DJ Products, Inc.

Título de hoy resonado: “De la recesión extremos oficialmente, con la agitación.” ¡No es que la verdad! En oficialmente declarar la recesión encima, los E.E.U.U. El departamento del comercio citó un crecimiento 3.5% en la economía. El animar, ciertamente. ¿Algo animar alrededor? Wall Street pensó al parecer que para el promedio industrial de Dow Jones tiró encima de casi 200 puntos. ¿Pero el individuo o el galón en la calle? Quizá no tanto. El efecto se parece más psicologico que real. Los economistas advierten que mucho del aumento 3.5% en producto interno bruto fuera aprovisionado de combustible por el efectivo del gobierno para el programa de Clunkers y el crédito de impuesto nuevo de los homebuyers. Si esos programas han creado un punto artificial en el desarrollo económico que no puede ser mantenido o la economía realmente finalmente están lanzando de la frialdad de la recesión, sólo el tiempo dirá. Pero hasta que el desempleo disminuye, la mayoría de los analistas convienen que no estamos fuera de las maderas todavía.

Conseguir a gente de nuevo a trabajo ahora es el desafío verdadero. La gente no va a comenzar a comprar otra vez - el disparador necesario para la mejora económica verdadera - hasta que ella tiene trabajos y puede parar el preocuparse de guardar el alimento en la tabla y una azotea sobre sus cabezas. Y los trabajos no estarán allí hasta que los negocios americanos se sienten cómodos financieramente. Un poco un círculo vicioso: negocios de los combustibles de la compra al por menor que aprovisionan de combustible trabajos. Tradicionalmente, las pequeñas empresas proporcionan el potencial más grande para los E.E.U.U. crecimiento del trabajo; era tan interesante leer los resultados de la encuesta sobre semestral el monitor ABIERTO de la pequeña empresa de American Express adentro eJournal de la fabricación y de la tecnología.

Aquí están algunos de los toques de luz del examen:

• los 51% de fabricantes tienen una perspectiva positiva, casi como el año pasado (los 52%)
• los 61% están experimentando las dificultades serias del flujo de liquidez, comparadas hasta el 47% hace un año
• plan del solamente 22% para emplear a empleados adicionales, abajo a partir de la 30% hace seis meses 
• los solamente 36% están planeando inversiones de capitales, abajo a partir de la 59% de 2008
• los 68% piensan los E.E.U.U. las aflicciones económicas están lejos de excedente

Productos de DJ quisiera saber lo que usted piensa y su negocio está haciendo frente a la recesión.

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you strong.” Or “No pain; no gain.” Ask anyone who’s been in business a while and they’ll tell you, you learn from your failures. Those who struggle with a new idea, testing and tweaking it through multiple incarnations until they get it right enjoy a sense of accomplishment unknown to those who simply luck into an idea, though not to imply that there’s no joy in the occasional “gift.” Sometimes, but not often, we get it right the first time. Usually, though, success is a matter of hard work and sacrifice. Perhaps that’s what makes success taste so sweet.

Celebrating Failure: The Power of Taking Risks, Making Mistakes and Thinking Big by Ralph Heath (Career Press, 2009, paperback, 191 pages, $9.26 on Amazon.com) is a smart book and a quick read. Heath’s message is to stop punishing mistakes, yours and your employees’, and start learning from them. Emphasize the learning, not the error, and move on. By embracing our failures we strip them of power. As he points out, the people who make mistakes are the same people who succeed.

Trade-Off: Why Some Things Catch On, and Others Don’t by Kevin Maney (Broadway, 2009, hardcover, 217 pages, $15.64 on Amazon.com) explores why some ideas succeed and others fail. Maney contends the magic formula is a combination of targeting your market correctly and staying true to your goal. Many businesses fail because they don’t make the mutually exclusive choice between convenience (low cost + easy use) and fidelity (premium quality + exclusivity). As he notes, a low-end Mercedes won’t sell, nor would a 5-course McDonalds meal.

The bottom line is deciding what need you want to meet and staying true to your game plan. You can’t be all things to all people. Success often comes fastest when you narrow your goal to meet a specific need. That’s been our experience at DJ Products. Our ergonomically designed carts and tugs won’t do everything, but they do a superior job of getting things from point A to point B without straining taxing your workers. Find out more at DJ Products.com.

The first doses of H1N1 vaccine are beginning to be distributed, though in most areas only those at greatest risk are eligible for vaccination. Hopefully, supply levels will soon allow vaccination of the general public. There is concern, however, that vaccinations won’t keep up with spread of the new virus. Businesses are being urged to implement a flu policy and prepare a sick-day plan if Swine Flu hits.

The pervasiveness of H1N1 and fears that it could become more lethal could take a toll on your workforce. The issue isn’t limited to coping with the extra workload caused by sick workers. Sick children or closed schoolscould also keep employees home. Some employees may not have enough sick or vacation days to cover unexpected absences and may report to work sick, spreading infection. Smart employers will consider possible scenarios ahead of time, establish guidelines for employees and managers, educate employees about flu prevention, and advise employees of company policies before the flu strikes.

Local Red Cross and County Health Departments may have educational literature or instructional videos you can use to educate employees. Some also offer employee workshop presentations that can be scheduled at your place of business.

In setting flu policies, health experts suggest considering:

• Encourage employees to get a seasonal flu shot and H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.   
• Instruct employees to stay home if they’re sick; have managers send home sick employees. 
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends waiving policies that require a written doctor’s note in case of illness.
• Prohibiting treats and communal snacks that are not individually wrapped.
• Instruct employees to cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow, not their hands.
• Make hand sanitizer and tissues available.
• Allow sick employees or those caring for sick children to flex hours or work from home.
• The government is urging businesses to abandon policies that penalize workers for multiple absences.