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8 Ways to Make the Onboarding Experience More Pleasant for Employees

Onboarding new employees is a time of promise for everyone involved. Yet, that can all come to a screeching halt if the onboarding process is bad. In fact, a new hire is twice as likely to look for new opportunities if they have a negative onboarding experience.

Don’t cut the excitement short— take your onboarding to the next level! Build a sense of connection with new hires that boosts employee retention and productivity.

Let’s look at 8 ways to give a great onboarding experience for your employees.

1. Start Before Day One

Successful onboarding should start before the new hire walks through your door on their first day. Orientation should actually start during the hiring process.

Throughout interviewing and recruiting, inform all potential employees about company values and policies. It not only helps them get a better understanding of your business environment, but it also makes the onboarding process easier.

Then once you extend a job offer, have HR or the recruiter start the first onboarding phase. Explain what the next steps will be, answer all questions, and send them any forms that need to be filled out.

Doing all this before their first day will give them a head start. Plus, it will help them feel more comfortable in knowing what to expect.

2. Prepare for Their Arrival

Not only do you want to get your new hire ready for the first day, but you need to prepare as well.

Nothing will make your new employee feel more like a last-minute thought than walking in to find you scrambling to get them set up. It looks as if you almost didn’t expect them at all.

That doesn’t look good on your company or give the onboarding experience you want them to take away.

Before they show up, make sure their workstation is set up with everything they will need. Inform other employees of their start date. They could even make a welcome banner to make your new hire feel important and valued.

3. Make Documentation Available Online

Besides the forms you want a new hire to fill out, making other documentation available for review is helpful. The easiest way to do that is online.

Use email or staff onboarding software to make information readily available. The documentation you’ll want to send out could include orientation schedules, benefits information, an employee handbook, and company FAQs.

Having easy access to this will prevent a new hire from getting piles of forms and booklets on their first day. It also gives them an opportunity to learn more about the company.

This will make their first day less overwhelming and feel more productive.

4. Create an Onboarding Checklist

To keep yourself and your new hire on track, you should have an onboarding checklist prepared. That way you don’t have to worry about getting distracted and forgetting a step. It’s all there in a checklist for at-a-glance review.

To help create a checklist, engage with recent new hires. Ask them about their onboarding experience and see If there’s anything they would change. They may also have ideas of things you could add to make the experience even better for incoming employees.

Have a checklist for each day of the onboarding process. Just don’t overdo it. Spread the orientation and new job responsibilities out over time to prevent them from becoming overloaded.

5. Make Expectations Clear

When a new employee finishes the onboarding and orientation process, will they know what’s expected of them when they sit at their desk? Part of a great onboarding process is making all expectations crystal clear.

Schedule an initial meeting with the new hire, supervisor, and other relevant co-workers. Be very specific with what the expectations are. Break it down into the first few weeks’ expectations, what should happen at the end of the month, and so on.

Your new hire should have a great understanding of what they need to do their first 90 days on the job. It gives them a goal to work towards, preventing them from feeling lost and just “winging it”.

6. Assign a Mentor

Everyone needs someone they can reach out to when searching for guidance or when questions come up. Your new hire is no exception.

Assigning them a mentor is a great way to give the onboarding experience a needed lifeline. It’s especially important into today’s sometimes chaotic workplace environment. It prevents a new hire from falling through the cracks and feeling forgotten.

This mentor should be a company veteran who knows the ropes. It doesn’t have to be a supervisor, just someone who can care and counsel a new hire in all aspects of the company and in job functions.

7. Make It a Team Effort

Another part of making a new hire feel important and a true member of the team is by holding a welcome reception for them. This can be either in person or virtually, depending on the schedule and set up of the team.

Many management teams have also been planning virtual team bonding events with their teams when onboarding new employees. Planning fun events like a virtual escape room with a site like escapely.com, or an ice breaker bonding session can help your new member really feel a part of the team.

Many companies get too busy to do this, only introducing a new person in a scattered way over a long period of time. This can look unorganized and feel off-putting. Not the kind of first impression one should be making if they want to build employee retention.

Plus, it’s beneficial to the team. Having a face to the name creates instant comradery for all team members.

8. Start Career Development Early

It might seem ridiculous to discuss career development while a new employee is starting their current role. Yet, it’s not only beneficial for the employee, but your business as well.

Employees engage more with companies that show nourishment in their careers. This includes having an early conversation with new hires in the first month of their role.

Ask them where they envision themselves in the company down the road. Find out what support and resources they’ll need to get them there. Then set measurable goals to help them.

This will get your new hire excited about opportunities within your company. And it gives them something to work towards, which means keeping hard-working, loyal employees for you.

Make Your Onboarding Experience a Success!

You made a great decision by hiring the best people for your business. Now show them they landed their dream job by giving them an onboarding experience that will set them up for success.

Looking for more workplace advice? Check out the posts located on our Business blog!

How to Find the Best Small Business Consultants for Your Company

Ninety-four percent of small business owners get their business consultants from LinkedIn!

Many small business owners often underestimate the power of consultants. Small business consultants can help with accounting, marketing, content production, and search engine optimization.

Well, some business owners employ unqualified consultants. As a result, they put their business at risk. So, when your small business is making losses, check if you hired the right person.

How do you find perfect small business consultants? Use this guide to find the best!

Check Their Portfolio

An excellent small business consultant should have ready material that shows his/her track record. Before hiring the consultant, check previous work records.

How long have the consultants been in the industry? How many small businesses attest to their services? What do they bring on board?

It’s incredibly crucial that your preferred small business consultant be well-conversant with the new technological trends in the industry.

Any successful business relies on well-formulated plans for a successful market takeover.

To get more details, check the blog posts on their website. It’ll give you a brief idea of the services offered. Besides, it enables you to gauge his/her proficiency in handling specific business problems.

In short, your preferred small business consultant should have excellent entrepreneurship skills. He/she should analyze business opportunities and come up with a masterplan of investing resources for revenue generation.

Look Out for Testimonials

It’s relatively easy to get recommendations for an excellent small business consultant. Benchmark with fellow business owners and gain insight on the consultancy services they used for success.

A few of them will refer you to a better small business consultant. Henceforth, do a thorough research of the preferred candidate and be sure that they’ve exemplary qualities.

Another quick way is checking the testimonials on their website. What do previous clients say about his/her consultation services? Does he/she give value for client’s money?

You can also find testimonials from LinkedIn referrals. The platform enables you to find top-rated small business consultants that you can hire for the success of your business. By checking their profile, you’ll get a general idea of the qualifications that they possess.

Don’t be in a hurry to pick a small business consultant based on testimonials.

You should do extensive research to ensure that he/she has a consistent work ethic. Otherwise, you’ll hire someone who hasn’t handled enough small business operations, and this is extremely dangerous for your business.

Check out this article by Universal Creative Solutions to get more details about the benefits of small business consultants.

Check Out Their Resume

It’s dangerous to hire someone based on what you’ve heard about them. Substantially, it can cost your business a lot of money if you don’t hire a professional.

So, always request for the candidates’ resume to know more about their educational background and any other essential certifications. Besides, the resume gives you an overall view of your candidate’s experience within the industry.

In general, a candidate who has a rich work experience will bring workable ideas to your small business. He/she has been in the industry for quite a while and thus can give instigative advice for business success.

Also, check on their resume to see if they’ve any ongoing learning activities. Those who’re willing to learn new ideas are the best to hire. They’ll bring in new ideas that if applied to the business, they’ll propel it to success.

A resume is also essential in determining the personal achievements of your preferred candidate.

Only hire a small business consultant with an active resume. The professionals come with the much-needed experience that’s critical for the success of any small business.

Research on Their Consulting Fees

Before hiring a small business consultant, it’s essential to know how much they charge for specific services.

Business consultants charge differently based on the services that they offer. However, most of them have a standard charge for the different services provided.

They can either charge a retainer, hourly fee or based on the project at hand.

It’s, therefore, crucial to do a quick search on google to scout for similar rates. You’ll find other small business consultants who’re along the same line of industry.

Also, consult with your mentors to know the defined cost for a specific consultation offer. They should give you the median payable fee based on your preferred small business consultancy services.

If you’re working for an organization, pose a question about small business consultancy services. Your colleagues might have detailed information about different types of consultancies.

Maximize this opportunity and get all the details about small business consultancy services.

Want to Hire the Best Small Business Consults? Use a Specific Niche

What’s your target market? How many employees do you have? What’s your target income?

Many small business consultants need specific information about your type of business. They need to know if they can handle the pressure to ensure positive results. Therefore, you need to be more specific about your goals and targets.

On your website, clarify the types of services that you need. Most small business consultants prefer working for clients with less than 50 employees. So, always ensure that your kind of business meets the required standards.

Using a specific niche attracts qualified small business consultants who’ve worked with different clients within the same industry. They bring with them experience and skills that are essential for effective business management.

Besides, this helps you to filter out unqualified small business consultants. Remember, your main goal is to make a profit. Therefore, only hire a candidate who’ll bring the relevant skills for the success of the business.

Check Their Schedule

Most successful small business consultants have a busy schedule. It’s absurd to assume that they’ll be available by a simple phone call or email. Therefore, do research and determine their schedule.

It’s advisable to make early bookings so that you aren’t inconvenienced with their busy schedule. The aim is to hire a qualified small business consultant, so, reserve their services early enough.

Start the Journey Today

If you own a small business, you don’t want to make costly mistakes in your venture that can limit growth. Therefore, use the services of small business consultants for better results.

Check out our blog for more invaluable information on small business consultancy.

 

Secure Your Future: 5 Types of Liability Your Startup Should Prepare For

Is your startup getting ready to launch? Congratulations on your first step. You’re in for a fun time.

You’re in good company too. Thousands of people start new businesses every year.

There are things you need to watch out for though. Liability is one of those.

Below are five types of liability you need to prepare your startup for.

1. Co-Founder Trouble

If you’re a sole-founder, you can avoid this problem. But more often than not, we have a co-founder working with us to start a business.

Things usually start out fine, but that doesn’t mean they will stay that way. Make sure you have a contract in place for when this happens.

You need to account for every situation.

  • Who owns what?
  • What happens if one partner leaves?
  • What happens during a disagreement?

When you prepare for these issues beforehand, you can handle them better in the future.

2. Worker Safety

If you plan to bring on employees, you need to provide a safe work environment for them. Things might be safe enough for you, but you can’t predict what will happen to other people.

Make sure you keep your office free of potential hazards. One of the most common issues are slip and falls. Keep your walkways clear to avoid this.

You will need to buy workers compensation insurance to help with this. Without it, you will be facing legal trouble if an accident happens.

Make sure you learn more about safety skills to get ready for potential safety problems.

3. Property Damage

If you own a home, you know the benefits of home insurance. This doesn’t change if you own a commercial property.

You need to be careful of property damage at your business. If you go without any insurance, you’re going to be paying for things out of pocket.

Make sure you buy coverage that covers any situation.

4. Product Liability

If you sell any products, you need to make sure they’re safe. That doesn’t always happen, though.

Sometimes accidents happen. You need to have product liability insurance for when this happens.

Product liability insurance will protect you in these cases. Your insurance will be customized based on the type of products you sell. You’ll need to talk with an insurance provider to learn what you need.

5. Business Interruption Insurance

It doesn’t matter how much you prepare. Sometimes problems come up that make it impossible for you to do business.

You can lose power, the internet, and phone service. In cases like this, business interruption insurance can help.

This insurance will compensate your business for situations like this.

Make Sure You Learn About Types of Liability

Running a startup is hard enough on its own. The last thing you want to do is expose yourself to liability that you could have avoided.

Learn about the types of liability you’re at risk for in your business so you can take steps to prepare for it.

Are you looking for more advice on getting your business running? Head to our blog to read our latest business advice.

Things to Remember When Doing a Bedroom Makeover

 

Every bedroom in the house should be given the right amount of attention. Most people consider their bedroom as their comfort zone where they can rest after spending a long and tiring day at work. Some people even make an effort to make it look attractive by investing in pulaski bedroom furniture and adding a few personal touches, to make the room look cozier. If you want to do a makeover for your bedroom, here are some essential tips to keep in mind.

Do not go overboard with your styling

A lovely looking bedroom should look appealing and cozy without having too much design. Avoid overcrowding your bedroom by putting too much furniture inside. Also, it is best to leave some space between each item so that you can easily move inside the bedroom.

The basic furniture that every bedroom need is a comfortable bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a mirror. You can choose to add more stuff if you have a large bedroom. However, if you only have enough space, then it is best to stick with the essentials for now.

Decluttering is important

If you have too much stuff inside your bedroom like old books, stuffed toys and old clothes then it is time to let go of some of your things. A cluttered bedroom can become an eyesore, especially if you have friends coming over. Slowly get rid of stuff that you have not used for the past twelve months. Either put it in storage or donate it to charity.

Give life to your ceiling

Most bedrooms have bare looking ceilings which lack character. If you want to make a difference or impress your family members, then the best thing to do is to add some design to your ceiling. Consider it as a blank canvas and paint it using subtle colors that are easy on the eyes. Having a beautiful looking ceiling can help relax your eyes after working.

Transform your bedroom into a relaxing space

If your bedroom is your sanctuary, then you need to let go of all the things that can cause distraction and sleep deprivation. Have the discipline and will power not to use any form of gadget or technology inside the bedroom. You should not have a TV, laptop, or tablet inside your room because it can prevent you from sleeping correctly. Remember that you need to be well-rested every day for you to function well at the office.

Try to do something with the lighting

Most bedrooms have LED lights that are bright and energy friendly. However, you can still do some tweaking with your indoor lights by adding some ambient lighting on your nightstand or study table. The ambient lighting helps tone down some of the bright colours of the walls.

Your bedroom should be your best getaway space inside the house where you are free to sleep all day and do anything that you want.

To read more on topics like this, check out the home & garden category.

Grow Your Business: How iAdvance Now Can Help

 

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Money for business purposes can sometimes be pretty difficult to secure. Not only is the application process a little bit tedious, but it can take weeks and even months to get properly approved. Fortunately, there are different options than traditional lenders in 2019.

One such option is iAdvance Now, which is a company that focuses on making things very easy for all their clients. Is it a company that can be trusted? Here is a closer look at how things work, and whether or not it makes sense for business owners to pursue this method of securing funds.

How it works

The concept with iAdvance Now is pretty easy to understand. Businesses in need of money simply apply online to see if they qualify for a loan. The company offers several different types of options for different clients. From giving funds for future credit card receipts to providing a simple line of credit, money can be secured in as little as one business day.

How does iAdvance Now stand out from traditional lenders?

Traditional lenders don’t really seem to care about making the process quick and easy. Business owners are usually very limited on time, so every day helps. Getting money in as little as one business day is a lot better than having to wait weeks or months.

Another very different thing about dealing with traditional lenders is that they can be stingy with approvals. They are trying to protect themselves, but sometimes business owners simply don’t have a lot of credit build up in the beginning. iAdvance Now takes risks on people who are trying to start or grow a business idea.

What is the customer support like?

Clients should expect excellent customer support throughout the entire process. The company strives to provide as many businesses as possible with the perfect financial solution for them. That means asking as many questions as possible in the beginning to gather information. It also means following up to see how things are going, and if any tweaks need to be made to the original agreement.

Overall, the customer support seems to be very solid throughout the company. They make themselves very available to contact, and that bodes well for any client using a solution like this for the first time.

How long does the repayment process take?

The repayment process depends on what financial solution works best for each individual. Some people are going to be able to pay off the money they received in a matter of months. Others might take years, but iAdvanced Now always make sure that the best solution is available for everyone.

Businesses not expected to make a lot of money in the beginning have the flexibility to understand that iAdvance Now will only take a portion of the monthly sales so that people are not overwhelmed.

Final recommendation

There is a lot to love about iAdvance Now. It seems like the company is one of the few to really take an interest in all their clients. With so many different financial solutions available, it is definitely worth the initial consultation to see what set up can be put together.

If you’re interested in learning more about iAdvance Now and how they may be able to help you, visit them online at iAdvanceNow.com. You can also follow the company on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter for the latest insights into their financing solutions.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

3 Reasons Your SEO Company Might Be Failing You

The talk of the digital marketing world for the past few years has been centered on one thing: search engine optimization. We all talk about it as if we’re experts on SEO, but there are tons of strategies, techniques, and practices that are constantly changing – making it difficult to actually be an expert.

This is why you can’t trust every SEO company or SEO specialist that claims to have what it takes to up your search engine ranking. Maybe you’ve already had some bad experience with your SEO company failing to deliver the results you were hoping for. This is actually more common than you’d think, and here are a few reasons why your SEO company is failing you.

Lack of SEO Knowledge

It is one thing to say you’re an expert on SEO, but another thing entirely to actually be one. Maybe you hired a company based on their humming and hawing and overall confidence in their skills. But these days, anyone with a laptop, a WordPress account, and access to Google can call themselves an expert. It really means nothing unless you have previous customers who can vouch for you.

SEO pros like to talk a big game, but don’t let this fool you. Do your research ahead of time and look into the supposed “company”. If there aren’t many reviews and the company hasn’t been around for long, our best advice is to move on to the next option. Also, see how the company ranks when you perform a Google search – this is a great way to determine who the experts really are.

Only One SEO Specialty

There are tons of moving parts involved in developing a successful SEO strategy. If your company is failing you, there’s a good chance that they only focus on one of those parts, rather than the machine as a whole. In order for the SEO machine to work properly, every part must be working together.

Some companies just don’t understand this, and they feel that keyword optimization on its own will show results. Well, it won’t. There is way more involved than just optimizing your website with related keywords. You also need to focus on things like original content creation, authority link building, and the overall user experience of your website.

Cutthroat Competition

One of the best ways to keep the eye on the prize is to actually keep the eye on the competition. Try to think of Google as the housing market. In order to get the #1 listing for your property, you have to bump someone out of the #1 spot. This is essentially what happens when your competition invests more time and money into their SEO strategies (and has chosen a proper SEO company).

In order to stay ahead of your competitors, try to think outside of the box. It’s a good idea to check out their websites – you can even get your own ideas by browsing through the competition’s site. Obviously we’re not recommending any shady behavior, but it just gives you the chance to see what’s working for them – and what’s not.

 

What to Consider When Searching for a Mini Bus Rental Atlanta Company

There’s nothing better than showing up to a special event in style. Depending on your specific personality, maybe to you the word “style” means rolling up in a Rolls Royce, or perhaps a sleek limousine is more your taste. We asked about what “riding in style” means to Atlanta locals, and many of them answered with the same thing: a mini bus.

It doesn’t matter what your upcoming event is, there is nothing quite like hitting the streets in a decked out mini bus with all of your closest friends. Whether you’re heading to senior prom or making memories on your wedding day, here’s what you should consider before booking the right mini bus rental.

Browse Around

When you Google search “mini bus rental Atlanta”, there are quite a few pages of results. This is probably the case no matter where you live (if it is considered to be a major city). The first step is to browse through your options. A great way to gauge which ones are the best mini bus providers are to read reviews.

If a rental company has not reviews to its name, try to avoid booking with that one. The more reviews, the better. And obviously the more positive the reviews are, the best. Don’t trust reviews that come solely from the company’s website, but try to see what’s up on a variety of sites. Reviews on the company’s private website are often fabricated.

Consider Amenities

What’s the point of renting a mini bus if you aren’t given an experience of luxury? Once you’ve narrowed down a few rental company options by reading reviews, see what the actual mini buses are like. What’s included with the rental? Is it strictly a ride from point A to point B (or access to rides for a certain number of hours) or is there more to it?

Try not to assume that every company is the same. Amenities vary greatly from company to company, and even from minibus to minibus within a company. Read into the details and specifics to see what’s included in the bus rental, like reclining seats, entertainment options (TV screens/DVD players), and luggage storage. Depending on the event, you might even have access to alcoholic beverages or the company might have a BYOB policy in place.

Safety Comes First

The rental company’s top priority should be on the safety of its passengers. Find a company that has nothing less than a 100% safety record. Many rental companies require their drivers to receive background checks as well as pass a series of driving tests before hiring, so make sure this is the case for the one that you choose.

Number of Passengers

Lastly, how many people are planning on riding the mini bus? Most mini buses can carry at least 16 passengers, but this is not always the case. Get a final head count for the number of people planning on riding and confirm with the rental agency that a bus is available that can cater to that amount.

 

5 Helpful Tools Used by Professional Resume Writers

As you settle into your comfy desk chair, fully caffeinated from this morning’s 3 cups of coffee, you might feel ready to conquer the resume you are about to write. That is, until you immediately experience writer’s block and don’t even know where to begin.

This is a common occurrence for even the best resume writers in the world. It is normal to feel at a loss for words when writing your own – or someone else’s – resume. To make the process a bit easier, a few resume-writing tools have been released in recent years. According to resume writing professionals, these are the most helpful resources to assist you in writing a superior resume.

Readability Score

There’s not point in delivering a resume if the person looking it over can’t even read it. There’s a little thing called readability, which means that the content on the page is easy to read. This is extremely important for resume writing. If a recruiter or potential employee can’t even make out what you’re trying to say, the page will be tossed in the garbage.

A tool called Readability Score can help. Basically once you’re resume is completed, you’ll run it through the Readability Score software and will score your resume based on its ease of reading. The software tells you why it isn’t readable if you rank low, and this allows you to make the necessary changes to up the readability score.

Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is similar to the popular tool called Grammarly, except this one seems to be better suited to resume writing. With Hemingway Editor, the software will catch any little mistakes in grammar, punctuation, or overall language that you accidentally brushed over. It can be difficult to edit your own content, so even if you don’t use Hemingway, have a friend or colleague take a peek at your resume draft before sending it out.

Career Igniter

Career Igniter will help you to build your resume from scratch. Some of the top resume creators in the world have worked together on building Career Igniter, making resume writing easier than ever. All of the formatting is provided for you, all you need to do is input the words and you’re good to go.

Online CV Generator

A lot of people are confused about the difference between a resume and CV. To put things simply, they are essentially the same thing. Similar to Career Igniter, Online CV Generator allows you to create your CV (or resume) following a step-by-step guide. Just follow their steps provided and eventually you’ll end up with a top-of-the-line resume.

Do You Buzz

If you’ve got all the words in your head, but can’t seem to figure out the proper format, try using Do You Buzz. Do You Buzz provides its users with a series of templates to choose from, ranging from classic to more modern looks. Once your resume has been completed, Do You Buzz even gives you the option to consult with a professional to go over the final draft.

 

5 Things You Should Know about Blockchain in Healthcare

The technological revolution of this century has provided stale industries with an extraordinary amount of innovation. In healthcare, patients can reserve a doctor’s appointment or manage their prescriptions with the ease of a smartphone, but this easy access comes with a cost.

Like many highly secure industries that existed before the technological boom, the healthcare industry is struggling to keep up with advanced forms of cyber attacks.

This is extremely dangerous for both patients and professionals alike. Without proper cybersecurity, patients’ medical data can be stolen and sold on the black market, and practice can incur thousands of dollars in fines from HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) noncompliance penalties.

The healthcare industry is now making moves to incorporate blockchain into its cybersecurity.

Blockchain, most commonly associated with cryptocurrency, is a type of secure, public ledger that connects digital records, called blocks, to other blocks. These blocks are highly encrypted, time-stamped and continuous updated with data from transactions.

Here are 5 ways the industry can use blockchain technology to support their cybersecurity as well as their patients, operations, and personnel

Smart Contracts

A major benefit to blockchain technology is its use of smart contracts. A smart contract eliminates middlemen from negotiations by digitally facilitating, verifying, or enforcing the terms of a contract.

The smart contract works on an if-then premise. An example is a simple expiration date: once this date arrives, then the smart contract will alert all parties of the expiration and terminate the contract itself.

In healthcare, this means that health organizations and insurance providers can automate payment processes using an artificial third party.

Smart contracts are transparent to all parties, so patients could also use them to easily switch hospitals without needing to fill out forms for their prior hospital – the physicians would know just by viewing the contract.

Data Compilation

Pharma gathers data that are stored in silos from many different sources. This process of organization in time-consuming and inefficient for data analytics in healthcare.

Using blockchain could help healthcare companies with their large data analytics, especially when the data comes from several departments.

Patients use apps that gather medical data and transfer it to other devices and medical providers, which is not always kept safe.

When their information is not kept secure in one location, it becomes easier for their data to be given to the wrong people. If insurance providers get their hands on private medical information, the cost of health coverage can unjustly fluctuate.

Encryption is one of the most important factors for effective cybersecurity in healthcare, and with blockchain’s extensive data encryption, the safety and privacy of a patient’s information are guaranteed.

Patients can know where their data is being transferred to and who has a right to view it, making sure that their data is transferred to the appropriate recipients.

Clinical Trials

There is a lot of manual work needed to scout out appropriate patients for clinical trials. The amount of paperwork is enormous, and it’s very likely that perfectly suitable candidates get regularly overlooked.

With blockchain, researchers can easily search for the qualifications needed to acquire potential candidates without having to worry about receiving misinformation.

The clinical studies data can be kept private and organized using blockchain, which is necessary for the HIPAA compliances that Pharma companies must adhere to.

Since all records entered in blockchain have to be verified and each patients’ data gets a unique ID, information cannot be duplicated by accident which wastes time and manpower.

Companies and organizations can also use blockchain for keeping financial records and other bookkeeping needs.

Doctor’s Access and Security

Blockchain can help to transfer secured data between devices for health service providers.

Instead of patients having the onus of transferring paper records from physician to physician, blockchain can allow easy and instant access to medical records between medical professionals.

The US Department of Health and Human Services found that instead of using a localized server or paper documents, it’s actually safer to store patient’s information in a HIPAA compliant cloud server.

Not only does blockchain improve patients’ privacy, but the ability for professionals to easily access patients’ records actually improves diagnosis and patient care, as well.

Transparency with blockchain also comes into play here, as anyone with access to the records can see changes that were made which increases overall understanding of patients’ health.

Patient’s Access and Security

The last and certainly not least useful feature of blockchain in healthcare is the ability for patients to access their own medical records.

In fact, the way that providers would even have access to a patients’ records is because the patients would verify who has access and who doesn’t.

This gives the patients more control of their own medical records. They have the ability to access them at any time or even sell them to healthcare providers, researchers, and insurers.

Cybersecurity threats and data breaches introduce the possibility of medical identity theft, where hackers can steal a person’s medical information, or even their social security number, and sell it on the black market.

When patients use blockchain, they are given the ability to take what hackers want and safely make their own profits on their own terms.

The list above shows just a snippet of the benefits that blockchain technology has for the healthcare industry, especially as the world becomes increasingly digitized.

The healthcare industry is finding that its cybersecurity is slipping through the cracks, and HIPAA Journal reports that each month of 2018, there were about 30 healthcare data breaches reported, and that number has increased to an average of 37 per month in 2019

Blockchain technology is an all-encompassing solution to the security, research, and access problems that patients and professionals face. It allows clinical researchers and medical professionals to organize their data with transparency and accuracy.

This technology is also appealing to patients, as the ability to access and share their medical data as they please results in better diagnosis and possible monetization.

Overall, blockchain solutions are effective in the healthcare industry and their usage is growing with time. It is important for healthcare companies to get involved with this growing trend in order to operate efficiently.

This article was written by Julian Gnatenco @ JGBilling a medical coding company

 

How to Set up Company Payroll for Your Small Business

Nearly half of the people who responded to a recent survey said they would start looking for a new job after only two payroll errors.

Replacing employees is time-consuming and expensive so it’s important that you manage your small business payroll properly. Let’s look at how to set up your company payroll.

Options for Managing Company Payroll

You have several choices for dealing with your small business payroll:

  1. Manage it by hand
  2. Outsource your payroll management
  3. Use payroll software

1. Managing Payroll by Hand

Doing it by hand is the least expensive way to manage payroll, at least as far as the up-front costs are concerned. You won’t have to pay for software or pay someone to do the work for you. Instead, you’ll do all the calculations to figure out deductions, IRS remittances, and everything else you need to calculate.

This is also the most time-intensive option. Before you choose this option as a way to save money, think about what your time is worth. Is managing your payroll the best way to spend your time? And do you know enough about it to be sure you’re not making any mistakes?

2. Outsourcing Your Payroll

The second option is to outsource your payroll management, either to an accountant or bookkeeper or through a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) service. With a PEO service, the employee works for them and gets sub-contracted to your small business. That way they handle all the payroll work.

Outsourcing your payroll takes the least time on your part but is the most expensive option. It may be worth the cost though, considering the time you save and the fact that these professionals will be much less likely to make errors that can lead to lost employees and IRS fines.

3. Payroll Software

Payroll software is a middle ground between the first two options. You can manage your own payroll this way but the software does most of the heavy lifting for you. It calculates everything based on up-to-date payroll tables and if it’s tied into your accounting software, and it can generate all the necessary documents for the IRS and state tax departments.

You can also use a combination of different software packages to manage the various parts of your small business accounting. You might use a spreadsheet tracking system for most of it along with a service like The Pay Stubs to generate professional pay stubs for your employees’ paychecks.

Keep Good Records

Whatever solution you settle on to manage your company payroll, make sure you keep good records. If your business is ever audited for its payroll remittances, you need to be able to back everything up with documentation. The last thing you want to do is have to go back and reconstruct years of payroll information ahead of a meeting with the auditor.

Don’t stress over how to do payroll; spending some time researching your options before settling on a solution is time well-spent.

Check back often for more helpful posts like this one.

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