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March Madness and the Workplace

By james on Friday, March 14, 2008

The 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship begins Tuesday, March 18. The tournament brings Cinderella teams, buzzer beaters, rabid fans and, of course, tournament brackets. And workplaces around the country are caught up in March Madness. The ease of organization is what makes the tournament attractive for office pools. Brackets are readily available for download from web sites like ESPN.com and NewYorkTimes.com. A recent survey by Vault Inc. reports that 57% of employees participate in NCAA basketball pools.

While some argue that filling out brackets can hinder productivity, many employers are viewing office pools as a team building activity for their workers. If it’s well organized, a pool like this can benefit the workplace by providing a regular fun activity and develop camaraderie among team workers. To ensure a pool is well organized, experts suggest the winnings must be divided among players, allowing all workers who wish to play and conduct the pool in person instead of over the phone or through e-mails.

Although the Vault Inc. survey reports that 86% of offices don’t have policies against pool betting, it is wise to check your company’s policy before joining or starting a pool. In some states, unlicensed gambling, like office pools, may be considered criminal activity. If that’s the case where you are, there are many alternatives. Participants can play for gift certificates, sports or movie tickets, or for proceeds to go to charity. By taking out the monetary aspect, non-gambling pools are perfectly legal.

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At Work Career Advancement

Top 5 Job Mistakes: Don’t Let Them Wreck Your Career!

By summer on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Everybody makes mistakes – it’s a part of being human. While beating yourself up over the past isn’t helpful, learning from it is. As Winston Churchill once said, “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.”

Have you committed some blunders in your career that you feel are hurting your future? The tips below can help you identify professional flub ups and get you back on track professionally.

Burning Bridges
Have you had a lot of conflict in the past with your co-workers or even your boss? If so, now is the time to work on rebuilding those relationships by showing respect, patience and understanding. To smooth things over, you may also need to apologize to colleagues you’ve quarreled with in the past or at least make a concerted effort to start fresh in the relationship.

Being the Life of Every Party
While there’s nothing wrong with having a reputation for being fun, if you’re always playing the part of office comedian, it could hurt your career because colleagues won’t know when to take your seriously. Strive to show those around you that your work is important to you and that you can be trusted with sensitive issues. Keep your light-hearted side, but just make sure you display it at appropriate times.

Strolling on Easy Street
Without ambition, it’s hard to go anywhere professionally. If you’ve let your skills get rusty or just haven’t been going after top projects, chances are management has taken notice. Focus on displaying your enthusiasm for your job by volunteering for new assignments and keeping your credentials up-to-date.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Office romances can be tempting, but they’re also risky business. If you’ve dated a co-worker in the past or even just done some heavy flirting, it may have affected your colleagues’ opinions of you. To keep interoffice relationships from damaging your reputation, it’s essential to maintain your professionalism. You can do this by treating all co-workers in a polite and business-like manner and carefully weighing the consequences before dating a colleague in the future.

Dropping the Ball on a Big Project
Have you ever worked on an important project where everything went wrong? Although you may not be able to change what happened with the assignment, you can show that you’ve learned from your mistakes. Talk to your boss about your insights on the project and what you’re doing now to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again.

To keep professional mistakes from damaging your career, focus on learning from past errors and improving your performance each day. No one is perfect, so don’t get discouraged when you’ve made a wrong turn. Instead, aim to get back on course as quickly as you can.

What have you learned from your career blunders? Let us know in the comments section below.

Dress for Success New Job Tips

You’ve Got the Job, Now It’s Time to Dress the Part

By shannon on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Every office and company differs in their dress code. Some require professional dress Monday through Friday, others offer business casual with casual Fridays. But do you know what the expectations are for these recommendations? Will you be able to dress the part and fit in at your new job? Here are a few basic guidelines for common dress code types to help you dress for success.

Professional – This dress code consists of suits, button down shirts and dress shoes. It can also include ties and vests for men, and pantsuits or skirts with nylons for women. Professional attire is the most formal in a business environment. Full suits are appropriate for everyday wear in certain professions, as well as special presentations and meetings in more casual atmospheres. Professional dress is also the most appropriate interview attire.

Business Casual – Saved for relaxed but professional atmospheres, business casual attire is made up of button-down shirts and slacks for men, and a skirt or slacks with a blouse for women. Wearing a coordinating sport coat or blazer is a nice touch but isn’t usually required. Khakis and a polo shirt that bears the corporate logo is usually acceptable as well.

Casual – This type of attire is reserved for the most casual work environments. In some offices, it’s only allowed on casual Fridays. Casual wear can include jeans, sneakers, polos or even Hawaiian print shirts. If your company allows you to wear casual attire, avoid wearing jogging suits, T-shirts, sandals or revealing clothing. If you aren’t sure how to dress on casual Fridays, khakis and a polo are a safe bet. It’s better to dress one step up than one step down from the dress code.

Make sure you check the company’s dress code before you start your first day at a new job and plan accordingly to make a great impression. If you aren’t sure what dress code should be followed once you’re on the job, ask a supervisor or manager. You can also take clues by observing what others wear to the office, especially those in leadership positions.

The Daily Grind

Flu Hits Workplaces Hard – 5 Tricks for Staying Healthy

By summer on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Fever, muscle aches and the chills aren’t a recipe for a fun time away from the office. But, if your workplace is like mine, you’ve probably had a lot of co-workers out sick over the last few weeks. On top of feeling miserable, getting sick can cause you to fall behind at work or use up all your time off.

If it seems like more people are under the weather at your workplace than usual, there may be a reason. This year’s flu vaccine is a poor match against the virus, which means the shot provided less protection against getting sick. According to officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every part of the country is experiencing lots of people sick with the flu.

While it’s not possible to eliminate all risks of catching the flu, you can improve your chances of staying healthy by following a few tips.

1. Take a daily vitamin. Studies have shown that vitamin E, as well as other vitamins and antioxidants, can help boost your immune system. Try a multivitamin to get all the nutrients you need to stay well.

2. Get enough sleep. When your body is worn down, you’re less able to fight off infections. Make an extra effort to get about eight hours of sleep each night when the flu is rampant.

3. Wash your hands often. Practicing excellent hygiene is one of the best ways to reduce your chances of catching the flu. Keep instant hand sanitizer handy for times you don’t have easy access to a sink.

4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Give those who are ill plenty of space. Don’t touch co-workers’ personal items, and never share dishes or eating utensils.

5. Don’t smoke. Smoke paralyzes the cells that protect you from incoming viruses – making smokers much more prone to catching the flu. Even if you don’t kick the habit permanently, consider temporarily quitting or cutting back while trying to ward off illness.

The Daily Grind Workplace Relationships

Tips to Improve Your Attitude – Even When You’re Having a Bad Day

By Jennifer Kenley on Monday, February 25, 2008

I recently attended a conference in Nashville and had the privilege to listen to an exceptional speaker, Christine Cashen. One of the things she spoke about was having a positive attitude, not only at work, but everywhere – even on bad days. It got me thinking about how often our attitudes determine the outcome of our days. Think about it – if you’re already in a bad mood, chances are, anything else that doesn’t work in your favor will make your mood even worse.

To help you start out each day on a positive note, try following some of these tips.

Pretend you’re happy. According to Abraham Lincoln, “most people are about as happy as they decide to be.” So if you wake up in the morning and you know it’s going to be one of those days – choose not to let that ruin your attitude. Tell yourself that you’re in a great mood and thankful to be alive. Look yourself in the mirror and say, “This is going to be a great day.” Say it all day until you actually believe it. Be enthusiastic about it – after all, every day you wake up is a gift! Eventually, all that enthusiasm – even if it starts out forced – will turn your negative attitude into a positive one.

Add humor to your day. Laughter is truly the best medicine, and people who can find humor in any situation are usually pretty positive individuals. If someone cuts you off on your drive into work, imagine them driving the Oscar Mayer Wiener mobile and wearing one of those funny hats instead. Trying to find humor in things will help relieve stress and turn your frown into a smile.

Prioritize your worries. Many people spend hours worrying about things that can’t be changed or aren’t really that important. If a mistake has been made that can’t be reversed, accept it, and move on. Make sure you spend your time and energy on things you can control. This will not only help eliminate unnecessary stress in your life, but it will also make you feel better about the things you can accomplish.

Take a break. If you find yourself spiraling downwards into despair, take a break. Whether it’s 10 minutes or an hour, do whatever you need to do to remove yourself from the situation that’s causing you to have a bad attitude. Once you take a step back from the situation, you might just find the solution to the problem that was causing you such turmoil in the first place.

Remind yourself of positive things. Everyone should have a little box on their desk with nice thoughts or sweet comments written by friends or family. When you start feeling low, simply pull out a piece of paper and read its contents. A nice comment or a happy thought will put a smile on your face and remind you what really matters.

Remember, you’re the only person that can control your attitude; you can’t depend on someone else to make things better. So stay positive, and when you feel yourself getting down, try using these tips.

Career Advancement Career Options The Job Search

Revive Your Job Search: Find New Sources for Job Leads

By summer on Monday, February 18, 2008

Be sure to check out the previous tips in this series on making a great impression with your appearance and keeping your skills up-to-date.

Expand your job search.
Where are you looking for jobs? If you’ve been using the same two or three resources to research job opportunities, you need to broaden your search. Employers use different methods for getting the word out about their openings. That’s why, if you’re serious about landing a job, you need to try several different approaches.

Some employers only list their openings with staffing companies. Have you registered with your local Express office? Staffing companies are a great way to get an “in” for a job opportunity you normally wouldn’t hear about.

You should also work on networking within your profession.
Many job opportunities are spread through word of mouth. When you’re in the inner circle in your industry, you’ll have a much better chance to learn about these opportunities. To get more involved in your field, consider joining your local trade or professional organization. Subscribing to industry publications or visiting trade websites is another way to get the inside scoop.

The job search can be a full-time job in itself. Improve your chances of scoring a great opportunity by concentrating on making a positive first impression, keeping your skills competitive and expanding your job search.

Reader Surveys The Daily Grind Workplace Goofs Workplace Relationships

Do You Have a Work Spouse?

By tiffany monhollon on Thursday, February 14, 2008

These days, most of us spend as much or more time with our co-workers as our friends and family. That may be one reason why so many people are favorable toward office romance.

Harris Interactive recently released a report showing that over one third (36%) of workers surveyed said they’d consider an office romance. According to the 2008 Harlequin Romance Report, 57% of men and 61% of women in the workplace have had a crush on a co-worker, and well over half of both men and women who’ve experienced workplace crushes say they’ve gone beyond a crush to a relationship with a co-worker (Hat tip: HR World).

But for many, it’s not clear what to do about the deep bonds or constant flirtations that frequently arise between co-workers even when things don’t turn into actual romance. There’s even a terminology that has sprung up to describe this relationship – a “work spouse.” When you spend most of your time at work – or during your lunch hour – with a co-worker, think about them while at home, or look forward to the next time you’ll get to see or talk with them, you may just have what some call a “work husband” or a “work wife,” even if things are platonic.

Though general camaraderie and good will among co-workers is a good thing, it can be difficult to draw the lines and keep work relationships in check, unless you have some guidelines to follow.

How can you know if things have gone too far in a co-worker relationship? Experts say taking stock of your on-the-job relationships with these questions in mind can help you know if you’re crossing the line into dangerous territory with a co-worker.

Are you obsessing over your co-worker when not at work?
How would you treat your work spouse if your significant other were with you?
Do you compare your real romantic partner with your work spouse?
Do you cross the lines into physical contact with your work spouse, even if it’s just as simple as touch on the shoulder?
Are you treating your work spouse the same way you would treat other friends?

What do you think about office romance? Have you ever known anyone in a “work marriage”? Let us know in the comments section, or vote in our online poll.

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