ELITE Business Magazine - 10th Edition, July 2020

Madiha Raslan President Women Leaders Council Lebanon

EBW & WLC Lebanon Online Agreement Women Entrepreneurs during Covid 19 How coaching is helping you in a crisis situation?

TrustedApp for entrepreneurs Health and exercise in lockdown?

SUMMARY 1. Elite Business Women launches the EU-GCC Women’s Cooperation Group to support global economic cooperation and give a voice to women in business everywhere 2. Bianca Tudor, Elite Business Women - Train your employees on the benets D&I will have on THEM 3. Mihaela Frunza, Smart & Business Coaching - A new beginning in the way we do business!

4. Alina Nitu, SPA Business Advisor - ReStart Your Spa Business with Drive and Condence 5. Georgiana Tara, Trial Trips Romania - Incoming Travel Agencies and Intern Tourism for Romania in Pandemic Times. Write History. Boost a Business 6. Dr. Iuliana Lambru, Metabolic Balance - Restart our busines 7. Diana Langa, Thera Optic Med - How did we reboot the business? Actually we never stopped 8. Mihaela Stroe, Coach & Trainer - Method Start-Stop-Continue applied in my business 9. Yolanda Mabuto International Partner World Business Angels Investment Forum Founder - “The State of the Global Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: A WBAF Survey” 10. Paula Dragomir, DRAGOMIR Legal Consult - GDPR compliance at the level of employers during the state alert and the Coronavirus pandemic 11. Alexandra Hila, Hila Legal - Amendments to the Law 77/2016 on giving in payment and the opportunity of contractual credit rebalancing 12. Ioana Arsenie, Trusted Advisor Strategy & Finance - In times of crisis, being on the fast track counts: Trusted App, the financial reporting application for entrepreneurs 13. Mihaela Hurezeanu, Trainer & Coach - Never let a good crisis go to waste 14. We do HR - Goodbye to open office spaces? How the Coronavirus outbreak changed our future at work 15. Andra Bianca Stoican, Leadership and Executive Coach - The mindset of a winner in times of crisis 16. Mihaela Croitoru, Sutainability Consultant & Managing Partner Innova Project Consulting - The role of institutional communication for SMEs 17. High Edu - Empowering students to match their skills with their education, not only during COVID-19, but for years to come.

18. Alexandra Elena Durbacă, CEO Leader Team Broker - The crisis generated by COVID-19 is a test of responsibility that has strengthened our team even more!

19. Olivia Nicula, Co- Founder Artemis Optic - Crisis Learnings 20. Anca Mihalache - How I revised our aviation company’s strategy during crisis. And how I decided that it was time for a new challenge and I started the bilingual business and lifestyle blog Deals on High Heels 21. Dr Codruta Cioponea - Exercises makes you Happy! – Rehabilitation Medicine Healthy lifestyle of women – Generalities 22. Adriana Fagarasian, SkinMedic Brasov owner 23. Raluca Culda - REINVENT the way you recruit, starting with the recruiting ad 24. Loredana Trocan, Head of HANSEN ergonomics studio Timișoara - Home office, the new trend 25. Andreea Groenendijk - Why I started Workplace Today

Elite Business Women launches the EU- GCC Women’s Cooperation Group to support global economic cooperation and give a voice to women in business everywhere

Elite Business Women is proud to launch EU-GCC Women’s Cooperation Group, an international initiative reuniting brilliant businesswomen from across the globe. The Group’s main goals are to increase cooperation, collaboration and, more generally, give a voice to all women in the international business environment. Businesswomen everywhere are invited to join their regional EU-GCC Women’s Cooperation to bring together their insights, build new initiatives, and cooperate.

The EU-GCC Women’s Cooperation Group will work with the EU-GCC Dialogue on Economic Diversification, the EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network and other EU-GCC coopera tion related and to contribute to the EU-GCC free trade agreement. The group is also open to activities with countries outside the EU-GCC. The Group has already formed partnerships with business and women’s organisations from Jordan, Liban, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. „Together with international women’s organisations, we want to work for long-term cooperation, exchange, promotion, help in establishing contacts, and creating partnerships and joint projects. Our goal is not to associate to create a new entity. Our goal is for organisations to cooperate with each other, so that women have the opportunity to develop their chosen fields and to have help from various governmental or non-governmental institutions. We fight with stereotypes, we work for understanding and dialogue, We want to increase the number of interregional projects, women’s economic missions, joint scientific projects, successful startups, women’s companies, women in decision-making positions, trade agreements, and more places for cooperation and development,” Bianca Tudor, Founder and CEO, Elite Business Women.

Elite Business Women also aims to support EU-Middle East relations and is already doing so through a number of organized webinars in partnership with Ms Andreea Groenendijk-Deveau, a London-based serial entrepreneur, experienced business journalist, and award-winning communicator.

About the EU-GCC Women’s Cooperation Group The Group’s activities are based on the principles of the European Union. The council of

women’s founders and CEOs of organisations that have signed an agreement for cooperation and joint creation of the Group will meet at a specific time and place. Together, they decide on their priorities and action plan. The Group designates organisations to lead individual working groups. Working groups work in consultation with the Council. Each group is responsible for supporting activities in specific areas. Thanks to this, specialists and practitioners deal with every topic. Interdisciplinary cooperation between groups is also important – e.g. a group responsible for business with a group responsible for technology and a group responsible for science- e.g. for innovative projects, increased employment among experts, startups, etc.

One of the group’s goals is to create offline and online solutions to obtain information, funds, project partners, and business partners. This is to help reduce disproportions between large agglomerations and small towns, disproportions between countries, integration, reduction of bankruptcies and business failures, identify and avoid patterns that do not work, and increase efficiency across the board.

The Group wants to cooperate with all governmental and non-governmental entities, technology parks, business incubators, scientific research institutes and centres, operational funds and programs, VC and business angels, coworking spaces, local authorities who want to help women develop.

The Group aims to start its mission at the 2020 G20 Riyadh summit in November, through forging long-term relationships with leaders around the world in order to kick start its activities in international trade and business development.

About Elite Business Women Elite Business Women is an international organization, founded in 2015, which supports the development of women’s entrepreneurship internationally, with a network of 12,000 women entrepreneurs in 8 business clubs in Europe. EBW is internationally recognized as part of the World Business Angels Investment Forum, Advisory Board in the transnational project Women in Business – 9 countries in the Danube region, nominated for best social impact by the Central Eastern Europe Awards for Start-ups. Elite Business Women is founded by entrepreneur Bianca Tudor, leading the Organization in the past 5 years as the CEO.

Elite Business Club Bahrain Launching Event The role of female entrepreneurship in the development of the countries About this Event Elite Business Club Bahrain Launching Event- The role of female entrepreneurship in the integration processes and development of the countries As part of the EU-GCC Global Collaboration Group, Elite Business Women is hosting a live, virtual panel with some of the world’s most highprofile Organisations, women and men in business and professionals in Bahrain and UAE to launch our chapter Elite Business Club Bahrain!

Women around the world are changing the way business is being done - from building bridges between countries to innovating industries and international relationships. With women redefining their ecosystems and pushing boundaries, we are seeing changes on an individual, societal, economic, political, and international level.

How do we empower more women to join the business sector, communicate their achievements better, and continue to use their unique skills to innovate and build tomorrow’s world?

Join an initiative by Elite Business Women The Agenda Building a woman leader is a long, sometimes challenging journey - from finding your inner strength to surrounding yourself with the right people - how do we set ourselves - and others up for success? How do we get into the right mindset and stay there in order to thrive long-term?

Women are innovating in business around the world - however, the glass ceiling has stayed in place in so many fields. How do we push for women’s voice to be heard in all industries and business fields?

Mentoring, coaching, and self-development - the role of always seeking to develop your skills Networking - tips and tricks to build a winning network and paying it forward.

Cultural differences - going international and finding common ground with people from different cultures and countries. How do you build a successful international business?

Empowering women in business - the definition of this ever-present concept is different around the world, and it requires a different degree of support from society as a whole, politicians and the business environment.

What will the post-Covid-19 era look like for entrepreneurs EU-UAE-KSA economic cooperation during and after the pandemic Speakers Bianca Tudor, Founder & CEO, Elite Business Women. WBAF Senator Andreea Zoia, Presenter, Keynote Speaker & Confidence Coach Nalin Chandna, CEO, Board Director, Chief Transformer, Author, TEDx Speaker, Leadership Coach, Trainer, Mentor & Inspirational Speaker Matteo Boffa, President at Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi Fajer Rabia Pasha, Executive Director Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education – PAGE Moderator Andreea Groenendijk-Deveau, entrepreneur and award-winning communicator About EBW Elite Business Women, www.ebw.business, vision is to build the first elite company for women entrepreneurship globally!

ELITE Mission is to become a valuable tool in the development of women entrepreneurship worldwide by encouraging and building partnerships with other countries. Our ecosystem of education has already 10 Business Clubs in 5 countries across Europe and a network of 12.000 women entrepreneurs and we are expanding in the GCC with our EU GCC Women's Cooperation Group initiative.

EBW has 3 main pillars of activity: education in our Elite Business Club, sharing economy in Elite Business Women Investment Fund NGO, global collaboration in the EU GCC Women’s Cooperation Group.

Bianca Tudor, Elite Business Women:

Train your employees on the benefits D&I will have on THEM Bianca Tudor, CEO & Founder of Elite Business Women, a 10,000-strong organisation supporting women around the world, has been in an entrepreneur mindset since starting her first job at 19. Today, she is an advocate for women in business, equality, diversity, and inclusion, and a better workplace in a post-Covid-19 world. Here, she gives her thoughts on the hot topic of ED&I, in an interview for Workplace Today magazine.

1. How do you see the ‘new normal’ in the workplace? What are some of the steps you are taking to prepare employees for this new reality as they are returning to work?

Bianca Tudor: Normal in the workplace is something that in the developed economies was a habit – teleworking, digitalisation for companies, organisational culture, employees benefits, working with an Action Plan and KPIs. I think the first step is to reinforce the brand identity – mission, vision, values – and make sure all employees are committed to it. Then create a healthy, people-orientated organisational culture, invest in your people and make sure you give them permission to really make a contribution.

Last, but not least, business means structure, KPIs, performance, and profitability and all employees should be part that.

2. As we are rebuilding the workplace now, how can companies put equality, diversity and inclusion at the core of their HR strategies? What are some of the things employers can do to make the workplace more inclusive?

Bianca Tudor: It is a period of rebirth, rebuilding, and new beginnings. We cannot come after

Covid-19 with the same practices in business. I think quotas on diversity/equality would only reinforce the gaps, the positive discrimination feeling and the segregation between men and women.

What we need to change is the approach, not the goal! Start by training your employees on the benefits diversity and equality will have on THEM. We are self-centred as human beings. Think about the infusion of talent, knowledge, and skills that diversity and equality will have on your team and company. For every 1% increase in diversity, your company revenues will increase by 3%. We need to make sure we educate before we regulate.

3. How do you create a work culture where people embrace equality, diversity and inclusion?

Bianca Tudor: It is always difficult to embrace the fact that we are so different, in race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, in a world in which we crave for the feeling of being accepted and loved. What we need to start doing is to understand that we have on automatic pilot some social stereotypes. For example, a mature woman, of 50+, will sometimes discriminate against a young, beautiful woman on a job interview, unintentionally. Make sure you know that and reinforce your rational thinking.

In a social study in Australia, white people were caught involuntary misjudging people of colour in psychology tests. And when presented with the results, they were amazed by the fact that they may display racist behaviour.

Secondly, people should enjoy basic education/training on the positive results we see when we embrace equality, diversity, and inclusion. We have to present people with even more role models from the discriminated-against categories – people of colour, disabled individuals, young women, elderly people (they have huge challenges in the workplace), people from the LGBTQ+ community.

4. Will flexible working become the norm? How can corporates work around this new reality?

Bianca Tudor: I am a Millennial, therefore have always craved for flexible working hours and to make an impact in the corporations I used to work for. This is how I became an entrepreneur because they were, at the beginning, hiring Millennials and didn’t change fast as a culture and keep up with what my generation was looking for. Now, as an entrepreneur, I have to work with www.workplacetoday.co.uk the younger generations and to make sure I am able to understand them.

I will advise companies to have a strategy on teleworking, flexible hours, online and offline work, team buildings; be more clear about their business goals, key target figures, what the company gains by achieving its KPIs , what they lose when they fail to reach their targets.

5. What can women in business around the world do in order to promote equality in the new workplace?

Bianca Tudor: First, properly educate our girls and boys on equality and make sure we don’t raise our girls to believe in Snow White fairy tales. We need to educate girls to be sharp, determined, to articulate their opinions, to have a voice. We need to educate boys to treat girls and women as their equal.

We need to involve more men in promoting gender equality and we need to promote more role models in gender equality, they way Canada and the Scandinavian countries have done. We need more women to work together, to be united, and to set a positive example.

It all starts with us!

A new beginning in the way we do business!

Crises and challenges bring to the surface who you are and what skills, abilities you still have to learn.

This period is one that challenges us all, entrepreneurs and employees alike, and has highlighted the need to move to another level of development.

For some it was the courage to recognize their worth and stand out, say who you are and give value.

For others, they were practicing technical skills to use different online communication platforms or to adapt their information to the online environment.

Or others have asked themselves serious questions about how they want to move forward and clarify their values and vision.

I wondered why some people do great in these situations, they really succeed, and others don't?

The answer to this question is resilience, which is a rather controversial concept.

The word resilient comes from the Latin resiliere which means to take a step back, to take distance or how you react to difficult events in life.

At the same time, the answer to the question helps us to shape people with a special ability to cope with difficult events and to build, to develop processes and tools through which others can learn this ability.

The research of resilience was done in different contexts: in organizations, in the army, in performance sports, in communities.

The factors that influence resilience are genetic factors, personality, social support.

We can refer to resilience in general - how to deal with difficult events in general or the ability to deal with adverse events in different specific situations.

I have two questions for you: What is the current state of your business?

How would you describe your current journey?

Maybe you manage to give yourself a score by following the different types of behaviors you have in crisis situations.

1. I tend to bounce back quickly after hard times.

2. I have a hard time making it through stressful events.

3. It does not take me long to recover from a stressful event.

4. It is hard for me to snap back when something bad happens.

5. I usually come through difficult times with little trouble.

6. I tend to take a long time to get over set-backs in my life.

I have created an online resilience development program that consists of different lessons and exercises to help you develop those behaviors necessary for success in adverse situations.

The program takes place online and you can reserve a place at any time by contacting me..

From working with my clients I noticed that everyone has their own pace of learning. Those who had many challenges quickly developed resilience compared to those who had fewer opportunities to practice it.

In this context of profound change for both entrepreneurs and employees, it is imperative, as a leader, to develop this resilience. You thus become a model in your company, a model to follow, and the impact it has on your evolution in business is different.

I conclude with two questions: What major changes and internal and external challenges do you anticipate that you will encounter in the next 3-5 years in your business?

What impact would the development of your resilience and the teams in the organization have on the strengths of the company that gives you a competitive advantage?

I am waiting for you in the program: Develop resilience in your company!

Mihaela Frunză contact@mihaelafrunza.ro +40 767 798 359 www.mihaelafrunza.ro

ReStart Your Spa Business with Drive and Confidence To be back in business may have the same scary impact as it was when the lockdown started, so you and your team may need some good inputs on what to do on ReStarting Your Spa Business.

According to ISPA reopening checklist, there are some important things you might take into consideration. This checklist provides general guidelines for reopening a spa and it is meant to be customizable with applicable components appropriate by each individual spa location: • Identify practices and policies that will need to be adjusted as a result of any new laws or regulations • Establish process and timeline for rehiring or reacclimating laid off or furloughed employees • Amend job descriptions to include sanitation duties and other changes • Establish necessary changes to employee scheduling patterns • Identify the protocol for employees to follow if they or a guest become ill or present signs of illness • Determine how social distancing requirements will be monitored and the process for managing guests who do not follow the requirements • Determine how capacity restrictions will be monitored and who will be responsible for monitoring

• Approach reopening as though opening a new business. Because the work environment and procedures have likely changed, this approach sets the tone for employees adjusting to new expectations.

• Work with management and staff to identify any specialized training required for leadership, reception, spa attendants, therapists and service providers, fitness instructors, etc.

• Gather insights from employees by inviting them to be part of the planning process and share their voices (publicly or privately) so that they are more fully invested in your spa’s reopening process.

• Check in frequently with staff regarding their emotional and mental well-being, as the new and evolving norms of their work lives will take time to implement and get used to.

• Review you Spa Menu and make the necessary change of your services. This is the perfect time to adjust the menu, bring in new therapies or, at least, give them a special „light” Last, but not least, take the necessary time to open your spa, don’t hurry, don’t compare with others, respect your own time adjustment business. Focus on keepping your guests safe and satisfied.

Alina Nițu Spa Business Advisor www.spaplus.ro 0743 564 796

Incoming Travel Agencies and Intern Tourism for Romania in Pandemic Times.

Write History.

Boost a Business.

It is really amazing to live historical times and I may consider myself lucky with this #pandemictimes.

Trail Trips Romania is an incoming travel agency that haven’t celebrated one year of existence yet experienced a lot. This boost the small family business to a faster growth. #tourism and #hospitality at least never had such times before: lots of work, facing no incomes, from hero to zero overnight all over the world.

Looking back three months ago it just makes me happy we went through this. We now have better contacts with the best people in tourism and the biggest and eldest tourism agencies in Romania. It showed us what kind of partners and providers we have, it straightened our relationship with advised authorities, bounded better relationship with our clients and customers and, not the last, planted great ideas for our actual business and made us realize our entrepreneurship potential.

Nowadays tourism is the most affected domain, it wasn’t really restarted yet. Still, we kept on working, keeping in touch with our customers and keeping up with daily news and changing laws.

We launched one new product, a personalized COUPON for vacations, useable until 2021 December 31st for those traveling from other countries. Regarding the incoming travel agency part, we’re still waiting for borders to be opened, for boats and planes to start travel again and for people to feel safe travelling.

We’re also working on developing Trail Trips Romania as being an intern tourism agency as well. We really believe that Romanians needs to discover this beautiful country in a right way, and a great travel agency consultant will help on having the best vacation in their own country.

We predicted this in march and said it out loud that in Romania we’ve got intern tourism as well and it’s time to make this done. We can discover this country as well by its history and unique nature, great taste of food in different regions, explore the rural life, the rural tourism and the most important of them all, a thing that started to grow in the past couple of years, enjoy the active tourism and adrenaline or adventure tourism. To be done well, a respectable person will have for sure a travel consultant especially nowadays, thinking of it as important as having his own dentist, family doctor, insurance consultant, business coach, because he will know his client and implicitly his needs and tastes.

I think we’re really lucky living in Romania, because it was without discussion a hidden gem of Europe and it’s definitely its time to be discovered and explored!

Georgiana TARA Co-founder, CEO & Vacation Creator for Trail Trips Romania +4 0723 844 727 enjoy@trailtripsromania.com www.trailtripsromania.com

Restart our business I ended an unusual period and everything came so suddenly. We didn't have time to prepare for a shut down. But that's it. For some of us it was very difficult, and all we could do was look for solutions for our business.

For me, as a nutritionist, it was the right time to launch my online business, because, during this period, not being able to meet with patients in the office, I had to find a way to be able to advise them as well, work could be done very well online.

We resorted to various solutions, because not all patients are familiar with technology, or do not have the knowledge to be online. So, I adapted. With some of them I met on the Zoom platform, while I met with others on a video call on Whatsapp, and those who did not have a stable internet, I spoke to the phone. Anyway, no patient was left unadvised.

I've never had a problem speaking in front of an audience, but filming is something else entirely. But I found that it's not hard at all, and I will continue to make such videos to post on my professional page.

Also, together with our coordinator from Germany, we organize webinars for those who do not know us and we approach various nutrition topics, webinars where I am present with my fellow counselors.

I continue to work online, although I started again in the office, because there are people who prefer the online option, saving time with going to the office.

Dr. Iuliana Lambru 0737.525.731 iulianalambru@gmail.com www.iulianalambru.ro Facebook:dr.iulianalambru

How did we reboot the business?

Actually we never stopped.

First of all we took all the safety measures for the medical optics office so that we could continued. Patience and working staff safety were the most important one for us!

We have contacted all our customers and clients database to announce we continue our activity offering a safe environment and with a special schedule.

We have considered that people really needs us even in a declared emergency or alert situation. Every child or adult need a clear view especially most of them continued the school or their jobs using more than ever digital screens and gadget devices.

We were very happy already having under construction our online shop so we managed to opened it right on time for customers all over the country so they could take benefit of our amazing offers on theraopticmed.ro when they needed most.

Being an owner at Thera Optic Med I did my best and managed to be on time with debts both to our providers and state. I really consider that all entrepreneurs must understand that economy it’s just like a rolling snowball that needs to roll over to grow nice.

I have learned a lot in this pandemic times. I kept on seeding seeds for the future by continuously developing myself, by reading and strengthened my entrepreneurial beliefs.

Thera Optic Med www.theraopticmed.ro Facebook : theraopticmed theraopticmed@gmail.com 0749687375

Method Start-Stop-Continue applied in my business During this crisis, I found very useful a method that I practice with every client in my coaching programs: Start-Stop-Continue. I share with you below how I applied it to restart my business and I hope that you will be inspired to use it as well.

This is not the first crisis since I have decided to become an entrepreneur. Because in 2020, I will celebrate the 18th anniversary with my business. Since the economic crisis in 2009, when I have started from scratch to run my coaching programs with business clients, I learnt to make plans rapidly and to be flexible to change them if they don’t serve me.

So, START for me in 2020 meant to focus on implementing a new marketing plan to increase the number of paying clients on my online educational membership platform, called MS TRIBE. Why? Now, everybody is online and needs a safe place where to find guidance to stay concentrated on their priorities in business or life, on their health and also, they need daily encouragement on being proactive instead of reactive.

What did I STOP? I stopped being dependent on social media, especially on YouTube and Facebook. After YouTube terminated suddenly my account with more than 8.400 followers and more than 500 videos, without any warning or giving me the chance to save 7 years of hard work, I decided to become free of YouTube. Now I create educational videos or materials on demand only for my MS TRIBE membership platform and my paid clients.

What did I CONTINUE? I continued to inspire and to motivate my clients to focus on self-discipline, self-development, on delegating and on training daily for a flexible mindset. I really believe after 20 years in business, that the difference between a winner and a loser is POSITIVE MINDSET! I strongly encourage you all, to focus on building every day a STRONG and POSITIVE MINDSET and to be surrounded by people with the same MINDSET! It’s the only way to move through each crisis with minimal disruption.

Mihaela Stroe PhD Coach, Trainer, Author, Speaker www.mihaelastroe.ro

04 July 2020 Country Statements “The State of the Global Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: A WBAF Survey” Leading a number of entrepreneurship initiatives (The Woman Power Boss & Global Businesswomen Evolution) allowed us an opportunity to be privy on the challenges that start up businesses faced during covid19 and mindful of possible remedies South African government is putting in place to support businesses. We work with the government to position the SME’s for support, we also collaborated with Clarion event’s Initiate program aimed at empowering Start Ups and SME’s during this time. We also collaborated with UK’s Global Thinkers Forum and Athena40 in hosting series of webinar sessions on what support is available for the businesses to survive the pandemic, and to keep solutions based conversations. Our focus was on Energy businesses, but we soon opened up the support for all sectors due to the economic stress felt by all sectors due to lockdown. Local and global collaboration has never been more important than this time to ensure that businesses stay afloat and the integration with the government financial relief is well managed and includes every deserving business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created profound disruptions to our economy and society. Many South African industries are experiencing an adverse impact from the pandemic, which is consistent with other countries fighting the disease. In response to the crisis, South Africa was placed under a national lockdown to reduce the spread of the virus, which resulted to businesses closures. The government’s goal is to steadily increase economic activity while putting measures in place to reduce the transmission of the virus and provide adequate care for those who become infected and need treatment.

The businesses affected by the national lockdown are those that are not regarded as providing essential services. The industries include, amongst others, those who are reliant on the movement of goods, the telecommunications sector, and selected mining activities due to a decrease in demand for minerals, accommodation and tourism due to travel bans, construction, transport, and various services. Over 40% of businesses indicated that they are not confident that their business has the financial resources to continue operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access to financial resources has become a challenge with 23,8% indicated a decrease while 52,6% indicated access to financial resources remained the same, 30,6% indicated they can survive less than a month without any turnover, while 54,0% can survive between 1 and 3 months. We have experienced a widespread adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business turnover across all industries. The industries reporting the highest proportions within the normal range were mining and quarrying; electricity, gas and water; and community,

social and personal services.

Some of the challenges during the outbreak posed a serious threat to young women includes economic distress to groups like The Woman Power Boss, and more than 1000 businesses that we work with on the Global Businesswomen Evolution (Globe). The pandemics has really hit the start up and forced others to pivot during this time. These businesses serve as income opportunities for their employees to rethink their economic survival or face permanent closure.

The timing and speed of the economic recovery, dependent on show quick the health crisis can be solved, the health crisis is likely to exacerbate inequality, mental health problems, and lack of societal cohesion. The Covid-19 economic crisis has already hit poorer people and those in more socially disadvantaged groups disproportionately harder. Our involvement with World Business Angel Investment Forum affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion which aims to facilitate access to finance for businesses, with the aim of generating economic development, jobs and more social justice worldwide.

To achieve this goal, WBAF lays the groundwork for its first $ 10 million investment fund (WBAF Angel Investment Fund), which will be an international co-investment platform for start-ups.

South Africa Yolanda Mabuto International Partner World Business Angels Investment Forum Founder, Divaine Growth Solutions, Global Businesswomen Evolution Yolanda Mabuto International yolanda@divainegrowthsolutions.co.za +27 82Â 643 1051

GDPR compliance at the level of employers during the state alert and the Coronavirus pandemic…..

Given, the Coronavirus pandemic SAR-CoV-2 on the one hand and the measures taken by the Romanian authorities on the other hand, which led to the limitation of citizens' rights to move, many employers have reorganised their activity so that its employees can perform their duties at home.

Under the new working conditions, companies must take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of personal data, both of employees and of customers and collaborators.

These measures consist of a set of rules, actions and sometimes even some investments in licensed distance communication programs.

1. Policies To the extent that there are clear data protection and confidentiality policies at company level, no major changes are required.

If these documents do not exist, now is certainly the time to do so, as the state of emergency does not exempt operators from complying with the Regulation on the processing of personal data. Taking into consideration that employees take at home work devices (laptops, computers, tablets, etc.), documents that contain personal data, on physical media or stored in various forms, it is recommended that new obligations are imposed on them or , at least remind them the old ones, so that they can ensure that the data which needs to be protected does not become known to third parties as a result of a security breach.

Employers who have not implemented the possibility of accessing the remote database through internal measures, must implement new, temporary measures, specific to the new way of working from home.

2. Remote access to the database Providing that that the access to the system / database is made from a distance, respectively

from the employee's home, it is necessary for each employee to use a licensed, secure program, the access being done using a unique user and password.

At the same time, it is recommended that this password is changed at certain time intervals - 10-15 days and that re-authentication is introduced after a certain period of inactivity.

3. Communication with colleagues and clients Certainly, during this period, communication with colleagues and with clients or collaborators is necessary for the realisation of the projects, and this can only be done through modern means of distance communication. Depending on the number of participants in such a meeting, as well as the degree of security that the employer wants to ensure, there are currently several applications, some of which are even free.

Of course, it must be kept in mind that, as a rule, free versions of applications are less secure in terms of confidentiality and protection of personal data. That is why it is recommended to purchase a license for these applications.

4. More intense security monitoring - by the IT team.

The role of the IT department is essential during this period, because each employee's access to the database is done from another place, remotely. If before, it had the obligation to ensure the security of the network created at the employer's premises, now the monitoring is much more complex.

At the same time, this department will have to make recommendations and decide, together with the DPO, if any, as well as with the company's management, which are the best applications for online meetings and discussions with colleagues and clients.

5. Periodic checks It is also the employer's responsibility together with the IT team to periodically check whether the employees comply with the policies and measures implemented regarding the access to the remote database.

Checks should primarily concern the database, ie its security, and whether or not access to the database is authorised. Any signs of possible non-compliant access or security breach should be checked.

However, the employee's access devices from which the database is accessed, as well as the level of security covered by these devices, can also be verified through remote access applications. This can be done given that employees can also use personal devices to ensure the performance of working from home.

However, any verification must be strictly limited to the activity and documents used for the purpose of performing the duties of the service, not the personal ones ....

6. Constantly informing employees about the measures taken Either the DPO, if any, or the representative of the HR Department called the DPO should, inform employees during this period of the measures taken to ensure the protection of personal data, but also remind them that During this period, compliance with personal data processing policies is even more important.

Are you in compliance with GDPR regulations?

Our company comes to your aid!

We offer assistance and implementation of GDPR for institutions and legal entities.

Request the offer right now!

• Data Protection Officer (DPO); • Assistance and implementation of GDPR policies; • Assistance in drafting forms and new confidentiality clauses; • Training staff for good practice in the workplace in terms of data manipulation; • Evaluating the current situation and establishing the necessary measures; • Analysis, monitoring and maintenance over long periods of time; • Strengthening data security policies, information systems and the implementation of secure solutions.

• To find out more information about how to schedule a consultation, please send us a message at dragomirconsult@gmail.com or contact us at: 0746/912007

DRAGOMIR LEGAL CONSULT Juridic : Dragomir Paula Timisoara, str. J.H.Pestalozzi, no.3-5 (Enel Building) Monday- Friday; 08:00 - 19:00 0746/912007

Amendments to the Law 77/2016 on giving in payment and the opportunity of contractual credit rebalancing With the publication of the Law amending and supplementing Law no. 77/2016 on giving in payment of real estate in order to settle the obligations assumed through loans, new opportunities are brought in favor of over-indebted debtors through bank loans. With the definition of unpredictability, the new regulation offers the opportunity to freeze the effects of the (bank) credit agreement until the renegotiation of the latter, thus giving priority to contractual rebalancing.

According to the new law, the following events represent alternative criteria for individualizing unpredictability: a) during the execution of the (bank) credit agreement, the exchange rate, applicable for the purchase of the credit currency, registers on the date of transmission of the payment notification an increase of over 52.6% compared to the date of concluding the credit agreement.

In order to calculate the percentage of 52.6%, the exchange rate published by the National Bank of Romania on the date of sending the payment notification and the exchange rate published by the NBR on the date of concluding the credit agreement shall be taken into account; and b) during the execution of the credit contract, the monthly payment obligation registers an increase of over 50% as a result of the increase of the variable interest rate.

Of course, in order for the advantages contained in the legislative amendment to be applicable, the conditions contained in the original form of the law must me also met, namely: - the person who contracted with the banking institution to have the quality of consumer; - the amount of the borrowed amount, at the time of granting, not to exceed the RON equivalent of EUR 250,000, amount calculated at the exchange rate published by the National Bank of Romania on the day of concluding the credit agreement; - the credit has been contracted by the consumer in order to purchase, build, expand, modernize, arrange, rehabilitate a residential building or, regardless of the purpose for which it was contracted, is guaranteed with at least one residential building; - the consumer has not been convicted by a final decision for offenses related to the credit for which the application of this law is requested.

The first step to benefit from the provisions of the amended law is to formulate, through a lawyer, legal executor or notary, a notification addressed to the banking institution, which shows the fulfillment of the above conditions and proposes a variant of rebalancing the credit agreement. This notification also proposes dates for convening the bank for presentation to a notary public to complete the transfer of ownership.

In the period between the transmission of the notification and the date of the convocation, the parties will negotiate the contractual rebalancing.

From the date of receipt of the notification, the creditor's right to sue the debtor, the co-debtors, as well as against the personal or mortgage guarantors is suspended.

Within 10 days of receiving the notification, the bank may address the court with a challenge to the conditions of admissibility invoked by the debtor consumer. In the event that the court rejects the action of the banking institution and the consumer wins, the bank's representative is required to appear before a notary public to perform the transfer of ownership of the property.

It is important to emphasize that until the final settlement of the creditor's appeal, the suspension of any payment to the latter, as well as of any judicial or extrajudicial proceedings initiated by the creditor or by the persons who subrogate its rights against the debtor, is maintained. From the date of notification of giving in payment, ongoing enforcement, including seizures, shall be automatically suspended.

If the bank's representative refuses to appear before a notary, the debtor consumer can notify the court requesting a decision establishing the settlement of the obligations arising from the mortgage contract and the transfer of ownership to the creditor, by virtue of the giving in payment.

Until the final settlement of the claim, the suspension of any payment to the creditor, as well as of any judicial or extrajudicial proceedings initiated by the creditor or by persons who are subrogated in his rights against the debtor, shall be maintained.

For any additional information, our law firm is at your disposal. You can contact us at the coordinates below.

Hila Legal is a law firm in Timisoara, born from the conviction that the lawyer is a partner for success. We build valuable business together with our customers and fight along them, in the key of innovation and excellence.

Hila Alexandra – LAWYER & OWNER Hila Legal – Attorneys at Law www.hilalegal.ro office@hilalegal.ro alexandra@hilalegal.ro 0742.789.650

In times of crisis, being on the fast track counts: Trusted App, the financial reporting application for entrepreneurs – Ioana Arsenie, Trusted Advisor Strategy & Finance As part of our practice, we have provided advice to tens of companies during these last few months. Though many were facing similar difficulties, their approach to the current situation caused them to experience different results. More than ever, it is obvious that it’s not about the field you work in, but about whether or not you are a winning entrepreneur.

Another important matter is that the crisis deepened the weaknesses companies were already facing. When you don’t have appropriate capitalization and reserves to last you several months, when the financial structure you rely on lies at the limit of profitability, many businesses face a curve breaking point where the decision to go on needs to be substantiated by way of a restructuring plan and by keeping lines of business profitable.

More and more of the entrepreneurs joining financial strategy projects rely on our input concerning the following: • the optimal indebtedness level • how profitability can be increased • the types of costs that can be optimized • the best way to have control of your money (cash-flow) • review of employees’ productivity level and correlating it to a bonus system • the key operational and financial indicators for the business.

I can say I have taken note of some aspects which entrepreneurs find themselves more and more concerned with: • The need for data and for results analysis and interpretation • The need to create a coherent, easy-to-follow reporting structure, from the general to the more particular aspects, on the basis of which decisions can be made.

Moreover, as working assumptions undergo changes at a fast pace, we suggest dynamic instruments such as the Business Simulator as an alternative to classic budgeting strategies.

• We recommend that entrepreneurs work with a variable expenditure structure, to the detriment of fixed expenditure, this being the winning formula during times of business contraction.

• We recommend implementing the Business Simulator, with workingassumptions based on the key variables of the business which generate the financial results.

We, the people of Trusted Advisor, have gone on the fast track during this time by investing inthe development of Trusted App, our financial reporting application which our clients can use to check on their financial results as soon as the month-end closing is completed with minimal effort. As far as we are concerned, this investment smooths internal processes and speeds up the monthly closing procedure.

This process is to our consultancy company a leap in quality, in line with the automation trends in the repetitive processes in our line of business. The result is definitely superior, as clients have the ability to browse the application and benefit from visual support assisting with their management decision-making process.

Ioana Arsenie – owner Trusted Advisor Strategy & Finance - is an expert in business strategies, with expertise in financial, fiscal and management consulting, who offers, by means of her company, integrated services related to financial strategy and accounting for Romanian entrepreneurs.

NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE Mihaela Hurezeanu, Trainer & Coach So what could be the lessons of the Covid-19 crisis and even more importantly: is there anything we can take and use further in the depression the whole world expects to follow?

I am sure that you have already confirmed that you’re passing through this crisis – beyond the business area that you’re in – was greatly influenced by the level of your team. In other words if you were lucky enough to have a good team your struggle was not that hard.

But you see, experience has thought me that having a great team that come together in difficult times is not a matter of luck. So if you happen to feel that a stronger team would have made things easier for you, this is most certainly the best time to build one.

As leaders we instinctively look for mentoring, but sometimes forget that the teams we have also need it. And that it is not only natural but strategic to have it from us. As leaders you have a great opportunity to start mentoring your team if you haven’t already, or increase your efforts because your team needs it more than ever and they are way more receptive now when we are all out of our comfort zone.

Here are a few aspects to take into consideration when you think about how to mentor your team: 1. Give them a broader perspective The crisis has a tendency to reduce the picture, makes us believe this is the worst thing that humankind has seen. It all becomes a matter of today, of how do weget out of this.

As leaders we have the power to give a different perspective – not minimize, but put things into perspective – and help the teams switch from survival to improvement. Help them ask the questions themselves “how do I get better” ”what are the things I never thought possible but now I can try?”

2. Share out of your personal life - be available for more than business issues Go beyond telling them what they should know and tell them what they need to know.

Give them access to you as a person – not as that great person that makes through it all, but as the one that with good moments and bad, strives to find a way. Pretty much as if you say ”here, come site beside me, so you get to see things from where I am”.

What is the source your strength? What emotions do you experience? Let’s face it, if we go past it, it does not mean it’s all a lovely cruise. Your team needs to connect with you and in order to do that; they need the soft spots too.

Share what you’re learning – it’s a crisis because it was unexpected and rough; you most certainly have some things that have become obvious all of a sudden. Some priorities must have changed. Some further understanding must have made sense with you. Some missing links must have become visible. Tell them what you’re learning.

3. Help them with creativity and leverage your team There are resources in the people around us, just as they are within us and we do not know they’re there until we are forced to discover and use them. And especially if you do the two steps above, your team will be inspired to step up and come with so much more than the usual. You already know this, but I will say it anyway – people do not need perfect leaders, they need authentic leaders. The moment they see you as their sponsor, they start sponsoring you. You’ll be surprised.

Are you in their corner? Do you fight for them to win? Do you pave the way for them? You see, this attitude ouzes out of your words and gestures, your team feels that.

GOODBYE TO OPEN OFFICE SPACES? HOW THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK CHANGED OUR FUTURE AT WORK The coronavirus changed our lives for good. Even after most offices reopen, work life won't be the same. To help us imagine what might await workers when they return, we discuss the future of the open office space and how can a company help its employees readapt to the working life.

Is it the end for the open-plan office?

Open office spaces was supposed to inspire teamwork and greater efficiency but the coronavirus outbreak changed it all. One-way corridors, buffer zones around desks, and clear plastic screens to guard against colleagues' coughs and sneezes may become the norm. So, it is time to say goodbye to open office spaces?

In Seoul, South Korea, 43.5% of employees working on the same floor in a call center company were tested positive for coronavirus. So, the idea of the open space era coming to an end is not so hard to believe. One thing is clear: the way we will work will change, at least for the near future. And maybe we will go back to the famous cubicles.

Maybe there is still hope for the open-plan office, but there will be few things that will definitely change: • the corridors will be bigger, given that social distance will be a priority in the future • positioning at the office tables will change and people will work back to back, not like now in line or face to face • photos and post-its will have to be digitized because it will be quite difficult to disinfect them • shared things like coffee mugs or water glasses will be significantly reduced or totally changed with plastic ones • business traveling will be significantly reduced and online (video) conferencing is here to stay How can you support your employees? Here are three examples: 1. Give them the possibility to make their own program: In a recent study done by Have Her Back Consulting, more than 80% of the 500 people who were part of the program said that they want to continue working remote or on a flexible program.

2. Give them real help: In the same study, 78% of the parents taking part of the study said that they had a difficult time working and taking care of the children, especially because the education system was exclusively online. So, a child care system offered by the company will be a huge support for the employees with kids.

1. Show your support: 90% of the companies that showed real support to their employees will be listed on the top employer list in the near future. Their credibility will face a great increase and if you want to be next to them, show your team support by ensuring their future and their intact salaries, giving them more paid days off or real needed benefits.

Are you searching for a reliable HR partner? Or do you need more information?

Please contact us @ we do HR. Let's build together!

THE MINDSET OF A WINNER IN TIMES OF CRISIS – Andra Bianca Stoican The pessimist sees difficulties in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunities in every difficulty. - Winston Churchill During this period, we all went through a difficult and oppressive situation, full of restrictions on all levels - medical, economic, social, psychological. It is important how we decided to behave during this period and what we learned from this crisis. And I do not want to talk now about an absurd optimism and not adapted to the context, but about how to deeply create a constructive vision of life, despite the obstacles encountered in the way.

Many times, we cannot influence the way things are going, but we can certainly change our perspective on them. By orienting our attention and energy in a positive direction, we can influence for the better a certain situation and we can attract good things and happy endings on our side. It's not magic, it's MINDSET. You can go through this crisis, living a continuous state of anxiety and tension, or you can look at this period as a good opportunity to be reborn from all points of view, in which you can review your priorities and values, in which you can strengthen mentally and financially reoriented.

People who have a winning mindset - they are open to new challenges, they are persistent and do not give up easily, they take care of their thoughts, they focus on their journey, but also on their destination, they are inspired by other people, they encourage other people, they like to learn new things, they focus on how they can get better, they see mistakes as an opportunity to learn, they are not afraid to take risks.

Having a winning mindset is very important because that's the only way you can control your skills and success. Such a mindset focuses on work and growth and encourages a positive attitude that can help mentally and emotionally in difficult times, such as a crisis.

The ways you can develop a winning mindset are: - be aware of your thoughts - ask yourself questions to learn and understand - try new challenges - look at mistakes as opportunities to learn - set specific objectives with a concrete plan - add the word ‘still'in the statement'I can't do this!’ And reframe it (I can't do this... yet!)

- focus on your effort and not on the end result - surround yourself with optimistic people you learn from - accept your imperfections - believe that changes and improvements are possible

- avoid comparing yourself to others - stop judging and criticizing others - talk to you in a positive way The way you talk to yourself has a major impact on developing a healthy mindset. If you say to yourself, ‘I'm not good at this.’ you will most likely give up. Instead, you can reformulate ‘How can I improve this?’

Remember! It is not easy to build a winning mindset and always remain at this high level of thinking. If that were the case, everyone would have been successful. But now you know what to do to cultivate a proper mindset to get through difficult situations more easily.

If you need my support in a personalized way, you can contact me and we can set up individual meetings to talk punctually about what you would like to improve in your life.

My name is Andra Bianca Stoican, I am a certified leadership and executive coach and I work with women in achieving their goals both personally and professionally.

Andra Bianca Stoican Leadership and Executive Coach biancastoican05@gmail.com, 0726 989 531 LinkedIn: Andra Bianca Stoican Facebook: @andra.bianca.stoican

THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION FOR SMES – Mihaela Croitoru, Sutainability Consultant & Managing Partner Innova Project Consulting As we mentioned in the previous articles, institutional communication of a company, regardless of its size, is extremely important and can decisively influence its customer portfolio. There is a tendency of small companies to neglect this aspect, at least in our country. It is true that, unfortunately, we cannot yet be proud of a very well-developed entrepreneurial culture and settled in our mentality, but we have a multitude of tools at our disposal, which can help us deepen the notions we need in this regard. There are a variety of courses on the market that could complement the knowledge we need to run a company, so as to ensure its long-term sustainable development. Also, in addition to these training courses, we have consulting firms specialized in different fields (management, human resources, fiscal, financial, legal, communication, etc.) to which we could turn.

For those who do not yet want to use these tools, although our recommendation is in this direction, as the advantages are obvious, we present below, five tips to guide in drawing a basis for an institutional communication for a company.

1. Creating a company presentation website, which should include information about the services / products offered, details about the company, references or recommendations, contact and other relevant information. Even if most companies have such a website, the quality and clarity of its content matters a lot. The website must contain information written in a professional way, without spelling or editing errors, representative pictures taken at high resolutions, and also information about the company, management team and other elements that can determine the visitors of the page to better understand the activity of that company.

2. Create a company presentation brochure. The rules mentioned when developing the web page must obviously be followed when preparing a presentation brochure. If we do not have the necessary skills to make a professional brochure, it is advisable to turn to specialized graphic companies. Remember that the role of this brochure is to convey information about our company to potential customers, and this must be done so as to inspire trust and professionalism.

3. Creating a company email address (es). This has several benefits, including the fact that it will avoid the inclusion of sent emails in spam files, but also to receive a higher level of attention from recipients.

4. The language used in written communications. Whether we send an email or a letter, the language we use must always be serious, professional and respectful. Always, no matter how close is the relation with a client or business partner, we must not neglect the way we address.

We must be respectful and especially, to check if we have written correctly and clearly what we want to convey. Remember that this is an institutional communication from our company

to another one or to a person that is or can be our client.

5. Sending offers supported by documents to facilitate the sale process. First of all, it is important that the offers we make on request or not, to be made professionally. This means both consistency and format. We will always include in our offers or we will attach to the offers, information about the company. In these situations, the presentation brochure is very useful. It also helps to present certifications, authorizations or other documents that can demonstrate our ability and right to provide the related services or products.

In conclusion, institutional communication represents the image of the organization in relation to its stakeholders, i.e. customers, suppliers, employees, public authorities, community, etc.

Therefore, in establishing an adequate institutional communication for a company, knowing these stakeholders is an extremely important step, which will help us to establish the main directions of this communication and to adapt accordingly the five rules presented above.

Mihaela Croitoru, Managing Partner INNOVA Project Consulting

High Edu - Empowering students to match their skills with their education, not only during COVID-19, but for years to come.

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, students around the globe are trying to find answers for what matters the most: the future of their education. How will it look like? Can they study abroad? Will they study in front of the computer for the years to come? The answers to these challenging questions are offered by High Edu Consulting and theirimpactful work – educational consulting services.

With over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing training programs, mentoring and coaching, High Edu consultants guide young people and adults in Romania to choose the right career track and educational studies. They do this by offering personalized one-to-one consultancy services, supporting them with their University application, helping them to keep up with the dynamic labor market and matching their skills with the rapid changes and demandsof our contemporary society.

What is the challenge?

Without access to offline educational fairs, many future University students are feeling overwhelmed and don’t know what direction to choose for their studies. During this time of the year, they would normally attend educational fairs and gather information about University programs in-house or abroad, their application terms, certifications needed and other administrative issues that need answers before choosing their study program. On top of this, the pandemic limits their study abroad options and makes them wonder how should they best match their skills and passions with a Romanian University.

How is High Edu Consulting helping?

“The energy exchange that you can feel in a face-to-face interaction cannot be replaced.

However, there is no time to become victims of the times we’re living. The need to change and adapt to the new social conditions inspired us to create the first Virtual Educational Fair that exclusively brings together Romanian universities and educators. HE.RO Virtual Exhibition has the advantage of providing visitors with hundreds of educational programs from dozens of fields of study, accessible with a single click – with no time or space barriers", said Sorina Enăchiuc, Executive Director, High Edu Consulting.

The virtual platform looks like a classic fair and offers the same experience as if you were visiting the University booths live. There is a real person behind every booth (to be read computer screen) sitting on a chair with a cup of coffee and replying to the students’ questions. The good news is that the access on the platform is free;so, participants don’t have to spend time or money to visit the fair. Beyond driving students’ engagement, this move is also helping High Edu to generate goodwill, social impact and brand awareness during these challenging times.

What other measures helped High Edu adapt to the pandemic?

Nona Colfescu, Business Development Manager at High Edu admits that amidst the coronavirus outbreak across the world, both students and parents do not want to risk going abroad for education. However, she doesn’t feel the business is in danger, as it can easily pivot to allied fields, like offering online foreign education courses. Here’s what High Edu did to adapt to the pandemic, in addition to its popular virtual education fair platform.

1. Shifting in-person consultancy and training to online delivery Given that it’s impossible to conduct in-person, one-to-one sessions right now, we quickly transitioned to online delivery one-to-one consultancy session to engage and educate our students. We offered live, mentor-led webinars on different subjects such as finance, leadership, communication via online webcasting tools. We also invested in High Edu Academy, our in-house platform where we uploaded presentation recordings and text-based resources to serve our students on different personal development subjects. We believe summer is the best time to invest in yourself, so providing access to virtual resources is imperative for our customer retention.

2. Keeping a pulse on the needs of our audience We’re seeing a significant contingent of students who previously avoided online learning now happily engaging with digital content out of necessity. Our in-house trainers and educators seek to understand the changing needs of our audience during the live webinars, and adapt the length, content and format of our sessions, using feedback surveys.

3. Speeding up the development and delivery of our content We are currently building a new website, which will be more interactive and offer a better user experience. This pandemic made a shift in our minds and told us we need to move fast and focus on a minimum viable product (MVP) that is authentic and impactful, rather than developing perfect, flawless courses and webinars with a high production value.

In an effort to quickly create and distribute valuable content, we are trying new formats, like video, and we are working with new teams and individuals across the company to create this content.

Even though we are living and working in these uncertain times, we believe this pandemic will have a strong impact upon the Romanian educational system and more and more smart students will choose to stay in our country, which we’d like to say it’s not bad at all.

Together, we can get through these challenging times by embracing a spirit of service and learning, no matter where we are in this World. We will continue to empower students to match their skills with their education, not only during COVID-19, but for years to come.

The crisis generated by COVID-19 is a test of responsibility that has strengthened our team even more!

Alexandra Elena Durbacă, CEO Leader Team Broker: The crisis generated by COVID-19 will produce economic and social effects not only in the short term but especially in the long term both individually, at the company level but also globally. Although it may seem hard to believe, COVID-19, an invisible and intangible enemy, turned the world we knew upside down, it is a turning point for future economic constructions.

Changes are taking place already, companies are reconfiguring their teams, work style, how people are recruited and their skills, they are more attentive to how they communicate with customers and partners, they are more attentive to investment costs, they place the employees’ and systems’ safety to the fore, discover community responsibility. COVID-19 comes with various transformations, from simple to complicate. People are more careful with their time, with their health; they learn or relearn to give importance to the health and safety of the individual and the family.

We find ourselves in a new reality and we adapt to it, adding two new landmarks to the old reality. Financial security is closely followed if not dethroned by health security and the responsibility of companies has outpaced competition between them. There are changes that we feel both individually and at the macroeconomic level. And in the industry in which we operate, Leader Team Broker, these changes are already happening. Immediately after the pandemic was declared, for example, the international partners of the Leader Team, prestigious insurers, took an unprecedented decision, namely they extended, for example, the validity of policies, covering also the risks generated by COVID-19. Our industry sometimes functions as a barometer of economic systems and sometimes as a safety net. In the case of COVID-19, the extension of the policies is a safety net offered to all those who take care of their health and have chosen to make a health policy or to include the health component in the travel policies. The extension of the validity of the policies was a first signal of change that continues, in our opinion with other important changes such as: the emergence of new products to cover economic bottlenecks, the orientation towards health products but also the acceleration of digitization and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

We, Leader Team Broker are an entrepreneurial company and we work as a family - we work together, we take care of each other, we build together products and solutions that help us grow and evolve professionally, we celebrate together and we think about how to do things better next time when we are not happy with what we achieved.

The crisis generated by COVID-19 and the establishment of the state of emergency caught us when we had the engines running at full speed. In the last two years, we have launched several

unique products on the Romanian market and this year is a year dedicated to the consolidation of these products and to preparing new ones. Fortunately, because we have a high-performance, well-welded team and because we are oriented towards technology and innovation, we managed to quickly reconfigure our plans without stopping anything. It's good to have a backup plan, but it's even better to prepare in advance for any kind of situation - this is one of our principles. When the crisis came, both me and Răzvan, the founders of Leader Team Broker, focused on two areas - the health and safety of our colleagues and the continuation of the activity. Just like in a family, we made our plan and shared the responsibilities. It was not the case to reorganize the office spaces but we decided for the team to work from home.

We took care of the individual means of protection, for the situations in which a meeting was necessary, we bought masks and gloves, we purchased sanitation materials. Maintaining the pace of the current activity was not a problem because we are an early adopter in terms of artificial intelligence so we had already implemented systems in this regard. Thus, we were able to serve customers and solve situations, using the online environment and the facilities already implemented in previous years.

Returning to the office, once the state of alert was raised, meant the joy of the reunion but also attention to details regarding the rules of social distancing or disinfection. All customers who come to us, for example, receive a mask, if they have forgotten it in the car or have exceeded the recommended few hours for wearing the mask. We try and succeed to solve situations without asking for physical movement, using electronic communication systems - email or whatsup. All the measures taken have helped us to avoid the risk of illness among the team so far. The whole period we went through confirmed once again that we have a team of people with a lot of expertise, dedicated, loyal and last but not least extremely responsible!

Crisis Learnings Olivia Nicula, Co-Founder Artemis Optic For our business this was the first crisis we faced with, as we started in the second half of 2009. At the beginning it was uncertain if we need to close or we should stay open. This was the first decision we needed to make after the Military Commanding which said that eye care shops can work during the lockdown.

It was funny situation because on Tuesday 24th March we switched off all instruments, announced our patients that we are going to close. In that evening, we received the news: eye care shop are considered essentials and therefore exceptions: could stay open during lockdown. We said, ok, what we know at this moment is that we are allowed to work. What shall we do: stay home and expect the help from the government or take the risks and go to work?

Lucky us we have some people around us more experienced, with 20 and more than 40 years business experience: our finance advisor and my father. They both encouraged us to take all the measures to protect ourselves and our customers and keep the optometry practice open.

As we care about people, we thought that if there is an emergency about glasses will be difficult for that person to work, even from home. With this advice and our care for people, we decided to come back to work on Wednesday 25thmorning as usual.

In our industry, optometry, and eye care, we need to have different disinfecting products, so

we had enough supplies of all necessary substances to keep our instruments safe for us and our customers for a few months. (We purchase them on a regular basis). Thanks to the fact that we are part of a business club, we managed to buy masks from another member and later we got also face shields. Equipped with all necessary, we kept working, even if in April, the activity was a quarter from the previous months, January and February.

Learnings from this crisis are: • Confirmation our work is appreciated and is an essential field. We knew it, but this crisis confirmed again.

• Continue to make supplies on regular basis and observe all the specific rules about disinfecting, because our provider stopped delivering to other entities than hospitals. So, if we did not have, you know it was hard to find them.

• Be surrounded by people with more business and life experience, they will give good advice.

• Be aware of the cash flow and have some money for unexpected events. As we went to work, our landlord didn’t except us form paying the rent, so we paid our rent and equipment installments from provisions we had, thus we managed to survive during second half of March, April and beginning of May, until people started to go out from their homes.

• Be aware with whom we are doing business with. It was a good lesson for us to validate our suppliers: our main suppliers provided us with frames, lenses and contacts lenses during the lockdown. We were surprised to find out that one of the lenses suppliers who wanted to start a collaboration with us, announced us that they are not working during lockdown. Good to have this information and reinforce our agreements with regular providers.

• Four years ago, we made the right decision to change our product to medium and premium products, which address to a medium to high incomes market. It was a good decision back then which supported us during these difficult times because this segment of people, when they are in need, they purchase glasses during crisis too.

• Learning is wealth and we used this time of low activity to read and train ourselves both in optometry and business.

• Confirmation that being part of a business club is a huge support in tough times: they supported us with webinars, motivated us to keep working and encouraged us when needed.

• Of course, as everyone did, we noticed how important is the online presence. We don’t have an online shop, but it was very good we were already present on social media platforms and we have a website, we got advantage of Google My business when people were looking online for local businesses to get their products, they found us Although, in May, when lockdown measures become lighter, there were people who said they didn’t know we were open. It seems that we need to work more on better reaching people who are not online. They also deserve to know we are here to support and help them have a good vision.

• We need to build our brand and have a clear and common direction to disseminate information both online and offline.

Talking about learning and unlearning, a tool we use when face difficult situations is one we learned from Timothy Gallwey (known also as “father of coaching” and the creator of The Inner Game,50 years ago) whom I had the honor to meet last year. This magic tool is called simple: STOP and this is what we need to do as a first step when in crisis: Step back, Think, Organize and Proceed.

I recommend you STOP whenever you have to make a decision and enjoy the process.

Take good care of your sight and cherish it!

Olivia Nicula olivia@artemisoptic.ro 0753091891 www.artemis-optic.ro Facebook: ArtemisOptic

How I revised our aviation company’s strategy during crisis. And how I decided that it was time for a new challenge and I started the bilingual business and lifestyle blog Deals on High Heels – Anca Mihalache I never though that what is happening right now in the world could be possible in 2020.

It is tragic and painful to lose so many people to a flu-like virus. On top of all the suffering that is going on right now in the world, COVID-19 came with other negative aspects: you couldn’t visit your parents (you could only see them online), treatment for other medical conditions is impeded due to the fact that access to hospitals and medical practices is restricted, students that are in their final year can’t finish their studies, socializing with friends over coffee was and still is not possible, in some countries.

The world economy is affected in a totally unknown way.

Governments have had to face some challenges they themselves are discovering only now; they get inspiration from other countries for what to do to keep the societal balance, including the physical and mental health of the population. Almost everywhere in the world, for those lucky enough to have the option, one can work from home; shops with non-essential products were closed as were gyms, hair salons, and restaurants. Concert, festivals, weddings with many guests will most likely be cancelled in 2020. There are also professional events that are postponed or canceled. In aviation, for example, March, April and May are the busiest months in terms of conferences, meetings or fairs.

Most areas have been affected. In the Netherlands, for example, millions of tulips have been thrown away each day (we were not allowed to visit flower fields, so the Dutch farmers didn’t even have revenue from this activity).

Even the food production suffers because the employees are not allowed to work at full capacity in the plants; distribution is also affected. But probably the most affected areas are tourism and aviation.

Before this crisis, I had made the strategy of my Aircraft engine department, I got it approved by the Board and shared it with all investors.

But then March came, countries closed, quarantines were imposed and flights were canceled.

Currently 70% of the global commercial airline fleet is still grounded. We hope this situation will change drastically in July.

Aviation, an industry that has been growing steadily for over 20 years, which was not so dras-

tically affected during 9/11 or the 2008 economic crisis, was almost shut down in a matter of days. Who would have ever thought such a thing?! For all intents and purposes, in the field in which I work, the “apocalypse” occurred.

I am Vice President (and minority shareholder) at an aviation company, APOC Aviation, which has a turnover of over thirty of millions of dollars, where I started and I am developing the engine department. This means that I buy, sell and rent engines for the Airbus 320 family and Boeing 737. As customers, I have some of the largest airlines in the world but also banks, investment funds, other leasing companies.

After March 2020, I had to rethink everything to come up with new proposals for the company to keep its cash for survival and also come up with new strategies. Naturally, under the given conditions, the airlines are no longer paying their leases, so there is no more capital inflow.

It was the first time in my business life that for weeks I didn’t have an answer; I didn’t know where to start and what ideas to come up with. I couldn’t see the “light at the end of the tunnel”. Employees were waiting for the executive team to prepare a plan to rescue the company.

This led to many sleepless nights; on the one hand I was kept awake by the fear of the disease that took lives, and on the other by the despair that there were no easy solutions. I decided to participate in webinars where various market analyses are discussed, where people specialized in statistics express some very pertinent opinions.

I read a lot, I did a lot of research both about my industry and pertaining to the virus; whether or not we have a chance to find a treatment or a vaccine in the short term to stop the collapse of the aviation business market. I also watched the capital markets every day. In addition, many customers, collaborators, suppliers, investors make calls during this period. I think in the last seven weeks I’ve talked on the phone more than I had ever talked in six normal months (and I’m working in sales).

I was doing these things with the hope that I would come up with good ideas; that I would wake up one morning, inspired, with a brain full of plans for the near future (at least).

Well, it didn’t happen and I was getting more and more anxious. My employees were waiting for directives, my superiors wanted to know what to communicate to shareholders. I had brainstorming sessions with those in the industry every day.

Then, I realized that we are in a situation that very few who are alive today have ever been in.

It is a time when we can only assume; a time when those who choose to go right or left must rely on their instinct as well. Of course I know almost everything that happens in my industry and I make decisions based on market research, but eventually I had to make some decisions and follow them through to the end.

With this in mind, I understood it is a time of change, a time when the internet will become more and more important. I have increased my social media online presence before due to my numerous travels around the world. Working in a luxurious industry, sleeping in the fanciest hotels and reaching the most wanted destinations has helped. Being in a top management position, in a men’s world (we are only 10% women in aviation) and having budgets of tens of millions gives me the opportunity to have and to bring enough business experience on our platform.

And during this period, I have received so many calls from various partners from the industry, so many people were counting on my opinion and so many written magazines and online media have been asking me for interviews, that I realized that the niche of my blog will be business and lifestyle.

So, we started Deals on High Heels, a blog that talks about business, travel, beauty, fine dining and charity. On top of that, we have a section of interviews that cover different businesses and lifestyles or they are focused on healthy living.

The blog is www.dealsonhighheels.com and I would be very happy if you would check it out.

As a conclusion, to decide both a personal and a professional strategy during crisis, it’s always a challenge. But my advice is not to stress. Do more research than ever. Trust in yourself, but also accept when you are wrong. Don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself (the market does that enough) and don’t wait to come up with miraculous ideas because they most likely won’t show up.

Try to adapt, to find new opportunities. But act, because the economy never waits and in any time of crisis there are also winners.

I do not give up. I look for solutions until I find them. I have to find them, one by one.

Success! And stay healthy!

Anca

Exercises makes you Happy!

Dr Codruta Cioponea – Rehabilitation Medicine

Healthy lifestyle of women – Generalities Why is physical exercise so important in the life of a woman?

Ladies know very well that moving and doing a sport is a healthy habit which brings many benefits both to silhouette and to health.

Medicine has tried to understand the scientific connection between movement and health.

Movement is an essential part of life, is the one which protected us (because running from dangers, we escape with life)and it made possible to obtain food (we climb in trees and collect fruits, we hunt etc).

Physical activity keeps us healthy and with food, it assures us a healthy and happy life.

Why do we practise physical exercise?

The benefits of physical exercise are multiple: • It assures a healthy and happy life • It prevents the appearance of diseases such as: type II diabetes, hypertension, obesity • It helps in the treatment of chronic disorders such as: diabetes I and II type, cancer, obesity, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, rheumatoid polyarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, depression etc.

• Develops muscles and resistance • Develops coordination and stamina, • Develops the cardiovascular system and adjustment of its function • Increases independence • Improves the quality of life Movement secretes ”happiness” because practising a regular sport stimulates secretion and adjustment of happiness hormones - DOSE –Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphin.

Let us take them in turn and see how these hormones help: Dopamine: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter secreted by the brain.

It is a molecule which transmits the information between neurons.

Dopamine is a hormone with complex functions, among other things, it stimulates the ”feeling of wellbeing”but also motivation.

A study from 2016 (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161229141901.htm) (performed on mice) proved that the lack of motivation and lack of enthusiasm in starting the practising of a physical activity is not related to discomfort given by the weight in excess, but is correlated with the changes of dopamine receptors in the brain.

As soon as you start doing sport, the penetration degree of dopamine in the brain changes and automatically changes the motivation.The more increases with time the frequency of physical exercise, the more a higher quantity of dopamine is secreted, which increases motivation. Regularly practising a physical activity increases attention, focus, concentration and wellbeing. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130110094415.htm ) Oxytocin: Oxytocin is a hormone which has an important role in adjustment of emotions, empathy, anxiety in social relations, sex, breastfeeding and in mother-child interaction.

The reduction of anxiety has a beneficial effect on emotions and mental wellbeing.

There are many studies which show that the effects of aerobic physical exercise, from the point of view of oxytocin, have a higher impact on the female gender than the male gender,after the exercise the female gender has a higher quantity of oxytocin in the brain and in blood. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10739267/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6711252/

Serotonin: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter with a very complex function, being responsible for the state of happiness, adjusts the sleeping-awake rhythm, emotional stability.

Physical exercise and exposure to UV rays increase the level of serotonin, which means that practising sports in open air brings double beneficial effects.

The guidelines published by ”Kingdom the National Institute for Health” show that the treatment method of average depressions should be physical exercise, not antidepressants.

Also, many studies show that light aerobic physical exercises practised at a comfortable level, improve the mood in general population, not only in case of persons diagnosed with mental disorders. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/#r54-1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027273589900032X?via%3Dihub https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/serotonin#mental-health Endorphins: Endorphins are neurotransmitters which are released when the body is subject to a stress, and it has an analgesic and sedative action.

Endorphins are released in high quantity during physical exercisesand are responsible for the euphoric feeling and beatitude known by runners as “runners high’.

(Boecker H., Sprenger T., Spilker M. E., Henriksen G., Koppenhoefer M., Wagner K. J., et al. .

(2008). The runner's high: opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain. Cereb. Cortex 18, 2523–2531. 10.1093/cercor/bhn013 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]) It seems that sport makes you smarter, as proven by a study from the Penn State University which discovered that in order to be more productive and happier in a working day, you should practise a sport constantly and the effect is immediate: those who practised a sport during the previous month, but not on testing day, did better in the memory test than those who were sedentary; but the best performed those who had practised sport on that very day. https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa14/2014/10/19/exercise-makes-you-smarter/ How much physical activity should we practise? What is optimal duration and optimal intensity of physical exercise?

The Guidelines ’Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ recommend that the minimum physical activity in a week should be: • Aerobic physical activity at an average intensity, for minimum 2 h/week or • Intense physical activity for 60 - 45 minimum/week This means 30 minutes of walk on foot for 5 days a week or a spinning class of 45 minutes per week combined with an intense running session in another day or combinations between these types of exercises.

Alternating the type of physical activities and adjustment to physical and medical condition is very important!

The Guidelines specify that if you are a sedentary person, the start of a physical activity is very recommended because it leads to prevention of diseases which are the consequence of sedentarism; obesity, infarction, diabetes type II! The conclusions of a study which monitored 34,000 women of average age for 13 years are: • The ladies who want to keep their body weight constant need at least one hour of light/moderate physical activity per day!

• In order to lose weight, it is necessary to blend an intense physical activity of 30 minutes with healthy food and reduction of calories!

• Also, practising a type of sport between 15 and 20 minutes per day decreases the chances of appearance of diseases such as diabetes, stroke and decreases the chances of premature death!

In conclusion: Even the practising of 10 minutes of physical activity and movement per dayhas beneficial effects and produces serotonin.

The general recommendations given by the healthcare associations are minimum 30 minutesa day.

It is noteworthy that the more we move, especially in open air, the healthier we become,we look good, we feel good and helps us live healthier, prevents the diseases and adjusts even the complex metabolic and hormonal mechanisms and is very useful in chronic disorders such as diabetes or depression!

Also, the more we practise a sport, the more we feel motivated to do even more physical exercise, so that we enter a positive cycle with beneficial impact on health and the less we move, we have the tendency to become even more sedentary, and in this case, the consequences are disastrous on health.

Aerobic physical activity includes types of movements such as: light walking or vigorous walking (vigorous walking helps with muscular tonus, to lose weight and stimulates the heart function), running, swimming, mountainous hiking, rollerblading, dancing, team games, gardening, biking etc. Â Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2008

SkinMedic Brasov owner Adriana Fagarasian The concept behind the success of SkinMedic is that "the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts" as one of the greatest thinkers in history professed: Aristotle. Just like in a cell, every single part of SkinMedic products acquires a new dimension with a renewed value in its becoming part of something bigger.

The reason why we decided to open a SkinMedic Clinic in Romania is very simple: in a multitude of aesthetic clinics full of needles and scalpels, substances injected into our bodies, we return to the basics, to nature, helping the body through modern technologies and totally non-invasive treatments, to resume its functions and to present itself, without the intervention of the scalpel, in their best forms.

In these difficult times, in terms of public health, we take collaboration at the community level very seriously in maintaining a sanitized environment for the protection of all. Access to these services in our clinic is by appointment, so there aren’t people waiting inside the enclosure, ensuring a surface minimum of 4 sqm for each client and a minimum distance of 2 m, between any 2 close people. When making the appointment, our customers are informed that access tothe inside of the enclosure will be made only after checking the temperature, which is not necessaryto exceed 37, subject to the absence of symptoms of respiratory viruses and withhand disinfection and that he will be provided with a protective mask if he does not already have one. We also make availablethe necessary materials and substances for a proper disinfection.The staff constantly wears gloves and a mask, andafter each client, the instruments and surfaces are disinfected and the mask and gloves are changed too. Also, for the purchase of products from our clinic, we can provide by courier everything our clients want from the clinic's products range.

We give a crucial importance to these methods because our health and the health of our clients take precedence.

Now, returning to a quasi-normality, we offer, in optimal conditions, the entire range of treatments of the clinic, as before the beginning of the pandemic, emphasizing even more the concern for the projection of the health of the staff and clients.

So, we present the monopolar radiofrequency treatments offered by which is considered among the most accredited techniques for rejuvenating the face and body without resorting to cosmetic surgery. Radiofrequency treatments are among the most requested for the reorganization of collagen and elastin fibers, responsible for the most common and widespread skin imperfections.

The Lipolaser Treatment is a completely safe and painless treatment that causes a bio-stimulating effect in the adipose tissue; transforming the triglycerides imagined in the fat cells into fatty acids and glycerol which are thus released and expelled through the metabolic cycle.

The SkinMedicLaser for Permanent Hair Removal is equipped with German Diode, notoriously certified for quality and reliability. It can be used in single pulse mode to treat more delicate areas, such as the face, and multi-pulse mode to treat larger areas.In addition, thanks to the new PHAS3 technology developed in our laboratories, the SkinMedic Laser is the first equipment to work simultaneously on three wavelengths and three depths to ensure triple effectiveness.It is suitable for all skin types, from the lightest to the darkest skin, including tanned skin. Its effectiveness is 100% guaranteed and it is completely painless and without contraindications.

In addition to the treatments we perform in the clinic, we offer our clients the opportunity to purchase the products we use. At the end of an intense day in which the skin has faced many situations of external stress, it is essential to restore balance and purity of the skin. This is possible with the help of Senteales products, namely facial cleansing gel with green tea extract, scrub based on rice powder and tonic lotion with grapefruit extract. Senteales elixirs are composed of 100% pure, pure and natural essential oils. Rare, precious and carefully selected, Senteales products will soften, moisturize and revitalize your skin. Senteales Tonic Lotion completes the cleansing routine and is suitable for all skin types. With green tea extract, marigold and magnolia work together to refresh and soothe the skin. The skin remains silky and toned. The Senteales Peel-Offmask with iris extracts easily removes impurities and dead cells.

The effects of the mask include the immediate attenuation of wrinkles and fine lines, the strengthening of pores, the uniformity of the skin and the effect of instant lifting. Senteales face cream offers an optimal level of hydration to the skin, while the hyaluronic acid present in the composition of the cream visibly improves the appearance of the face. Cherry and raspberry oils ensure optimal comfort for dry skin. The skin is visibly hydrated, protected, revitalized, and the skin elasticity is improved.

SentealesVivifiante Spray will be your best friend all summer long, managing to refresh your skin at any time of the day. The light scent of citrus, grapefruit and lemon, is delicately combined with mint for a stimulating and purifying effect on the skin. The Vivifiante Mist is applied before the daily skin care, thus being a good preparer for your daily routine. This spray can also be used as a fixing base for makeup all day, and can be reapplied whenever needed.

Well, we can talk to you, here, about creams and lotions all day, but ...let us invite you to our clinic to discuss face-to-face about the treatments and products we use, all to the maximum advantage of the health and beauty of your body. Come to us, in ZahariaStancu Street, NR 6C, Brasov, in our SkinMedic Clinic and we can show you that we can look beautiful, that we can be healthy without needles and without a scalpel. Let us show you how magnificent you are!

REINVENT the way you recruit, starting with the recruiting ad.

My name is Raluca Culda. I am an expert in the implementation of strategies for organizational growth and the founder of ZoomHR Romania.

Today I would like to talk to you about an important recruiting subject, which is often poorly understand and applied: recruiting ads.

Having worked in recruiting for over 12 years, and as a consultant for the past 5 years, I discovered that the recruiting ad is one of the most important elements that can either lead to the finding or losing of a good candidate. As the Americans would say, to make or break a deal.

An important reality is becoming evident in 2020, which many employers are choosing to ignore. The candidate you are looking for is the client for the job you are marketing. We invest considerable time and attention in understanding the avatar of the clients of our services and products, what he/she is looking for, and how our company can best serve his/her needs. This is precisely the simple and very effective rule that we miss completely when it comes to recruiting ads: we often fail to treat the candidate as a client. We fail to understand that our job is to meet his/her professional needs at that moment. Those who coordinate the recruiting process in your company are working first and foremost in marketing and customer service, not in HR. The 3 recommendations below come from my practice, both in terms of Headhunter but also as a Manager who is recruiting for her own company. I invite you to read these with an open mind and to apply them exactly as they suit your needs.

Recommendation nr. 1: The Job Title must specify what is special about the candidate and what sets your company apart from all the rest.

The candidate is really unlikely to be able to search hundreds of ads with the same title and allocate a minimum of 3-4 minutes to reading each ad or find out details about the company.

In order to have a competitive edge you must speak to the candidate directly from the ad title.

Here is an example: ‘Sales Representative comfortable with extensive travel’ ‘Chief Accountant passionate about financial analysis’ ‘Operations Manager looking for entrepreneurial challenge’ These are just a few of the job titles recruited in the past 12 months. We had a much larger percentage of applicants for these jobs who easily recalled the specific job description and company than for job descriptions with the usual titles. How do you come up with this kind of title? Simple: you create the candidate’s avatar. You want candidate to be fully aware from the start what you want to convey about this job, so that he/she may correctly evaluate his/her chance at application success.

Use the 50 and some letters you have at your disposal in a title to speak to the candidate, as if he/she is your client. Because in this way he/she is your client. This is how the decision to apply happens in just a few seconds.

Recommendation nr. 2: Present to him/her the role in 3 simple sentences, answering these questions: • What is the value of your company, and what does it offer the market?

• Who will the future employee work with directly?

• What is the goal of the job?

Clarity means power, and in this context, it means decision-making power. There are very few companies that understand the value of time-saving when they offer the candidate available information and communicate the message of “We know why we are hiring, and we are sharing this information with you.’’ So, let me repeat: an efficient recruiting process is a straight line, not a labyrinth. This can be seen very clearly in a well-conceived and structured ad.

You should begin by offering basic information in the ad. For example, for the position of Sales Manager: “We are an entrepreneurial company that has brought an innovative grain storage system to the Romanian market. The future employee will report directly to the General Manager and will have a team of 5 working for him. His/her role will be to double the company’s turnover in the current year.’’

Clear, simple, easy to understand. Even if you phone the candidate two weeks after he/she has applied, and you mention the job title and description he/she will remember why he/she applied for the job. This means you save time and promote an image of an efficient employer.

Recommendation nr. 3: Make it a video.

Yup, that’s right! Video hiring or sales ads work much, much better. I have a client who got together the entire team being hired for to make a video and talk about the job. I have clients where the manager who is hiring made the video. There are many options. This type of content has many advantages, and I will list just a few: 1) The candidates are not reading with their own voice but are listening to yours. This allows them to more easily connect to the company, the position, and the idea. 2) Even if they are not candidates, those who watch the video will remember your ad. This is how you develop an employer brand which helps you to be recognized in your market. 3) Because you can promote this video free of charge on the company’s social media platforms those of your employees (if they chose to share) you will have a far wider reach than with simple text on recruiting platforms.

How not to make this video: do not read the job description but leave a link to that in the description of the video.

Don’t spend two weeks making a two-minute video. Take your laptop, phone, or tablet, and say all the things you want to say from the start: who you are, what the company does, why you are hiring for that position, who he/she will work with, why he/she should join the company.

If you have the patience yourself or a team who can help you can add the company logo to the video, including your name and the contact information where you would like to receive the CVs. And smile, because a smile elicits a smile from the viewer of your video.

If you wish to find out about my other two recommendations, I invite you to participate in Episode 4 of the Talent for Business podcast. https://talentforbusiness.buzzsprout.com/

HOME OFFICE – THE NEW TREND In view of the current global context, working from home is becoming a norm. For people previously accustomed to office work, this may not be news, but the current pandemic has certainly caught many employees without a designated home office.

Working in a virtual environment often means spending hours on end in front of a screen.

Therefore, the correct posture and designated space are considered special ingredients in the recipe for success.

From a medical point of view, many studies explain how a correct posture positively affects our well-being and health. To maintain a good posture, a few essential steps must be followed.

For starters, the way we seat. The right chair ensures a correct position, without putting any pressure on our spine, knees and ankles. The attributes of the ideal chair for a correct position is for it not to sway, to be equipped with a backrest that mimics the natural shape of the spine, and for the front of the seat to be rounded, to prevent any abnormal functioning of the blood flow in the legs.

Orthopedic doctors warn that working on the couch or bed can have an increased impact on the body if carried out over extended periods of time. These include chronic neck pain for people lying down, but also back pain for people who place their laptop on their feet, since the vertabrae are strained.

The only way to prevent these problems caused by incorrect posture is by adopting healthy habits. A posture that does not put pressure on the spine or vertebrae should be our best friend. Promoting work habits that take into account ergonomics can help the body relax while our minds are working and it will prevent us from feeling any pain after a long stay in front of the computer.

HANSEN ergonomics studio helps companies that want to ensure a pleasant working environment for employees who work from home, offering ergonomic furniture: fixed or adjustable desks, keyboard stands, laptop stands, document storage units and ergonomic chairs.

Loredana Trocan Head of HANSEN ergonomics studio Timișoara + 40 726 056 590 loredana@hansen.ro www.hansen.ro

WHY I STARTED Workplace Today We are living in truly extraordinary times.

Many of us have used this period to pause and ask some important questions: What are the things that matter?

Who are the people I simply cannot live without?

What is my purpose?

Do I feel happy and fulfilled in my work?

These are some of the things that have been going through my mind over the last few weeks, as I decided to change my career goals and follow my dream of truly having a positive impact in the world.

This dream is shared by the fantastic, brilliant team I am lucky enough to have with me (and you’ll meet one of them further down in this e-mail). Together, we decided that supporting others in understanding this new reality, the new workplace, how to be more inclusive, more flexible – in other words, just better at what we do as professionals and as humans – is the first step in what we want to achieve. And with that mission guiding us, we have launched the Workplace Today magazine.

This new workplace that everyone is talking about is being shaped every day by the positive choice each company makes to put its people first. Just look at the progress we’ve seen already! Six months ago, it would have been unfathomable for a business to have all its employees not only working, but thriving while being productive at home. I dare anyone to now say it cannot be done!

And the fact that we have completely changed the workplace opens the door to an abundance of other possibilities. The sky is the limit, because we’ve all seen it’s possible.

I like to call this T-zero. The moment of rebirth. We have been given this time to rethink our values and what we want our companies to be. Who we are as individuals. What we want our impact and our legacy in the world and among our people to be. We have an opportunity. Let’s use it wisely.

Andreea Groenendijk - Deveau is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Workplace Today