The pandemic changed employees’ lives around the globe and has allowed us to settle into a rhythm that includes remote work. But, as vaccine rollouts accelerate in countries that can afford them, a new hybrid working model is beginning to take shape. In the United States, Wall Street is gearing up for an Autumn where employees will be expected to return to the office for at least part of their day. But, as companies try to decide the best way forward, it’s clear that many employees don’t want to return to the pre-pandemic work environment.

The rollout of the vaccine has allowed companies to manage their employee’s work situations in various ways. Front line workers were back to work nearly immediately and have had to live with the fear of contracting the virus and the many tests and procedures needed to make the process work. Many companies are still entirely remote, while others have started inviting employees back to work. The office worker who can perform their tasks at home is the player in the industry that will drive changes.

Some companies have permitted employees to continue working remotely until at least the end of 2021. Others have recalled staff on different schedules. Other companies are leaving it entirely up to individual workers to decide where to base themselves. The future of work is changing rapidly and can have an impact on the global economy.

Businesses worldwide are also starting to think about alternative ways to structure work communication and physical presence. For example, the concept of pressing-the-flesh and taking clients out to dinner could be changing. In addition, while a younger generation is likely champing at the bit to get out and start to travel again, an older generation of employees might be content to provide their services from their home office. This scenario presents multiple issues. First, employees working from home will eventually want their employers to pay for their communication. Second, these employees might wish to temporarily meet clients who come into their city for a visit. This scenario creates the need for a hybrid working model that can change the global economy’s flow and reduce the amount of currency that needs to change hand to make this process work. This change could impact forex trading prices for a variety of currency pairs.

How Many Employees Will Want to Work From Home?

There is research that points to what post-pandemic working patterns may look like in the future. In one paper, reported by The Economist, three economists survey thousands of Americans and conclude that post-pandemic; the average employee would like to work from home nearly half the time. Of course, employers are less keen, but their expectation that 20% of their time working from home will substantially change from the previous norm.

A change in the number of employees coming into a working environment will also change the face of commercial real estate. The office used to be a place where employees had to come to be counted as present on a day of work. Now many employees can work anywhere they have access to the internet. A hybrid working environment will help an employer reduce the amount of space needed for an office environment.

Not all companies are sympathetic to the new hybrid norm. For example, financial firms like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs announced they want their employees to return to the office as more people get vaccinated against Covid-19. At the same time, Morgan Stanley announced that they would bar workers without Covid vaccinations from most New York offices beginning July 12. This creates a double-edged sword. If you are unwilling to get a vaccination for any reason, you will be unable to go into an office in some circumstances. You will then put yourself at a disadvantage if your employer requires that everyone come to the office and eliminate the communication network that allowed employees to work remotely.

The Bottom Line

The change to a hybrid working model is currently in the works. Some people continue to work remotely while others are beginning to return to their office working environment. What is clear is that business travel will likely change. The lack of movement from country to country could impact money flow and affect forex trading. In addition, offices with a hybrid working model will no longer need to house as many employees as companies decide how to book time in an office. The commuting process will also change as the number of individuals making their way into major metropolitan areas will also be impacted by a hybrid model. The upshot that the hybrid model will alter the way we work, even after the virus is long gone.

 

Cryptocurrency has been around for a while now. And social media has made investing in the crypto market look very lucrative. Some even see it as a quick means to get rich quickly. As a result of this, people fall into scams and buy coins or currencies that are not lucrative.

Before Bitcoin made a splash in the financial world in 2009, it caught the interest of the IT and banking sectors. It took time for people to become concerned until the cost skyrocketed to $19,783 in 2017.

This may be the highest point of cryptocurrency speculation and suddenly everyone wanted to be a part of it. Other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, have developed in the digital domain to act as competitors since the start of crypto.

Ryan Hoggan, an experienced entrepreneur, business executive and venture capitalist has shared tips and tricks that new crypto investors and traders will find very useful in order to minimize losses.

Always look for information from reliable news sources

Due to their popularity, cryptocurrencies will always be subject to various points of view. These points of view are from people who own them and those who do not know jack about the market.

A lot of people believe that crypto is merely a passing trend, and those who participate will only suffer. However, this is not necessarily true.

One of the most important factors in being a good investor or cryptocurrency owner is to just focus on the facts. Do not pay attention to just mere opinions from just anybody.

An exchange rather than a broker should be used

You will save money on fees and commissions because of this. When used correctly, most exchanges are simple enough for even novices to operate.

Also, don’t forget to look at what kind of commissions and fees you’re agreeing to when you join an exchange. This is very imperative to know what you are getting your money into. It’s surely less risky and much cheaper that way.

Decide on the currency you want to hold and have a diversified crypto portfolio

Bearing in mind the extreme volatility in the cryptocurrency market, only allocate a small percentage of your portfolio to cryptocurrencies. Before deciding how much of your portfolio you want to invest in cryptocurrencies, you must determine beforehand how much of your portfolio you are willing to risk.

Invest in other alternative cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin is one part of the cryptocurrencies available to the general public, but there are plenty of other options as well. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

You can wind up winning or losing depending on what happens. Make sure you have done your homework and identified the cryptocurrencies that are prospering at the moment, as well as the ones that may be of service to you.

You are completely in charge of what you’ll spend your cryptocurrency for, so pick your assets carefully.

Related: Expert Entrepreneur Ryan Dean Hoggan On Why NFTs Could Be The Big Investment That Pay Off
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Know that things will be volatile.

Cryptocurrency is still not as stable as other currencies and other types of investments such as real estate. Price fluctuations over the months and even years have proved this.

You must be flexible in your choices and make thoughtful judgments with regard to the quantity of assets you already have.

Virtual currencies may seem to be difficult to trade and trade well, but even the most experienced cryptocurrency traders and owners have difficulty keeping up with the price changes.

Related: 7 of the Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest in Now
The best cryptocurrency to buy depends on your familiarity with digital assets and risk tolerance. Continue Reading…

 

Owning and operating a local business, or any business for that matter, is not an easy thing. But especially for small local businesses, it can be hard for you to get people to take you as seriously as your big competitors. But luckily, there are some things you can do to legitimize your business in the eyes of your customers and clients.

To help you see how this can be done, here are three ways to get your local business taken seriously.

Understand How You And Your Business Appear

One of the best ways to get your business taken seriously is to look like a business that takes itself seriously. To do this, you might have to work on your image.

According to the editor of HomeBusinessMag.com, you’ll want to be sure that whenever you’re functioning in a business role, you look clean, well dressed, and like a good representation of your business. But your image doesn’t stop with just how you look. You also will need to look professional in the car you drive, which can be done by branding your vehicle with your company name and ensuring that it’s a vehicle you’d be proud to drive when out on business.

Make Yourself Knowledgeable About All Aspects Of Your Industry

Part of what can help you be on a more even playing field with the older or bigger companies in your industry is to become just as knowledgeable, if not more knowledgeable, about the industry that you work in.

Especially if you have specific things that you’ll be offering to your customers or clients personally, Nellie Akalp, a contributor to Score.org, advises that you really study up before meeting with your customers or clients. Then, they’ll be able to see that you have the personal touch of a small, local business with the expertise of a bigger institution.

Spend More Time Online

For most consumers, a lot of their decision-making process takes place online. Knowing this, you’ve got to work on your online presence if you want to be taken seriously.

According to Susan Ward, a contributor to The Balance Small Business, having a beautiful and well-working business website is the first step in this process. Along with this, you also want to be active on social media platforms and keep an eye on the reviews you get on various websites or directories, as all of these things can have a big impact on how customers perceive you even before they have their own interactions with you.

If you’re ready to have your small, local business be taken more seriously by customers, clients, and other businesses, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you solidify yourself in the professional space.

 

Whether you’re seriously contemplating resigning from your current job or looking for ways to earn extra income, you enjoy a higher level of freedom and flexibility as a professional when you opt for self-employment than if you were working for a company.

One major advantage that comes with being self-employed is that you can create and grow your own opportunities. Sounds like an enticing prospect? Let’s look at the top five online jobs you can explore when you take the leap from 9-5 to self-employment.

1. Life Coach or Mentor

You are your own boss as a life coach. You can provide people with practical business coaching in your area of specialisation.

You may also choose to mentor professionals and organisations on how to maximise available resources best to create outstanding values that can help get them ahead in their market or niche industries.

But it’s important you have achieved considerable success in your field before being a guide and mentor to other people. Your records of achievement will attract young professionals. Work teams and organisations seek you out for business or professional training.

2. Blogging

Gone are the days when blogs are basically about telling your life stories to random people on the web. Now, you can make a good living quitting your day job to become a full-time blogger. You just have to find and concentrate on a niche that comes naturally to you and you find fun writing on – from food to parenting, home decor to technology, sports to music etc.

Once your target audiences are able to connect with your blog content and general style and gain wide traffic, you’re likely to start earning lots of money as a blogger from targeted advertisements.

3. Freelancing

As a freelancer, you can select jobs that suit your skills and schedules best. This means you pick only those jobs that interest you and you’re comfortable with. If you’re a great writer or graphic artist, for example, you can just register or log in to a freelancing site and find jobs that match your skills online. It is important that you first get all the basics on how to start working freelance.

However, note that building a great profile and trust with clients don’t come overnight. You need to work hard at consistently delivering quality jobs and on time too. You may even need to start with low hourly rates and scale up gradually as you expand your profile and gain wider experience and clientele.

4. Digital Marketing

If you’ve got a background in digital marketing, then you should seriously consider venturing into Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) when you decide to go solo.

Businesses are constantly in need of SEO experts to help them increase web presence in today’s digitally driven world. The Bureau of Labor Statistics pegs the average pay for a digital marketer at $132,000 per annum.

In addition to helping businesses set up and implement effective SEO strategies, as an SEO specialist, you can also help them market their business on social media (social media marketing).

5. Online Surveys and Product Research

Online surveys and product research is one of the easiest ways to make money fast today. While payments by survey companies and sites vary, the fact is you earn money by simply answering a few questions, surfing the web or some other requested online activities.

You can find and complete different surveys all through the day from your computer, phone or other connected digital mobile device and get rewarded for sharing your opinions.

Conclusion

There are several ways you can be self-employed. The chance to earn from the web could just be what you need to work for yourself.

Whether you want to devote just a part of your weekdays or weekends to it as a side gig to earn extra savings or you want to become a fully engaged, work-from-home professional, you’ll find that online jobs give you that level of freedom and flexibility that traditional workers cannot experience.

Every small business owner or entrepreneur knows how vital it is to spend their money wisely. Especially when it’s such a fine line between having enough money to keep everything moving and running into the red, knowing how to prioritize your money is key. So when you know that you need to devote some money to marketing but you don’t have much to go around, prioritization is going to be your lifeline.

To help you in figuring all of this out for your organization, here are three tips for prioritizing your marketing budget when funds are limited.

Work From Your Goals

When trying to prioritize how to spend your money on marketing, the best way to get your head around things and figure out where your money will have the biggest impact for you is to really nail down what your goals are for your marketing in general.

According to Brian Morris, a contributor to Business2Community.com, businesses like law firms might want to attract new clients. For other businesses, getting repeat business or making more sales could be the goal of their marketing. But until you’re able to clearly understand and define what you want your marketing efforts to achieve, you can’t hope to be able to prioritize where you’re putting your money in order to most effectively reach your goals.

Learn How To Best Run Campaigns

Just throwing your money into the category of marketing won’t do you a lot of good, especially if you don’t have a lot of money to go around. In this situation, you’ll want to be very strategic about where you’re putting your money and what’s going to give you the best return on your investment.

To help you with this, Keith Bendes, a contributor to Forbes Communications Council, advises that you allocate your marketing money to whatever is going to give you the biggest impact. Usually, this will mean putting your money only into one channel for any given campaign. So whatever area or platform you think will most resonate with your target audience for that specific campaign is where you should be putting your funds.

Invest Time Rather Than Money

When money is low, there are still ways that you can get your marketing going by investing your time rather than your dollars.

One great way to do this, according to Helen Pollit, a contributor to Search Engine Journal, is to get creative with your online marketing. While you may know the best practices for things like SEO, nitpicking all the little technicalities may not be the best use of your time. Instead, do what you can to set yourself apart from your competitors and make a splash with your audience.

If your marketing budget is small, consider using the tips mentioned above to learn how to prioritize your efforts and investment.

Reviews are a critical assessment of works or businesses. They are essential for the success of every business as it doesn’t only give the business credibility, but also go a long way to influence the consumers decisions about the company. The active collection of reviews from consumers will also go a long way in making your satisfied consumers turn to your brand ambassadors without you even trying. US Reviews, for instance, deal with not just reviews but also experiences, opinions, and ratings both from the consumers and also for the consumers. They focus on companies that offer different services ranging from repairs, technical, communications, and so on. The following are the benefits you stand to gain through the collection of reviews from consumers:

• Reviews Influence Potential Consumers’ Decision

Active collection of reviews go a long way in influencing potential consumers decision to buy things or engage your services. Review collection is a perfect marketing strategy. It is an ideal strategy because it is a way for you to get more customers without intentionally going out to look for them yourself.

• Credibility

The collection of consumers reviews will also help you to save face and, in turn, make you credible enough to increase sales.

• Feedbacks Keep You on the Alert

Consumers feedback will not only build trust, and for a good relationship, they will also help to keep you on your toes. Being alert means that after you must have actively collected reviews from consumers, you tend to be on alert and try to take steps on working on the areas that you are still lagging.

• Boosts Trust in Your Services

When potential consumers read the reviews written about your products from other consumers, they tend to trust your services as much as they trust personal recommendations from their friends.

• Fosters Producer-Consumer Interaction

Your active collection of reviews from consumers will go a long way to help you move closer with your consumers enough to understand their needs and provide adequately.

• Helps you Measure Consumer Satisfaction

Through consumers reviews, you will have the opportunity to measure the satisfaction rate of your consumers. Measuring the satisfaction rate will, in turn, help you in knowing the methods to keep using and those you need to change for the realization of optimal satisfaction. Another benefit this will bring is the increase in sales as a happy customer will keep patronizing you.

• They Serve as a Source for Information to Other Consumers

Through reviews, consumers come to realize that they are not alone in the journey of this purchase. They each read about other people’s thoughts on a particular service you render. It may, in turn, boost the level of trust they will have in your products or services.

Conclusion

It is a good thing that you now understand the importance of the active collection of reviews from consumers. However, it is equally crucial that you know the benefits attached to making the most of the feedback gathered from the consumers.