Read Start Your Own Business Online
Authors: Inc The Staff of Entrepreneur Media
Start Your Own Business (65 page)
Put It in Writing
When you have a safety program in place, put it in writing with a safety manual (see “Manual Labor” on page 399). Your safety manual should explain what to do in the event of a fire, explosion, natural disaster or any other catastrophe your business may face. Make sure you keep well-stocked fire extinguishers and first-aid kits at convenient locations throughout your building. Also make sure employees know where these are located and how to use them. In addition to emergency procedures, your safety manual should explain proper procedures for performing any routine tasks that could be hazardous. Ask employees for input here; they are closest to the jobs and may know about dangerous situations that aren’t obvious to you.
AHA!Peeved at payroll paperwork? Companies with as few as five employees can benefit from using a payroll service. When comparison shopping, get references, ask about services, and inquire if the payroll service keeps abreast of federal and state payroll regulations. Rates depend on number of employees and frequency of payroll.
Finally, have an insurance professional, a government representative and an attorney review the finished manual. You’re putting your company’s commitment to safety on the line, so make sure you get it right.
Emphasize the importance of safety with meetings, inspections and incentive programs. These don’t have to cost a lot (or anything). Try establishing a “Safe Employee of the Month” award or giving a certificate for a free dinner for winning suggestions on improving safety.
Discriminatory Treatment?Although sexual harassment is one of the biggest issues facing employers these days, it’s not the only type of discrimination you need to be concerned about. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1991, employees who believe they were victims of job discrimination due to race, religion, sex or disability are entitled to a trial by jury.
WARNINGLearn to spot some of the signs that sexual harassment may be occurring in your company. Increased absenteeism, drop-offs in productivity and lackluster performance are all signs that something may be wrong.
While companies with fewer than 15 employees are generally exempt from federal discrimination laws, most states have their own laws prohibiting discrimination, which, in addition to protecting a wider range of categories of employees, include smaller businesses within their scope and procedural and evidentiary standards more favorable to claimants. Apart from the tendency of some juries to award plaintiffs disproportionately high monetary damages, litigation in this area of the law can be extremely costly, even if you prevail. One attorney estimates the average legal fees for defense in a sexual harassment suit, regardless of the verdict, are upwards of $75,000.
Concerns over discrimination are more important than ever in today’s increasingly diverse business world. If you run a small business, chances are you will be dealing with employees from many cultures, races and age groups. How can you keep things running harmoniously and protect your business from legal risk? The best policy is to make sure that everyone in your workplace understands what constitutes harassment and discrimination—and also understands the benefits of a diverse workplace.
Big companies may spend thousands on diversity training, but there are plenty of low-cost options available:
• Learn as much as you can from books on the subject and from exposure to people who are different from you.
• Investigate video series on managing diversity. Many are available for rental or purchase.
• Consider public programs. A growing number of Urban League, chamber of commerce, Small Business Administration and community college seminars and courses are bringing business owners together to learn about diversity issues.
As the business owner, it’s important to set a good example. Some ground rules to help keep you out of trouble:
• Don’t touch employees inappropriately.
• Never date someone who works for you.
• Don’t demean others or make suggestive comments. Watch your mouth; what seems humorous to some may offend others.
• Be sensitive to diversity of all kinds. Are employees in their 50s making condescending remarks about the “young upstarts” in their 20s? Two white women in their 40s might face a cultural conflict if one is from the Midwest and the other is from the West Coast, or if one has children and the other doesn’t.
• If you decorate your office for the holiday season, don’t include some religious symbols and leave out others. Many employers use nonreligious décor such as snowflakes and candles.
Put policies regarding discrimination and harassment in writing as part of your employee manual (see “Manual Labor” on page 399). Outline the disciplinary action that will be taken and the process by which employees can make their complaints known.
Hold a brief orientation meeting to introduce employees to your new policy or reacquaint them with the one already in place. Spell out very plainly what is and isn’t acceptable. Many employees are especially confused about what constitutes sexual harassment. While you want to follow the law and make a safe environment, you also don’t want your staff walking around scared to say hello to one another.
“Make the tough
decisions and don’t
look back. As long as
you’ve thought things
through and have kept
the company’s interests
at heart, you’ll be
OK.”—KATRINA GARNETT,
FOUNDER OF CROSSROADS
SOFTWARE INC.
Even if an incident does arise, the good news for business owners: Most complaints can be solved at the company level, before the issue comes close to a courtroom. To make this work, however, time is of the essence. Don’t put off dealing with complaints, or the victim is likely to stew.
Give both parties a chance to tell their side of the story. Often, the cause is a simple misunderstanding. To cover all your bases, you may want to have a neutral consultant or human resources professional from outside the company investigate the matter.
part 5
BUY
chapter 25
BUYER’S GUIDE
Business Equipment Basics
W
hen it comes to the day-to-day operation of your business, how you set up your office or workspace is essential. Your goal is to create a work space that’s well-lit and will keep you as comfortable as possible, with access to business-related tools and equipment that will allow you to stay organized and productive.
hen it comes to the day-to-day operation of your business, how you set up your office or workspace is essential. Your goal is to create a work space that’s well-lit and will keep you as comfortable as possible, with access to business-related tools and equipment that will allow you to stay organized and productive.
As you’ll discover in this chapter, technology plays a tremendous role in creating a well-equipped office on a relatively tight budget. Just a few years ago, for example, if you needed a high-speed laser printer, scanner, copier and fax machine, these items needed to be purchased separately, at a cost of $400 to $2,000 each. Today, you can walk into any office or electronics superstore and purchase an all-in-one machine for well under $500 that’s capable of handling all these functions, in addition to the workload of most small or even medium-sized businesses.
What types of equipment do you need? It varies greatly based on the type of business you run as well as your personal work habits. In general, however, there are some basic pieces of equipment most new business owners need (these are discussed in more detail throughout Part 5):
• Computers (desktop, laptop, netbook and/or tablet)
• Software
• Fax machine
• Laser printer and/or color printer and label printer
• Copier
• Scanner
• Phone
• Voice mail
• Cell phone/wireless PDA (such as a BlackBerry or Apple iPhone)
• Calculator
Look over this list and consider which items you can’t live without, which products would be nice to have, and which (if any) you don’t need. When equipping a startup business, you must tread a fine line. Most people race out and purchase the best office equipment possible and often feel the compulsion to buy the latest tools simply because they’re cutting-edge. These entrepreneurs often end up spending way beyond their budgets, only to find that the items they bought aren’t necessary, don’t make them more productive, aren’t compatible with their existing equipment, or contain so many bells and whistles that the equipment is too confusing and time consuming to fully use.
At the other end of the spectrum are those entrepreneurs who try to make do with the bare bones. In an effort to save a few dollars, these business owners sacrifice efficiency and productivity, chugging along with a prehistoric computer, a one-line phone, or an internet connection that moves at a snail’s pace. In short, they’re penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Today’s business climate is so fast-paced, clients won’t do business with you if you can’t keep up. Assess each item, and determine how it could benefit your business. Would you use a color laser copier often enough to make it worth the cost? Or for that occasional color copy, can you head over to Kinko’s? Do you really need the cutting-edge tablet computer from Apple, or would you be just as productive using a $300 netbook when you’re on the go?
Choose what technology and office equipment you absolutely need, then purchase the best quality equipment you can afford. When it comes to purchasing technology, you may be better off spending a bit extra now to ensure the item will last two to three years rather than purchasing something that will quickly become outdated or need to be replaced in just 12 to 18 months.
e-FYISave time and money with virtual fax machines. Rather than purchasing a standalone fax machine, online services, such as
eFax.com
, will forward faxes to your e-mail account and allow you to send faxes directly from your word processor or web browser.
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