With our changing world, you must change with it.

Be flexible and adapt to change. The office today and the one ten (even five) years ago has changed. For the well run business the fundamental basics are the same, but the technology is different. These businesses are well organized! From their filing systems to their happy employees, this type of business is respected by their customers and the example you should follow.

On the flip side, there are businesses that have spent serious money on their corporate image, yet lack the basic fundamental principles to keep their employees happy or become more successful. If you spend enough time at this type of business, you will notice that they are actually poorly run, and money is wasted. Some of the employees are miserable and have no clue how things are done - simply because there was nothing in place for them to learn on their own, or everyone else was "too busy to show them". With today's technology, it seems some companies actually expect that employees walk through the door "ready to deal" with the existing administrative problems.

Don't let your business get stuck in this rut. Clean up now and avoid future chaos. Don't wait for your employees to get bored, resentful, unproductive and to the point that they go from an excited go getter to a drain on you and your business.

The new era of technology is a wonderful thing. However, many businesses translate the technology advantage to overloading their employees with information and paperwork. Faster computers, tablets and smartphones are meant to be convenient timesavers. People are still people and will never function well as robots in the long run. Stress and burnout is the end result.

Office Procedures

Every business should have office procedures in place. From the mail being sorted to what to do in an emergency, you should have a system anyone can understand and follow. These procedures should be written down, updated, and the manual(s) should be accessible to everyone involved. Forget this step and you will go down a very long slippery slope.

If you do not have time, or do not know how to do this, hire someone who does. The expert in this field should come out to your office and spend some time with your team. They should get to know the basics of your business. You should offer them assistance, or ask someone from each area of your team to sit down with them and explain the way things are run. The person you hire should have experience in writing the manuals you require. Often you will have to hire more than one person. If you already have a demi-system in place and are comfortable with your or your employees' knowledge base, you can write some of these yourself.

Technology Etiquette

In today's office, much of the communication is via email. However, this is a very highly abused form of communication. We have all heard people complain that they are being replaced by computers. This is true in some cases. However, communication cannot be replaced by computers. It can only be used to enhance your message. You must continue to verbally communicate with your staff, co-workers and suppliers. Face to face communication gives you an insight that no computer or email can.

Here are some rules to follow when emailing:

• When you send an email to someone and you wish to copy others, make sure the others are actually "copied". Most people receive countless emails each day and the "To" line is either for action or for information that person must be aware of.
• Make sure there are no spelling mistakes in your email. Try to use upper and lower case when possible. For some people who use smartphones and tablets for email, it is easier to send everything lowercase. You don't have to do this just because they do. An exception is texts. Always send a well written email when sending from your desktop.
• If it is sensitive, do not send it in an email.
• Do not announce anything that can shock an individual or your team in an email.
• Do not send offensive material to your subordinates.
• An email is not a venting arena.

Technology is advancing at a rapid rate. A computer today should be replaced or upgraded every two years. Cell phones are upgraded every year or two. Manufacturers of smartphones and tablets integrate software that is continually updated. This translates to increased productivity. This is your chance to become more organized. However, the computers won't run your business for you. Manage your business basics.