Business

How to Hold Your Remote Employees Accountable

Remote Employees: Accountability in the digital workplace shouldn’t be that hard to determine. Ideally, every individual is assigned specific pieces of work, and if that work isn’t completed successfully, it’s obvious who’s at fault.

Unfortunately, it’s not always that cut and dried. Team projects can make individual performance metrics nebulous at best. Tasks that are passed through many hands can sometimes go astray or get delayed if they’re not carefully tracked.

With remote employees becoming more common in businesses around the world, there are added complications with accountability. Tech workarounds might be necessary substitutes for the in-person meetings that were once considered standard. After all, remote workers don’t have the physical presence required to allow visual productivity check-ins.

To avoid having your remote employees get lost in the accountability shuffle, there are a few steps you can take. By implementing appropriate procedures and carefully selected software, your remote employees can be held to the same standards as everyone else.

Document Expectations

Having meetings can be very beneficial when it comes to getting everyone on the same page. Projects can be planned and the workload divided out among the relevant individuals. If questions come up, teammates in the office can walk over to each other and confirm what was discussed.

A task given to a remote employee who isn’t present for these office follow-ups might fall off the radar. If work was only assigned verbally at a meeting, the remote worker could claim they were given no such direction. There is a very easy fix for this, and it is beneficial for verifying all decisions taken in meetings.

Businesses of all sizes should get in the habit of keeping thorough meeting minutes. Minutes record not only what was said during a meeting, but also who was there to hear it. The list of attendees should absolutely include any individuals who took part in the meeting virtually. If someone later claims they weren’t present when instructions were given, the minutes are there to confirm or deny this.

Meeting minutes don’t only benefit employers and supervisors. They also protect employees from faulty recollections of those who might claim the workers have fallen short of expectations. Having documentation of the exact assignments made and to whom keeps everyone accountable, whether they’re physically present or not.

Use Workflow Tools

Looking through a project’s history can be very time-consuming, depending on how the tasks are routed. If email is the project’s main method of communication, it’s tedious to dig through multiple threads to see who was supposed to do what. When multiple communication methods are used (email, Slack, texts, etc.), the potential for confusion is even worse.

To keep things straight, there are numerous tools out there for tracking workflows. These solutions allow team members to assign tasks and document progress. Such tools can track who had an assignment, for how long, and what work they did. As long as everyone uses the software, it is much easier to find the needed project information without intensive searching.

Another great thing about workflow tools is that an employee can pull up their current assignments at any time. This is especially useful for remote workers who might not get the in-person reminders provided to in-office staff. By providing areas for notes, the software places more of an emphasis on written documentation of updates than verbal communication. Supervisors can also keep an eye on current remote worker projects and workload capacity without constant check-ins.

Keep Information in a Centralized Location

Remote employment has a lot of advantages. One major area where difficulties can arise, however, is data organization. Since the majority of a remote worker’s job will be done online, keeping data and processes consistent is paramount.

For example, if your office is only partially paperless, this could pose serious time delays for remote workers. The information they need to complete a task might be on a piece of paper 1,000 miles away. Should they look for the document online and not find it, they’ll need to ask someone in the office to locate it for them. If and when that person finds the paper in question, they’ll have to digitize the data and store it online to enable viewing.

Incidents like these could be a massive time drain on both your remote workers and those in the office. If remote workers are to be a meaningful part of your team, data must be centralized. Whether employees are working at HQ or in another country, everyone should know where necessary information is kept.

If you do not enforce this rule of consistency, remote workers cannot be reasonably held accountable for delays. By having all necessary information readily available, you can set appropriate turnaround expectations for remote workers.

Make Adjustments to Ensure Success

Taking on remote employees opens up the possibility of reaching a much larger talent pool. Not only that, but it offers you the opportunity to save money on everything from office space to team snacks. But to truly get the most benefit out of remote hires, you’ll need to make adjustments.

By implementing sound policies and technology upgrades, you can make sure your remote workers are performing adequately within your team. And once you have your processes in place, you’ll be able to hold team members accountable no matter their location.

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Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

Business

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP