Archive for April 22, 2015

Environmental Management in a Time of Great Need

April 22, 2015

No one knows what is yet to come and how badly it can potentially be but it was a sure way for Mother Nature to communicate a clear message to humanity to wake up and stop being ignorant of what is at stake if we continually abuse the riches of the earth. And so to acknowledge and address this worsening situation, environmental management was created. It was actually created as early as the nineties but soared in popularity when the effects were so obvious in plain view.

Environmental management involves the process in which regulations are enforced to avoid damaging impacts to the environment as well as enforcing regulations that will be beneficial to the environment. Small business legal advice often includes guidance on these regulations. Organizations develop a management framework to help maintain environmental goals as the environment falls under every individuals responsibility.

As such ISO 14001 is the universally accepted standard in creating such a process and there are many ISO 14001 consultants that can help in business. This standard created by the International Organization for Standardization in implementing an Environmental Management System or EMS. It comes from a series 16 international ISO 14000 standards that serve as a framework to aid organizations in lessening the potential hazardous impact on the environment that can be integrated with other corporate processes to effectively achieve environmental and economic goals including the usage of natural resources, waste management and energy consumption. Though voluntary, organizations ultimately recognize it as a necessity. The beauty of ISO 14001 as a generic management system standard is that it can apply to any size and type of organization, no matter what type of product or service. It also applies to high to low risk service organizations alike as well as businesses in public and private sectors involved in manufacturing, process and service industries, while local governments are not excluded.

The basic principle of the ISO 14001 continual environmental improvement based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act system of Australia and New Zealand in 2004 that include 17 elements implemented in five phases which are environmental policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking & corrective action and lastly management review.

Plan, involves initial analysis of a company’s processes and products to effectively identify all elements of operation that may have an effect on the environment. The review aims to assist organization in making environmental objectives, goals and targets measurable and can identify legal requirements to be included in the process. Do is implementing the process itself. Check is identifying if the process has been a success while maintaining records to ensure that goals are achieved while aiming to ensure the consistent implementation of the process. Act is the process of altering procedures in place to improve results.

The benefits of implementing ISO 14001 does not merely address environmental concerns but also better compliance with legislative and regulatory law that diminishes the potential of being fined, better and more cost-efficient waste management, reduction in usage of resources as well as operating costs and being recognized internationally as an ISO 14001 compliant business for franchises over the world.

After having implemented the ISO 14001 environmental management system, businesses may have the option to undergo certification that involves evaluation of the EMS with a physical site visit from officials to see the standards were truly met. Once successful they are presented with certification that will be valid for three years. Various official boards and auditors all over the world can grant this.

Non-conformity to acquiring an EMS can be damaging to a company. It does not necessarily have to follow the standards of ISO 14001 yet following it can surely be advantageous. In fact, doing this in-house can be quite costly for a company due to a lack of experience and background. The best way to go about the matter is to hire an expert who can help reduce the cost. There are a number of established ISO 14001 consultants that can truly give you sound large or small business legal advice. An added advantage to hiring a consultant is that they already have an established network of bodies that help the certification process if not being an authorized body themselves. This also helps save on the legal costs one might procure in implementing EMS.

Choose Grants Management That Best Suits Your Requirement

April 19, 2015

Online grants management has given rise to a number of grants management software that are easily found on the web and those institutions that require this software must first assess their needs and then search for the apt one that best suits their requirement.

The market today is full of such software developed keeping in mind the various types of users and their requirements. You can get software that is relatively simple and can be sufficient for the smaller institutions like schools and colleges.

At the same time there are different types of software designed for the universities that have a lot of colleges functioning under them; these are the institutions that require more complex and also scalable software to be of use later on too when it expands.

As stated above, the best way to know which of the softwares you require to invest in, it is best to take a proper look at your functions and your needs. The software you decide on getting should be able to work efficiently for you and it should be highly functional.

This type of software that is extremely resourceful is surely needed for an organization that is huge in size and involves multiple jobs. So, once you make a proper assessment of how huge the grants that are to be managed by you it will be much easier to choose the right software.

The other important aspect is grants management and accounting that work in coordination so it is good to take into account the annual budgeting allowances and to plan ahead the complete research projects or other jobs much before you are awarded the funds to make the accounting process and the project part a lot more easy. It is actually very useful to select software that enables the organization to keep track of the budget while the project is going on.

It is highly advisable to take grants management software that has scalability, an ability to expand its use to take care of an increase in the amount of work that is to be handled.

Though an institution starts off on a smaller scale it surely is going to expand in later years adding more users and with a considerable increase in the grants that are to be managed efficiently.

Actually a lot of such software in recent years is being developed with this concept of high scalability that comes in handy when the need arises.

And finally choose grants management software that offers support to their clients in the first couple of months at least when they need a lot of help during this crucial period.

Desire to understand more about Grants Management Software. Then visit this highly recommended internet site and uncover how Grants Management System can help an individual.

Restaurant Manager Career Development Tutorial – Part 3 – Career Management Cycle

April 14, 2015

Step 1: Learn who you are Step 2: Determine where you want to go Step 3: Identify your strengths and development areas Step 4: Make a career development Plan Step 5: Engage/Create a team that will help you reach your goals Step 6: Create a list of achievements that will move you closer to your goal Step 7: Find jobs where your goals and career development will be organizationally supported. Step 8: Be willing to accept 360 degree feedback Step 9: Reassess your goals and career plan Step 10: Take stock of how much you’ve already achieved and determine the next ‘best’ move

Career Management Step 1: Learn Who You Are

We are not all born with the personality and skills needed to be successful. Take a look at the best managers. The managers at the top of their career share certain personality traits and skills. Very little is left to chance. They never lose sight of their goals. They have learned to put their emotions aside, enhance their strengths, and overcome their weaknesses.

There is no confusion or hesitation when asking what they want, where they are going, or how they reached their current level of success. They were not always the person who stood taller, talked louder, walked faster, worked longer, and exuded confidence. These were skills they learned.

The journey starts with self exploration. It is hard to understand where you are going unless you understand who you are, and what made you the person you are now.

Who Am I?

We are all multifaceted. We have desires that are often molded by beliefs. The problem with beliefs is that many of them are ‘second hand.’ We’ve been told that success requires a certain income, level of fame, lifestyle so we strive to reach that. We never look at what we need as a person to be happy.

It is impossible to understand what we need until we learn what beliefs are truly ours, and what we believe because parents, society, media, or peers have imposed those beliefs on us. The first step to understanding who we are, and what we want, is to separate our ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ by determining what our beliefs are. Once we explore this then we can determine our level of integrity.

There are no wrong answers. Many people are surprised to learn that money and career choice has little impact on their motivation.

Mike Moore is published on more than 300 websites. He writes success and career articles that cover topics from restaurant management, career paths, business management, home based business, and business start up. . He is published on various website including http://geckohospitality.com

-Why Use a Commercial Property Management Company

April 13, 2015

If you are the owner of commercial property, you may be interested in looking into hiring a commercial property management company. There are many reasons to turn to the professionals to handle the management of your commercial property. A few of those reasons are listed below:

Commercial property management can make the stress of owning a property disappear

Sometimes, investors are reluctant to become landlords or to own investment properties because they feel that the task of renting and managing a property will be too time consuming. You may have visions of late-night calls due to emergencies or of spending your days showing the property to perspective tenants or dealing with tenant complaints.

When you trust a commercial management company, you dont have to worry about any of these issues. The commercial property management professionals that you hire can handle all of the day-to-day tasks and obligations involved in renting and maintaining a commercial property. Not only that, but if you develop an ongoing long-term relationship with the commercial property management company, the managers can get to know your building and tenants and can make recommendations to you on improvements or operating policies.

Commercial property management can help to keep your tenants happy

Many tenants, especially in commercial buildings, like to know that they have an expert available to help them with issues. Rather than dealing with an inexperienced landlord or with a landlord working on his own, those renting commercial properties like to have a professional available as a manager. Commercial property management companies can get to know your tenants and can handle any issues or concerns, keeping things running smoothly at all times.

Commercial property management can involve an expert approach to maximizing profits

When you place your trust in a commercial property management company, they may be able to provide important device on keeping your investment profitable. This may include suggesting improvements to the property or changes to the lease agreement or rental terms that will allow you to better maximize your profits. Your commercial property management company can also keep you up-to-date on the financial situation of your rental property so you will know at a glance what the numbers look like and whether you are making a good profit on your real estate investment.

Commercial property management companies can help to keep your rental space in good shape

By handling emergency situations quickly, commercial property management companies can help to ensure repairs are done before any damage to the building occurs. Further, commercial property management professionals can keep an eye on what is going on in the building on an ongoing basis, suggesting repairs or maintenance that will prevent problems from developing. It is a good idea to keep your building maintained at all times and it is helpful to have experts advising you on what needs to be done.

Hiring a Commercial Property Management Company

Hiring a commercial property management company is important for all of these reasons. The bottom line is, when you have a commercial property, it can be a great investment- but only if it is managed well. Put your trust in the experts to ensure that your investment pays off.

To learn more information about reliable Commercial Property Management, visit at: http://www.reisproperty.com/

Integrated Management Systems – Advantages To Integrate High Quality, Ohs And Ems

April 9, 2015

The actual Integrated Management Systems (IMS) has become a hot theme not only among manufacturing corporations but also amongst numerous service institutions for example construction. The main reason for this trend is because of the growing quantity of management systems or standards which are implemented globally. IMS needs the amalgamation of numerous individual management systems for example AS/NZS ISO 9001, AS/NZS ISO 14001, AS/NZS 4801 and several more. Therefore, the main objective of an IMS is always to manage an organisation by way of a single harmonized management system rather than numerous management systems.

The thought of IMS became very related with the introduction and execution of ISO 14001 which envisaged integrated organizational method (or systems method) to environmental sustainability. In the same way, IMS has become a lot more important with the introduction of many standards. As much more and a lot more management systems are obtainable today, it is important for any organization to perform towards a harmonized, easy and simply implementable IMS.

It is really likely that any business implementing AS/NZS ISO 14001 (or the environmental management program), has a high quality management method (such asISO 9001) currently in location. Today, not just consumers but also regulatory authorities insist that the suppliers or service organizations (for example construction organisations) should implement AS/NZS ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems (QMS) whilst moving towards ISO 14001.

When a person closely examine the AS/NZS ISO 9001, AS/NZS ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801 Occupational Well being &Safety (OHS), he/she would discover that each one of these systems have many common processes and procedures. Also, its essential to note that there are no ISO standards for OHS. However, implementation OHS or adhering to OHS requirements in an organization may be easy if it has the QMS and EMS accreditation currently in spot.

Why any business seeks for IMS ?

In order to preserve or satisfy clients, several institutions mandate its suppliers or service providers (for example construction contractors) developing and implementing their own quality, OHS and environmental management systems.

To overcome trade barriers, many institutions or construction companies (operating in global markets like USA, EU, and Australasia) adapt and implement ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditations. Such accreditations not just enhance the image of any organization globally as quality and environmentally conscious organization but in addition such an organization is readily accepted by consumers in the global markets.

Cost reduction by way of lower insurance payments: – Many corporations that have implemented AS/NZS ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801 can be eligible for reduced Insurance premium offered by insurance companies. The organisations for example construction businesses which are operating in highly risky and constantly changing work environment may be able to get appreciable benefit by way of IMS which comprised of AS/NZS ISO 9001, AS/NZS ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801.

It demonstrates not merely their commitment to top quality and also its adherence to processes and procedures required for the safety of the workers at the work place including the environment.

To boost the effectiveness of the QMS, EMS and OHS,
To demonstrate the sensitiveness to the environment and commitment to safety by doing the right thing at the first time, as described in ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801.
To reduce the manufacturing and operating costs and enhance Return on Investment (ROI) through implementation of QMS, EMS and OHS

Aside from above, any business can get a higher ROI by way of IMS which uses the advantage of similarities of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801. Also, it can minimize ambiguities and confusion amongst employees when implementing the QMS, EMS and OHS associated standards.

Latest statistics reveal that several institutions have successfully integrated partially or fully all the management systems. For example, automotive, electronics, steel, chemical and service (construction industry) industries have proven the effectiveness of IMS via improved ROI. Basically, they were capable to decrease operating costs, time required to implement the processes, complexity (or ambiguity) of the management systems, through IMS. Similarly, such companies were able to have higher employee satisfaction and moral by way of integrated or simplified strategy to defining function instructions or job descriptions and tasks or performance standards.

There are a number of rewards could be derived via implementation of an IMS in an organization:

Since QMS, EMS and OHS has similarities, all three can be simply combined to have common organizational goals and objectives;
Can have a harmonized and simplified management program in the organization; in essence, workers or staff can be provided with one set of clear instructions rather than multiple instructions that can lead to confusion and conflicts. Therefore, much documentation and reporting on each system can be minimized.
The training of employees can be streamlined under single system rather than multiple training required under a number of systems.
Optimum use of resources resulting from maintaining a single process for all activities required under IMS. In other words, staff training, document control, management review, corrective and preventive actions need only less time and effort compared to implementing multiple management systems.
Can enhance organizational performance in terms of reduced customer complaints, product non-conformities, accident, wellness and environmental related risks; similarly, it can reduce top quality related risks or issues as well.
It helps the organization to combine high quality, environmental and OHS objectives into the overarching corporate strategy.
It emphasise the top management and the staff at all levels to consider top quality, environment and safety with equal priority.
It puts in place a broad agenda for continual improvement of top quality, environmental and OHS systems.

In summing up, one can conclude that Integrated Management Method will allow any construction organization (or any other) to combine quality (AS/NZS ISO 9001), Environment (AS/NZS ISO14001) and Wellness and Safety (AS/NZS 4801) into a single management system. It will not just make the organization effective in terms of compliance on high quality, environmental and wellness & safety but additionally be able to improve its efficiency and productivity resulting in higher ROI.