At Work | Journey

Are Lower Gas Prices Having Any Impact?

By james on Thursday, November 6, 2008

During the summer, increasing fuel cost increases seemed to be a daily occurrence. It often felt like there was no end in sight. But, gas prices have steadily fallen every day since Sept. 17, according to CNN, and fuel costs haven’t been this low since August 2005.

An August 2008 survey showed that 35% of workers changed their commute and driving habits due to increased fuel costs this past summer. But, cooling weather might make it difficult to ride your bike to work this time of year, and holiday expenses are just around the corner.

We want to know how lower gas prices are affecting your driving habits. Are you still concerned with finding a job close to home? Does a longer drive for a new job seem more manageable now? Is this newly found relief in gas prices having any effect on your commute or job search? Or are those costs just being diverted elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Reader Surveys The Daily Grind

How Do You Get to Work?

By james on Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The way people get to work and back home every day varies and depends on location, the distance to work, and the availability of public transportation. So, we want to know how you get to work every day. Vote in our poll and then leave us your feedback in the comments section below to let us know what your preferred method of transportation is and if you get to use it.

poll by twiigs.com

The Daily Grind

Weathering the Winter Blues

By Jennifer Kenley on Friday, October 24, 2008

As the daylight grows shorter with the arrival of winter, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects many people around the world. And, depending how far you live from the equator can determine the degree of symptoms you can develop. Symptoms of SAD include sleep problems, overeating, depression, lethargy, and social awkwardness which all stem from the lack of bright light in the winter months.

Even if you don’t experience all of these symptoms, chances are, this time of year has you feeling a little less motivated to run errands, engage in extra-curricular activities, or even go to work. With the cold winter months approaching and the memories of long summer days fading, people have to fight a little bit harder to combat the winter blues.

To help you get through the winter months, try these tips below.

Exercise. Even if it’s only a few days a week, get out there and be active for at least 30 minutes. Exercising boosts energy levels and releases endorphins that make you happy. So, join a gym, stretch at your desk, or jog in place in front of the television to help fight the cold weather blues.

Eat Healthy. It’s important to be conscious about your eating habits all year round, but during the winter months, eating healthy can drastically improve your mental health. Try increasing your fresh fruit and vegetable intake as well as taking vitamins. Cut down on coffee and soda pops, and drink more water to flush out toxins.

Get Out. Not everyone may be able to, but if you can, take a vacation to a warm, sunny place. Just getting out of the winter places for a few days can give you just what you need to make it through the winter months. If you can’t travel to a warmer climate, spend more time outdoors to absorb the benefits of sunshine or read a book that takes place somewhere tropical.

The cold season can be hard to handle, especially if you’re a spring or summer person, but you can avoid SAD symptoms and create your own sunny outlook to last throughout the winter months.

At Work

Halloween at the Workplace

By james on Wednesday, October 22, 2008

October 31 is just around the corner. Trick-or-Treaters will be filling the streets, and in some cases, the office hallways.

Each organization and company has its own unique way of celebrating Halloween. Allowing employees to bring their children in and have them trick-or-treat amongst the cubicles is one way many organizations participate. While some companies can’t be flexible in their dress code, others allow their workers to join in on the festivities, with some even participating in all out inter-department costume contests.

We’d like to hear what your company does to celebrate Halloween. Share your stories and some of your best “work appropriate” costume ideas in the past and what you plan to wear this year.

poll by twiigs.com

At Work

How to Call in Sick When You’re Truly Ill

By james on Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Flu season in the U.S. usually begins in November and lasts through March, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite preventative efforts, you’re still vulnerable to illness. If you feel under the weather and determine you’re too sick to be productive at work, it’s time to call in sick. But, what is the proper way to call in sick without sounding like a knockoff Ferris Bueller looking to play hooky? Following these tips for proper call-in-sick etiquette will help you stay on your boss’s good side while recovering at home.

Speak to your boss directly. To prevent red flags going up, don’t send an e-mail or text message, or leave a voicemail when calling in sick because it’s too informal. Also, unless you’re physically unable to talk on the phone, never have your spouse call in sick for you. This makes you look unprofessional. Plus, your boss might suspect you really aren’t under the weather if you don’t speak to them directly and may require a doctor’s note.
Always be truthful. If you’re too sick to come in to work, just simply say so. There is no need to go into great detail about your symptoms unless asked. Doing so will make you sound like you planned it all out.
Stop with the act. Unless you have an Academy Award in hand, don’t purposely add coughs and sneezes to try to convince your boss that you’re sicker than you are. You can’t be that good of an actor and your boss will only become more wary.
Call before you’re scheduled. Try to inform your employer as early in the day as possible. They will appreciate that you gave them time to prepare for your absence. Even though they’ve lost you for the day, your boss might be able find someone to cover your shift with enough notice or cover your projects in the office.
Contact your staffing agency. If you’re a temporary employee, you should follow the same tips and notify your staffing agency as well. If they can find a replacement for your shift that day, your employer won’t be short a worker and it will lessen your chances of repercussion.

When calling in sick, remember to be honest, talk to your employer directly, and give them proper notice. Showing that you respect the company will help build your value to the employer. Good employees are hard to find, and your employer will remember that, even when you’re sick.

Reader Surveys Workplace Goofs Workplace Relationships

Should You Talk Politics at Work?

By Jennifer Kenley on Monday, October 13, 2008

With all the talk about the upcoming election – not to mention the candidates, the economy, and the new bailout bill that just passed, politics is a hot topic of conversation – just about as hot as whether or not we should be talking about it at work. In the past, politics has been a major faux paus of controversial topics, along with sex, money, and religion – not just at work, but in general. But, as our culture has changed, people are more and more vocal about their opinions in a variety of places, from blogs to conversation with friends.

When you spend so much time at work chatting it up with your fellow co-workers about all other types of issues, it’s hard not to bring up your thoughts and opinions about this hot topic – one of the most historic elections in our lifetime.

poll by twiigs.com

The Job Search Workplace Goofs

Don’t Job Hunt at Work and Other Tips

By james on Friday, October 10, 2008

My friend was telling me how she has a job but is looking for a new one. Now, she is escalating her job search, much like many other U.S. workers. According to a survey by Salary.com, 57% of workers are intensifying their job hunt within the next three months despite fears of recession.

Inadequate compensation, lack of career advancement and professional development, insufficient recognition, and boredom were the top five reasons for leaving a job.

But, she set off warning bells in my head when she told me that she was surfing the internet for job opportunities while at work. Searching for other employment opportunities on the job can lead to being reprimanded or worse, termination. To avoid ending up jobless and without any job leads, conduct your job hunt discretely while employed. Follow these job search dos and don’ts:

Don’t advertise your job search around the office. How do you expect others to keep your job hunt a secret when you can’t keep from opening your mouth?
Do ask for confidentiality. When needing discretion, simply ask prospective employers for the respect of confidentiality and to not contact your current boss. It won’t hurt your chances of getting a job offer. Use former employers as references if needed.
Don’t use work telephones and e-mails for contact information. Since work phones and e-mails can be monitored and are considered company property, use personal phones and home e-mail addresses on résumés or employment forms. Also, make sure to use cell phones while away from your desk, out of earshot from others. Make sure to use your own time on breaks and at lunch, and not on company time.
Do schedule an interview before work, during lunch, or after work. Not interviewing during work hours shows respect toward your current employer, and good recruiters are usually prepared to accommodate. If you must schedule an interview during business hours, use PTO time.
Don’t wear interview clothes to work if you normally dress casually. Dressing out of the ordinary will draw attention to yourself. If you have an interview before, during or after work, find time to change in between.
Do your job search on your own time. Never browse for job opportunities while your boss is paying you to work. Save the search for break time, lunch hours, or after-hours, but don’t use the company’s internet.
Don’t job search with company money. Using the company paper and printer to print out résumés is a major no-no. Mail them out with your own postage. Your current employer is not financing your job hunt. Make sure you do all of this at home.

Following proper job hunting etiquette while still employed will show your potential employer that you are respectful toward employers, and will keep you from being terminated before you’re ready to make a move.