6 Business Resolutions to Make in 2021 to Grow From a Challenging 2020

So when creating business resolutions for 2021, take the opportunity to glean information from 2020 and make thoughtful resolutions that will make a positive difference for your company.

Some goals will always be essential — like improving communication. But 2020 proved the importance of being flexible, having a robust online presence, preparing for a crisis, and focusing on employee well-being.

Read on to learn more about the resolutions your company should make for 2021, including:

• Instituting an annual post-mortem
• Committing to flexibility
• Boosting your online presence
• Strengthening your communication
• Creating contingency plans
• Improving employee well-being

1. Set Up An Annual Company Post-Mortem

A post-mortem analyzes projects or situations to see what did and didn’t work and what can be improved. Scheduling an annual post-mortem gives you time to address all those “I’ll get to it later” moments and actually make changes.

Do you really need that office building after all? Should you discontinue the product that saw no sales last year? A post-mortem helps you avoid repeating the same mistakes, which will improve your business.

2. Embrace Flexibility and Creative Problem Solving

“Pandemic” was the obvious choice for Word of the Year in 2020. But in terms of the business world, it should have been “flexible.” This past year we saw that when businesses could adapt they grew stronger and more resilient.

So in 2021, pledge to continue that mindset. Consider formally incorporating flexibility as an ideal established throughout your company culture and mission statement.

Flexibility and creativity are critical components of the business. Companies that showed those traits in 2020 proved they could survive a storm.

3. Optimize Your Online Presence and Offering

According to Digital Commerce 360, eCommerce sales increased 30.1% in a year-over-year comparison of the first six months of 2019 and 2020.

The pandemic forced many more people online and made a proper web presence a non-negotiable element of your business.

Identify where your web presence is lacking, and take steps to rectify that.

For example:

• Increase traffic by improving SEO
• Accommodate new trends like voice search
• Add more pickup or delivery options
• Improve your mobile website
• Use better social media tools

4. Make Your Communications System Seamless

Communication is something that can always be improved. Many managed a remote team for the first time in 2020 and made at least a few mistakes along the way.

Resolve to improve all communication streams — in and out of the company. Pinpoint tangible actions you can take to be more transparent and thorough with employees, customers, and business partners. Better communication increases trust and improves relationships.

5. Make Contingency Plans to Survive Crisis Situations

No one ever wants to consider the unthinkable, but you’ll be happy you crafted a plan if an emergency comes up.

A contingency plan will look different for each company, but try to identify your weaknesses and any situation that could derail your operation.

• Do you want a cash cushion? Start an emergency fund.
• Should you fortify your supply chain? Update contracts and make a list of backup vendors.
• Are your employees set up to work from home? Make sure they can do their jobs from anywhere.

Ask yourself the tough questions and be ready if disaster strikes.

6. Prioritize Employee Well-Being

Health and safety became a top consideration in 2020. Beyond the virus itself, the mental strain of dealing with crisis and new working situations was draining for most people. With that in mind, employee wellness should be a priority going into 2021.

A focus on employee well-being lowers absenteeism costs and increases productivity. It also shows your team you care and want to provide a supportive work environment, which can reduce turnover.

While you might make a goal to listen to your employees more, pair that with concrete action so you follow through and achieve your desired outcome.

You can decide what will work best for your company:

• Schedule team-building activities
• Give a wellness stipend
• Offer flex time
• Do more one-on-one check-ins
• Increase sick or personal leave
• Provide mental health classes or workshops
• Encourage stretching or yoga breaks

New Year’s resolutions give you an opportunity to reflect on yesterday and create a better tomorrow. 2020 threw us a huge curveball — but you can learn from your mistakes and be more prepared for the future.

By instituting an annual post mortem, you can make concrete plans and contingency strategies based on data from the past year. Commit to wellness, flexibility, strong communication, and a well-maintained online presence.

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