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Categories for General Business News

  • How Businesses Can Adapt, Grow During COVID-19

    Posted Date December 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    In order to survive – and even thrive – during these unprecedented times, small businesses have had to find new ways to make money. The UPS Store’s Small Biz Buzz survey found that 41 percent of small businesses in the United States took steps to modify their businesses in hopes of survival. Fifteen percent provided customers with curbside delivery options, 28 percent moved to online sales as their primary source of sales, and 65 percent made a concerted effort to grow their e-commerce capabilities. More than 50 percent of those polled by a U.S. Census Bureau Small Business Pulse Survey... View Article

  • How to Effectively On-board & Train Employees Virtually

    Posted Date November 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    With COVID-19 still requiring remote working, companies that effectively on-board new workers retain their workers longer, have better worker performance and increase their profits by almost 100 percent, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. However, there are many considerations that companies should take during this important process. For remote orientations, a welcome package that discusses the company’s products or services can be emailed to attendees prior to the live introduction. It’s also imperative that essential employees for the new hires (training and supervisors, for example) and existing employees who they will be working with are on the virtual meeting... View Article

  • Plan for Business Continuity if Second Wave of COVID Hits

    Posted Date October 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    With winter around the corner and the threat of seasonal viruses looming, a second wave of COVID-19 poses a real threat to our health and business operations, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal that the 2019-2020 flu season took 24,000 lives and sickened 39 million individuals. Then when we add the fact that there are children who might not be receiving vaccinations – be it for the measles, whooping cough, and others – due to COVID-19, the risk for infections multiply. Based on these factors, there’s a real possibility of... View Article

  • Three Strategies Companies Can Implement to Recover Faster

    Posted Date September 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    Small businesses nationwide were already facing cash problems before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to McKinsey & Company. The firm found that almost one-third of small businesses were either seeing losses or making just enough to stay in business, but not realizing profitability. Looking at businesses selling essential and non-essential items, McKinsey & Company reports that before satisfying their “interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization” obligations and accountings, they were facing challenging times. When it comes to selling essential items, such as food, business owners in this industry only had margins of 5 percent. For businesses selling non-essential items, this sector saw... View Article

  • How to Develop an Employee Leave Policy During COVID-19

    Posted Date August 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    According to the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act addresses how select businesses must give their workers paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under permitted circumstances in light of COVID-19. Effective starting April 1, 2020, the following will be in effect through Dec. 31, 2020. 1. If the worker cannot perform his duties because he is relegated to a quarantine, as mandated by a medical professional or a local, state or federal government, or if he is symptomatic with COVID-19 and seeking a diagnosis to confirm it, he... View Article

  • Hiring in the Age of Coronavirus

    Posted Date July 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    The U.S. job market gained 2.5 million jobs during the month of May, dropping the unemployment rate to 13.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s likely been a lot of rehiring, with more to come as the economy continues reopening. However, until social distancing becomes a thing of the past, hiring effectively will take some pivoting during the pandemic. Finding Candidates Virtually Employers looking to interview and hire candidates can take advantage of LinkedIn during the pandemic. Along with providing a branding opportunity, the platform gives businesses a hybrid social media and marketing tool. Leveraging 1st... View Article

  • Understanding the Federal Government’s Proposal for Opening Up Again

    Posted Date June 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    After seeing a peak and then a sustained decline in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths resulting from COVID-19, the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rolled out a three-tier approach to get the nation back to its pre-coronavirus economic activities. While this program is led by the Federal Government, it is ultimately up to governors how they will reopen states and localities. However, there are some universal criteria that states must follow to gradually reopen the economy.    Before transitioning from the stay-at-home orders to the three phases, certain criteria must be met. In order... View Article

  • Understanding the High-Low Method

    Posted Date May 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    When it comes to cost accounting, the high-low method is an approach that’s used to break mixed costs into either a variable or fixed cost. Although it’s straightforward, it’s important to do multiple analyses because outlier costs from the available data can sometimes misconstrue operating costs. This calculation occurs by looking at the periods with the most and least activity, as well as the total costs for both the high and low periods. In order to get results for the high-low method, the variable cost and the fixed cost must be determined first. Once these are established, they are entered... View Article

  • CARES Act – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

    Posted Date April 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    U.S. Government Provides Relief to Individuals, Businesses in Midst of COVID-19 Crisis On March 27, President Donald Trump signed into law a historic $2 trillion stimulus package designed to provide economic relief to individuals and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Our aim in this alert is to give a brief overview of both the tax and non-tax provisions of the government’s new stimulus legislation, including what type of assistance is available for individuals and businesses, how to apply for it, and what to do if you become unemployed. The summary is divided into two sections, one for individuals and... View Article

  • 4 Common Liquidity Ratios in Accounting

    Posted Date March 1, 2020 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    One way a business can manage its books and viability in the near and long terms is to see how liquid its assets are. Businesses that have better cash positions are naturally geared toward sustaining continued success. One important reason for a business to measure and maintain healthy levels of liquidity is because it promotes better odds that a company will be able to satisfy its short-term debts. There are many ways business can accomplish this, and below are four common ways it can be done.   Current Ratio One of the few liquidity ratios is what’s known as the... View Article

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