Important Considerations When Choosing Cloud Storage Solutions

Kivo Daily Staff on June 21, 2022

As a business, it is important to ensure you invest in the right solutions and tools. In today’s digital age, there are lots of different services that businesses have become reliant on, and this applies to both larger and smaller businesses. Many business owners now invest a lot of money in tech solutions and digital services, and these can aid the business and improve efficiency on many levels. Among the solutions that can prove invaluable to businesses these days are cloud storage solutions.

With our reliance on digital data, using services such as these has become all the more important. However, in order to benefit fully from this type of solution, you need to ensure you make the right choices. There are lots of different cloud solutions that you can choose from, and you can benefit from competitive cloud storage pricing to ensure affordability. Of course, you need to consider a range of factors to help you to make the right choices, some of which we will look at in this article.

Some of the Key Things to Consider

There are a number of key factors that you need to consider if you want to boost the chances of making the right decisions regarding your cloud storage solutions. Some of the main ones are:

Your Business Needs

One thing that you must do is to look at your business needs when it comes to cloud storage, as you need to ensure you choose the right plan and service to accommodate these needs. Once you have done this assessment, you can then compare a range of plans and services to see which ones are best suited to the needs of the business. Make sure you look carefully at the features and benefits of the solution and look at exactly what you get for your money so you can make a more informed choice.

Available Budget and Pricing

Another thing that you need to do is to look at your business budget, as you must work out what you can afford to spend in order to find a suitable solution for your business. The pricing of these services can vary based on a range of factors, so you need to compare both the costs and what the service offers in order to make the right choices. Make sure you do not focus on price alone when making your decision, as suitability and reliability are also vital.

What Others Say

One of the other things that you need to look at is what other people have to say with regard to the solution you are considering investing in. Looking at online reviews can prove hugely helpful in enabling you to make the right decision, and you can learn a huge amount by reading the reviews. For instance, you can find out about the reliability of the service, the service levels of the provider, and much more.

These are some of the key considerations when it comes to choosing a suitable cloud storage solution.

The Downsides of the Modern Work Environment

Kivo Daily Staff on June 17, 2022

COVID presented one of the largest modern shifts in the work environment ever seen. Suddenly thousands of businesses had to move to work completely or partially online, and the percentage of people working virtually exploded. This has completely changed how work is perceived and operates, especially when it comes to meetings.

There are lots of ups and downs to these changes, but many workers are feeling the negatives harshly. Remote meetings are a prime example of an aspect of virtual work that doesn’t seem to be very effective currently. 77% of remote workers use video conferencing software, and 83% of employees spend up to a third of their work week in video meetings.

This would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that 71% of these employees waste time at least once a week due to unnecessary or canceled meetings. Workers are entering more meetings more often, and most workers aren’t happy about that fact.

For example, 56% of employees want to spend less time on video calls and 42% go as far to say that they contribute nothing during these meetings. It’s predicted that an average of 31 hours are spent on unproductive meetings per month, even just waiting for a meeting to start alone is a big time waster.

Even in 2022, 23% of virtual workers say Zoom fatigue is at an all time high. It’s a combination of staring at a screen along with being on camera for long periods of time that really start to create digital fatigue in people, something that doesn’t exist in normal meetings.

Some of the psychological effects behind digital fatigue are the mirror effect, lack of personal space, and reduced mobility. The mirror effect is basically the phenomenon where seeing yourself constantly increases anxiety around how one operates and potential minor mistakes. Lack of personal space comes from the close ups that all computer cameras offer, and reduced mobility is an obvious effect of sitting at a computer all day.

Still, regardless of this all, 78% of remote workers want to continue to work from home for the rest of their life. It’s a fairly universally appealing idea even with all the problems it offers. In response, companies like RedRex are creating virtual location-based meetings and workplaces for remote workers to utilize.

These would be digital buildings attached to a physical address with multiple customizable floors. Specific workers could have their own rooms in a system like this, something that could really work to reduce the fatigue that remote workers feel. Systems like these would also offer a comprehensive space to do multiple types of work without constantly changing platforms.

Although a digital workspace like this may not be perfect, it’s a part of the systematic move towards making remote workers feel more comfortable. 49% of remote employees miss seeing their coworkers, and 44% miss the personal interactions that are more typical of a physical workspace. This is just yet another issue to work towards a solution with.

Virtual workers are here to stay, but as the years of doing virtual work continue to grow and grow, digital fatigue and loneliness will only do the same. Active effort has to be put into working to solve these problems as society moves towards being a more and more digital place. Learn more about how the future of work and events can be more effective in the infographic below:

Johnny Wu: The Celebrated Virtual Magician Is Taking Magic to the Digital Space

Kivo Daily Staff on June 17, 2022

Magic shows have always been a wellspring of wonder. Long before the advent of the internet, live magic shows would attract thousands of spectators for an unforgettable experience. Nowadays, in the digital age, a new form of magic has emerged, utilizing the power of technology to spread cheer and wonder online. Johnny Wu is a talented magician whose world-class magic tricks have continued to amaze audiences from the comfort of their own homes through pioneering his own brand of virtual magic shows.

Johnny Wu began his foray into the magic world when he was a junior in college. He decided to pursue his passion and perform magic shows from his 200-square-foot dorm room as a career. Starting out, Johnny did everything on his own, from designing his own website to marketing his own content.

Eventually, Johnny Wu would pivot toward utilizing technology and the digital space to entertain audiences with his online magic shows. His skills combine magic, mentalism, and hypnosis to give his audiences an unforgettable, magical experience.

“Johnny is the BEST magician I’ve ever seen!” – Jamie Foxx

“Johnny is a star. Top-quality magic through and through. Send this man to Hogwarts…I’m not kidding!!!! Thank you so much! You were awesome.” – Giovanni Borsari

“I’m always terrified to volunteer during a magic show, but it’s a lot easier with Johnny Wu!! Super exciting, even over zoom.” – Kevin Eells

Does Johnny Wu Offer Zoom Magic Shows Only? How about Google Hangout?

With the technology we have these days, there are a host of online platforms that allow Johnny Wu to perform his online magic show to a variety of audiences. While Zoom magic shows are the most prevalent, the virtual magician also presents his shows via Microsoft Teams, WebEx, and Google Hangouts.

Johnny Wu specializes in mentalism, so audiences can expect actual mind-reading, hypnosis, and real magic through their screens, not just normal card tricks that have been done to death. As an audience member, all one has to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show without any preparations necessary.

Johnny is an interactive magician, so audiences should also be willing to volunteer and have their minds blown by his sheer talent and mental prowess. To join an online magic show, users just need to click a link and enjoy one unforgettable experience.

How an Interactive Magician Creates an Experience One Can FEEL on Their Side of the Screen

Much like live magic shows, online magic shows need to emulate the same sense of wonder and amazement that being in person entails. Johnny Wu is able to do this by performing a very interactive show that doesn’t require any physical touch from the audience, but their interactions and their inputs will still drastically affect the outcome of the show.

The renowned Zoom magician has performed in countless different events and entertained a variety of people from different walks of life. He has performed at corporate meetings, private parties, and even celebrity hangouts. A virtual magic show usually costs around $500 to $5,000 depending on the event and the number of audiences.

Johnny Wu has garnered a lot of attention through his magnificent magic skills and talent. He has acquired over 1600 5-star reviews for his virtual magic shows, even drawing the attention of A-list celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Jessica Alba, Paul Pierce, Paris Hilton, and many more. Make sure to drop by this website to check out some of the 5-star reviews that the renowned Zoom magician has received for his magic.

To know more about Johnny Wu, make sure to visit his official website.

Key lessons from 2022 Warren Buffet and Charlie Monger at the Shareholders Meetings

Kivo Daily Staff on June 15, 2022

As I attended the Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders meeting from April 28th to April 30th, I came back from Omaha with the usual conviction that Warren Buffet and Charlie Monger (the two leaders) have built an investment corporate culture that will outlive many of their competitors. These meetings are also known as the Woodstock of Capitalism as they attract some of the leading financiers in the world. For those new to the Shareholder Annual Meetings, Warren Buffet and Charlie Monger host in Omaha, Nebraska every year between 20,000-40,000 shareholders traveling from all over the world and take questions for 6 hours. The two leaders of Berkshire Hathaway have a personal net worth of approximately US$ 100 billion each, and Berkshire Hathaway has a market cap of $708.16 Billion. This makes Berkshire Hathaway the world’s 7th most valuable company in the world.

This was the first in person shareholder meetings since 2019 due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, and there was great excitement about the event as the shareholders try to get an idea of what the future looks like when both leaders will no longer be with bus. What emerged from these meetings, confirmed that Vice Chairman Greg Abel will be taking a larger role in the company going forward. However, there is no sign that Buffet and Monger are going to quit any time soon. A few days after the Omaha meeting, the shareholder overwhelmingly voted in favor of keeping Warren Buffet as the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Having said that, for the second time at the annual meeting Warren and Charlie were note on the stage alone. They were joined by Ajit Jain and Greg Abel which confirms that a slow transition to the new leadership has started.

Key Messages

First Quarter Earnings: Unsurprisingly, the company’s net earnings came in worse than previous quarters in 2021 and totaled $5.46 billion, down more than 53% from $11.71 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Berkshire’s operating earnings (the most meaningful indicator) were slightly higher at $7.04 billion. The shortcomings were influenced by a significant drop in the company’s insurance underwriting business and by the slowing U.S. economy, which in Q 1 contracted for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Buffet stressed during the in-person meeting that “the gains and losses in any given quarter are meaningless to investors who have little or no knowledge of accounting rules”. So, if you analyze the financials more closely, Berkshire’s operating earnings increased year over year.

Market Trends and Risk: Warren Buffet repeatedly mentioned that nobody knows where the markets are going, and key to Berkshire Hathaway sustained success will be to invest in good companies, managed by good people with outstanding expertise and good business models. Both Warren Buffet and Charlie Monger were prudent in performing market forecasting, and instead stressed the importance of investing in companies where you see yourself as an owner and a partner. With the usual humility, Warren Buffett reminded the audience that “We have not been good at timing, but we’ve been reasonably good at figuring out when we were getting enough for our money.” Just as a matter of reference, from 1965 through the end of 2021, Berkshire shares have generated a compound annual return of 20.1% against 10.5% for the S&P 500.

Inflation Concerns: A lot of discussion took place around inflation and recession risk during bilateral meetings as well as during the main event on Saturday. Overall, there seems to be consensus that the sustained inflation in the US could cause a light recession. In April inflation was at a 40-year high, with 8.3% annual increase in April. This is slightly lower than the 8.5% recorded in March. This rate will raise the amount of capital that companies need to finance their operations. Buffet stressed that the main cause of the inflation was the large economic stimulus which was implemented since the beginning of the Pandemic. In times of crisis, Buffett reiterated, invest in yourself to reach an even greater level of exceptional skills.

Invest in what you know: Invest in your core knowledge and passions continues to be a recurring theme at these meetings. And once again, Buffett and Monger stressed the importance of investing in areas of your expertise where you know you can contribute to sustained success. Buffett has often been criticized for missing some opportunities of disrupting tech companies, and he continues to admit that this is true but that Berkshire refused to invest in areas outside of the conglomerate expertise domain, as this is an effective risk management tool. When managing shareholder money Berkshire will always focus on capital preservation and will be missing on lucrative opportunities as this is part of the capital preservation priority.

Greater focus on sustainability: While Buffet has been critical of the ESG movement and climate change, he continues to invest in sustainability across the renewable energy (in 2021 Berkshire invested in excess of $30 billion in green energy), transport, and construction sectors. Berkshire has built a unique culture of under-reporting, and when asked for opinions on the ESG new disclosure and reporting regulations, Buffett declares that Berkshire & Hathaway has been a front-runner as their disclosure on sustainability is ahead of any Fortune 500 company. Berkshire argues that it is unnecessary for it to publish additional climate-related disclosure since the Board receives on a quarterly basis on risk exposure including climate risk. While there is still resistance to culture towards a more climate and ESG focus, with 69% of US corporation now committed to net-zero emission by 2050, I believe Berkshire will gradually adapt towards more sustainability.

Final thoughts: The key message I took home from Omaha was “invest in yourself” as this is the quickest way to build excellence and long-term success. Cash is king and particularly in times of crisis, unlike Ray Dalio (the CEO of BridgeWater Hedge Fund) who thinks that “cash is trash”. Invest in yourself and invest in what you know was reiterated by Warren Buffet throughout the entire shareholder meeting and was also the answer to a question from a young participant that asked “what stock should I invest in?”….Buffet answer was “you are the best stock and you should invest in your future value”.

Canadians can learn from global community about capitalizing on green growth

Upgrading Your Analytics Solutions to Google Analytics 4

Kivo Daily Staff on June 14, 2022

The history of web analysis helps inform us about the newest shift in the world of web analytics. In October of 2020, Google announced the new future of data analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which is set to replace the current software, Universal Analytics. The first analytics solutions appeared just three years after the birth of the internet with two simple analytics software: hit counters and log analysis. Hit counters were simple to use without expertise and were coded to display the number of page views. Log analysis was more complex than simple hit counters and was intended to interpret server logs and help identify traffic sources.

Since the birth of the internet, rapid evolutions occurred in terms of the complexity of web pages. At first, most URLs hosted a single HTML file of plain text, but as sites added images, audio, and video, browsers had to make HTTP requests per page visit. Caching, temporarily storing a file in the system to avoid multiple HTTP requests, did not show up on the log, identifying a gap in log analysis software. It became apparent that log analysis would need to innovate alongside increasingly complex websites. New metrics for user behavior included form analytics, traffic sources, heatmaps, and more.

These new metrics were used to create targeted advertising which was informed by the web analytics data captured. So, why focus on Google Analytics? Google has been one of the leading analytics solutions since the company acquired Urchin in 2005. Since its inception, Google Analytics has been heavily focused on quantitative data and is tied directly to Google’s web market offerings. Currently, there are approximately 28 million active websites that employ Google Analytics.

In 2012, Google introduced its current analytics platform, Universal Analytics. Universal Analytics allowed sites to track users across multiple devices through user IDs. This included demographics and offline behavior monitoring, providing richer customer data. In 2016, Universal Analytics incorporated machine learning for real-time monitoring. Currently, Universal Analytics reports visit length and time between page views, distinguishes hit types, and tracks engagement across devices.

GA4 differs from Universal Analytics because of its specific focus on user privacy. GA4 is set to release news of upcoming exclusive privacy-focused features, allowing more data controls and customizations. GA4 also employs predictive analysis, letting companies know how likely a user is to purchase within the week, and whether they will be active in the next 7 days. GA4 also supports revenue prediction. Other new features include a debugging mode, cross-platform reporting, automatic collection of data on any kind of engagement, and consolidated web and mobile data on one platform.

Universal Analytics will shut down on July 1, 2023; are you ready to make the switch? GA4 is a separate set of properties from Universal Analytics, so there is no direct way to transfer historical data and upgrade to the new system. For this reason, having an analytics partner is essential to preserve Universal Analytics data and equip your business for GA4. Expert help from InfoTrust helps businesses realign their data strategy and ease the analytics transition.

How Brands Can Connect with Generation Z

Kivo Daily Staff on June 9, 2022

Born between the years of 1995 and 2010, Generation Z numbers more than 2 billion people worldwide. 90% of Gen Z live in emerging markets; 20% of them live in India alone. By 2031, the collective income of Gen Z will surpass that of Millennials. With over $2 trillion in global earnings, this generation will possess over a quarter of the global income.

At home in the US, Gen Z is also known as “the diversity generation,” and for good reason. 48% of Gen Z is non-white, a higher percentage than any previous generation in America. 20% identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, twice as many as other generations. Moreover, Gen Z are on track to be the most well educated generation in America’s history. 57% of recent high school grads enroll in postsecondary education, but only 44% grew up with a college-educated parent. 40% of the US consumer base belongs to Generation Z.

Given their size and spending power, brands in all markets are looking for ways to market to the new generation. Some have been successful, but most are struggling. Only 36% of Gen Z consumers say they have brand loyalty in any area of their life. Instead of making shopping decisions based on company name, Gen Z buys based on perceived values the company holds. Being as diverse as they are, Gen Z consumers want to see brands that value inclusivity. A majority of those surveyed want brands to include more diverse casting and imagery. More importantly, 53% also want to see diversity in senior leadership positions. Companies need to practice what they preach if they want to attract customers. Some popular inclusivity initiatives for clothing brands include allowing one to search for gender neutral clothing and providing non-binary gender options on forms.

Another value Gen Z holds dear is sustainability. This generation has grown up hearing about the fragility of the planet and are always looking for ways to lessen the severity of climate change. Nearly 2 in 3 Gen Z consumers research product origins before making a purchase, and around 3 in 4 would pay more for a product they knew to be sustainable. Sustainability can include the incorporation of recycled material in products, renewable energy commitments, and biodegradable packaging.

Now companies have an idea on what messaging to include in their marketing. How do they make sure their message reaches its intended audience? When it comes to Gen Z, mobile-first marketing is a company’s best bet. In the United States, teenagers are online “almost constantly,” spending 10 hours or more on their mobile device. Nearly half get most of their information from social media, compared to 17% of older adults. For Gen Z, the platforms of choice are TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. 20% of Gen Z confess they spend over 5 hours a day on TikTok, making it a newer, more potent form of television. Like prior generations, Gen Z buys from brands that speak to them. Make your brand relatable.

How Expert Coach Dr. Shanna Van Ness Equips Clients With the ‘Committed Action Mindset’

Kivo Daily Staff on June 9, 2022

Coaching with theories is one thing. However, the most effective coaches are those who not only equip others with words but also walk the talk. Dr. Shanna Van Ness, the founder of Dr. Shanna V. Coaching & Strategic Solutions, provides clients with innovative solutions she lives by herself.

Dr. Shanna Van Ness is a Certified Business, Executive, and Life Coach specializing in personal growth, relationship, career, business, and executive coaching. Over the years, she has played a vital role in helping a broad spectrum of clients with her collaborative, solution-focused, and results-oriented programs. Dubbed as the “Committed Action Queen,” she lives in integrity and is highly invested in helping her clients adopt a Committed Action Mindset — an approach wherein she produces support and practical feedback geared towards strengthening her to face personal life challenges to gain exponential results.

In addition, Dr. Shanna integrates coaching techniques and helpful assignments to offer highly-personalized programs, each tailored to fit the individual needs of her clients. She creates her strategies with compassion and understanding, taking the time to understand her clients’ strengths and determining areas where personal growth is needed.

“I not only coach others to clarify their vision to achieve extraordinary results, I practice what I speak. So the coaching and consultative services are driven by my heart and desire to see others succeed,” shared Dr. Shanna. “I work with a wide range of clients to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each individual and organization. In a supportive atmosphere, I help clients attain the professional and personal growth they are striving for through in-person, virtual, or phone sessions.”

Dr. Shanna Van Ness has worked with individuals who, at one point in their lives, felt stuck, needed to repair a relationship, were jumping onto entrepreneurship, and more. She has also worked with large organizations that aimed to reinvent themselves innovatively with resiliency. The visionary has also worked with executives who wanted to steer their team in a better direction.

“I live in committed action. For me, that is the ability to ‘Say X and Do X.’ So, often, we are caught ‘saying X and doing Y.’ We get frustrated when we do not get the desired results we seek. Well, how can we get to the desired result if what we say does not align with our actions? This is one of my best qualities because I live exactly what I coach,” shared Dr. Shanna Van Ness. My formula is Focus + Discipline x Perseverance = Success. I apply this formula with all my clients,” she added.

Over the next three to five years, Dr. Shanna Van Ness will broaden her coaching and strategic venture, offering a robust catalog of online coaching programs to support clients in achieving extraordinary results. She hopes to pursue more philanthropic endeavors to create positive social change in underserved communities as she publishes her second book.

“When I embraced my passion and purpose on the planet, I was able to build my brand. I love what I do for people, so it does not seem like it is hard work. My brand was built on ‘heart work.’ Becoming a Certified Business, Executive, and Life coach allowed me to flourish in the area of consulting as well. In that realm, I am able to provide clients with strategic solutions in operations management, strategic planning, and development consultative services,” Dr. Shanna Van Ness said.

Emphasizing that success does not happen overnight, the innovative coach is committed to helping her clients go through a meaningful process of change, resilience, and discipline. Without a doubt, Dr. Shanna Van Ness will undoubtedly impact countless lives and become a household name.

A Conversation With ‘Michigan’ Moshe Peretz About How He Plans to Leave his Mark on the Musical Accessory Industry

Kivo Daily Staff on June 7, 2022

Hailing from Mackinaw City, Michigan, Moshe Peretz is an entrepreneur on the cusp of debuting a new musical accessory brand. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, having earned a bachelor’s degree in business.

In 2018, Moshe Peretz had the idea to create his own line of musical accessories, inspired by the success of musicians starting their own brands in other fields. One day, while conducting some online research, he came to the realization that well-known musicians such as Kanye West, Rhianna, and Lady Gaga all had their own signature line of products, and that they often made more money from these ventures than from online streaming of their music and concert ticket sales combined.

A regionally well-known musician himself, his entrepreneurial instincts were piqued, and ‘Michigan’ Moshe Peretz—as he has come to be known on the nightclub circuit—set to work obtaining the necessary funding to launch his own brand of musical accessories, such as customized guitar cases, straps, picks, and tuners. As of the writing of this interview, he is nearly ready to unveil it to the public, having only to tie up a few final loose ends.

Why did you decide to create your own business?

Even as a young man, I knew I would never be able to make it in the 9-to-5 world. It’s just not in my nature. Realizing that would severely limit my job prospects, I started thinking up ways to make money without working at an office for a large company. When I was a teenager, I avoided getting a typical summer or after school job by touring with my high school band ‘Mackinaw.’ We made a decent amount of money playing gigs, but I knew that wouldn’t last forever. So, when the time came to go to university, I elected to study business. I figured that I could start my own company after graduation. At the time, I had no idea what kind of business that would be, though. I did have an inkling it might have something to do with music.

What would you tell others looking to get into your industry?

I would tell them to make sure they have a thorough and complete understanding of a musician’s needs when it comes to things like tuners, straps, and picks. You wouldn’t believe how temperamental and finicky some of us can be! I guess that’s usually the case with artists, now that I think about it. Anyhow, we like things to be just right so we can take the stage or take to the studio and perform our absolute best. A musician knows best how to craft musical tools and accessories, so if someone wants to enter this industry, they should retain a musician as a consultant if they aren’t one themselves.

What keeps you motivated?

The thing that gives me the most motivation is seeking out new and exciting experiences. I’ve been that way as far back as I can remember. In that spirit, starting a new musical accessory brand is definitely a new kind of adventure for me!

How has your company grown from its early days to now?

Well, the brand hasn’t made its grand debut yet, so I’m afraid it’s still early days. Maybe I’ll give another interview once the company has been established for a few years and answer that question.

Who has been a role model to you and why?

The name that immediately leaps to mind is Elvis Presley—and not just for his music! Elvis was a fantastic entrepreneur in his own right. With the help of his manager, he was one of the first musicians to really capitalize on merchandising.

How do you maintain a work life balance?

Although I spend my days working hard to launch my new brand, I still play nightclub gigs on evenings and weekends. Music brings me a tremendous amount of joy. I don’t think I’ll ever fully give it up.

What trends in your industry excite you?

Well, truth be told, part of the idea behind my business was starting a trend. I think it’s high time that more regionally well-known musicians launched their own brands, alongside the international superstars. With any luck, my company will help blaze a trail in that respect. Regardless of whether or not I succeed, I find the prospect exciting.

What has been the hardest obstacle you’ve overcome?

Obtaining the necessary seed money to fund a startup was much more difficult than I thought it would be. I was rejected by more than a few investors. I overcame that problem by re-examining and refining my business plan until it was airtight. Eventually, investors became interested.

Outside of work, what defines you as a person?

Aside from writing and performing music, I would have to say my biggest passions in life are travel and food. Actually, I like to combine those two interests by sampling the local cuisine of the various places I visit. I’ve found a lot of wonderful little spots to eat in every region of the country.

Where do you see you and your company in five years?

I see my brand of guitar cases, straps, picks, and tuners on the shelves of musical instrument stores throughout the Midwest by 2027. With a little luck, I think I could go nationwide within a decade. Stay tuned. ‘Michigan’ Moshe Peretz plans to make a big splash!

How Effective are Employee Recognition Programs at Improving Morale?

Kivo Daily Staff on June 3, 2022

By Ismail Khalid

When you are running your own business, there are a number of different things you need to worry about, some more important than others. But ultimately, the most important thing you need to do is ensure that you have a stable crew of employees whom you can trust to do the job well. Unfortunately, sometimes that is easier said than done, especially if your employees do not feel appreciated in their role at your company. There have been many different ways to try to address this, one of which being employee recognition programs. But what are they, and how do they work?

Determining how effective any one tool is at improving the morale of your employees is not necessarily an easy, simple, or even a linear process. Thus, it is important that you look into each tool you intend to use, and figure out how you intend to use it. When it comes to employee recognition programs, there is a lot that can be done here to make your employees feel truly recognized for what they put into your business.

How do you show employees that they are recognized?

One of the ways a lot of businesses are trying to better recognize their employees is gamification. Gamification is the phenomenon of attempting to make otherwise laborious tasks feel more like a video game, as it were. Essentially, your goal, if you go this route, is to create employee recognition programs that your employees should want to participate in. You should not use this to punish workers who do not manage to achieve high results, but instead use it to reward those who do.

Of course, employee recognition programs are only one part of the solution for low morale, and cannot be relied upon exclusively. There also needs to be a more human element behind that recognition, where you and others in management make it clear to their workers just how important their labor is to the company, as well as how much appreciation they have for what they’ve done. This can be done as a message for the whole team, but it is far more effective if you offer personalized and individualized feedback (both positive and negative) for employees.

Overall though, one of the best ways you can succeed at improving morale and recognition of employees is to give them better benefits (and not just as a reward). Better pay, better advancement, healthcare, vacation/sick leave, etc., all these do a great job of making employees happy and increasing productivity.

Can employee recognition be done wrong?

It may seem somewhat strange, but there is actually something to be said about the idea of doing employee recognition properly. For as good as it may be to give that recognition, you have to make sure that you do it the right way. For example, all too often, workplaces attempt to improve employee morale through highly banal things, such as a pizza party or what not. If employees do not have high morale while working for you, the idea of coming in on their off time to eat pizza with people they don’t enjoy being around is not going to be what solves your employee morale problem.

It can’t hurt to offer free food, but if that’s all you have to keep your employees happy, don’t expect to get great results. On social media, it’s even become a source of mockery; namely, that companies, instead of offering tangible benefits for their labor, such as pay raises or better working conditions, they simply provide some pizza.

Further, it is all too easy for attempts to show recognition of your employees’ accomplishments to fall flat. Not just in terms of how you show the appreciation, either. In this case, it would be an issue of providing outsized appreciation, or deeming certain tasks to not be worthy of appreciation. Employee appreciation cannot just be reserved for the biggest and most important people working for your company, as in the long run, these are not the people who are trying to find their way out of your company.

Employee recognition is an important thing for every employee, at every level of your business. No matter if they are the CEO of the company, or the janitorial staff. Every member provides an important role, and no one should be looked down on for that. Janitors who keep your business clean? Recognize them. Maintenance workers who keep your offices from falling apart? Recognize them. So-called “cogs in the machine” show that they are more than just making things run on time? Recognize them.

Even if people are not particularly standing out from the pack, it is important to encourage them, so that they can actually find it in them to exceed the expectations laid out for them. If employees do not think that you have their back, then they may simply not have the drive to go further than they already are, or worse, simply quit.

Injured on the Job? How to Know if You Qualify for Workers’ Compensation

Kivo Daily Staff on June 1, 2022

Unfortunately, workplace injuries are a pretty common occurrence, and they can range in severity from a small cut to amputation or even death. Although workers’ compensation claims can be filed for almost any type of work injury, they’re usually only filed when the injury prevents the worker from actually working, and therefore, earning money.

Still, many workers don’t know when or if they should file for workers’ compensation to get their benefits. The requirements for receiving compensation after being injured on the job vary from state to state, but generally, these are the five requirements:

#1: You Must be Classified as an Employee

While this requirement sounds simple enough, it depends on how the definition of employee is determined at the state level. Most people would assume that it refers to a person who works for another person or company (so excluding business owners), but most definitions specify that a person is a salaried employee. This definition excludes contractors and other self-employed individuals who receive pay from a person or company.

Employee status can be defined as:

Being expected to work a set number of hours in a certain location
Your check has withholdings for income taxes/FICA
You receive a W2 to file income tax returns

#2: Your Injury Must be Work-Related

If you’re injured going to or leaving from work, or while away on break, you’re not eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Also, if your injury does occur during work, but is the result of your own misconduct, you may not be eligible for benefits in this scenario either. However, you will be eligible for benefits if working on the job has caused and of the following:

Exposure to harmful substances (including COVID-19)
Mental stress (in certain states)
Repetitive motion injuries, such as typing on a keyboard
Workplace noise that results in hearing loss

If your job requires you to operate a motor vehicle and you’re injured in a wreck, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

#3: Your Employer Must Have Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Almost all businesses are required by law to have workers’ compensation insurance, so the first thing you must do is ensure that your employer is covered. If they aren’t covered and you’re injured and have to miss work, you’ll have to file a workers’ compensation lawsuit. In some cases, you may also have to file a lawsuit to get your maximum compensation because a lot of employees find that the payout is insufficient. For this reason, it’s essential to be careful about signing off on the compensation offered by your employer.

#4: You Must Meet the Deadline to File for Benefits

When it comes to receiving benefits for a work injury, there are two deadlines that must be met. The first one is to notify your employer of your work injury that’s causing you to miss work. The majority of states in the U.S. give you 30 days to notify your employer, but South Dakota and Wyoming residents have only three days, while New Hampshire residents have up to two years.

The other deadline is the amount of time you have to actually file your claim. Most of the time, you’re okay if you file for workers’ compensation within a year of your work injury. Again, it varies by state with many states allowing their residents up to two years to file, and Minnesota allowing its residents up to six years! No matter which state you live in, it’s always best to do it as soon as possible.

#5: You Must Attend All Appointments Associated With Your Injury

Sometimes a work injury may require the employee to frequently visit the doctor, or receive ongoing care such as physical therapy. In order to continue collecting all of your workers’ compensation benefits, you must attend all required doctor appointments and exams, and receive all required treatments. It’s okay if you have to reschedule an appointment here and there, but constant rescheduling is a red flag and your employer can legally withhold your benefits on the grounds of medical noncompliance.

Keep in mind also, that workers’ compensation benefits are only required to cover lost wages and medical costs. So if you’re not going to the doctor, there are no medical costs that need to be paid.

These requirements are similar for families of an employee that was killed on the job, or died as a result of injuries sustained from the job. This is known as a workers’ compensation death benefit, and it’s typically limited to the deceased worker’s spouse and or/dependants (e.g., children).

Author: Kivo Daily Staff

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