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Rituals have been part of civilization for thousands of years with social rituals providing emotional comfort and belonging, group cohesion and to practice solidarity. Simply said, they shape and bind a society together.
This evolves by combining a sequence of 'ritual' activities involving words, gestures, actions and sometimes revered objects. Their purpose is varied and can include strengthening social bonds, supporting the emotional needs of followers or fulfilment of religious ideals or obligations.
Rituals do matter!
They influence our behaviours playing a part in our everyday lives, by providing purpose, direction and connection.
Just think about it! Most of us are creatures of habits, with regular rituals. For some, its a morning coffee and reading the paper, while others, such as sport stars, have rituals, routines and habits on game day to help them prepare. Births, Weddings, Funerals, Festivals and seasonal ceremonies are examples of social rituals we observe. 
It's no different in the Workplace there are existing rituals but there is the scope to create new ones!
- A workplace is described as a community of people working towards a common goal, and like other communities uses rituals to help build rapport, stay aligned, and improve motivation.
- Workplace rituals designed to increase employee engagement when followed by the team have the power to influence and positively impact outcomes. Rituals boost company culture as they make employees feel more connected to their colleagues and the organization.
What are Workplace Rituals and Why do they Matter – The Benefits!
Workplace rituals include:
- gatherings, like Team Meetings
- award presentations
- Leadership Workshops
- birthday milestones
- ‘set’ Staff Friday lunch dates
Rituals matter because they can:
- shape, define and build company culture
- help during times of change and uncertainty
- boost focus and increase creativity
- help recognise your Team
- motivate and unite Teams to excel
- provide opportunities to come together
The Benefits:
- allow us to network
- interact with our peers
- share experiences
- build connections and relationships.
- to be part of and engage in a special occasion.
- foster organisational positive behaviours and citizenship
Rituals have the power to positively impact the Workplace by:
It's a fact, that Australia’s economy was built on the passion and productivity of small Business, from the traditional ‘family-run’ corner shops, pubs, cottage industries, farming and more.
With its unique features, the ability to adapt, along with flexibility, creativity and innovation and some risk-taking Small Businesses' have contributed to the economic health and wealth of our society.
In essence, Small Business has been an essential part and backbone of our nation providing a critical source of employment and economic growth that has served us well. And continues to do so!
With recent calls from Federal Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers for improvement in productivity what better time to consider your Business’s productivity performance and potential for growth?
What is P for Productivity! What Does it Mean and Why is it Important for Your Business
Productivity in business is a measure of economic performance that compares the amount of goods and services produced (output) with the amount of ingredients (inputs) used to produce those items. Simply put, ‘the measure of production efficiency’!
Why is Productivity Important?
It is important to us all, as workers and consumers, Business owners and Government policymakers as it shapes our economy’s welfare and ability to support generations now and in the future. At a national level it captures an economy's ability to harness its physical and human resources to generate output and income.
- Productivity means how much you produce by the number of employees or hours worked.
- Productivity growth is described as the process by which people get more, (greater profits & higher wages) from less (less effort, fewer resources, fewer hours at work), overtime.
Many factors affect productivity growth, such as; technological improvements, economies of scale and scope, workforce skills, management practices, changes in other inputs (such as capital), the stage of the business cycle and competitive pressures.
Productivity in Small Business can make it or if lacking can break it!
Being more productive helps grow your Business because it increases profitability, and who doesn’t want the benefits that provides.
6 Tips to Increase Productivity in the Workplace:
- Create a Culture of Productivity
- Aim for Achievement
As we embrace the new frontiers of AI and consider the pros and cons it is timely to remember that Technology has advantages when used for positive purposes!
Already AI has found many applications in our world today, often in such subtle ways that it goes unnoticed, despite its widespread use. From Smartphones, security cameras and the invisible algorithms that control our Internet devices our lives have been transformed for the better, providing greater ease and convenience.
It’s been adopted across Industries such as Finance, Retail, Transportation and Healthcare and into processes, products and services as a tool for improving efficiencies and solving complex problems.
With the progress and surge of rapid advances in Technology you may be asking how does and will they affect me, my Business! Could we, will we be taken over by robots and avatars!
Let’s get started by getting to know more about AI!
What is AI?
AI is a branch of computer science dedicated to creating computers and programs that can replicate human thinking. In simple terms, AI, Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems. Specific applications, components, include natural language processing, speech recognition, expert systems and machine vision.
How does it work?
AI systems generally work by ingesting large amounts of labeled training data, analyzing it for patterns and correlations, then using those patterns to make predictions about future states. Chatbox is an example that if fed the information is creating realistic images, text boxes and music.
Why is it important?
It has the potential to further change our lives and has been used effectively in Business to automate tasks undertaken by humans, such as, quality control, customer service work and fraud detection. Where the task is repetitive, and detail orientated its capabilities include completing jobs quickly and with few errors when analyzing large numbers of documents.
Other advantages include unbiased decision-making and systems 24/7 availability.
AI Examples & Trends - How Businesses can improve and optimize their operations:
- Healthcare: uses AI to improve diagnosis and treatment of diseases and help Providers make more informed decisions.
- Enhance Customer service: Language translation to improve the customer experience such as Chatbox which provides quick and convenient assistance and support at any time.
- Software development: to create new products and services, such as AI powered digital assistants to help people with disabilities undertake tasks.
- Voice Assistants: Instagram and YouTube home pages use AI to create personalised content for their users.
- Automate routine tasks: Performs repetitive jobs quickly and efficiently, that are otherwise mundane for humans
- Streamline operations: AI can be implemented to improve productivity, reduce waste and enhance processes such as used in manufacturing to detect defects.
Issues, Disadvantages:
If this was a Superhero story you might say Technology is a hero, the 'good guy' fighting and striving’ to provide many ‘good’ benefits for mankind, including a better tomorrow. It has the power to change the way we do things and already is and has!
Technology, on a daily basis influences how we work, live and play, communicate, commute and create.
But there is the other side! the Bad and Ugly!
Can you believe it is mankind itself through misuse or abuse that is more likely to cause adverse effects, the negative, darker side!
Simply put, how we choose to use Technology will help or harm us!
The Good
On the good side we are better connected, informed and alive with the adoption of technological tools.
The benefits:
- improved communication systems
- improved business agility
- no digital boundaries allows Business to operate from anywhere at anytime
- automation and productivity gains
- shopping convenience
- increased revenue streams
- better learning and educational systems
- social connectivity
- support for working remotely
Every aspect of our lives is influenced in some way, as individuals and in Business in our communications, manufacturing, time management, transport, Health & Medical.
The Bad, the Ugly
For most, the bad and ugly side is Technology misuse.
- Technology produces and ‘spawns’ fake news and misinformation. ‘Fakers’ are more active and messaging so easily disseminated it is difficult to distinguish what to believe or disbelieve. This creates misunderstanding, skepticism and mistrust. Not a healthy environment.
- Scammers are out to get you. The digital technology created to improve and streamline many areas of our lives is being abused by scammers ready to fleece you of your money and identity. ‘Fake’ texts, emails and computer hacking pose major threats to our economy and wellbeing.
The ATO is urging small businesses that have overdue income tax returns, fringe benefits tax returns or business activity statements to take advantage of its amnesty to get back on track with their tax obligations if they have fallen behind.
The amnesty applies to tax obligations that were originally due between 1 December 2019 and 28 February 2022 and runs from 1 June 2023 to 31 December 2023.
To be eligible for the amnesty, the small business must be an entity with an aggregated turnover of less than $10 million at the time the original lodgment was due.
During this time, eligible small businesses can lodge their eligible overdue forms and the ATO will then proactively remit any associated failure to lodge (FTL) penalties.
When forms are lodged with the ATO under the amnesty, businesses or their tax professionals will not need to separately request a remission of FTL penalties.
The ATO also encourage all businesses to lodge any overdue forms even if they are outside the eligibility period. Whilst forms outside the amnesty eligibility criteria will attract FTL penalties, the ATO will consider your circumstances and may remit such penalties on a case-by-case basis.
The amnesty applies to income tax returns, business activity statements, and fringe benefits tax returns.
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