No mean feat.

The manufacturing industry’s experience of the pandemic as a whole is a unique one, to say the least. At a time where so many of the world’s functions, industries and businesses were ground to a halt, the manufacturing industry (and all of those related to its smooth running) is finally being recognized as the essential force that it always has been.

And we’re proud to be working with many of these very businesses; businesses who faced the pandemic head on and, almost without breaking a sweat, have managed to do what they needed to in order to not only survive, but to thrive.

So what’s the secret? When we ask our clients, “What do you believe has been your key to getting through the past year?”, their answer is pretty much the same every time:

Trust.

Trust in your supply chain

Any thriving manufacturing business will tell you that they’d be nothing without a solid supply chain. A supply chain that can be depended on, relationships which have been built on mutual values in the way business is done. A supply chain who you can trust to hold up their end of the bargain, always.

Manufacturing business leaders have been strengthening their supply chains since this whole thing began, when gaping holes were exposed around the world. Priorities have changed. But the importance of this aspect of your business has not – and, thankfully for many of our clients, their now-even-more reliable supply chain is a huge bonus to have come out of Covid-19.

Trust in your vision

The practical aspects of running a manufacturing business are all well and good – but it’s your vision which will keep you focused throughout times of hardship.

The vision may have changed for many manufacturers during the pandemic, if even for the short term (for instance, those who began producing new or different products to meet customer demand; those who parked their own vision for the time being to take a more community-led view for the interim and began producing PPE, hand sanitizer etc). Regardless, whatever the vision might be, having the whole team aligned and trusting in the end goal has ensured that some businesses have achieved things nothing short of amazing.

Trust in your people

Finally, the answer we recruiters are always hoping to hear.

Our clients – and manufacturing businesses in Canada across the board – have any number of brilliant individuals working for them, all of whom have contributed to company success throughout these often troubled times. But, further to just having the talent on board, successful manufacturing businesses have used this time to nurture and support their employees. They’ve played to their people’s strengths, and they’ve trusted them to stick around throughout hard, hectic, or simply uncertain times, with their eyes firmly on the light at the end of the tunnel.

Above all else, it’s the people behind the production line who have been driving manufacturing businesses forward. For us in the staffing and recruiting industry, it’s been incredible watching our clients trust their workforce with the tools, support and resources to do their job to its absolute best – and we continue to watch as they ready themselves to take on the world.

So, there you have it, the not-so-secret secret to so many manufacturer’s success since this all began back in 2020: trust. Trust is what fuels company culture, brings your team together and creates the ability to thrive under adversity. In the manufacturing industry and, frankly, many others.

Do you agree?

In some instances, businesses will work with a consulting agency for a short period of time to manage a project or two, or to address an internal issue. The swift results that are derived from this kind of partnership are often positive and can provide a short-term solution to the problems being faced. 

But have you considered the long-term benefits that this kind of professional relationship can deliver? Working with a consultant once certainly has its merit. However, the results that are gained from working with a consultant over a long period of time, versus the immediate aftermath of a short partnership, can often be much more rewarding. 

Here are the top five long-term rewards of working with a consultant. 

Develop Self-Awareness

Working with a consultant is an acknowledgment that you need assistance helping your business be all that it can. Handing over the reigns of your business to someone else can be nerve-wracking but taking that first step is recognizing that you will benefit from an outsider perspective and not being afraid to ask for it. 

Developing this kind of self-awareness is an important interpersonal skill to master. Not only will you be more willing to reach out to a coach or consultant when you need help, but this sentiment may trickle down into other areas of your personal and professional life. Being more self-aware about what is and isn’t working and understanding the steps that need to be taken in order to fix it, is a huge long-term benefit of fostering this kind of relationship. 

Become More Adept at Problem-Solving 

Working with a consultant in the short term largely means that they come in to provide objective, unbiased advice to specific problems that your company is facing. Having this kind of outsider influence is often a welcomed change to your own point of view and can help identify issues that may have never even occurred to you. However, the more you work with a consultant, the more they rub off on you. 

The lessons they teach you over the years could eventually seep into your own management style, making you more able to take on day-to-day problems on your own.

Improve Your Leadership Style

Even if the reason you called in a consultant had nothing to do with your leadership abilities, working with someone that has strong leadership qualities can prove to be very helpful. Consultants are natural leaders, and they can indirectly influence your own methods and potentially change them for the better. 

There is no one way to be a leader but adjusting your approach by taking elements from differing styles can turn into something truly unique and powerful. This can take some time, but reveals a definite upside of maintaining a long-term relationship.

Grow Your Network

By the very nature of their job title, consultants typically have many high-level executives, other business owners and various professionals in their networks. When you collaborate with a consultant, the possibility            of being exposed to other professionals and potentially growing your network in meaningful ways is always present. 

Working with a consultant not only means that you will have them in your professional network, but it opens up the opportunity to meet a truly endless network of people who may be beneficial to you in some way. Who knows: you could meet your next employee or executive through your consultant’s network, without it even being the original goal to do so. 

They Can Become a Mentor

Interacting with a consultant on a professional, transactional basis is one thing, but some partnerships can go so much further than that. There is always an opportunity for a consultant to become more like a mentor or someone that helps with personal development. Finding a mentor can be life-changing: more than three-quarters of those who work with a mentor believe this kind of relationship to be beneficial to growth.

Do you think your company would benefit from the help of a business consultant? Next Level Group would be more than happy to help provide expert advice to help grow your business. Contact us today to get started.

When working with a business coach, it’s imperative that you are clear on your expectations and requirements right from the start. Business coaches can do their jobs much better having increased feedback and communication with their clients. Asking the right questions before you begin working together not only offers insight into whether or not they will be a good match for your specific needs, but it allows the business coach to get to know you and your company better, therefore providing more personalized support.

If you are considering collaborating with a business coach, here are the top five questions you should ask them. 

What is your coaching ideology?

Every business coach has their own approach and should be able to succinctly explain what their process is when asked. Even though all of their clients have unique needs, many business coaches will likely approach each situation with a similar philosophy. Getting to know how your consultant thinks and will approach your company’s issues is a good way to pre-emptively decide if the relationship will work in the long term. 

If you aren’t in sync right from the beginning, it’s only a matter of time before problems arise. Identifying shared or differing values in the initial meeting is critical in order to avoid problems down the line. This will benefit both parties in the end.

How many clients have you helped in my industry?

The more experience a business coach has within your specific industry, the more likely they are to be successful in helping you. Putting your company into someone else’s hands can be a nerve-wracking ide, so you want to know they have relevant knowledge and have honed their technique.

The coaches at Next Level Group have helped countless companies improve their practices and grow their overall business. We know that reputation and industry know-how are very important in a consultant – it allows us to help our clients be the best they can be. 

Can you help me balance my professional and personal life?

Some coaches are all about business: identifying problems, adjusting practices and increasing profitability. While it isn’t a bad thing to strive for, focusing too much on achieving professional greatness can often mean letting the most important thing fall to the wayside: your personal life. The mark of a great business coach is one who is able to not only help the success of a company, but ensure the work-life balance of those running it. The two go hand in hand: people who are better at managing the personal aspects of their lives become that much better at managing their professional life. Working with a business coach that understands this correlation is in your best interest. 

Can you give me an example of one of your success stories?

Bringing in a consultant typically means there is something not working within your company and addressing those problems can be stressful. Getting to know how your business coach thinks and reacts to difficult situations is one of the best ways to know if you will mesh well, because everyone handles pressure differently.

Similar to the interview question in which candidates are asked to describe a time they encountered a problem and how they solved it, asking your business coach to elaborate on a past success story of theirs is critical. The way they answer will give you insight into how they will approach similar issues when working with your company. This can help determine whether or not you agree with their problem-solving strategy. 

What is your definition of success?

If you are seeking the help of a business coach, it is likely that you are looking to improve the success of your company. However, success looks different to everyone. You may have a clearly defined idea of what success means for your company, or maybe your business coach can help you pinpoint it. Either way, not having a clear idea of what you are working towards, or if your coach is striving for a version of success that doesn’t align with yours, could make it difficult to stay on the right path.

Do you believe your company would benefit from the help of a business coach? If so, reach out to Next Level Group today. Our team of certified business coaches would be happy to lend a hand. Contact us today to get started.

Working with a business coach or consultant is one of the best ways to increase your company’s success. But how do you know if you really need one? 

If things are running smoothly and employees are engaged and motivated, you may be in the clear. However, there are some warning signs that indicate it’s time to welcome a fresh perspective. In fact, many companies turn to the expertise of a good consultant, regardless of the state of their company, just for a regular tune-up. 

Bringing in someone from the outside is not a sign of weakness or incompetence. It is an acknowledgement that aspects of your operation can be improved, and a willingness to do everything you can to actively contribute to your company’s growth.

Here are the top four signs you might need a business consultant on your side. 

You Can’t Identify Your Mission Statement

A company that has a set of unique and comprehensive values and goals will always be more successful than one that does not – they stand out from the competition for this reason. Companies that have a clearly defined mission statement are also logarithmically more appealing to job seekers and employees alike. 79% of job seekers will consider a company’s mission before applying, and 64% of employees note that mission as the number one reason for staying. 

Especially when you have been with an organization for a while, it can be easy for your vision to get muddled along the way, but it does not negate the importance of those goals.  If you are unable to answer clearly what your business objectives, mission and values are, it may be a good idea to consult a business coach. 

They can help you to identify your purpose and reignite your passion for starting the company in the first place to ensure that you have a unique edge against your competition.

Your Employees Aren’t Engaged

Your employees are the backbone of your operation. Having employees that are engaged and motivated is directly associated with lower employee absenteeism, higher profitability and productivity, overall happiness and workplace satisfaction. Understandably, if your employees don’t seem engaged at work, it’s only a matter of time before things go south. Replacing employees can end up costing you a fortune in time, energy and of course, money, so it’s always better to try to address the internal problems before this happens. 

A consultant can help you reconfigure your business model to better serve your employees, making them more comfortable and recognized. Your employees have likely changed over the years and your business practices should also change to reflect their unique needs. Giving your company culture an overhaul with the help of a business consultant could be exactly the update needed to make your employees happy and productive.

You Aren’t Up to Date with Technology

Companies that are up to date with the latest technology and software tend to be more forward-thinking and modern. Often, the reason companies don’t update their technology is because doing so can be daunting. However, keeping up with technology that can help you communicate and collaborate better, both internally and externally, is one of the best ways to stay current and competitive. 

Consultants that are dedicated to the IT sphere can help introduce new technology to your team in comprehensive ways, and help discern which technology will actually empower your business to thrive, rather than make things more complicated. Technology is seemingly changing by the minute, so it is always a good idea to have your finger on the pulse.

You Are Juggling Too Many Projects

Are you launching a new product, redesigning your office and hiring five new employees – all at the same time? When you find motivation, it can be tempting to dive into a bunch of new ideas to upgrade your operation.

Being busy is never a bad thing. However, if you are a smaller business with multiple projects on the go and aren’t able to deliver enough attention to every one of them, it’s almost inevitable that they won’t go as planned. Not having the appropriate resources and manpower available to take on new tasks can end up doing more harm than good, and costing you significant amounts of time and energy. 

When you work with a consultant, you can delegate some amount of responsibility to them, so that you have a little bit more room to breathe and your projects do not suffer. You can trust that a consultant has lots of experience under their belt to advise on a wide range of projects or take them over completely. You will always be in good hands!

Do you think your company could benefit from the help of a business consultant? The certified business coaches at Next Level Group would be happy to help. We have years of experience in offering deserving companies the advice they need to succeed! Contact us today for more information.

From one business owner to another, we understand what it’s like to continually strive for increased success. Working with a business coach is becoming an increasingly more popular practice in the professional world for this exact reason. Especially in the wake of COVID-19 and the subsequent changes to the working landscape, having new professional advice to boost your organization is one way to ensure you re-enter the business world competitive and confident. 

We have looked at some of the less traditional benefits of business coaching, such as a better work-life balance and adapting new behaviours. But what are some of the ways in which they can make your business more logarithmically successful? Read on to find out. 

A Fresh Perspective

A new set of eyes can help you look at existing problems in a new light and allow you to tackle new problems from a different vantage point. This isn’t to say that you aren’t capable of fixing your own problems, but everyone can benefit from a second opinion. Gathering expert influence when you have been doing the same thing for years is an excellent strategy – business coaches can bring to light issues you didn’t even know were there and reveal creative ways to address them. 

Sometimes, when the same person looks at a problem for too long, their vision can become blurred and they can get off track towards finding a solution. A business coach can offer unbiased, objective advice that can help steer you back onto the right path. 

Develop Important Management Skills

A big part of a business coach’s role is to gently highlight what isn’t working within a company. Unfortunately, sometimes what’s not working is the management. However, rather than suggest a change in personnel, they can help you develop critical skills that you may not have had the chance to in previous roles and boost your leadership abilities.

Skills such as delegating tasks, motivating a team of people to work together, and conflict resolution are not necessarily ones that everyone has, or can learn overnight. In this regard, working closely with a professional who is fluent in them can make all the difference. Furthermore, they can also help you feel more comfortable with passing these skills onto your staff in the long term, to create a more engaged and productive team, which will lend itself to more successful operations.

Set Ambitious, But Attainable Goals

The catalyst for change is having clearly defined and realistic goals; otherwise, companies are just treading water. Business coaches will encourage companies to push themselves further into making real change and bringing new levels of success to life. Not only are the goals perhaps more achievable, a coach can put measurable metrics in place and help you adjust your approach to reach those objectives in the most succinct and efficient ways possible. 

They can help you develop a step-by-step plan of action to achieve these goals, as they have helped countless others do the same. It is quite literally their job to help businesses identify and work towards their goals. While handing over the reigns to someone else can be nerve-wracking, it is often in the best interest of your business’ success to do so. 

They Hold You Accountable

Taking the advice of a business coach is one thing – following through with it is another. Having someone to hold you accountable when in a leadership position is an important dynamic to explore. They are on your side and truly invested in your success – and will check up on you make sure you are making the necessary movements. 

It’s easy to say you are going to make changes and then decide against them down the road, with no one to tell you otherwise. Having a business coach as a professional partner that will make sure you are following through with the steps needed to improve your business is the best way to make sure those changes actually happen.

Do you think your company can benefit from the help of a business coach? If you do, consider reaching out to Next Level Group today! In addition to being a key player in staffing in Atlantic Canada, we also have a wealth of business coaches to help your company soar to success. Contact us today to get started. 

As the world slowly begins to reopen, people are becoming increasingly eager for things to return to the way they were before COVID-19 rocked our sense of normalcy. However, getting back to that place (or more likely, something that resembles it) probably won’t be a straight shot. Regardless of whether or not you continued to operate during the pandemic or are picking up where you left off, it could be a good idea to make some adjustments in order to thrive in the new professional landscape. 

Business owners can benefit greatly from the help of consultants during this unparalleled time. During the height of the outbreak, many consultants saw a dip in their workload, but a rebound was expected and is beginning to take shape, as a wide range of businesses are taking the opportunity to rejig their operations. Not only can they offer advice to make the most of the current situation and move forward, they can become a strong professional connection for the future. 

Here are the top reasons why you need a consultant on your side during this new professional climate. 

Experience With Damage Control

While this is everyone’s first round of dealing with COVID-19, you can trust that consultants have more experience in finding ways to get businesses out of tough spots. Whether it be a financial crisis, a company restructuring, changes in management or something else, consultants have seen it all. For this reason, they can offer advice and craft plans of attack that are more likely to yield results, as they are based on experience rather than shooting in the dark. 

Not only do they have experience with mitigating various professional obstacles, they also typically have expertise in a specific industry – making their approach that much more knowledgeable and refined. Consultants that work within the staffing and recruiting realm, such as the ones at NLG, have years of experience working with recruiters and hiring managers to help them make the most of their hiring efforts. 

Offer Objective Advice

For any business owner, anything that threatens the success of your operation can be an extremely stressful and emotional experience. However, it can be helpful to look at the past few months as an opportunity, rather than a setback; you now have the chance to make changes that you may not have had the time or resources for in the past. When it comes to reopening a business after an event such as a global pandemic, it is important to have a fresh set of eyes to look at a problem without the influence of personal bias.

Because they don’t work within your organization, consultants can offer completely objective advice that is reflective of their professional opinion. When business owners make big decisions, they can run the risk of letting their emotions or personal attachments blur the vision of actual improvement. Objective consultants can also help to identify problems a business owner didn’t even know were there, and act as a catalyst for real change to move a business forward. Having someone come in from the outside can ensure that the best decisions are discussed and followed through with. 

Long-Time Professional Partners

Not only can a consultant help you navigate the first few months of reopening and helping you find your footing again, but they are a great addition to any professional network. Sprucing up your business practices with the help of a consultant or business coach every few months is never a bad idea, and you can always give them a call when a problem needs another set of eyes and ears. It’s a professional relationship that only gets better with time!

There are many benefits to having a business coach as a long-term connection. From an improvement to your work-life balance to the internalization of new concepts that you can apply to different areas of your life, they are one professional connection that will pay off again and again. 

Do you think you could benefit from working with a consultant during this transition period? If so, reach out to Next Level Group – we have years of experience with business coaching in the staffing and recruiting realm and would love to lend a hand. You can head to our services page or contact us here.