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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Astronology - Addressing the Needs of Seasonal Employees
Friday, November 25, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Telecommuting and Productivity
After a few weeks of the experiment, it was clear that the telecommuters were performing better than their counterparts in the office. They took more calls (it was quieter and there were fewer distractions at home) and worked more hours (they lost less time to late arrivals and sick breaks) and more days (fewer sick days). This translated into greater profits for the company because more calls equaled more sales. The telecommuters were also less likely to quit their jobs, which meant less turnover for the company.Of course, as the article states, working from a place other than the office is not for everyone and most would like it to be a temporary condition. I like working from home for the flexibility, the lack of commute, and the ability to work in my PJs. But I miss the resources of an office including co-workers, technology, and the ability to have meetings in person. So for as much as I like staying at home while I work with my dog at my feet, I also need a break from that every once in a while.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Astronology - Civility in the Workplace---Is it Decreasing?
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Monday, November 14, 2011
The Worst Excuses for Missing Work
- Employee's 12-year-old daughter stole his car and he had no other way to work. Employee didn't want to report it to the police.
- Employee said bats got in her hair.
- Employee was in line at a coffee shop when a truck carrying flour backed up and dumped the flour into her convertible.
- Employee's brother-in-law was kidnapped by a drug cartel while in Mexico.
- Employee was at a bowling alley and a bucket filled with water crashed through the ceiling and hit her on the head.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Astronology - Evidence-Based Human Capital Management - Lessons We Can Learn from Healthcare
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Friday, October 28, 2011
Facebook For More Than Friends
Don't ask someone to make an introduction for you on Facebook if you wouldn't ask them to do it in person, recruiting experts say. Before you approach a potential candidate, or someone who is friends with a potential candidate, be sure that you are close enough to the intermediary to ask for the introduction. Don't assume that Facebook behavior is different from regular social interactions, experts say.Good advice from the WSJ, with some more throughout the article. Although Facebook seems like just a tool for connecting with friends, family, and casual acquaintances who may have friended you after you met that one time, it can now be used for much more, including posting and applying for jobs.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Greetings from Europe
It's always important to remember, in the word of a fellow Brandeis alum, Thomas Friedman, that the world is flat. What goes on in one part of the world effects, and then is usually copied in the rest of the world. So understanding your company and your company's relationship in the international world means that you need to be up-to-date with what's happening both at home and abroad.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Driving Your Co-Workers Nuts
1. Hovering - I hate this and I know people that do this constantly. Saying hello or joining in a conversation is one thing but when your co-worker turns back to their computer or picks up the phone, it should be a subtle sign to leave
2. Micro-managing - This is not just for managers--all of us are guilty of this at one time or another. Self-awareness goes a long way to fixing this problem but if you feel like you're getting micromanaged, make sure to say something constructive to the person so that it doesn't continue because that resentment will build
3. Showing up late for meetings - In college, our classes started 10 minutes after the scheduled time to allow people to get from class to class. I feel like that attitude continued in the workforce. It became such an epidemic at my old job that no one would actually show up until 5 minutes after the meeting was scheduled because they knew the meeting wouldn't start on time which moved our meetings back even further. Nip this in the bud before your meetings are starting 20 minutes late.
4. People who use scented products - This is a serious one for someone like me with allergies where whole days have been ruined because people need to pump on a little more perfume in the office or on the train. Be considerate of those around you and if you're going to do something that is going to smell or bother other people (eating smelly foods is another issue), take it away from your co-workers to the bathroom (for perfume) or the kitchen (for food).
5. Favoritism - We all hate this because sometimes the results are so obvious. There are always the "Golden Child" in a department and it's fine if someone gets preferential treatment if that treatment is merit-based, but everyone should be on a level playing-field and no one should be given a better status because of personal relationships. At an old job, there was a woman manager who would only promote other women. That was great for those women, but her favoritism made it so that other people saw she was only promoting those people because of their gender.
What are your pet peeves around the office? What do your co-workers do that drive you crazy? Let us know in the comments below!
Friday, October 21, 2011
The Blame Game
The issue, though, is that this would have never been a problem had the Red Sox kept on winning. When things are going right, people are very adept at sweeping issues under the rug. When things go wrong, the fingers come out and people get scape-goated--especially those who aren't in the organization any longer. This is not just on a baseball team; this occurs in many companies today.
When things were going well in the mid 2000s, no one wanted to say anything about excess and greed and corruption and shadiness. But when the market started tanking in 2008 and people lost their jobs, fingers started to be pointed. Now companies tout the fact that they cleared out the bad apples and they are trustworthy again.
The key is to make sure during good times that these problems aren't out there so you're not left pointing fingers when things go wrong. Every company has a hiccup now and again, but how you handle it before, during and after a hiccup can go a long way to determining what type of company you are. And right now, the Red Sox don't look like a great organization.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Best of the Best Perks
Mashable wrote on Monday about the best of the best perks from some of the top Social Media companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Check it out as it's amazing some of the perks that these companies offer. But I certainly agree with what the article says: "From yoga to catered lunches, 401(k)s to dry cleaning, sports teams to vacation days, these tech companies seem to understand that quality of life affects productivity — and that having to run fewer errands after work means you’re more likely to stay at the office."
And that's important to remember as you design perks for your company--or choose the company that you want to work at in the future: sometimes it's not about the monetary value of the perk, but rather quality of life, peace of mind, and time savings that go farther in making sure that employees stay happy, healthy, productive, and engaged.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Astronology - Social Media in the Workforce...Enhancement or Interruption?
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Monday, October 17, 2011
The Time Off Conundrum
I'm taking my first vacation in a few days. I have been at the job for 9 months now so I figured that the initial "probation" period has started to lift and that I can freely take off without being seen as a "slacker". I am still a little nervous to go away without access to phone or e-mail on my BlackBerry or my computer. I'm always nervous that something will come in and a question will need to be answered that only I can provide the correct answer to. But in the end, I've come to the realization that I need to be able to take off this time and to unwind from the job with faith in my co-workers that they'll find a satisfactory way to answer those questions until I return.
But my "time off conundrum" isn't a new thing for me with a new job. In my last position, I too felt like taking time off was at times "taboo". In high school I had one teacher who never took one day off for any reason--he was the "Ironman". When I got into the working world, I saw people eating lunch at their desks and then the recession hit with may co-workers losing their jobs. In that climate, how could I possibly take a day off to enjoy myself knowing that not being there could end up costing me in the end?
Then I realized that the time off companies give you are for a reason. Sure, you don't have to take all of it. But those of us who work hard everyday deserve some time to ourselves away from the office. We deserve to turn off that Blackberry for a day or two and just relax. We deserve to unplug, recharge, and relax. In the end, we become healthier, happier, and more productive employees. And, realizing that, I've come to the realization that my time off later this week is not just for my own good, but it's for the good of the company as a whole. So while I still have some trepidation, I know that it's okay for me to take this time off and relax.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Astronology - Salary Budget Projections for 2012
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