Whether you’re planning to pass your business down to the next generation or merely thinking ahead to the next five years, chances are you want to do everything you can to increase your company’s chance of survival. You don’t need a crystal ball to predict where the future is headed: automation, artificial intelligence and augmented reality have already entered the mainstream, and there has been much speculation about the roles that technology and humans will play in the workforce. The ability to adapt to all this is crucial for any modern business, so if you don’t have a plan for your company’s future, now’s the time to create one. To help you get started, here are four ways you can future-proof your business.

Forget Hierarchy :

Research indicates that traditional command-and-control hierarchy simply doesn’t work anymore. As the workforce shifts and chances, employees have higher expectations of their jobs and environments. People want to feel fulfilled, engaged and passionate about their work so that the overall quality of their lives doesn’t suffer. For employees to feel engaged, a more horizontal structure is needed. This approach will keep your team better connected to their professional goals, and to each other, which will help propel your business into the future.

Enhance Your Security :

Cybersecurity technologies seem to come in and out of vogue along with the seasons, but one thing’s for certain: cybercriminals are getting smarter, so businesses need to keep innovating if they want to maintain their defenses. In addition to modernizing your computer firewalls and upgrading your security software, you should also pay attention to the security of your physical premises. For instance, Eurolink Security are burglar alarm installers in Gloucester, who provide state of the art commercial security systems for businesses. Working with a security expert to protect your business against break-ins and theft should be a high priority and at the top of your future-proofing list.

Employ Millennials :

Although many people are quick to stereotype millennials, studies have shown that hiring Generation Y employees comes with many benefits. In addition to their digital capabilities, millennials were also found to be more ambitious and hardworking than other generations with a more diverse set of social skills. Millennials will make up 46 percent of the workforce by 2020, so there’s no time like the present to start maximizing the potential of young employees and getting them embedded in your organization.

Establish Your Online Presence :

If you haven’t done so already, you need to establish an online presence if you want your business to survive this digital revolution. It’s not enough to have a website and a neglected Facebook page anymore; social media, emails and search engine optimization should all be part of your marketing strategy. If you’re not tech-savvy, hire a social media manager or a full-service Internet marketing company to create or improve your visibility online.

Let Go of Nostalgia :

It’s surprisingly common for business owners to cling on to out-of-date branding or old ways of operating because they feel familiar. Don’t let nostalgia get in the way of innovation; if you’re not connecting with a young or modern audience, then it might be time to rethink how you do things.

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