Working hard, or working effectively?

The North American work ethic pervades most businesses, with many people not even taking all of their meagre two-week annual vacation allowance and employees often at their desks long after 5 pm. Yet Europeans are frequently confounded by this attitude – vacation allowances of five or six weeks a year are common there, often coupled with long… Continue reading

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Past The Halfway Mark – Your Year So Far…

Last weekend was a long weekend in most of North America; Canada Day (July 1) and Independence Day (July 4) in the U.S. This summer weekend of celebration falls not only close to the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, but also at the halfway mark of the year. Yes, 2016 is now more… Continue reading

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Why Every Business Needs a Plan B

I was likely not alone, last night, in watching – in mounting disbelief – the progress of the UK’s Brexit vote. I wouldn’t normally allow politics to feature in a business blog but there was one thing (among many, many others) that seemed apparent in the process and immediate aftermath – there was no Plan… Continue reading

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When is it Time to Call in a Professional?

If you read our post from a couple of weeks ago – A Big Move – you may remember my extolling the virtues of hiring professionals for some tasks; this can often almost pay for itself when you consider the big picture. You can also select the level of professional help that will suit you… Continue reading

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The Pleasures and Perils of Working From Home

Working from home has seemingly never been more prevalent, with many businesses offering at least some flexibility to their employees. Whether you run a home-based business or you tele-commute, working from home has many attractions and obvious benefits. But is it all as wonderful as it sounds? We take a look at both sides of… Continue reading

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