Employee Morale: How to Get the Most Out of Your Employees

Summary: Studies show that happy employees will be more efficient with their work.

A productive command center requires a team of specialists that work effectively together. Not only that, but it’s integral that each individual is held accountable for his or her actions. If that means that their productivity is dropping due to them being unhappy, it’s time to make a change. Here are some tips on how to boost morale in the workplace and improve your center’s overall efficiency and productivity.

Provide Incentives and Bonuses

As an owner, the thought of giving money out to your employees might be daunting. As a matter of fact, compensation may be what’s needed to boost the morale of your workers. Now, it’s important to remember that you’re not running a charity and what you’re offering doesn’t have to be a consistent thing. Rather, a small holiday bonus or even a birthday gift card can mean the world to your employee.

Also, if you’re planning to give a raise, bonus, or a gift, it’s important that the employee knows what he or she has done to deserve this. Recognizing the employee for their efforts is a fantastic way to show how valuable he or she is to your company.

Listen to Suggestions

As an employee, nothing’s worse than feeling like you’re a cog in the system. Realistically, you need your employees to perform at their best in order to make money. Be sure to listen to your employees, no matter what gripes they may have. Communication is key in all aspects of life, including the workplace. You’ll want to be open to suggestions. And who know, there could be an idea that you’ve never thought of in the first place.

Using Command Centers to Enhance Your E-Sports Broadcast

Summary: Command center environments can bring the action of your next e-sports tournament to life.

Plenty of people tune in to watch sports on regular basis. No matter the sport, be it volleyball, tennis, snowboarding, or sailing, the excitement of watching athletes compete at the highest level of play is one of the aspects that draws viewers in from around the world.

Technological advancements have given rise to e-sports, where people compete in video games. As the scene has grown in popularity and funding, so has the potential for production value. Although the e-sports scene is still relatively young, organizations have been able to put rather elaborate productions together to create a more established stage for competition and a more immersive experience for viewers, whether you choose to attend in-person or watch from the comfort of your home couch. Command center workstations can be integrated into these productions to make the overall experience more entertaining.

Relevant Stats for Every Game

During an e-sports broadcast viewers may feel overwhelmed by all of the action they are witnessing. Command center consoles can be utilized to make it easier for fans to follow along by displaying relevant information. A console could aggregate important data for each player, such as the number of kills, the number of deaths, and the number of damage done. Information that could not be readily available to those watching could be grouped together and displayed in a format that is easy to understand.

Total Immersion

Using LED video walls, command center environments could make the e-sports experience more immersive for competition attendees. Walls could spread across the entire stage to show gameplay or graphics. This level of production can make viewers feel like they are a part of the tournament and can bring the action to the foreground.

Security Control Consoles: How to Optimize Each Station

During a critical emergency, the personnel that are assigned to the security control center consoles will need to make important decisions. The equipment at their stations, the overall layout, and the infrastructure must work in cohesion to help make important split-second decisions. Now, a well-designed control center isn’t complicated, but it does require some essential areas.

The Security Stations

The overall design of a security control center begins at the central console, which is a tiered desk that can wrap around the individual taking the lead security visual. The monitors on the console or video wall display news, security footage from cameras, or other visual data that the specialists require to stay informed and on top of everything. Aside from the central console, the center must also have additional computer workstations assigned to each specialists.

Purchasing the Right Equipment

Remember, you don’t need to invest thousands upon thousands of dollars in order to obtain an optimal command center setup. The computers and monitors for these stations can be bought from your local electronics store or elsewhere and still be able to provide a significant amount of clarity and and accurate visual representation of data. Now, you’ll obviously want to prioritize a more quality setup as cheaper ones may fail at any notice. Be sure that you work with a professional integrator like ConstantTech.com for instance, when installing the setup. An experienced company can have you up and running within minutes.

 

Before Google There was Mesopotamia?

By Phin Upham

Most people are familiar with Google’s algorithm, or at least use Google enough to understand how it works. Google uses a number of variables present on a Web page, and others outside of that page, to determine whether the pages you see listed on its results page are relevant to what you are looking for. Someone doesn’t perform a search and serve results for you, this is all done in an automated fashion.

Google’s algorithm completely changed the game of search. Other algorithms, such as Bing, have become advanced and can provide better information in some cases. Yet Google endears as the household name because of its coveted algorithm.

An algorithm is basically a procedure for solving any problem. Most of you might have used algorithms to solve for X, or even to perform basic division. You can think of them as rules you use to achieve a desired result.

With that in mind, it might surprise you to learn that the world’s first algorithms were likely used by people in Mesopotamia more than 8,000 years ago. Babylonian mathematics was likely based on Egyptian ideas, but seem to reflect more advanced ways of thought. For example, Babylonians were solving quadratic equations and dealing with circular measurement long before Pythagoras was ever born.

We know all this thanks to the robust tablets that Babylonians were able to create from hardened clay. They etched their numerical system into tablets, which survived for thousands of years, and passed their knowledge through trade dealings.

Next time you use Google, consider its ancient roots.


About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or LinkedIn page.

The Basics of Laptop Rental in Santa Ana

Santa Ana is one of the most populous cities in California and can be described as a progressive location evidenced by the number of corporate headquarters in the area. That’s why presentations, activities, and events that require computers are not uncommon here. Laptop rental in Santa Ana is quite a common business. Many in the city offer computer and related rental services.

But how do you know which company to choose if you plan to rent laptops or computers? What are the important things you should check? The following pointers should help you come up with a good decision:

  • Search and compare. Obviously, the first thing you need to do is to find a company that can provide what you need. An online search should be a good start although you may also call your friends and acquaintances for recommendations. As much as possible, find companies that are close to your location or the venue where the laptops will be used. After you gather a list of options, do comparisons based on the specs and prices. Of course, you need to find the ones that meet your requirements available at the best rates.
  • Inquire and inspect. It’s not enough to simply do your research and comparisons based on specs written on paper or published online. You also have to ascertain that the laptops you will be renting work as advertised. You particularly need to do inspections or tests if you intend to rent several units that will be used for important activities like conferences or business presentations. You need to know if they can operate as expected (no slowdowns or random shutdowns). You may also want to examine if they are physically presentable if you will be using them as “kiosks” for clients and customers. Moreover, you have to spend some time and effort to learn about the reputation or track record of the companies you are considering.
  • Know your rights and obligations. Always be acquainted with the terms and conditions of the rental. You have to know what you can demand from the company and what you will be liable with. Of course, you will have to choose the company that offers favorable terms like the privilege of demanding urgent malfunctioning unit replacements, permission to install new software on your own, and custom services like additional projectors or a technician to oversee the laptops in use.
  • Watch out for “bonus” services – Many companies will want to differentiate themselves from others through complimentary or bonus services such as free deliveries or supplying backup laptops or related peripherals and accessories. You may want to consider these when you make a decision. Just be sure to ascertain that these bonus services are not meant to camouflage poor service quality.

Renting laptops in Santa Ana is essentially similar to how laptop rentals in other parts of California or in most of the United States. You just need to be mindful of the choices you make. Compare your options. Be aware of the terms and conditions. Lastly, be sure to inspect the items you will be renting to make sure that they are in good working condition and that no issues may be encountered when you already need them.