Business : Testing, Certification & Business Tools News

7 Things Every Construction Contract Should Have

When two parties begin talking about a contract, the general assumption is that the client has already found the right contractor for their project or vice versa. But depending on the details exchanged during the preceding meetings, it may not always be the case. Sometimes, both parties don’t get a

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The Best Promotional Items for Your Staff and Remote Teams

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, remote work has become increasingly popular globally. Likewise, most companies’ policies on remote work have changed as a result of multiple lockdowns. But, like your clients, you can keep your staff and remote teams happy through brand promotion even during this critical phase. Give them

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How To Have A Successful Construction Project

Building and developing land is a rewarding career but also requires a lot of hard work. Creating any type of structure requires careful attention to detail and the right skill set and knowledge. If you want to have a successful construction project and outcome then there are a few steps

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Latest Issue
Issue 326 : Mar 2025

Business : Testing, Certification & Business Tools News

7 Things Every Construction Contract Should Have

When two parties begin talking about a contract, the general assumption is that the client has already found the right contractor for their project or vice versa. But depending on the details exchanged during the preceding meetings, it may not always be the case. Sometimes, both parties don’t get a full grasp of what they’re getting into until they’re presented with a detailed contract. But if a contract appears to be too simple, there may be something lacking. Contracts should serve as legal protection for both parties in case something unexpected happens such as disputes or disagreements. But more importantly, it should make the terms of services crystal clear for both parties. If you’re working with a construction service provider for a project, your contract should have the following vital provisions to make sure it will serve its purpose well when issues arise. 1. The Scope Of Work Aside from the job description, the construction contract should also indicate in detail the service provider’s job responsibilities and their extent. Because of the amount of detail it usually entails, the scope of work sometimes has an entire page on its own, attached as a part of the contract. It should include Work stages Task descriptions Timeframes Periodic deliverables A detailed scope of work will reduce future discrepancies especially when it comes to what the service provider should or shouldn’t do. It should be error-free, accurate, and complete. Otherwise, a time-consuming amendment will have to be done later. To be more precise, it may also include an exclusions clause, which will specify in detail the tasks that are not part of the service provider’s responsibilities. 2. The Contract Duration Often called the ‘time is of the essence’ or TOE clause, this emphasizes the importance of the timeframe both parties agreed to in a project. This usually contains an enforceable commencement date and completion date, which is the best solution to prevent project delays and added costs. This also means that delays, in case they occur, may be used by clients as grounds to cancel the service or the contract. 3. Terms of Payment Another provision in a construction contract that requires as many details as possible is the terms of payment. It should include the total amount payable once the services are completed, including the breakdown and schedule of payments. This clause should also indicate the actions that both parties may take when payment issues occur such as delays, incomplete payments, or failure to pay. These terms should be clear in the contract, including any percentage that the client can hold until the successful completion of the contracted work. 4. Limitation Of Liability When issues that can cause disagreement between the contracting parties arise, the limitation of liability (LOL) clause will help avoid further disputes. It acts as a waiver in the event of consequential damages and losses, helps avoid litigations, and puts a cap on the extent of compensation that either party may be liable to in such events. However, both parties will usually have to negotiate this part of the contract, especially for larger scale projects. If you’re not certain about what’s reasonable and what’s not, it’s best to contact a business law attorney Miami to make sure you won’t be getting the short end of the stick. 5. The Indemnity Clause Similar to the limitation of liability, an indemnity clause or hold harmless clause addresses the issue of losses and damages throughout the contract period. However, unlike the LOL clause that protects the service provider more, the indemnity clause protects both parties. Essentially, indemnity clauses are a form of risk management that transfers liabilities. When one party commits an action that poses risks to the other party, the party that committed the act cannot involve the other party in their legal responsibilities. This clause may be written with the limitation of liability and should include the trigger events, the responsible parties, and the extent or limit of coverage. 6. Dispute Resolution Clause It’s essential for a contract to stipulate how parties will resolve disputes if and when they arise. It reduces the chances of the project stalling when parties can’t seem to agree on how to go about an issue or conflict. The standard dispute resolution methods include arbitration, mediation, litigation, and adjudication. Even though the contracting parties aren’t anticipating anything to go wrong during the contract period, it’s always best to be prepared. A dispute may arise years after the project is complete, especially if the contract failed to include a vital provision. With the dispute resolution clause in place, when issues arise, both parties will be able to resolve them faster. It may also help salvage work relationships that may have been affected by disputes. 7. Termination Clause Having to terminate a service provided for a project is often complex, especially when a contract lacks this clause. The termination clause indicates the situations under which either party may end the contract, including their obligations. This allows the contracting parties to terminate their agreement mutually when the other party is in breach. It should briefly discuss the process that leads to termination, such as issuing a notice, a warning, and even a short period that provides an opportunity for the other party to rectify their violation. This section of the contract must be specific to ensure that each party understands the circumstances that may warrant the contract to end. Takeaway A construction contract should be as detailed as possible and should have provisions that are fair for both parties. When drafted properly, this contract is what will help you facilitate a smooth project with realistic and enforceable timeframes. It will minimise disputes, help resolve issues promptly, and create a better sense of responsibility from both parties when it comes to their obligations. More importantly, it will help protect you against potential legal entanglements in the future. To make sure your construction contract is legally binding, you can seek the assistance of a legal professional in your jurisdiction.

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Improve Your Construction Business For Clients With These Steps

Are you interested in pushing your construction business to new heights? If so, then you need to improve it for your clients. Here are some key options to consider.  Give Them More Choice First, you need to think about giving them more choice and more control over a project that you take on. When a client comes to you, they probably have an idea of that type of project that they are looking to create. You should be ready to bring this idea to fruition and keep their concept intact as much as possible. You might want to give them choices in other areas too such as providing them with more ways that they can pay for your services. For instance, you might want to let them pay with cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum Classic. What is Ethereum Classic (ETC)? It’s one of the most valuable cryptos on the market today and you will be surprised how many businesses accept it as a form of payment.  Improve Your Connections  When clients use your services, they want to feel connected to your business. They want to receive regular updates and ensure that you are constantly giving them progress reports on a project that you are working on. If you take this step, you can all but guarantee that clients will have a positive experience. You might even earn a key referral that could provide you with a future boost on the market. One of the ways that you can improve connectivity in your business is by ensuring that you invest in a cloud server. A cloud server will allow you to transfer information and docs to clients remotely, in real time. They can sign a document digitally in seconds and this is going to speed everything up at the same time.  Make Your Business More Efficient  Next, you should focus on ensuring that your construction business is as efficient as possible. In doing so, you can guarantee that you will be able to cut the costs and therefore offer your clients far better rates for your services which is always going to be hugely beneficial. Furthermore, clients are often interested in doing their part to help the environment. They want to know that they are using companies that do not have massive carbon footprints that jeopardise their commitment here.  Explore New Tech Options  Finally, you might want to think about the latest technology available on the market that you could use to improve the service that you provide to your clients. A key example of this would be virtual reality. While VR is still a rapidly evolving type of tech, it’s already being used by larger construction businesses. It gives clients a way to visualise the finished building or project in a way that is highly accessible and immersive. It could help you land a major contract with a client over a competitor that they might have been considering at the same time.  We hope this helps you understand everything that you need to think about when improving your construction business for your clients, reshaping what you can offer them on the market. 

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BBA awards first ever certification for rainscreen double layering and below DPCs to Knauf Insulation

Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has earned the industry’s first BBA certification for double layering and for use below the damp proof course (DPC), making it certified for the broadest range of build-ups of any rainscreen solution on the market. “We know how much contractors value the peace of mind that comes from BBA certification,” said Luke Davies, Product Manager at Knauf Insulation. “Our RainScreen Slab is already certified for use in steel frames and behind masonry. Adding these applications and installation methods means customers can rely on Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab to provide a robust and durable solution, certified for all common rainscreen build-ups.” Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is a non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool slab with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, which means it complies with the strictest requirements of Approved Document B for dwelling buildings over 18m tall. It is available in the widest range of thicknesses up to 250mm, with a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab can be used in situations where it bridges the DPCs of the inner and outer leaf because it does not absorb water by capillary action. It is manufactured with a water repellent additive which also preserves its integrity while exposed during construction, and it has been wind load tested by the Building Research Establishment to a maximum design pressure of 3,600Pa or 76m/s – the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane. The BBA certification also covers timber frame applications with a masonry outer leaf, and on reinforced concrete substrates. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is optimised for ease of installation. The improved robustness of the product makes it easy to manoeuvre in place, while still being able to adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate. The product is supported with extensive installation guides, which cover the double layering and below DPC applications. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is manufactured using ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, which contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. Mineral Wool insulation made with ECOSE® Technology is more environmentally friendly than insulation made using traditional oil-based binders. It is also soft to touch, easy to handle, and it generates low levels of dust and VOCs. For more information on Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab, visit https://www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/rainscreen-solutions To speak with a member of the Knauf Insulation Technical Support Team about your project call 01744 766 666.

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The Best Promotional Items for Your Staff and Remote Teams

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, remote work has become increasingly popular globally. Likewise, most companies’ policies on remote work have changed as a result of multiple lockdowns. But, like your clients, you can keep your staff and remote teams happy through brand promotion even during this critical phase. Give them some practical and impressive promotional items. Such products will make your remote workers feel valued. Once they feel valued, they will work with increased enthusiasm and drive to take your company forward. Below is a list of some of the best promotional items to give your staff and remote teams. 1. Coffee Mugs and Tumblers Almost everyone needs a cup of refreshing coffee in the morning. Your employees will enjoy having it in an oversized coffee mug and tumbler. You can give away coffee mugs in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes. In addition, a custom, double-wall insulated coffee tumbler can keep beverages hot/cold for even 6 hours. 2. Personalized Office Supplies Your remote workers tend not to have an entire set of ready office supplies. So, you can supply all-inclusive office kits as promotional itemsto customers, employees, and the target market. They consist of every small thing that your employees might need to be effective and organised throughout the entire working day. A stationery set can be a great option as it usually contains a notebook, touch pen, paper clips, small binder clips, and medium binder clips in different colours. Your workers can even fit it inside purses, tote bags, backpacks, handbags, and oversized pockets. You can imprint every set with your brand logo design. 3. Wholesale Desk organisers Remote working can be relaxing but also disorganised for some employees. They may even misplace or lose small items. You can mitigate these risks by giving them desk organisers. Employees can use them on their tables to keep an organised environment.  In addition, desk organisers significantly decrease clutter because they come with different storage compartments and are ergonomically designed. This way, your remote workers get a storage place for small, medium, and extensive office supplies. They can keep sticky notes, scissors, paper clips, rulers, pens, pencils, compasses, highlighters, phones, business cards, and calculators closely. As they are available in a wide variety of colours and sizes, you can easily win over remote workers by giving them away as promotional items. 4. Mobile Phone Stands and Chargers Mobile phone technology is omnipresent. Almost everyone uses a mobile phone these days. You can get your employees promotional cell phone stands and USB or lightning charger cables. These come in various colours, shapes, sizes, and styles. These will also help boost employee productivity. The phone stand helps people use phones when charging them. There are personalised phone stands and chargers that are compatible with almost any USB port, meaning people can use them with any laptop they have at home. You can imprint each of them with a logo to make them unique to your business.   5. Ear Buds and organiser Kit Remote working comes with another big challenge, i.e., staying productive in a homely ambience with plenty of distractions. Earbuds or headphones are a perfect solution to this problem. They come in various colours and sizes so you can make your whole team feel special. When you give away earbuds as promotional items, workers can hook these up to their mobile phones or computers, helping them focus on their work better. No employee likes to have background noise distracting attendees from listening to what they have to say on a conference call, and no employee likes getting too distracted by background noise to listen to what someone is saying. Earbuds solve both problems.  The earbuds are small enough to perfectly fit in a small tote bag, pocket, desk drawer, and purse and are thus an excellent item to use in a home office. You are fortunate to have a skilled team of remote workers during this global Covid19 pandemic. Giving them promotional items is one of the best ways for you to express your gratitude. As they strive hard to deliver their best performance and take your company forward, giving them something makes them feel special and valued. Giving away promotional itemsto your staff and remote workers can be a grand gesture of employee appreciation. As an added bonus, it also helps in brand promotion and keeps your business in their mind and the minds of their friends and relatives when they see what you’ve done for your employees.

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How To Have A Successful Construction Project

Building and developing land is a rewarding career but also requires a lot of hard work. Creating any type of structure requires careful attention to detail and the right skill set and knowledge. If you want to have a successful construction project and outcome then there are a few steps you must follow in the process. Your goal is for all to go smoothly and run into as few issues and glitches as possible. The right approach and considering particular factors that play a role in how it goes will be key to a successful end result. Make A Plan As a property developer, you must have a business plan in place and an idea of what you want to achieve before you tackle your construction project. Write it down and be specific about the details about how you’ll get from one step to the next. Make a to-do list and a timeline for what needs to be done and by when. Outline how you want the structure to look and who you’ll work with to design it. Think through all the resources and requirements you’ll need to ensure your project turns out well and on time. Create A Budget You can have a successful construction project by creating and following a budget. Your end goal is to be profitable and not struggling to make up for losses. You must know what money you have to work with and how much funding you’ll need to make your vision a reality. Consider turning to a company such as Salboy to get the money you need to follow through with your construction project. You need the right support and financing if you’re going to be able to meet your goals and objectives. Hire the Right Team Your construction project will be more successful when you have a skilled team of workers to help you get your structure up and running. Make sure you vet the right people for the job and hire workers who you trust to get the project done efficiently and correctly. Conduct interviews and know your worker’s skill sets and abilities so you have people assigned to the project who can execute the plans properly. You want to minimize the risk for any errors or setbacks so you can stay within budget and your projected timeline. To streamline this process, consider partnering with a construction staffing agency. They can provide quick access to pre-vetted professionals skilled in commercial construction, ensuring your project stays on track without the hassle of extensive individual screenings. This way, you focus more on the project’s progress and less on the complexities of workforce management. Monitor Progress You want your construction project to go smoothly and as planned so you can market your property one day in the future. The reality is that there may be glitches to deal with or obstacles you need to overcome along the way. What’s most important is that you take an active role in your project and proactively monitor the progress throughout the entire build. It’s your job as the person in charge to anticipate any challenges and have a game plan for prevailing in the face of adversity or uncertainty. Go back to the drawing board or business plan if you need to and make necessary changes as you see fit. The better you can keep track of how the project is progressing and what needs your attention the most, the better outcome you’ll have in the end. 

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Top 5 Things That You Need to Take Care of When Starting a Home Business

If you are like most people out there, then you might feel like starting a home business is an excellent way to boost your income. However, it is not that easy. You will have to deal with a number of things, including paperwork, recruitment, budgeting, and marketing. In order to do that properly, you have to educate yourself on the basics of running a home business. Fortunately, this article should help you do just that quickly and effectively! Here, you will find a list of tips for starting a home business! Check it out! Keep Your Business Safe For starters, you will need to make sure that your business is safe. There are many things that you will have to do, such as installing locks on the doors that lead to your office, buying a reliable home security system, and keeping your blinds closed in the evenings. In addition to that, you should keep an eye out for potential thefts in your neighborhood. If a burglar robbed a nearby house, they might try to do the same thing to you. The fact that you are running your own business might make the burglar think that you are rich. Lastly, you should invest in insurance. Most insurance experts out there say that it is one of the most important things that a business owner needs to take care of. There are quite a few types of business insurance, which should make finding one that fits your needs easy. In order to get an insurance policy for your business, you will have to ask your bank or your insurance agent about it. They will help you determine what kind of coverage you need and how much it will cost you. Set Up a Comfortable Home Office It might be tempting to work from the comfort of your bed. However, it is not that great when it comes to work-life balance. It might encourage you to work late into the night, cause sleep problems, and stress you out, among other things. Because of that, you should have a separate room where you will set up a comfortable and cozy home office. It will help you concentrate on your work and keep your work and life very balanced, as well as aid with keeping your paperwork organized. You should pay a lot of attention to the interior design of your office. The walls should be painted in warm colors, such as orange and red. On top of that, you should invest in very warm lighting. This combination should make the office feel welcoming and cozy. Hire the Right People If you decide to hire people to help you with your business, you should make sure that they are reliable and a great fit with your company culture. That way, you will avoid ending up in awkward or stressful situations caused by their behavior or poor performance. You can do that in a variety of different ways. For instance, you can hire a recruiter to take care of hiring people for you. That way, you will not have to spend time on the recruitment process and will be able to take care of other things. Other than that, you can look for employees on your own. There are quite a few platforms that are meant to help you find qualified candidates, such as LinkedIn and Indeed. You just have to be able to write a professional-sounding advertisement! Document Transactions and Pay Your Taxes If you do not want to pay fines or end up in debt, you will need to keep track of transactions in your home business, and that includes both the sales and the purchases. You can do that by collecting relevant invoices and bank statements. Next, you will have to pay your taxes on time.  There are many ways in which you can do it. If you have a bank account and know how to use online banking platforms, you can pay via an electronic funds withdrawal or via a direct deposit. If the options mentioned above are not available to you, you can pay your taxes with your debit or credit card online, by phone, or with a mobile device. You can pay in cash, too! You just have to visit your local participating retail partner. Create a Marketing Campaign If you want your home business to succeed, you will need to advertise it. There are plenty of ways in which you can do that. In fact, quite a few of these options are completely free! You just have to create a website and a few social media accounts. Once you do that, you should start posting relevant content, such as photos of whatever it is that you are selling or blog posts that are relevant to your niche. For instance, if you want to start selling jewelry, you can create a blog post about caring for gold jewelry. Next, you can spend your hard-earned money on advertising. Many social media platforms out there allow for targeting the people that are most likely to buy your products with special advertisements, and it can cost as little as just a few hundred dollars! In Conclusion In conclusion, there are quite a few things that you will need to take care of when starting a home business, ranging from investing in insurance to creating a marketing campaign. If it appears to be a very overwhelming task, do not worry! First of all, there are many people out there that can help you with each of the tasks listed above. For instance, you can hire a professional recruiter, an accountant, and a marketing agency to take care of the recruitment, finances, and advertisements. Second of all, there are many other people who were in a similar situation, and yet they were able to make the most out of it and create very successful businesses! You just have to stay organized and ready to tackle challenges head-on!

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Building A Digital Marketing Plan That Will Attract Leads To Your Construction Firm

You have invested a lot of time, effort, and money into building a quality construction business. Even with a brilliant team of contractors working for you, it counts for very little if your company doesn’t attract clients. A strong digital marketing strategy isn’t the only key factor to consider, but it should be a priority. Building companies across the country are continually upgrading their marketing teams. So, if you do not invest in your strategies, it is very likely that the company will get left behind. Here are four cornerstones that will ensure you see the desired results. 1| Gain Visibility Awareness is the first step on the road to conversion. After all, you cannot achieve anything if nobody knows of your company’s existence. With nearly two billion websites online, it’s unlikely that people will find your site by luck. Therefore, investing in strong SEO services is crucial. Given the nature of the business, you will need to ensure that the experts use local campaigns. They should also target mobile searches and voice searches. As well as gaining traffic from search engines, social media platforms can be very useful. A large following doesn’t always translate to increased inquiries, but it gets your message out to more people. It can only help. 2| Use Images To Build Trust They say a picture paints a thousand words. Prospective clients will want to see what your company is capable of achieving before hiring your construction firm. Using your website and social media channels to showcase your portfolio is advised. These photography tips should serve you well. It will help your leads visualise the work you could achieve for them. Images verify your quality as a business. If you truly wish to build trust, though, you should additionally look to use client testimonials. The verified positive reviews will remove any concerns that prospective leads may have.  3| Sell Yourself Hiring a construction firm for B2B or B2C projects is a big deal. All clients need to know that they have the right people on the job. As such, learning to celebrate your USPs as a loyal and reliable service is key. Any awards or accolades should be highlighted while it’s also a good idea to have an ‘about’ page on your site. Let clients get to know you. This transparency should be underlined by a solid customer care game. Nobody likes the thought of spending hours trying to get hold of their contractor if something goes wrong. Show that you will be obtainable, and it’s another reason to choose your firm. 4| Tell Them The Next Steps Visibility and interest in the business will provide a solid foundation. However, the success of your campaigns are ultimately determined by the number of conversions and hot leads that you gain. The choice of Call-to-Action is a commonly overlooked issue. When you get it right, though, it tells clients the next moves that they should take. Removing any ambiguity. CTAs should be added to landing pages, service pages, email marketing streams, and social posts. If you don’t tell customers what to do next, they simply will not follow up their interest. For that reason, you must pay attention.

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Amazing Tips to Help Take Your Construction Business to the Next Level

Running a strong and successful construction business is difficult, and this is most definitely something that you need to plan for so that you can be successful. There are so many different areas of the construction business that you need to get right and work on in order to help you achieve this, and you have so much to keep in mind and think about when looking to make the best of this.  You are going to need to make sure you do as much as you can to improve this process and there are a lot of ideas that play a part in this. Running a construction company involves taking the perfect steps that will enhance and improve your construction firm, and these are some of the best ways you can use that will help you to take things to the next level and enjoy success as much as possible. Take Advantage of Investment Opportunities There are a lot of investment opportunities that can benefit a construction business, and this is something that you need to make the most of as much as possible. Make sure you focus on being able to improve your business, and this is one of the key ways of being able to make the best of this moving forward. You are going to have to think about the right ways of achieving this, and it seems that the investment in Glasgow construction projects has led to a positive spike in development across the city. This is the sort of investment that your company needs to be making the most of, and it is important to make the most of this right now.   Improve Your Company’s IT Security Try to do your best to make sure you improve your company’s IT security, and there are a lot of things you can do that will help you make the most of this moving forward. You need to be sure you understand the different factors that play a part in this, and it is important to factor this in as much as possible. One of the things you could do that would help you understand the way this works and to better protect your construction company’s IT security is understanding what is a managed service provider blog entry, and how it can help your company improve and attain longevity.  Plan Your Projects in Detail Planning your projects in detail is one of the best things you need to be working on when it comes to improving the way your construction firm carries out its role. There are a lot of things that you need to make sure you think about, and it is important to make the most of this moving forward, and there are so many factors that you are going to need to make the most of right now. Planning a project in detail is crucial for achieving success and being able to ensure you have planned things out as effectively as possible right now.  There are so many ideas that you need to make the most of right now, and this is something that plays a part in helping you to achieve this. Make sure you focus on the best ways of being able to improve and enhance your construction company this year. There are loads of amazing factors that you need to make sure you get right, and this is one of the key elements that plays a part in helping you to achieve this. 

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Kite Packaging unveils carbon neutral sugarcane packaging with new garment bags

Sugarcane fiber, a by-product of harvesting that has traditionally been thrown away, is now being repurposed as a reclaimed resource with the same reliable properties as polythene plastic. The prime difference is that sugarcane is not derived from fossil fuels and boasts carbon neutrality. The growing process of sugarcane naturally takes carbon out of the environment which offsets any emissions created by transport and production. After use, customers can easily recycle their garment bags in the same way that they would normally recycle, promoting a circular economy and the reuse of materials. Kite Packaging embraces this creative innovation in the form of their new garment bags, designed to provide professional hygienic protection against dust, dirt, bacteria and moisture. Tailormade for wholesalers or even shop floors, these clothing covers ensure that the contents remain immaculate while reliably supporting the weight of most garments. With ecommerce fashion consumption rocketing, it is more important than ever to put sustainable practices at the forefront of the industry. The sugarcane polymers are sometimes referred to as Bio-HDPE since they possess the exact same properties as the conventionally manufactured counterpart. Sustainable swaps are only effective if they provide the same level of functionality as the product they aim to replace; a quality check comfortably met by Kite’s eco-garment bags. This new product represents an innovative rethinking of an organic product. By incorporating it into packaging processes, a business establishes themselves as leaders of environmental advancements.  Visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk for more information.

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5 Professional Skills You Will Need to Get Hired 20 Years from Now

So, you’re one of the lucky individuals who have the skills necessary to keep you employed – for now. Great! But how long will these skills remain relevant? More than 70% of young people are not sure, research indicates. As a 2018 study by BAE Systems revealed, only 18% of young people aged 18-24 thought they possessed what it takes to future-proof their career. More than a half also believed they’d be doing jobs in the future that didn’t even exist at the time. And a great majority of them indicated they’d appreciate more guidance to identify the skills they might need later.  Fortunately, experts are not staying idle. There’s been a number of studies aimed at spotting some jobs and careers that will be in demand 20 years from now. There also are some predictions about the skills that future professionals will need to master to stay employed.  One of the most well-known of such studies was conducted by the Institute for the Future (IFTF), a California-based non-profit think tank, in 2018. It indicated 15 essential “super” skills that will be in demand in the job market in the future.  These skills were then divided into 5 major groups – “peak performance zones”. These are: Making yourself known; Befriending the machines; Building a tribe (i.e. a network); Making sense (understanding the processes going on in the world); Keeping it going (adapting to change and extreme environments).   Out of these, as well as data from multiple other sources, we’ve distinguished the five major skills that you will need to get hired 20 years from now.  1. Self-Promotion  On a planet with a population of almost 9 billion people, it’s crucial to know how to make yourself noticed. You can have the most brilliant training and all the relevant skills in the world, but that won’t be of any good if you don’t know how to sell them.  So, experts advise that every professional should learn to build their personal brand. Doing it involves multiple activities, from building a loyal following on social media to crafting a resume that will impress every recruiter.   If you’re unsure about what skills you should or shouldn’t include in your resume, take a look at the articles at LinkedIn here or check examples sorted by industry on the same website. Also, remember to complement your CV and add new skills, accomplishments, and credentials as you attain them.   2. Digital Literacy  Knowing your way around in a world increasingly dominated by machines is one of the key skills that will be in demand in the decades to come, all experts agree. Surely, we’re not living in a futurist dream where robots do most of the work, but we just might be facing it very soon – so it’s better to get prepared in advance.  Whether you see your dream job as something tech-related like here or not, there’s just no way you’re going to convince anyone to hire you if you lack basic (or not-so-basic) technical skills. Even writers, musicians, and artists of the future are going to have to deal with technology as complex as AI, scientists predict.  That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to learn to code, though it obviously might come in handy. What it does mean, according to IFTF, is that any professional working in practically any career field should “master human-machine collaboration” to be able to explore new exciting digital worlds where learning , working, and playing will all be mixed together more you can find at this page.       3. Networking  Though IFTF calls it “building a tribe”, what they basically mean is that networking will become even more important for future professionals striving to meet the requirements of the job market.  Not that it isn’t important today. But 20 years from now, when the competition will most likely be even more fierce, it will be essential to have a network of professional connections to rely upon. Even today, everyone knows it’s much easier to apply for a certain job and land an interview when you know someone from the company – preferably, one of the managers. And that’s not going to change.  However, the study map formulates the meaning of “tribe building” a bit more vaguely by stating that “you’ll need to master different kinds of trade” to be able to “build communities from the ground up”. Well, networking takes a lot – it’s hard to disagree.    4. Creativity  In order to thrive in the future world, one needs to “make sense of loopy complex systems”, according to IFTF. To put it simply, you’ll need the same skills that you used in school when solving geometry problems. In fact, they are basic – you wouldn’t even get your high school diploma without them at all! But people tend to forget about their importance once they leave school.  Here, we’re talking creativity, but in a broader sense. You needn’t be an artist or a writer or a musician to be creative – coders need creativity, too. Every time you think outside of the box, search for unobvious solutions, suggest innovative approaches, you use creativity. And this is exactly the skill that can ensure your future prosperity, experts agree.     5. Adaptability and Resilience  Last but not least, you need to master adaptability and resilience to keep it all going. In an ever-changing, increasingly challenging environment like in this article , it’s crucial to stay strong and focused no matter what. “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”, Stephen Hawking said, – and this ability is going to mean even more in 20 years’ time from now.  As for resilience, it’s closely linked to the ability to think positively and see growth opportunities where others only see obstacles, experts say. If you can do that, you’ll be an invaluable employee for any company, today, or any time in the future.  Conclusion 20 years may seem a long way, but time flies. So, now is the perfect moment to start honing the

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