Recession Response Issue | Page 15

ss WITH MIKE MICHALOWICZ f Needs YOND right now, you can still work within the Order level to create long term organization. Each level of The Business Hierarchy of Needs has five needs within them. Within the Order level, I feel linchpin redundancy is one of the most important. Ask yourself, is your company designed to operate unabated if a key employee is out? One way to find out is to have an employee go on an extended vacation or break. Not only is it preferable for that employee to recharge, but it forces the redundancy in your business. This way there is no dependency on one single employee and their IP. The employee creates systems in which strategies are shared and retained, therefore empowering the rest of the company to fill in. We did this here in our offices. I told Kelsey, now our company president, to go on a four week sabbatical. For months prior, she created and shared systems to cross train our employees. And now, we are doing it again with the rest of the team. We are each sharing our systems with video training and all the resources you can ask for. We are able to work independently, and virtually, though our recent virtual experience has made us all realize we much rather be together in the office. Another pro tip for times like these? Ensure there is protected capacity. Most businesses need about 20 percent idle time, or protected capacity. This allows your company to handle any surge that requires attention. That idle time doesn’t mean the employee isn’t at full capacity. Rather, 20 percent can be made of something that can be put on hold when needed. Now – You don’t want to go so lean, that the business is able to just squeak by to get things done. While that may be cost effective, you must have protected capacity or your company will not survive the surge and shifts. These are just a couple of tips that I know will serve you in your business both now, and when this crisis is over. TRY THE BUSINESS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS WORKSHEET