A common saying, “The buck stops here”, accurately describes those who are at the top of the heap in the day-to-day operations of businesses based throughout the nation. Although most people view employers as those who simply have the power to hire and fire them, the responsibilities of being the boss run the gamut – including the handling of wages and benefits, labor-management relations, workplace safety issues, disability compliance, tolerance training and the administration of budgets.
Computer technology has both streamlined and complicated these duties. Thanks to e-mail, PDA’s, laptops and cell phones, employers now run their companies more efficiently and, as a bonus, have almost-instant access to employees during non-working hours. On the other hand, these same high-tech business tools provide employees with easy access to the Internet, family, friends and other contacts conducive to the conducting of personal business while on the job. Employers must tread water in the balancing act of maximizing profits, while exercising sensitivity to their employees’ desires to contact children and day care providers, schedule doctor’s appointments, make online purchases, monitor airfares and conduct other household business during working hours. Though some employers rigidly forbid personal use of the company’s computers, others allow some flexibility to employees; or they provide designated computers for personal use during scheduled breaks and lunch times.
However, the desire to increase morale and maintain a relaxed working environment has led laid-back employers to allow employee discretion with relationship to the personal use of company computers, as long as productivity is not significantly affected. As a strategy to retain talented and efficient workers, this tactic creates a less stressful atmosphere and encourages workers to feel comfortable during their long hours on the job. Of course, these accommodating companies have scrutinized the computer security issues involved, and put into place the appropriate technology designed to prevent inadvertent computer access to hackers.
Successful employee-oriented companies, like Google, have taken this thinking a few steps further. In addition to offering excellent salary and benefits packages, they have created a comfortable, employee-oriented atmosphere on the job. A great deal of freedom is given to employees; and micro-management is discouraged. As a result, creative “outside the box” thinking is encouraged to flow in a relaxed, low-stress environment. Perks for employees at Google include free gourmet cafeteria cuisine, free state-of-the-art fitness centers, free language lessons, flexible schedules and tremendous latitude in a number of areas. Productivity and morale are remarkably high, as is the retention rate of employees.
This unique business model is among those discussed and taught in a number of MBA programs. Employers with an MBA generally have an advantage in managing a business and making the best decisions for generating increased profits. Accredited online MBA degrees are the perfect fit for the hands-on employer who does not have time to attend traditional classes on a college campus. Online degree students may study at their own pace at a location of their choosing, as long as a computer with Internet access is available. Accredited online degrees are plentiful on the findmixdegree.space web site; and areas of concentration for the online MBA degree include information technology, computer information systems, e-business, accounting & finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, global management and others.
