Category: Management

The Ins and Outs of Getting Settled in Australia

Immigrating to Australia is an exciting time in anyone’s life. If you decided to take the plunge and move to the land of sunshine, you have a great adventure ahead of you. Filled with sunny beach days, incredible BBQs, and a lot of exotic animals.

But moving to Australia also comes with its own set of challenges that are less fun to navigate. And often, for those unprepared, a lot of these issues can blindside you. So we have put together a helpful guide that will walk you through the Ins and Outs of getting settled in the beautiful land of Australia.

 

The Heat

This is the biggest issue you will face as it is also the most unavoidable one. Australia is hot. It is easy to look at the sunny views presented in the media and fall in love. But we often forget how hot it actually is.

Australians are acclimatized to the heat, due to years of exposure. And after a while, your body will also start to acclimatize to it as well. But for the first few months, or maybe a year, you will be struggling. So you need to find ways to beat the heat.

Firstly, stay hydrated. You will need to drink a lot more water than you normally do, at least until your body stops sweating so much. Secondly, try to stick to the shade as much as possible. The temptation to build up a tan is going to be there, but trust us you want to be kind to your skin.

 

Legal Help

A different country means different laws. And not just the day to day laws but the more intricate issues such as inheritance, permits, and smaller legal details like that. You don’t want to make an innocent mistake that ends up costing you a small fortune in legal fees.

To that end, you will want to find a good legal firm that can quickly go over all the finer details with you. You will need to reorganize your will and inheritance forms to adhere to Australian laws and make sure your visa and working permits are all up to scratch. You can find a good list of legal firms here.

 

Insects

Australia is famous for its wildlife. In particular its insect life. You cant mention the country without someone making a joke about poison spiders sneaking into your shoes or snakes coming out of your pipes.

But these jokes are sadly based on truth. These things can happen. The snake one is a lot less likely, but chances are you will start finding spiders or bugs everywhere. You will want to check the list of native wildlife that will be present in the area you have decided to move to.

You will then need to take the necessary precautions to deal with them. You won’t be allowed to go around destroying habitats or ecosystems. That is a big no. But you can secure your home with a variety of anti-bug gadgets and stock up on bug spray. You will want to invest in bug screens and keep your shoes safe in a box to make sure no insects take refuge in them. And also make sure to check them before you put them on, just in case.

 

We hope this has helped you figure out your first move when you arrive in Australia. It is a beautiful country filled with natural wonders, friendly people, and rich in history and culture.

 

 

How to Stay Business Competitive in Post Lock-down America

The world has been forever changed by the COVID pandemic. We have seen a significant shift in, not only the way we interact with each other on a daily basis but how our businesses are able to function. Moving forward, there have to be dramatic shifts in safety procedures, staff contracting and rights, and customer interactions.

And a lot of businesses aren’t going to survive. That is the rough and sad truth of it. The American economy is struggling and some places just aren’t fit to cope in this new landscape.

But there is hope. Humanity is, if nothing else, adaptable. We can change our society and practices to work around whatever the latest threat is. And the same is true of the business world. It, and those that want to succeed within it, need to be adaptable.

So we are going to go through some tips to help you stay business competitive in the new world of Post Lockdown America.

 

Care for Your Staff

A business is only as good as its weakest staff member. And this is especially true while COVID is still about. You need to make sure your staff is provided all the necessary equipment and you install all the needed safety precautions to make sure they are safe and also that they feel comfortable.

But you also want to make sure they have job security. There is no point cutting staff down to save money, only for your business to fail due to lack of staff. So even if it means taking a pay cut yourself or getting a loan, make sure you are able to look after your staff.

 

Keep It Clean

Now more than ever customers are going to be acutely aware of dirty or unsanitary environments. The pest control services from pinnaclepest estimate that almost 4 million rodents were displaced due to the sudden closure of restaurants and bars. And when they re-open there will be massive rodent issues.

So you need to make sure your cleaning equipment and practices are up to snuff. You need to make sure your facilities are rodent proof. You need to install hand sanitizers and make sure everywhere is sparkling clean every day. Even if this means hiring more janitorial staff, you need to be on top of this.

 

Marketing

Your post lockdown marketing is important. You need to let your customers know that you are still in business and, more importantly, that you value them and their safety.

To that end, you might want to start thinking about ways to pass savings onto the customers. Offering deals might seem like a bad idea during a recession. But if you can get customers in the door because of discount prices, you will make more money overall. If you don’t offer enticing deals, you will most likely get no customers.

You also want to make sure you are being clear with your new restrictions and rules regarding customer and staff safety. What is your mask policy? Can customers come inside the store? Will they be able to stay two-feet apart from each other? You want to avoid any unpleasant situations caused by misinformation, so make sure you are perfectly clear on all these fronts.

 

The biggest thing to remember in all this is the community. Everyone has been struggling. But it is only together than we can pull through. So make sure you keep that mentality going forward as we are not out of the woods yet by any means.

 

Essential Services: What Classifies A Business As Essential?

Essential Services. This is a term that has been thrown around a lot this past year. As the world has undergone one of the most drastic pandemics in recent history, Essential Workers have stepped up and provided us all with the help and support we needed. But what does the word ‘Essential’ actually mean in this context?

Of course, in the very base definition, it means a service that is needed more than any other. That much is obvious. Essential Services are ones we cannot do without. Firefighters, Doctors, and Nurses, water and power facilities. But it goes deeper than that. We are going to briefly explain what it is to be an Essential Service. The perks that come with it. And a few reasons why you don’t actually want your own business to be an essential service.

 

Security

The biggest advantage of an essential service is, of course, the security that comes with it. Essential services are regulated and maintained by legislation. This is handled at the governmental level, either for a specific country or from a collective body such as the UN.

This means the services are needed and will not shut down during turbulent times, as we have seen during this pandemic. It means those working in these sectors will still be earning a living wage and won’t be sitting idle. This is also a huge benefit to those relying on these services.

 

What Is Essential

Aside from the most obvious answers, there are a few other sectors of the business world that you might be surprised to learn are classified as essential services. An example is Pest Control. In America, very recently, pest control was deemed an essential service. This means companies like permakillexterminating or ampest are now essential.

This is fantastic, as the vast majority of these firms are privately owned and, as such, provide massive benefits to them and the local economy as well.

Supply chains are also considered essential, meaning fleets of delivery drivers, factory floor workers, and other management areas are going to be kept in work. This provides a further support channel to keep the economy afloat.

Construction is a field most people wouldn’t realize is classified as essential. Due to the vast numbers of people employed in this field, and the constant need for their services, it would be impossible for it not to receive Essential status.

Reading this, you might be wondering how being an essential service could ever be seen as negative for a business. Allow us to explain.

 

Restrictions

The legislation put upon these services works both ways. It provides security for those working, and those benefitting from the services. The biggest security point being a lot of these labor forces are not allowed to strike. This might sound extreme, but that is the price that is paid for being essential. A strike would be devastating to everyone involved.

These services are also forced to adhere to strict regulations and rules. There is no room for innovation or compromise. The red-tape is out in full force.

All of this works together to create an environment that does not benefit a lot of businesses.  It really is reserved for those aspects of society that we cannot do without.

But don’t dismay. The benefits of being a non-essential, or what is called a minimum service, are fantastic. You are supported by a lot more labor laws and the freedom to strike. You aren’t hampered by strict government regulations and have a lot more freedom and control over your business.