Change or Die: The Importance of Adaptation in Corporate Environments

How well is your staff or team running in your business? Things might be humming along great right now. But unless you are prepared for those certain times of the year that tend to throw people off balance, you may hit a few potholes.

I’m corporate magician Cosmo. I specialize in helping businesses like yours make their special events amazing, unforgettable, and fun. Each year, I perform hundreds of shows in California’s West Valley, Bay Area, and Central Valley. Each month I write at least one article intended to help HR directors, administrative assistants, and anyone else in the corporate world navigate their lives a little more easily.

It’s human nature to be a little distracted during certain times of the year. Summer is a big one. With vacations and other potential distractions, it’s safe to say those summer months may not be the same as the rest of your year.

The key is to plan for it! When you plan for those expected hiccups, the business will continue to run smoothly. Let’s take a look at a few areas you can prep for.

Corporate Summer Prep Tip #1: Look at Your SOP Procedures

During the summer months, it’s common for staff to request vacation time. If you’re left shorthanded when new hires join the team, it may make this informal SOP process more disjointed and inefficient. Not to mention Murphy’s Law dictates that a key person on your team will be away on vacation when new hires need specific SOP information to do their jobs!

Every company has (or should) certain standard operating procedures. These can cover everything from handling payroll to production to employee onboarding. Look at your procedures and see if any points could be shored up or tightened.

Many companies’ SOPs are informal and not written down. Everyone working for the company just knows about them. And any new hires are expected to pick up these procedures on their own or by modeling their coworkers.

Do yourself and the company a favor. Make sure important standard operating procedures are in written form and easily accessible to those who need them.

Corporate Summer Prep Tip #2: Plan in Advance for Onboarding

Many companies, depending on their niche, see a spike in sales and production during the summer. Coupled with vacation time requests, you may find yourself short-staffed during those critical summer months. Many companies try to plan for these hectic times by bringing new, temporary help for those months.

Unfortunately, the worst time to onboard a new hire is when the company is the busiest. Even if your new hire is familiar with your products or services, every company has its own way of doing things. They all have little quirks or unwritten rules of conduct.

If you know you’re going to be busy, plan on onboarding new hires well in advance of your busy season. You’ll feel more at ease knowing you’re ready for the avalanche of extra work. And your new staff will feel better knowing they are not being thrown to the lions on their first day.

Corporate Summer Prep Tip #3: Plan Early for Vacation Time

Many families like taking summer vacations. While the flood of vacation requests may make your scheduling more challenging, there is a silver lining. Many family vacations are planned months in advance. You can start prepping your staff well before the summer months to submit their vacation requests early.

Once you know in advance when these vacation absences are going to hit, you can plan your operations around them. Start filling in those spaces with some of the temp help you were planning on bringing aboard.

Corporate Summer Prep Tip #4: Get the Drudgery Done Early

Are there tasks you and your team have been putting off? For example, are there problems with your filing system? Let’s say those files are key to your SOPs yet they are disorganized. But your team keeps putting it off and everyone is used to it.

If you have any slow times coming before summer hits, take advantage of it. Use those slow times to get those files in order. Reduce the number of potential headaches a busier summer coupled with more employee absences is going to cause.

Give Your Staff a Summer Boost

If your staff is dreading a busier summer season, consider giving them a fun team-building event. My amazing corporate magic shows are interactive, fun, and a great bonding experience for teams just like yours. Get all the details here.