From splashing out on a pen that’s nothing less than presidential to revisiting a classic business book, these are the great tips and tools, nifty workplace technology and best business resources to try out this month.
The Idea That Matters Now: Employee Experience
The latest release of the Edelman Trust Barometer, an international league table of credibility, shows trust in business remains higher than that in not-for-profits, government and the media (and that “My employer” ranked as more trusted than business in general). But even more importantly, the survey, conducted in May across almost 17,000 people in 14 countries, shows “employees” are the stakeholders most likely to determine a business’s long-term success, and ranked higher than customers, shareholders and the community in which it operates. Ensuring your employees’ experience is positive can benefit your business in the future – the research found investors increasingly scrutinise employee experience and a company’s talent pipeline, while the talent is inspecting the business’s stance on social issues.
A Book About DIY Podcasting: Everybody Has a Podcast (Except You)
Siblings Griffin, Travis and Justin McElroy, who co-host My Brother, My Brother and Me and The Adventure Zone, have in this book published the insights they’ve gained since their earliest shoestring podcasting efforts in 2010. (The brothers recommend people skip the first 150 My Brother episodes entirely.) If you’re launching a podcast, which can build a business’s brand, authority and search engine optimisation, this entertaining guide is a must read.
SEE ALSO: The Best Office Gadgets to Improve Productivity
The Rolled-Gold Office Accessory: Cross Century II Ballpoint Pen
There’s something about a luxury pen, particularly when it’s plated in 10-carat gold, that makes signing everyday documents feel a little more special – even more so when signing something significant, like a new office lease or contract. President Joe Biden used a Cross Century II Rollerball on his Inauguration Day and the brand has provided pens to US presidents since Gerald Ford (though Bill Clinton preferred Parker pens and Donald Trump told news website Axios he’d switched to Sharpies).
A Podcast for Facing Challenges: Built for Change
Consulting company Accenture launched Built for Change to look at how businesses can not only survive troubled times but find the opportunities within them. Whether it’s tearing up the idea that sustainability is a cost or reimagining customer experience beyond smooth transactions, the podcast uses Accenture research and interviews with industry leaders to methodically deconstruct old assumptions – which you can in turn use to reimagine how you run your own business.
SEE ALSO: How to Reboot Your SME for Business Growth
Some Handy in-Store Tech: Mandoe Digital Signage Software
This DIY Digital Signage kit includes a media player that projects advertisements – designed by you, using templates – on up to three screens or monitor displays, as well as a one-month subscription to Mandoe’s content creation software. User-friendly guides allow you to drag and drop graphic design assets into your layout, then personalise fonts, colours and images to create still and animated advertisements, resulting in super simple yet effective promotional material for your latest offers.
