Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

October 2023

Employee engagement analytics: What and how to measure

Employee engagement analytics is the practice of measuring and evaluating the employee experience. With these actionable insights, you can assess employee well-being and uncover how satisfied your team actually is at work. Why is measuring employee engagement so crucial for your team? Positive engagement metrics often correlate with low employee turnover rates and high productivity rates—both of which can benefit your business.

10 Best Practices for Client Relationship Management

Client relationship building is the lynchpin of business growth and sustenance. It is the harbinger of rewarding customer experiences, meaningful interactions, customer loyalty, brand credibility, and improved reputation. As such, it comes as no surprise that 73% of business leaders attribute client relationship management as a direct link to success.

35+ years in the BPO sector - Matt Rocco on overcoming challenges and pioneering in India

Matt offers a comprehensive view of his two-decade career, starting with trailblazing initiatives like implementing the industry's first predictive dialer technology in the 1990s. The conversation takes a deep dive into Etech's early years, examining both the hurdles and victories of setting up operations in India. But it's not all about technology and logistics; Matt emphasizes the human element that has been crucial in Etech's journey. He talks about how the company's focus on culture and servant leadership had a transformative impact on its performance and workforce. .

How to optimize your tech stack for AI, according to marketing leaders

The market is flooded with shiny new AI tools, all promising to help teams “do more with less.” In the midst of that noise, marketing leaders are faced with a delicate balance: How can they update their tech stack safely, to reap the benefits of AI without putting marketing outcomes—and budget—at risk? This was a core theme at The Work Innovation Summit, Asana’s marquee event showcasing how AI can unlock human potential at work.

8 Best Simple Project Management Software To Use

When it comes to choosing the best project management software, people often ignore one of the most important aspects: the learning curve. Choosing a simple project management software is really important. Why? Because If the tool is not easy to use and learn, low adoption rates will affect usage and productivity. In this guide, we will cover 8 free simple project management software you can consider in terms of the learning curve and user-friendliness. Let’s go!

How HR tech will help you attract, train and retain the best people in 2024

Work is evolving. HR is evolving. Employee demands are evolving. In a world of work where nothing seems static, everything is new, and everyone is exhausted, HR technology can feel like one too many plates to keep spinning. That could explain why the data around HR tech says that practitioners are adopting an attitude of “don’t fix what isn’t broken” while the gap widens between capability and expectation. Let’s explain what we mean.

8 best employee timesheet software & apps (free and paid)

Whether you manage a small in-house team or a sprawling remote team, you need a fast and easy way to process timesheets. If you’ve tried spreadsheets or timecards, you know how time-consuming and error-prone they can be. Instead, you need a solution that’s more efficient and more accurate. Employee timesheet software checks both boxes and has a long list of extra perks, including scheduling, attendance tracking, and productivity analytics.

Is HR evolving into People and Culture in 2024?

The role of Human Resources (HR) professionals has changed a lot in the last few years. Not unexpectedly, seeing as virtually every part of the workplace has changed. So, as we move into a normalization period in 2024, the question is not whether HR will continue changing. That seems like a given. Change is the only constant, after all. The question is how HR will change.

4 types of concept maps (with free templates)

Concept maps are visual representations of information that help keep ideas organized and easy to understand. The different types of concept maps can help you visualize concepts and processes or illustrate systems. Depending on the complexity of what you're mapping, you can either use concept map templates, draw your maps by hand, or use mapping software for more advanced projects.

How to increase productivity with workday analytics and insights

Increasing productivity improves cost efficiency. The more productive your people are, and the more repeatable the processes underpinning that productivity, the more costs stay under control while revenue rises. This is because ‘productivity’ is greater than the sum of its parts – those parts being broadly categorized into ‘people’ and ‘performance’.

The rise of virtual organizations: Understanding the future of work

Virtual organizations represent a new way of working, and they’re gaining popularity. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizational structures are changing. The digital age has shifted global work trends to favor remote and hybrid models. Global Workplace Analytics estimates that around 56% of the American workforce could work at least partially remotely, and this figure is increasing. The future of work could be remote based, with virtual organizations taking center stage.

How to increase client retention with innovation

Maintaining client relationships and preventing churn is a never-ending battle for most companies, B2B and B2C alike. Based on our users’ experience, we’ve identified that client churn is most commonly linked to low work output, lack of innovation, and employee engagement. Preventing client churn is not only a key profitability driver, but it can also contribute to expansion and acquisition through referrals and relevant case studies.

8 proven customer retention strategies

For an agency, winning over new clients is only part of the journey. Once you have them, how can you make sure you keep them? (Or even more ideally, maximize those contracts’ value?) Some might think the answer is simple: Just provide excellent service, right? Not quite — although that is a critical piece of the puzzle. So, what works best?

Understanding process management: The key to organizational efficiency

Project managers shoulder lots of responsibility. Keeping the team productive, addressing problems, creating solutions, and fostering collaboration are all items that land on their plate. So is process management. If processes are ill-managed, the entire project pays the price. Communication can break down, accountability can decrease, errors can increase, and milestones can go unmet. If this scenario gives you indigestion, you’re not alone.

Rethinking the return to the office: Embracing a progressive future of work in India

Three years ago, the world was hit by a curveball called Covid-19. Companies had to scramble without a game plan, and leaders joined forces to protect their teams. Work From Home (WFH) became the knight in shining armor, even for tech giants who were WFH skeptics. Many shouted, “Farewell, traditional offices!” As the pandemic eased, remote work took over. Folks worked from different zip codes – cities, countries, even their hometowns.

TCS's office work policy change: Perspectives, implications, and the future of work

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of the world’s largest IT services companies, recently changed its policies. Starting on October 1, TCS mandated that its employees work from the office five days a week. As a result of this new policy, employees who fail to comply may face disciplinary action from the company. Employees and employers have expressed a variety of perspectives and considerations regarding this decision.

The role of the cost breakdown structure (CBS) in effective project planning

Projects have lots of moving parts that can make it difficult for agencies to create an accurate budget. But while that’s true, not having an accurate budget can result in negative consequences, like not having enough money allocated or being too optimistic and ending up missing deadlines — which can significantly impact client satisfaction.

9 ways agencies can reduce churn and strengthen client retention

Is your customer churn rate stopping you from growing your agency? In an industry where most agencies have a relatively small number of customers, loyalty is incredibly important. Unfortunately, there are all sorts of ways that customer experience and satisfaction can suffer. Potential causes of customer churn include poor customer service, inattention to customer needs, and a weak onboarding process.

What is a sales project manager? (And how to become one)

Do you love crushing sales goals and being part of new development? Are you the type of person who wants to make a direct contribution to the agency you work for? If you answered an enthusiastic “YES” to these questions, a sales project manager position may be right up your alley. For projects to succeed, they need strong leaders to manage timelines, work well with teams, and solve problems that could impact the deliverable. This role isn’t for everybody.

10 Work Innovation Summit takeaways to unlock AI's potential

For many of us, the way we work is broken. But the combined power of humans and AI offers a potential solution. At The Work Innovation Summit, we explored the potential for AI to transform the way we work. The event highlighted the magic that unfolds when AI—rather than adding to the work pile—alleviates repetitive tasks and allows humans to channel their ingenuity, empathy, and passion into purposeful, meaningful work.

What is workforce analytics? A clear and simple guide

Workforce analytics is the process of gathering employee time and activity data and reviewing it to find ways of increasing productivity and improving engagement. That means it’s crucial for analyzing performance, spotting trends, and making data-driven improvements. It’s also essential for effective human capital management (HCM).

6 surprising ways remote work helps you save costs

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift to hybrid and remote work that many business leaders saw as inevitable. There’s a lot of data about the uptake and effectiveness of ‘going remote’, and the message is overwhelmingly positive. But we’re focused on reducing costs. So let’s zero in on the costs and benefits of remote work.

Navigating the new normal: How executives envision the workplace in 2026

The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how businesses and their leaders think about the workplace. As we look to the horizon, the year 2026 has become a focal point for many executives, marking a time when they anticipate a definitive stance on office-based working. Based on a recent report from The Times, the forecasted workplace model seems to lean towards a full return to the office.

5 intelligent cost saving initiatives for your company

Driven by the development and sophistication of business technology in recent years, “digital transformation” has become one of those ideas you hear everywhere. From boardrooms to break rooms, technology is transforming the way we work. It’s certainly true for employee productivity. Now we have the tools and technology to solve just about any business problem. Not surprisingly, cost savings are a big focus for firms undergoing digital transformations in 2023.

Change management in the AI age: How to sidestep common mistakes

In this thrilling era of artificial intelligence (AI), we’re not just witnessing a technological evolution; we’re at the brink of a human revolution. The promise of AI is dazzling, offering gains in efficiency and productivity. But too many leaders are racing towards a future without giving enough thought to change management in the AI era.

AI's impact on the accounting industry

Liam Martin & Nick Sinclair discuss the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the accounting industry. While some fear job losses, they foresee an evolution where roles are elevated with a greater emphasis on soft skills like communication and customer service. Nick underscores TOA Global's approach: training accountants to harness AI tools developed by others, instead of competing against them.

How to use OKRs to Align Your Team and Achieve Your Goals

OKRs, or Objectives and Key Results, is a goal-setting framework teams and individuals use to create aspirational goals with measurable results. It’s a methodology that asks: “What can we improve to become more successful?” And “What can we measure to prove that that we’re hitting our objectives?” With team OKRs, businesses can create alignment, track goal progress, and inspire employee engagement so all hands are on deck working toward a common objective.

Pilot project excellence: A comprehensive how-to (+ an example)

Project management, whether small-scale or large-scale, is an art form. It takes a blend of knowledge, creativity, and the right tools to launch and manage a successful project effectively. Even simple projects can quickly spiral into disaster without the right planning, resources, and management. One of the best ways to assess a project’s viability, effectiveness, and efficiency is to conduct a pilot project.

7 Examples of companies embracing product-led growth

Product-led growth probably won’t have a direct impact on your own agency. But it could be the missing piece that helps your clients grow and keeps them coming back for more. As you continue refining your marketing project management, it’s worth looking at whether the product-led growth model is relevant for any of your agency’s clients. If a client should be using it and isn’t, it could be the most meaningful piece of consultancy you ever give.

Customer feedback analysis: How to unlock customer insights and analyze feedback

How do you determine what your clients want from you? And how do you figure out what their customers want from them? The answer’s simple: you ask them. That’s the heart behind customer feedback — and our topic for today, customer feedback analysis. Below, we’ll show you what customer feedback analysis looks like, why your agency needs to use it, how to do it right, and the benefits you’ll enjoy if you do.

Improve your Timesheet game with these new wins

How many times have you been told “Don’t sweat the small stuff”? Probably too many to count! Well, us at Teamwork.com are here to tell you it’s okay to sweat the small stuff—we will always hear you out. Since the launch of My Timesheet and Company Timesheet, we’ve listened to your feedback and released numerous improvements to help make managing time in your timesheets as decluttered, connected, and pleasant as possible.

What is human-centric AI? A critical, empathetic approach to technology

In the race to implement new and cutting-edge AI tools, many organizations are overlooking a crucial component—the humans that use them. To get the most out of AI, employees need to be able to engage with it first. This concept is what we call "human-centric AI"—the idea that AI should be a partner to employees, not a replacement.

New in Basecamp: Group Projects on Your Home Screen

If you're looking for more organization options for your Basecamp home screen, you're in luck! With our latest product update, you can now group projects together on your home screen into piles we call Stacks. Stacks make it easy to organize your home screen by team, client, or a particular time period. Stacked projects appear at the top, along with pinned projects. And you have the control to arrange them in any order you would like. Enjoy!

What's New in Asana | October 2023

Welcome to the October edition of What’s New in Asana. First, designate what percentage of a person’s total bandwidth should be allocated to a certain task in Workload. Next, get a bird ' s-eye view of complex projects that require a comparison of original plans against real-time progress with Gantt view. Finally, use the dynamic “Me” filter to give each team member a personalized view of their tasks in a project.

8 time-saving Asana tips to get more done, faster

Use Asana’s smart editor feature to automatically adjust and improve your writing. You can even specify the level of detail you want to include and the tone you want to strike. Who couldn’t use a little extra time? It’s hard to carve out calendar space for your daily priorities—let alone time to actually think and plan. But if you’re feeling crunched, Asana can help. These time-saving tips can help you intelligently eliminate busywork and make a greater impact, faster.

14 tips to improve your work-life balance

A healthy work-life balance is something everyone strives for. Employees with a harmonious work-life balance are more satisfied in their jobs, more productive at work, and more fulfilled at home. But finding that balance can be difficult. That’s why we’ve gathered 14 top tips to help you improve your work and personal lives. Read this guide to discover how to establish a healthy and productive work-life balance.

Tackling Project Hurdles with Clear Communication

Picture a project as a complex puzzle, with each piece representing a task, a team member, or a goal. Now, imagine trying to solve that puzzle without clear instructions or the ability to talk to your teammates. Sounds pretty harsh, right? That’s what it can feel like when there’s a lack of clear communication in project management. And it’s not just about avoiding failure – good communication can make your project smoother, your team happier, and your clients more satisfied.

How to bill a client: An easy agency guide to more convenient payments

Prioritizing your client interactions is a no-brainer, right? So why do several agency owners ease up on their white-glove service when it comes to billing the client? Clients demand strong and healthy relationships. And what is one of the biggest reasons personal relationships fail? Money. Part of fostering strong business relationships is establishing healthy boundaries around topics like billing.

Implementation plan: What to include and 5 essential steps

A project plan or project implementation plan is a key strategic document that keeps teams on track throughout a project, indicating how a project is expected to run along with who’s responsible for what. It’s an extremely valuable planning tool — one that can be the difference between project success and project failure. It’s also a fairly comprehensive document, and if you’ve never built one before, the concept can feel a bit overwhelming.

12 Web Dev Projects for Beginners & Intermediate

Becoming an in-demand web developer takes more than book knowledge. While it’s great that you made it through your first courses, experience is what it will take to succeed in the field. When you go in for an interview, you're almost guaranteed to be asked about what you’ve built outside the classroom. Luckily, there’s no shortage of web development projects you can dive into and expand your current skill set.

The evolution of business process development: A comprehensive guide for modern enterprises

What would you change about how your company operates? Nobody’s perfect, not even the world’s top CEOs. No matter how big or well-managed, every business can be improved in some shape or form. Bosses, managers, and senior figures must ensure that the business processes they put in place are consistent and productive to maximize efficiency and drive profitability. This will give your company the best chance of success and continued growth in the future.

Strategies for Agency Time Tracking

Agency time tracking refers to the process of monitoring and recording the amount of time that an agency and their employees spend on client projects and tasks. Agency is a broad term encompassing businesses such as: government agencies, marketing agencies, and creative services. In today’s blog we’ll look at some strategies to implement and utilize time tracking in an agency setting.

Collaboration and coordination are different-here's when to use them

More collaboration isn’t always better. In fact, research from The Work Innovation Lab, a think tank by Asana, shows that too much collaboration can actually hold workers back. In a survey of over 1,500 workers, 29% of leaders said that the expectations put on employees to collaborate prevented them from completing their work. But while too much collaboration is bad, teams still need to work together to achieve business goals.

How to track employee computer activity (employee-friendly)

Whether you want to monitor security risks or check employee productivity, you need a reliable way to track your team’s computer activity. Employee monitoring software can certainly help. However, before you choose any tool, knowing how the tech works is essential—especially if you want to avoid invading your employees’ privacy or compromising their trust.

The ultimate guide to digital workplace tools for 2023

The digitization of the workplace has been ongoing since Alan Turing invented the first computer to break German codes during World War II. Quick to seize on their usefulness to do calculations faster and more accurately than humans, businesses have been inventing new uses for them ever since. At the end of the 1990s, the roll out of the Internet and the adoption of email as the dominant method of business communication took the digital transformation of the workplace to new heights.

3 tips to drive operational excellence from T-Mobile's PMO

Operations teams face unique challenges when it comes to collaborating cross-functionally. Amanda Howell, the Director, Portfolio Management & PMO, Internet, at T-Mobile, saw this firsthand when managing programs like the launch of T-Mobile’s High Speed Internet. We recently sat down with Amanda to get her strategies for leveraging Asana’s work management platform to drive operational efficiencies, work smarter, and ultimately, achieve goals.

How can project managers effectively manage remote teams

Welcome to the digital era, where remote work is a growing trend and necessary for many businesses. This forecast indicates a gradual transition towards remote work setups. However, with this growing flexible workplace trend, project managers are finding themselves challenged to: This blog post will delve into the strategies for effectively managing remote teams. From communication tools to overcoming time zone challenges.

PLG marketing: What it is, how it accelerates growth, and strategies to know

Product-led growth (a go-to-market strategy that uses the product itself as the primary means of growing the customer base) is an increasingly popular approach. It’s highly effective in the right situations, but marketing a product-led business is a little bit different. It might even require some adjustments to your marketing team structure — which is how we’ve ended up with a new approach called PLG marketing.

8 ways to increase customer lifetime value

Which is better: One week off starting tomorrow, or four extra days off every month for the entire next year? A whole pie for dessert tonight, or a slice every night, forever? Five bags of potato chips (but you have to eat them all today), or a steady supply of free chips over the next 20 years? We all agree, right? The long-term play (or lifetime value) is better because long-term stability beats short-term success every time.

10 Best Free Reminder Apps to Never Miss Tasks Again

Reminders! The glue that stops our day from unraveling. These lifelines keep us on track. These digital post-it notes prevent tasks from slipping through the cracks. The biggest challenge, however, is selecting from a vast ocean of tools available. In this guide, we will look at the 10 best reminder apps that are worthy of any must-buy list!

3 agency leader segments: A new way to solve agency operational challenges

If you’ve ever wondered what the recipe for smooth agency operations is, you may be surprised to learn that the type of business you are – your size, how long you’ve been around, the services you offer – don’t apply. A creative agency of five can be wildly successful, yet an event agency of 2,500 can be stuck in a rut.

The State of Agency Operations Report: Make your agency run smoothly with these 5 takeaways

How would you describe your agency’s operations right now? Chaotic? Falling short? Missing a little something (organization, transparency, alignment)? If you recognize room for improvement, you’re in good company with two-thirds of the agency leaders who participated in our recent agency operations research.

10 ways to get call center contracts & grow your business

You’ve trained a team of call center representatives, perfected your standard operating procedures (SOPs) and service-level agreements (SLAs), and successfully signed contact center clients. You’re ready to take on new contracts and scale your business plan. So, where should you look for new clients? Whether you’re relatively new to the industry or already well established, you have plenty of options to find more clients.

SoftActivity vs. ActivTrak: Head-to-head comparison

When you need to add an employee monitoring tool to your tech stack, SoftActivity and ActivTrak might be at the top of your list. Both software solutions track employee time and activity to help teams work more efficiently. However, both have downsides. SoftActivity lacks in-depth productivity insights, while ActivTrak has fewer security-focused features. So, which tool is the better choice for your organization, or is there a better option?

Creating a strong remote work culture within your organization: tips and tools

A few decades ago, working from home was a luxury. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has boomed, and flexible work environments have become almost an expectation of employers. The accelerated shift to remote work has presented many challenges, particularly around communication, monitoring progress, and meeting deadlines. But it has also created many opportunities, such as access to more talent, better work-life balances, and enhanced company cultures.

10 essential tips on how to improve company culture

Are your employees engaged at work? Chances are, they’re not. Data shows that only 32% of the American workforce is engaged in their work. That leaves a whopping two-thirds who feel some level of disengagement from their job. A company’s culture profoundly affects employee engagement levels, as well as other aspects like customer service quality and staff retention. Fostering a healthy workplace culture is highly important, and most people agree.

11 Best Product Management Tools for Teams in 2023

No project manager can handle everything alone. They need the power of product management tools by their side to get things done faster, smarter, and optimally. If you are looking to add a robust suite of product management software tools to add to your tech stack, this guide is for you. We will deep-dive into some of the most powerful product management tools you can leverage and don multiple hats like a pro!