Turn the dreaded, near-useless annual performance review into a constant cycle of useful, meaningful feedback -- that is fun, to boot.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The latest news and information for entrepreneurs from across the web universe, brought to you by the Report on Small Business team. Follow us on Twitter @GlobeSmallBiz
HR software battle heats up with Rypple acquisition
Salesforce.com Inc. – vendor of customer-management software – is getting into the human resources game, in a move that raises the stakes in its fight to take market share from rivals SAP A.G. and Oracle Corp, Reuters reports.
The provider of web-based software for managing sales, customer service and marketing, said on Thursday that it has agreed to buy Rypple, a Toronto-based company which manages corporate goal-setting, feedback, recognition and coaching. Learn more about the company here.
The acquisition is the first step in an effort to build out a line of web-based human resources software for corporations, the company said.
According to Reuters, Salesforce.com is internally developing addition human resources software to help companies with recruiting, adding new workers and training them, said Executive Vice President John Wookey, who will run the new HR business unit.
The HR software sector has really heated up in the last few years with SAP's proposed $3.4-billion acquistion of SuccessFactors indicating just how critical this sector has become, according to the WSJ. Toronto-based Achievers (formerly I Love Rewards) - also received a $24.5-million round of funding from Sillicon Valley heavyweight Sequoia Capital firm.
Don't boost CPP premiums, urges CFIB
In advance of the weekend meeting of federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has expressed its support for Canada's new pooled registered pension plan (PRPP) legislation – and requested the government not support an increase to Canada Pension Plan premiums.
With ongoing hikes in employment insurance premiums, many workers' compensation levies as well as provincial minimum wages, small employers cannot afford another increase in mandatory payroll taxes," said Dan Kelly, CFIB's senior vice-president of legislative affairs.
But CFIB's demands may face some fierce opposition if this group of pension experts - including a former chief actuary of the CPP - have anything to do with it. They're calling on Canada's finance ministers to commit to expanding the CPP.
In an open letter to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and his provincial and territorial counterparts, the group said a growing body of research indicates that many Canadians will likely have inadequate savings to maintain their standard of living in retirement.
How the productive work
Tony Wong, a project management superstar interviewed by Inc.com here, offers the following tips will help you stay on task:
- Work backwards from goals to milestones to tasks.
- Stop multi-tasking
- Be militant about eliminating distractions
- Schedule your email
- Use the phone
- Work on your own agenda
- Work in 60 to 90 minute intervals
EVENTS AND KEY DATES
Women Entrepreneurs Festival
Sponsored by the Tisch School of the Arts' ITP program, the fest's stunning lineup of speakers is here. And the one and only Arianna Huffington will be giving the keynote address. January 17-18.
5 Steps to Quality Referrals
This 2 1/2 hour workshop will deliver the 5 Steps on how to generate and receive quality referrals and stress the importance of WHY you can't miss one step before moving ahead. February 2, 2010, Suite 312 515 Consumers Road.
40 under 40 Awards
Rub shoulders with the winners and meet up with winners from previous years on January 25, 2012 in Vancouver B.C.
EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Five marketing questions to ask to grow your business in 2012
As 2011 draws to a close, looking back at how you handled your marketing can help figure out how best to tackle the slew of new challenges and opportunities the year ahead will bring
FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES
Freedom beats carrots to motivate staff
It's easy to give out bonuses but harder, and more effective, to figure out what propels individuals
Got a tip on news, events or other timely information related to the small-business community? E-mail us at yourbusiness@globeandmail.com
Join The Globe's Small Business LinkedIn group to network with other entrepreneurs and to discuss topical issues: http://linkd.in/jWWdzT
Our free weekly newsletter is now available. Every Friday a team of editors selects the top picks from our blog posts, features, multimedia and columnists, and delivers them to your inbox. If you have registered for The Globe's website, you can sign up here. Click on the Small Business Briefing checkbox and hit 'save changes.' If you need to register for the site, click here.
Katherine Scarrow