November 15, 2023
Hot off the SMB press this week:Ā
STARTER PACK
At a certain stage of your business growth, you realize that you canāt DIY everything (updating a Google Sheet with all your customersā contact information is a lot easier with 50 people than it is with 5K). Thankfully, thereās software for almost every business operation under the sun ā from customer relationship management to HR and everything in between.
But for every new tool you add to your arsenal, youāre introducing another platform that your team needs to learn about. And while you need this new software, complications can quickly arise between setting it up, migrating data, and convincing your team of its necessity (more on this in the next section).Ā
So, how do you introduce and implement new platforms as smoothly as possible? With a standardized process, of course!
š Grab and customize our New Software Implementation Process template to easily deploy your newest biz ops tools to the rest of your team. It outlines a streamlined way to vet, configure, test, and introduce any new platform in a way that makes it easy for your team to adopt.Ā
āWant more templates to help you build your business playbook? Check out our entire template archive of free, multimedia-enhanced, and customizable policy, process, and role starters. New to Trainual? Get a demo.
SHINY AND NEW
Youāve finally found it.
The business documentation and employee training software of your dreams. Itāll help you organize your business, document all your company info, policies, and processes in one place, and train your team quickly and efficiently. (Intrigued? Get a demo.)
Change can be difficult.
Thereās so much new technology out there that introducing another platform to your team can feel like a lot ā especially if your company already uses a lot of different software. And while theyāre all necessary tools, your employees might still struggle with new platforms ā or resist their introduction altogether.
Thatās why itās crucial to implement new software in a way that gets your employees on board from the start, so that you can get the most value out of your new tool right away. Hereās how:
š Get more on the best ways to implement new tech.
TRAINUAL TIPS &Ā TRICKS
Itās no secret that most people donāt love learning from a single, big hunk of text. Around 40% of us learn better from a combination of text and engaging visuals compared to just text alone. Plus, visuals can improve learning by up to 400%.
Now think about your employee training. When your team goes through onboarding, theyāre getting hit with a bunch of training all at once. On the upside, they can refer back to it if they forget anything (as long as itās stored in an accessible platform like Trainual). But you want to make sure youāre making your training as clear and digestible as possible from the get-go ā meaning you need visuals in all the right places.Ā
When do I use each kind of video?
In Trainual, there are several video options for your content ā including screencasts, in-house videos, and externally-created videos. Hereās how to determine which to use:
When should I use pictures?
Use photos to give employees a visual representation of what youāre talking about and help them connect the dots. This can look like a computer screenshot with arrows pointed at the parts that need a callout or photos of anything from tools to company vehicles and competitor logos. Donāt forget that you can even add visuals just to make your content a little prettier or use Trainualās in-app GIF picker for some comic relief.Ā
š Add visuals to your content now. (New to Trainual? Get a demo.)
CROWD CONTROL
You aspire to be a thoughtful leader who mindfully makes decisions, delegates, and supports each of your employees. Unfortunately, this becomes more challenging as your team of direct reports grows.
The good news: All thatās missing are those systems and processes that help you manage effectively and create an environment where employees take initiative and ownership of their work (even when youāre not in the room).
But first: Are you managing too many people?
Thereās no exact number of direct reports scientifically proven to push you over the edge. But one thing thatāll help you discern if you have too many is creating an org chart. This will show if you have any gaps or imbalances in leadership throughout the organization (not just in your department).Ā
But before you start making moves to land yourself fewer reports, remember that having a wide range of direct reports isnāt necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it can make you a true delegator.Ā
When you can learn to trust your team members and give them the autonomy they need to carry out their processes, you can focus on your two main goals: being a people manager and making the big decisions that help grow your business.Ā
Hereās how to become a delegator for your large team of reports:
Give your team the autonomy for decision-making.
Keep the high-stakes decisions for yourself and delegate the rest. This will both increase employee productivity and help them develop new skills. Plus, itāll give you the space to focus on big-picture, high-level strategy, instead of getting tapped on the shoulder for every little issue that comes up.
Leverage the power of group accountability.
Your team needs to get in the habit of holding each other accountable and learning from one another (rather than solely relying on you). All they need is guidance on what everyone should be held accountable for. So be sure to outline the specific responsibilities of each group (you can use Trainualās responsibility feature for this!) while giving them the freedom to accomplish their goals.Ā