Making Sure Your Staff Are Performing to the Best of Their Ability

Julie Starr • March 21, 2022



When you take on staff, you take on a lot of responsibility and work in simply managing them. While staff will form the backbone of your business, keeping the cogs turning and pushing things forward, they also need to know what is expected of them and to be provided with everything they need to perform to the best of their ability. As a business owner, it’s your job to ensure that these boxes are being ticked. Here are some areas to focus on to ensure that your staff can perform well and benefit your business as best possible.

Ensure Responsibilities and Expectations are Clear

The first step to ensuring that your team is performing well is to make sure that your definition of “performing well” is clear. Your staff members need to know what is expected of them in order to organize their time, work, and performance to reach the goals expected of them. This is where KPIs can come into play. KPIs are “key performance indicators” and they essentially set the bar that you expect your employees to reach. Each KPI you set should be realistic and achievable. Purposefully setting goals that are too high can cause staff burnout and job dissatisfaction, as people feel under too much pressure. You should also set clear deadlines for tasks to ensure that your staff knows when projects and other work will be due. This also helps with performance monitoring using an online assessment platform , allowing you to provide more work if your employee doesn’t have enough to do and to intervene and resolve problems if KPIs aren’t being met.

Provide Team Building Opportunities

As the old saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Your team needs to work together well to be as productive as possible. Sure, individual brilliance is desirable and your employees do need to be able to work independently to get individual elements of tasks completely. But they also need to work together for group projects to come to life. It’s important to note that, sometimes, you will have to get involved to encourage teams to work together seamlessly. People are only human and, often, team members may find it difficult to break the ice and get talking. At other times, there may be conflicts that need to be resolved. Here are some suggestions that can help with both of these situations.

Arrange Team Building Activities

Let’s start with breaking the ice. The best way to achieve this is team building activities and there are a number of ways you can approach this. Some companies choose to do regular, short team building activities that get people engaged with one another on a regular basis. Simple and straightforward ideas include coffee breaks, walks to get outside and chat with one another, ice breaker conversations, and more. Others prefer large-scale events, perhaps annually or bi-annually. These can include full-blown team-building days, packed with activities. If you like, you can try a combination of the two.

Have Conflict Resolution Strategies in Place

If employees are having conflict with one another, you need to do what you can to resolve this and get everyone back on neutral territory. HR departments are great at managing this, so try to make sure you have a HR team or specialist within your company. Strategies can include supervised conversations in a private and confidential environment, as well as steps such as separating staff members who particularly cannot get on.

Provide the Right Software and Tools

Keeping up to date with the most recent software and tools can help your employees to perform as best possible. You can have the most skilled and competent team in the world, but if they don’t have what it takes to complete their jobs to a high standard, they’re not going to be able to work their best. Of course, when managing different roles and departments, you may need suggestions when it comes to keeping on top of all of this information. Ask members of each team to fill in regular surveys detailing whether the software you’re providing is up to scratch and, if not, to make recommendations that could resolve issues the individual or team is having. You may want to make these surveys anonymous, as people can often avoid being completely honest with their answers if they think there could be some sort of personal repercussion.

These are just a few steps you can take to help your teamwork to the best of their ability at all times. Keep them in mind and try them out – they could really help to get the ball rolling!

Blockchain for Sustainability: Cutting Through the Hype with Strategic Communication

By Julie Starr • April 28, 2025
As blockchain continues to gain traction in sustainability circles—from tracking carbon credits to improving supply chain transparency—more organizations are exploring how these emerging tools might support their ESG goals. But with innovation comes complexity, and for many stakeholders, blockchain still feels like a black box. That’s where communication becomes essential. At Taiga Company, we work with clients to simplify complex sustainability narratives without oversimplifying the value. While blockchain can offer traceability and transparency, it’s not a silver bullet—and how you talk about these technologies matters just as much as how you use them. Poor communication can undermine credibility, especially in a landscape where stakeholders and regulators are increasingly alert to greenwashing . On the other hand, clear, honest messaging about blockchain-enabled sustainability efforts can build trust and differentiate your leadership. Our approach is grounded in materiality and alignment. We help organizations: Translate technical tools like blockchain into plain language that resonates with diverse audiences Connect new technologies to core sustainability strategy Craft credible narratives that evolve alongside innovation Blockchain may be new territory, but strategic communication remains the foundation. Whether you're piloting traceability tools or just starting to explore how blockchain fits your ESG roadmap, we help you tell the story with clarity and confidence. Let’s make innovation meaningful.

6 Things All Modern Businesses Need in 2025

By Julie Starr • April 22, 2025
If you’re starting your own business, then you know all too well that it’s equally an exciting and overwhelming time. There’s so much to think about, and you want to get it right from day one. But it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as you might think. Let’s go through everything your new business needs to hit the ground running this year. A Clear Business Plan Before anything else, take the time to figure out your game plan. This doesn’t need to be a long, boring document that you’ll never look at again. Think of it as a simple guide that answers three key questions: Who are you selling to? What are you offering? And how are you going to get noticed? Once you’ve written that down, you can always tweak it as your business grows. From a communications standpoint, clarity on your audience and value proposition also sets the foundation for authentic brand storytelling—something Taiga Company helps clients refine at every stage. Responsible Financial Management Money is one of those things that can make or break a business. The good news is you don’t need a finance degree to get it right. Start with a simple budget. Know how much is coming in, what’s going out, and what you’re setting aside. Think about things like stock, marketing, bills and wages if you’re hiring. Keep it realistic and keep it updated. Doing this from day one will make life much easier later. Reliable Cloud Services In 2025, storing everything on your laptop isn’t really a safe bet. Files go missing, computers break, and you don’t want to lose important stuff. That’s where cloud services come in. They keep your files secure, backed up and easy to access from anywhere. Whether it’s documents, customer info or creative work, having it all saved online gives you peace of mind. And when you're building a business in a digital-first world, having secure, accessible assets also means your team can collaborate more efficiently across channels—essential for strong communications. Flexible Payment Options Most people don’t carry cash anymore, so if you’re only accepting it, you’re going to lose sales. Get yourself a card reader that takes all the usual stuff like debit cards, credit cards, contactless and Apple Pay. The easier you make it for someone to pay you, the more likely they are to buy. Simple as that. A Basic Website Even if you’re not selling online, you still need a website. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just something that tells people who you are, what you do, and how they can contact you. Think of your site as your digital front door. If someone hears about your business, chances are they’ll look you up online. Make sure what they find actually helps them. A clear website is also one of the most powerful communication tools your business has. We work with clients to ensure their digital presence reflects their story, purpose, and value. A Way to Spread the Word You can’t rely on people just stumbling across your business. You’ve got to put yourself out there. Social media is a great start, but don’t stop there. Think email newsletters , posters in your local area or even just chatting about your work whenever it comes up naturally. The more you talk about your business, the more others will too. Starting a business in 2025 is a big move, but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Get the basics in place, stay flexible and keep learning. With the right tools and the right message, you can build momentum and create connection. Taiga Company helps growing businesses translate operational essentials into brand trust and long-term impact.