Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | February 5, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 19 By Emma Pagano Emma Pagano is strategic director at Pagano Media in Worcester. As web technology evolves, we anticipate a variety of new and timeless design trends will distinguish the best websites in 2024. 8) Cinema-style video panels - Add full- screen video on your homepage and core pages to bring products and services to life. Full-screen video stories immerse potential clients with your brand experience and can result in an 88% increase in the average time spent on page. 7) Rich color palette - Pantone predicts 2024 will be driven by a palette of rich and ex- traordinary colors bringing expressive beauty to the everyday. Energetic brights, natural shades, and classic tones set the stage for a colorful year. Check out horizon blue, sun orange and burnished lilac. 6) Hand-drawn graphics - They invite visitors to appreciate your artistry, attention to detail, and uniqueness. Consumers tune out stock photography and templated patterns. Originality resonates and separates you from the crowd. 5) Overlapping design elements - Over- lapping design elements (such as text and images) create depth and dimension. It is important to create and layer elements so they are mobile-optimized. 4) Interactive design - The average visitor time on a webpage is only 54 seconds. Inter- active elements encourage visitors to engage and stay longer. For example, architectural, construction, or contracting websites can incorporate a project budget calculator. Audiences can tailor products/services and determine how each impacts cost. Visitors may be more likely to inquire after seeing a ballpark estimate. 3) Micro-animations - Small animations guide visitors through the website journey. Used selectively, an element that bounces, fades, or slides captures attention. For exam- ple, a pulsing "Play" button over video. 2) Targeted forms - A primary purpose of websites is lead generation. Instead of using an out-of-the-box template, personalize a form with an inviting image. 1) ADA accessibility - Follow the Web Con- tent Accessibility Guidelines, designed to help people with disabilities. Tools like accessiBe use machine learning for AI-powered screen readers and keyboard navigation. Fraud – is it happening to your business? A lthough a comprehensive paid medical and family leave system lags in the U.S. compared to much of the developed world, Massa- chusetts is among a handful of states ahead of the pack, offering Paid Family and Medical Leave through a 2021 law. Even if business owners, managers, and human resource departments enthu- siastically support employees taking the time they're due to care for themselves or others, filling the void requires careful thought and planning. Companies of all sizes should heed the words and work of experts when craing an approach to PFML supporting both the employee and the organization. Plan now. As soon as you've approved a request for a leave of absence, start talking to the employee about their responsibilities and determine what can be delegated, what can be tabled, and whether you'll need to hire temporary help to maintain vital operations, writes Alex Sumner for job board HR Chief. In- clude other employees in the conversation as needed and be sure to ask the person planning a leave of absence to make time to help train others as needed. Ask employees to stretch. A stretch role is one an employee takes on tem- porarily, sometimes to help fill in for an absent superior. Companies like Google have used the concept, shiing employ- ees to higher-level roles temporarily to ensure important projects continue. An employer can decide how to manage the employee's other work and salary during the placement. It's not just a solution for filling needed positions. Internal mobili- ty can benefit employees by giving them a new and thrilling challenge, revitaliz- ing an otherwise dull work life, writes Shana Lebowitz for rive Global. Take time off. If you're a manager con- sidering a leave of absence, think care- fully about what your actions mean for your team. Even if you prefer less time away from work than the PFML law allows following surgery or the birth or adoption of a child, consider discussing your choice with the people who work for you and emphasize each employee should opt to take the amount of time that works for them. "Taking paternity leave can help you develop empathy towards women who need to step away from their jobs for an extensive period," notes LinkedIn Director of Product Chris Hatfield. M A N A G I N G A L E AV E O F A B S E N C E David S. McLaren is founder and managing partner of Shrewsbury accounting firm McLaren & Associates, CPAs. BY DAVID S. MCLAREN Special to WBJ Most people think fraud will never happen to their business. ey work hard, and they trust the people they work with, whether it is their partners or their employees. Yet, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners reports the average frequency of small business fraud is 28%. Almost 1 in 3 of you will be hit with fraud. Most will never know it happened. Watch out for these signs: • e company records are a mess, or do not make sense. e records may be very late in being prepared. Perhaps the person who handles these needs to "go back and correct them." • Your expenses and revenue do not match industry ranges, or they do not make sense when compared to last year. • Certain employees refuse to ever take a vacation. • A lack of segregation of duties, meaning someone does too much sensi- tive work without checks and balances. • Something (like cash flow) does not make sense, and no one can explain why. According to the saying, 10% of peo- ple would never steal, 10% of people will always steal, and 80% can be swayed. So, you have to watch out for 90% of people. I am sure you think that is ridicu- lous, but consider this scenario: e person you love most is suffering, and a treatment not covered by insurance costs $500,000. e money is sitting in your employer's account. Do you take it? All fraud requires at least three things: • Need – Most people do not steal un- less they need something. Need, though, is subjective and may include a need for gambling, drugs, or other reasons. • Justification – People who steal do not believe they are stealing. ey justify it with reasons like "I just borrowed it and was going to pay it back," or "I deserved it as compensation as I work more hours than anyone." • Opportunity – You cannot steal if there are no circumstances to do so. is is where I recommend you focus your prevention and detection efforts, as it is the only factor you can control. Fraud is extremely costly. e perpe- trator starts with a test of your systems – i.e. "Can I steal a little?" – then it grows. Every case that has come to McLaren & Associates, the victim thought the the was small, and it ended up being more. For example, someone thought their partner stole $50,000 over 10 years. Once we performed our work, we found the of more than $4.5 million! Tips to prevent theft: • Do not use a signature stamp. Any- one can use it, making forensics difficult. • Do not let anyone open bank state- ments but you. If people know you are checking, that alone prevents fraud. • Review canceled checks noting the payee and amount. is detects check washing and faulty vendors, but also helps you to know your business better. • Account for all check numbers and lock up your checks. • Separate job duties, so no one has full control of your cash. • Require employees to take vacations and have someone else do their job for a week. • Know the industry standards, and investigate variances in your numbers. • Verify and check payroll. While not inclusive, these steps can help to protect you from one of the most costly and stressful events of your life. 8 THINGS I know about... ... Web design trends for 2024 W W W

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