be taken in any order and most people take about one year to pass the CPA exam. Once an individual has passed the CPA exam, he or she will need to maintain continuing professional education credit requirements. Certified Public Accountants may work in a variety of fields, including management accounting, public accounting, governmental accounting, compliance, taxation, financial advisory, etc.

CPAs working in government and business may wish to consider obtaining the Chartered Global Management Accountant financial certification. The CGMA certification demonstrates a candidate’s management accounting competency and skills. This certification is granted by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants as well as the AICPA.

To be eligible for this certification, candidates must be an AICPA member and have three years of relevant work experience or be a CIMA member. This certification is obtained by taking a computerized case study examination. CGMA exams are offered four times annually. Individuals with a desire to have their accounting skills and experience recognized globally should consider obtaining this certification.

The Certified Management Accountant certification is awarded by the Institute of Management Accountants. This certification is recognized around the world, as certificate holders have demonstrated their mastery of financial management and accounting skills. To qualify for this certification, candidates must have earned a bachelor’s degree and possess two consecutive years in management accounting or financial management experience.

The exam consists of two levels and takes a total of eight hours to complete. It typically takes one to two years to complete the exam. Once candidates have obtained this certification, they must maintain 30 hours of CPE credits. Individuals who are interested in working in the corporate sector, especially for multinational companies, should consider obtaining this certification.

The Chartered Finance Analyst certification demonstrates a candidate’s competence and knowledge regarding investment analysis, portfolio management, and economics. This designation is granted by the CFA Institute. Candidates are required to have a bachelor’s degree along with four years of relevant work experience. The exam is comprised of three levels and takes a total of 18 hours to complete.

One level must be passed before candidates are allowed to move to the next level of the exam. The exam can be completed over an 18-month period; however, most people take more than two years to complete the exam. Once you have obtained this designation, it is recommended that you obtain 20 hours of CPE credits. At least two of those hours should be related to regulatory, ethics, and standards education. Individuals who are interested in working as asset managers or security analysts should consider obtaining this certification.

Individuals working in the accounting and finance field, or those who have aspirations of entering this field, will find that preparation is the key to passing the necessary exams to obtain the required certifications. For many busy professionals, it’s often difficult to take time away from work and family responsibilities to take courses. Enrolling in online courses can present a flexible and time-efficient method to prepare for exams and advance one’s career.

Accounting: Get Hired Without Work Experience

One of the most common conundrums that people face when trying to enter the accounting field is that they cannot get the job without experience, and of course, one cannot accrue experience without landing a job first. This course teaches you basic accounting, including how to prepare a budget and cash flow forecast, how to identify key performance indicators, analyze financial performance, and use various resources to land a job.

For individuals interested in passing the CA CPT exam, which is offered by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, this course is a must. In this course, you learn inventories, depreciation accounting, accounting for special transactions, accounting for sale of goods, and more.

Accounting certifications employers really want to see

In a world in which it has become increasingly challenging for companies to remain relevant while still delivering value, customer engagement is now at the forefront of sales efficiency. Sales experience has shown that customers who are engaged tend to purchase more. Furthermore, engaged customers are more likely to be satisfied and loyal customers. They are also more likely to tell others about your company. If you’re looking for ways to improve your sales efficiency, the best way to do so is with customer engagement.

Customer engagement focuses on encouraging current customers to not only interact with your brand but also share their experiences with your business. When a customer engagement strategy is executed well, it can assist your brand in fostering loyalty and growth. Customer engagement strategies focus on creating value for customers by providing great content, a superior end-to-end customer experience, and customer support in real time.

When you take the time to make sure customers are highly engaged, you can actually spend fewer resources on marketing to new customers. This is because highly engaged customers will actually spend more of their own effort and time on behalf of your brand. Those companies that invest in a customer engagement program that is well-thought-out can benefit immensely from grassroots publicity and user-generated content.

In order to obtain these benefits, however, you need to ensure your company has a well-designed customer engagement strategy, rather than simply a series of hit-and-miss tactics.

Unfortunately, many brands focus all of their engagement and sales efforts on attracting new customers by offering amazing deals. There is actually nothing wrong with trying to bring in new sales by targeting your marketing efforts toward a specific audience. This cannot be the thrust of your entire marketing strategy, however.

Ultimately, you run the risk of driving away your customers. In the end, you will lose more sales than you gain. Even worse, some brands have made the critical mistake of investing too much in automation in an effort to make things run smoothly. Such companies have underestimated the value of human touch when it comes to sales.

At the cornerstone of attracting new customers is the ability to engage customers in a way that not only attracts their interest in your brand and your products but also encourages their willingness to spend money on those products.

Customer engagement is excellent for getting the word about your brand and products out there. However, customer engagement should not be limited solely to new customers. It is crucial that brands also work to foster engagement with existing customers.

The following tips can help you to improve your sales efficiency through customer engagement.

Focus on the Level of Engagement Your Brand’s Customers Prefer

Brands should avoid trying to second-guess their customers by offering forms of engagement they think their customers will like. It’s important for companies to review the strategies that have worked in the past to attract customers and ensure they retain those strategies moving forward. Taking the time to do this demonstrates to customers that the brand cares about the same things they do. This is what keeps customers returning.

Only Use Technology When It Enhances the Human Touch Rather Than Eliminates It

In today’s digital world, many brands often make the mistake of thinking they need to jump on the latest digital strategy to remain relevant with customers and enhance the shopping experience with customers.

There is nothing wrong with utilizing technology to enhance your sales strategy; however, at no time should technology serve as a substitute for the human touch. Customers should always be able to engage with another human while benefitting from a more streamlined process.

Consider Online Training to Improve Sales Efficiency and Customer Engagement

Regardless of the form that your sales and marketing initiative may take, you will likely see a boost in overall sales efficiency by taking the time to ensure your brand has the latest strategies for customer engagement. A great way to do this without pulling staff away from their jobs to send them to outside training conferences is with online training.

The course Customer Engagement – Provide Sales Solutions to Customers reveals how to identify and respond to customer needs. Additionally, this course teaches you how to close sales, input sales records, and provide sales support where required.

As the world has become increasingly dependent on social networking, it’s imperative that brands do not ignore the importance of social networking when it comes to customer engagement. The course Social Network Engagement teaches you to stay engaged with your customers through social networks. With this course, you will learn how to stay on top of social networking without spending all of your time doing it.

This course specifically reveals how to social network with customers even while you’re sleeping, how to obtain more likes on social media, how to utilize Pinterest to attract more interest in your brand, and how to stay connected with customers using LinkedIn. Social media can be a great place to engage customers by generating interest and interaction. With that said, it’s also important to understand where to draw the line to ensure your brand avoids anything controversial.

When handled correctly, customer engagement can provide innumerable benefits to your brand, including making your sales strategy more efficient. Developing a well-thought-out strategy combined with effective training can help you to do just that.

Improve your sales efficiency with online courses

When it comes to working in the hospitality industry, whether it is in a licensed premise or an event, it’s important to ensure you have the right certifications. In fact, if you lack the correct certifications, you might even find it difficult to obtain a job in the hospitality industry. Below, we cover some of the most important certifications to have and the best ways to obtain them.

A Responsible Service of Alcohol Competency Card is considered a necessity for working in the hospitality industry. In fact, you cannot legally work in the hospitality industry in Australia without an RSA Competency Card. This card is mandatory for anyone who is employed in any type of position in any establishment that sells alcohol.

Even if you are a holiday visa holder who only wants to work while on vacation, you will still need an RSA Competency Card. Although the requirements for obtaining this card do vary among states, in most cases, you’ll need to take a training course to learn the current laws regarding alcohol consumption. This type of course will help to ensure you are legally and responsibly able to serve alcohol.

One of the reasons the course requirements differ among states is that the laws regarding the responsible service of alcohol are different among the states. Consequently, you may need to take a different course for each Australian state in which you wish to work.

If you do not have an RSA Competency Card, you could be fined. Each employee is personally liable for having this card if they work in an establishment that serves alcohol. If you are found to be working in such an establishment and you do not have the requisite RSA, you could be fined as much as $440.

While you could take this course in person, you could also take an online course. An online course is often a good option for someone who does not have time to take away from work or other responsibilities to take an in-person course.

If you are interested in entering the coffee profession, there are different avenues available. At one time, becoming a barista was as simple as filling out an application at a location with a “help wanted” sign. Today, there is far more to being a barista, and many people actually make it a profession rather than just simply something to do while working their way through school.

As a respected and often full-time profession, being a barista means that you will need special training. Enrolling in a barista training program will teach you how to grind and brew coffee in addition to a variety of other coffee-based drinks.

In a barista training course, you can also receive instruction on various growing regions for coffee beans, different roasts, and even different grind types. Barista training also usually includes procedures for cash register operation, customer service, and inventory. Fancy Beans and Baristas helps students prepare to find jobs in bistros, coffee shops, and even free-standing coffee kiosks by providing instruction on roast profiles, growing regions, and grind types.

Additionally, this course teaches students about common workflows and other procedures for the job. Prospective baristas will also learn how to steam soy and dairy milks as well as how to use equipment commonly utilized in coffee shops, such as coffee bean grinders and espresso machines.

Individuals who are interested in working in practically any capacity in the hospitality industry would do well to receive food safety training. Whether you are working in a restaurant, food stand, or in some other capacity, it’s important to understand how to minimize contamination. Food hygiene and safety training teaches food handlers the proper techniques for handling, storing, and cleaning food.

Not only do these practices ensure customers do not become ill due to food poisoning or allergic reactions, but they also help to reduce food waste and improve efficiency in the workplace.

One of the biggest concerns in the hospitality industry is cross-contamination. This occurs when food is handled in a way that makes it possible for allergens or bacteria to spread from one area to another. It is essential that cross-contamination is avoided in food settings. Even a minute amount of contamination can result in an allergic reaction or food poisoning. It can be quite easy for salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria to spread in a food setting. Allergens can be similarly spread.

Proper food handling safety practices can also assist in reducing food waste in eating establishments. For instance, storing food in unsuitable containers, at inappropriate temperatures, and without proper rotation can all result in food waste. Food hygiene training provides instruction regarding how to properly store and organize food. Such practices help to maintain food quality while minimizing waste and saving money. This type of training course also assures that staff understands how to improve efficiency by dividing tasks and preventing errors.

The course Hospitality Plus – Food Safety provides instruction regarding how to implement and follow food safety procedures.

Working in the hospitality industry can offer innumerable benefits, including the opportunity to travel. In order to take advantage of the many rewards offered by working in this industry, it’s important to ensure you have the right certifications. Online training can help you to get the training you need to land the hospitality job you want.

Get the right certifications for your next job in hospitality

Seasonal affective disorder, also known as the winter blues, refers to a condition in which people commonly feel sluggish, depressed, and experience levels of low energy during certain seasons. This condition may also be characterized by difficulty sleeping, weight gain, and even trouble concentrating. Such symptoms can frequently cause staff to feel unengaged and less productive. Although trying to beat the winter blues and avoid seasonal slumps can seem like a challenging task, there are some things employers can do to assist their employees in feeling better and more productive.

First, it’s important to understand exactly what Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is and why some people seem to suffer from it. Many experts believe that SAD is the result of a lack of sunlight. This lack of sunlight results in hormonal changes and throw off the body’s natural rhythm. Additionally, people who suffer from this disorder may experience a decrease in serotonin production. This is the chemical in the brain responsible for promoting a good mood and plenty of energy.

Steps Employers Can Take to Battle the Winter Blues and Boost Employee Productivity

There are actually many steps that employers can take to assist their employees in feeling better during the winter months. Employers should set the right tone from the beginning by ensuring they understand how to inspire a motivated workplace. The course Employee Motivation can help management do just that.

Making a few changes to your staff’s immediate work environment can make a difference in how your employees feel. You might be surprised to discover that just a few simple changes can actually help your employees feel more proactive and energized.

A light, bright color scheme combined with a bright and airy setting is ideal, particularly during times when access to natural sunlight is limited. Employers might also wish to consider giving employees time to take a walk outdoors. Even a few minutes of access to fresh air and sunlight can be enough to help employees feel refreshed and invigorated.

When it’s necessary to hold meetings, consider carefully where those meetings are held. The ideal location is in a bright room with a lot of windows and natural sunlight. Doing so can help to increase attention and concentration levels. In situations in which natural light is limited, the next best thing is fluorescent lighting. Some employers have even introduced sun lamps in order to ensure employees have access to light therapy to battle seasonal slumps.

Offering a wellness initiative is a great way to assist employees in making lifestyle changes that will encourage them to make healthier choices. Making just a few changes may be all your employees need to avoid seasonal slumps and boost their efficiency in the workplace.

The effects of the winter blues can be even more complex if your workforce is not taking the time to eat properly. A great way to encourage and even model healthy eating for employees is to provide them with access to fresh, healthy foods. It can be as simple as placing a bowl of oranges in the staff break room.

Employees will certainly appreciate such a thoughtful gesture, and access to a healthy dose of vitamin C can help them feel more energized. Your company might also consider replacing vending machines, which are often laden with unhealthy food choices, with foods that are healthier and fresher.

Give Employees a Daily Mental Health Break

When employees are already feeling stressed because of the winter blues, they need additional opportunities to manage that stress. Giving them the opportunity to dedicate a few minutes each day to journaling or writing is a great way to help them feel more confident, rejuvenated, and ready to work.

You might also wish to consider offering your employees the option to take an online course, such as Time and Stress Management. This course teaches your employees how to achieve a balanced life with time for work as well as relaxation, relationships, and fun.

Encourage Employees to Have a Healthy Balance Between Work and Life

It’s vital to employee productivity and morale that staff members feel as though they have a good balance between work and life. Unfortunately, management often thinks this kind of balance is ultimately up to employees, when in reality, it is the responsibility of management to encourage staff to create a healthy balance.

A few ways to do this include offering options like telecommuting, flexible working hours, and child care services. These options ensure that employees have ample time to enjoy their free time. The course Work Life Balance helps employees explore motivation and priorities.

Encourage Employees to Get Out of the Rut

This is actually a great time to try and shake things up a little and get people thinking about doing things differently. There is no reason to continue doing things the same old way, particularly if they are not producing results. Consider encouraging teamwork among your employees to come with solutions that will boost productivity and morale.

To some degree, feeling a bit of the winter blues is inevitable, but there is no need for it to interfere with employee productivity. Take a proactive approach can help management assist their employees in getting back on track.

How to beat the winter blues and avoid seasonal slumps this winter

We live in a world now where everyone expects everyone else and everything to be fast. From fast internet connection and fast moving queues to fast speed to market and fast turnaround on investment, we want fast to be faster. In the context of product innovation in business, everyone knows that not moving fast enough spells death. However, the rate at which we innovate on existing products, for instance by pushing out new features faster, is just one side of the innovation coin. It is important to appreciate that, some times, in order to create good and wholesome things, patience is required.

The analogy that I like to use is that product innovation is a 2-lane affair. The lanes represent the two primary types of innovation – incremental and the non-incremental ones. They both have different roles to play to sustain and advance a business. There is the life on the fast lane, where improvements to different aspects of existing products or introduction of new features take place. Speed is of the essence here or the products risk falling behind. Most companies already have proper processes, resourcing and training in place to speed through the fast lane. The innovation that happens on this lane is referred to as incrementalor sustaining.

There are many examples of this type of innovation across a range of industries, from FMCG businesses producing physical goods to online media or technology companies offering search services to connect customers and providers. An example in the consumer goods space is the continual extension to the line of soft drinks bearing the Coca-Cola brand. Together, products such as Vanilla Coke and Coke No Sugar have enabled a 130-year old brand to tap into emerging trends and bring something new to its existing customers over the years. In the case of Go1, its search products undergo continuous improvement following the approach described in my other blog post to make the results that they produce for the users increasingly more relevant.

The reality is you can only go so far by being faster, cheaper or tastier before you hit the end of the runway. In other words, innovation beyond the incremental is required for companies to remain competitive over the long run. It is definitely the case of disrupt or be disrupted. This is when the second lane comes in, for innovation beyond the incremental ones. This type of innovation can range from solving an existing problem differently to offering solutions to problems that users do not even know exist. The different terms used to describe this type of innovation include breakthrough, radical and disruptive. Some of these labels have more nuanced usage, as in the case of disruptive innovation in the book Innovator’s Dilemma.

More often than not, the initiatives travelling on the slow lane are few and far between. According to some sources, around 70% of innovation is incremental in nature. As for the rest on the slow lane, we hear companies lament about their inability to translate the more ‘absurd’ ideas into the next big things that can propel them ahead of competition. The common excuses are around the distraction of day-to-day business activities which take attention, time and resources away from this type of innovation.

The fact that companies claim they struggle to innovate beyond incremental using the existing setup and processes is an indicator that we need something more. But the question is what? The right kind of thought process, approach to collaboration and leadership are some of the key ingredients. With proper training and other forms of support in place, I have seen businesses move the dial on innovation. We will cover the 3 critical pillars to foster and sustain breakthrough innovation in detail through the lens of my experiences across a range of roles in the next blog post