Have you ever asked yourself what it costs to hire an employee who doesn't turn out to be right for your business? The U.S. Department of Labor says it costs you at least 30% of your employee's first-year earnings if they're a bad hire. For many startups, losing five figures because you hired the wrong person may mean the difference between success and failure. Let's take a look at the costs of a bad hire, so you can avoid the devastating consequences to your startup.   Initial hiring costs...

With the internet rapidly taking over the way we do business, a lot is changing. Some people view the digitization of work as a bad thing, but really people will be the winners . One of the reasons for this is that it brings people together. Physical location no longer determines who can work for who. Employers can search out the best of the best and hire them for whatever tasks they need. Working with freelancers also saves you money. You only ever pay for the work that is actually completed. B...

Mario Andretti said, “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” This is an incredible statement for the entrepreneur and young startup owner. Without goals and dedication to them, it’s hard for your startup to grow. Let’s take a look at how to encourage your startup team to kick goals so that you have a dynamite team working for you. Be delibera...

You may have heard that raindrops aren’t all the same size. Well, just like raindrops, not everyone is suited to work at a startup. You’ve got the dream, and you’ve got the products or services, but do you have the right team? Your team helps determine the path your startup follows and the ultimate outcome. Let’s look at six personality types perfect for startups. #1: The Dreamer We bet you are the dreamer and the visionary. You’re the one who can dream big and at the same time set smaller goals...

Bringing the best talent to your organization, however, that is not enough. Successful organizations have more than monetary incentives. According to a recent survey in Silicon Valley, over 50% employees believe they would earn more money by switching jobs. Money alone is not enough. Additional incentives help retain key employees and help employees remain both efficient and productive. Retaining key employees The process of keeping employees should be considered even before hiring them. This pr...

Since the beginning of time, human beings have organised themselves through social structures. From the tribes to the small settlements, we have evolved to create more complex systems with fixed rules aimed to make us cooperate and achieve certain goals together. It is the same in the business environment, where we use different organizational structures designed to adapt the companies to the dynamics of each era. When we speak about organizational structures we are talking about the plan that d...

According to studies by the Aberdeen Group, the Harvard Business Review , and the Human Capital Institute, successful companies achieve better business results than industry peers, because they invest in training their employees. But there is a training program… and there is a learning program that delivers powerful business results. Too often, organizations view training as a one-time event rather than a process. Many organizations invest in courses for employees but do not follow up on their p...

Since 2008, Next Step has provided consulting and advisory services to client companies with multi-generational workforces–managers and employees ranging in age from 19 to 92 enabling clients to achieve greater cohesion and productivity across the generations. All leaders and employees must become familiar with the unique perspectives, needs and motivators of each generation, and be willing adapt their own work styles and actions to achieve maximum productivity. Who makes up the multi-generation...

Hiring just the right people is vital to the success of your company. Unfortunately, the hiring process isn’t always an easy one. And, mistakes can cost you in the long run. When you lose an employee and have to replace him, you incur costs that include advertising, interviewing, screening, hiring, onboarding and training. According to Fast Company , 66% of companies surveyed said a bad hire cost them between $25,000-50,000. This is why you want to avoid hiring the wrong person. In this article,...

In today's world many leaders struggle to understand what accountability really means: is it simply holding people responsible for their defined obligations - or is it something more? Your understanding of accountability determines your response when a crisis strikes and a project is at risk. A leadership style and how one responds to problems can help build organizational capacity. While it is crucial to address problems quickly, it is also important to include your team members in the solution...