by Lina Martinez
Despite your cheery attitude when stepping through your office doors, there are all kinds of factors that could derail the positive mood you are experiencing. Your hoped-for good day at the office can quickly become a bad one, and below are just two of the reasons why.
#1: Problems with your IT
You probably rely on your computer systems for much of your workflow, so if something goes wrong, your day at the office will quickly worsen. You might even be forced to leave work for the day if it's impossible to get anything done, such as when your computers fail and you can no longer access the information you need to complete the tasks you have to do. You might be hit by a virus too, and not only can this be the reason why your computers start to go into meltdown (along with your mood state), but it can also compromise your financial and customer data. Panic will soon start to set in!
Solutions: You don't have to suffer the consequences of an IT nightmare if you take preemptive steps. Back up your data in the cloud or onto a USB stick so you can continue to work on other devices if your main computers decide to stop working. Consult with a managed IT firm such as cimasg.com and work with them on a disaster recovery plan. And with the help of an IT professional or by using your own initiative, do whatever it takes to protect your computer systems from the risk of viruses. By taking these steps, you will minimize the risk of having that dreaded bad day at the office!
#2: Absent employees
You are probably dependant on your employees for many of the day-to-day tasks that keep your business running. But if they are absent for any reason - sickness, bad weather conditions, traffic problems - then your day at the office can quickly spiral out of control. You might be forced to delegate certain tasks to already overworked employees, or you might have to take them on yourself. Say hello to overtime at the office!
Solutions: Firstly, ask yourself this question. Do your employees need to come into the office at all? If you can allow for remote working, they wouldn't have to miss work because of a sudden snowstorm or an extended wait in a traffic jam. You should also consider outsourcing, as in an emergency, another firm could take on the business tasks that your employees would normally complete. And you might also have a temping agency on speed dial to quickly cover any gaps in your workforce. By taking these steps, you won't have to panic when you receive a voicemail from an apologetic employee telling you they can't come into work today, or that they are going to be 3 hours late because they need to melt the snow on their driveways first.
Finally
There are other reasons for a bad day at the office, of course. You don't need us to mention them as chances are, you have already experienced some of them yourself. Still, you don't have to suffer many bad days at all if you can preempt the problems that affect you, so think about the obstacles you have faced, and take early steps to manage them. You will then be able to maintain your cheery attitiude in the office, even if something does threaten to derail your day!