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It’s Not Always the More the Merrier, Stay Safe this Season

By leidson on Friday, November 22, 2013

Retailers increase staff, stock, and hopefully, customers during the holiday season. Although this is great for job seekers and businesses alike, the jump in activity also means a jump in potential hazards. Retail employers need to vigilantly ensure the workplace is properly staffed and organized, and that employees are not rushing to complete all tasks to the exclusion of basic safety. You should report any unsafe condition, and supervisors should be instructed to recognize hazardous conditions and respond to them in a manner that supports employee and public safety.

The obvious hazards associated with the season are ones we talk about every day: ergonomic issues leading to numbness and pain as with carpel tunnel syndrome or other muscle and joint problems, or neck and back strain due to heavy lifting. You can protect yourself by using proper lifting techniques, avoiding twisting and reaching overhead as much as possible, and by communicating difficulties to your supervisors. Employers can help by providing well-designed work spaces, appropriate equipment for lifting awkward or oddly shaped loads, and keeping staff at proper levels to promote a safe place for employees.

Since a worker’s death in 2008 when a throng of Black Friday customers stormed a retail establishment and crushed an employee, crowd safety has also come to the forefront during this time. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a site dedicated to helping retail employers manage crowds on special event days like Black Friday. The overall message is to plan, communicate to employees, and to customers before opening, and have an emergency response procedure in place.Check out the link to OSHA’s guide for retailers here.

Lastly, an easily overlooked safety concern is the increased hazards to the public shopping in the aisles of retail establishments. With stocking activity much higher during business hours, tasks m ay be in close proximity to customers. Consumers are exposed to more equipment and stock on the sales floor and stocking activity over their heads and feet. Stay safe by moving merchandise and equipment through stores with the help of someone to direct traffic on the aisles, stock heavier items on lower shelves, and stay aware of the special hazards associated with customer interaction.
Everyone must work together during the holiday season to ensure all go home healthy and happy to celebrate with their friends and family.

At Work Career Advancement The Daily Grind

3 Helpful Articles to Prepare you for Employee Reviews

By leidson on Friday, November 15, 2013

Annual employee reviews are starting to take place and we’re ready to help you prepare. With all the excitement and expectation of the holidays, it’s easy to get carried away and forget to prepare for your review. So here are a few helpful articles to assist in your employee review preparation.

1. Transform the Dreaded Employee Review
What emotions do you associate with your employee review? Fear? Anxiety? Stress? Anticipation? The thought of an annual performance evaluation can trigger a wide-range of negative responses, but it doesn’t have to. In Transform the Dreaded Employee Review, you will learn how to see things differently as you become a more productive employee.

2. It’s Time to Check your Progress – Self Evaluations
Most companies typically hold performance reviews or annual reviews at the end of the calendar year, but at that point there isn’t much you can do to improve your scorecard for the year. In It’s Time to Check your Progress – Self Evaluation, you will learn key elements for conducting a self-review.

3. Understand “the Numbers” in Your Job Search
Whether you’re crafting a résumé, preparing for a performance review, or reporting in the weekly staff meeting, knowing the key metrics used to measure the performance of your company and your job is critical. In this article on Understanding “the numbers” in the Workplace, we’ll talk about how to make sense of the numbers that relate to success in your career.

If you have any helpful tips that you use to prepare for an employee review, share with us in the comment section below.

Job Interviews Uncategorized

Scariest Interview Ever

By leidson on Wednesday, October 30, 2013

If you think any of your previous job interviews were scary or nerve-wracking, wait until you see what applicants went through during an interview with LG Electronics. To promote just how life-like images appear on the 82-inch ‘Ultra HD’ TV, LG created a fake office that had a TV positioned to look like a window. Through this “window” applicants could view the skyline outside. As the interview proceeded, applicants saw the sky change from blue to black as a meteor fell from the sky and the city suddenly exploded. The reactions from the candidates were hilarious.

This “scary” interview has now become a TV advertisement sensation for LG, check it out here.

Career Options New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized

How to Re-enter the Workforce

By leidson on Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Many people are facing the challenge of trying to get back in the workforce. With the unemployment rate lower than it’s been since the recession, families are looking for ways to gain a much needed paycheck. President and CEO of The LaSalle Network, Tom Gimbel, shared tips with Fox Business News on how stay-at-home parents and people who have been without a job for a while can transition back into the workforce.

Be Honest About Resume Gaps
People may try to make up for their insecurities after being a stay-at-home parent by embellishing their resume. Some might exaggerate the time spent at a previous job or add false information, but what these people may not know is how easy it is for employers to verify those sources and references. It’s very important to be open and honest while writing your resume.

Use Family Connections
A family member could be very helpful in networking. There are many parents at your children’s school who may know of job leads or have a network that could potentially help you find one. Don’t hesitate to communicate your need for employment with family members. You may be one conversation away from a new job!

Be Open About Career Exploration
During your job search, remember the skills you have may not be as applicable in today’s economy as they were years ago. Be open to jobs that come your way even if it’s not in the same industry as your previous position. Being open to career exploration is about expanding your abilities and knowledge.

Lose Your Ego
Be aware that technology is always changing and if you’ve been out of work for more than a couple years, you may not have the technology savvy that many other people have. Maybe you aren’t going to earn what you think you’re worth right off the bat and may have to take a pay cut just to get started again, but don’t give up, be persistent. Gimbel said in his interview with Fox Business News, “You may have to take a step back to take five steps forward.”

For more information and tips on how to re-enter the workforce, check out this video.

At Work The Daily Grind Uncategorized

4 Ways to Prevent Musculoskeletal Injuries

By leidson on Monday, October 21, 2013

Musculoskeletal disorders and injuries are the leading cause of disability in America. One in two adults report a musculoskeletal condition requiring medical attention. Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) accounts for 43% of all lost-time claims, 43% of all lost-time claim costs, and 46% of all lost-time days. Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders can affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Most work-related MSDs develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employees’ working environment. Musculoskeletal health is dependent on strength and flexibility, but it’s also dependent on overall good health. So, how can you make a difference and turn these statistics around? Here are four ways to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Stay Active
The musculoskeletal system, like every system in our body, benefits from a healthy lifestyle. A well-conditioned body, good nutrition, and healthy habits help strengthen the immune system. Being active helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels which also help fight off MSD. Stretching regularly is another good habit to pick up. Stretching keeps your muscles, tendons, and ligaments flexible.

Eat a Balanced Diet
Our muscles need vitamins, minerals, water, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats so they can function at their best. Maintaining a healthy weight is also very important for keeping your body aligned. A lack of alignment can cause undue stress on discs, bones, ligaments, and tendons, which can lead to MSD. Your muscles are made up of around 70 percent water, so make sure you drink at least eight tall glasses of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Maintain Good Posture
Good posture reduces the amount of strain on individual muscles groups and helps keep muscles toned. Any posture that requires the body to move out of the neutral posture range is considered to be awkward posture and can be harmful to your musculoskeletal system. Keep your work within 14 to 18 inches of your body, depending on your height. Also, avoid reaching overhead or behind your back, if you can. If you can’t, return to neutral as soon as possible. Your current posture could be overworking your body. With a little adjustment, however, you can correct most posture problems.

Get Sleep
Adequate sleep protects the immune system, repairs cells, and makes us feel better. Sleep is beneficial to our bodies, but did you know it can improve skeletal health? During sleep our bodies have the chance to repair and build new tissue which can strengthen our musculoskeletal systems.

Be aware of the MSD risks in your workplace and do your part to make a difference in the statistics. How are you working to change the MSD statistics? Share with us in the comment section below.

At Work Uncategorized

What to Do When You Don’t Like Your Boss

By leidson on Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Today is Boss’ day, and employees everywhere are finding little ways to show their boss how much they appreciate their guidance and leadership.

How it All Started

According to Wikipedia, Boss’ day was started by an employee named Patricia Haroski who happened to work for her father in Deerfield, Illinois. On his birthday, Oct. 16, she wanted to celebrate her dad/boss and let him know how much she appreciated him so in 1958, she registered “National Boss’s Day” with the U.S.Chamber of Commerce and four years later it became an official holiday that is recognized on Oct. 16 every year in the U.S. and Canada.
Patricia’s effort surely made her dad proud, but for some of us Boss’ day can feel a lot like the workplace version of Valentine’s Day. It’s great if you have a manager you love but what do you do if you don’t even like your boss?

Not a Fan of Your Boss? You’re Not Alone

Some of you are thinking “I really don’t like my boss and don’t exactly want to celebrate this day.” You’re not the only one that doesn’t feel like your boss deserves a national holiday dedicated to them. The 2013 State of the American Workplace report from Gallup showed that 70% of survey respondents either hated their jobs or were completely disengaged citing awful bosses as one of their biggest complaints.

The key to getting through Boss’ day or any other workday with a manager you don’t really like is to focus on the positives. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, so look for the strengths in your boss and let them know what you do appreciate about them. You never know, it could actually help change some things around the office. And if you can’t find any, use this opportunity as a chance to learn what not to do in your own career.

If you don’t like your boss, look at today as a chance to build a better relationship. Make an effort to really understand what makes your supervisor or manager tick. What could you be doing differently to help? Today is the day to start. That’s really the best gift you can give today.

At Work The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance

How to Avoid Communication Shutdown

By leidson on Friday, October 11, 2013

For the past week, our government has been “shutdown.” Both the Democratic and Republican parties are blaming each other for different reasons. Although there is no simple conclusion, we can learn from this. We have all seen where poor communication can lead, so here are three tips for better workplace communication.

Active Listening
One of the most important components of communication is listening. After all, it’s impossible to give an intelligent response if you didn’t understand what the person was saying in the first place. Pay attention to the person’s body language as well as their words, and resist the urge to interrupt or plan what you are going to say next while they are speaking. Once your co-worker has finished his or her statement, you will be able to formulate an appropriate response and will have a better understanding of the idea he or she is attempting to communicate.

Ask, Don’t Assume
All too often, people stereotype each other and assume the worst intentions rather than asking how they can meet in the middle. Each party thinks it’s the other person’s problem when the responsibility is really mutual. If you need help or have a question just ask, don’t assume anything.

Always Follow Up
Never assume that an electronic message has been received. Digital information can be lost in transmission or accidentally deleted by the person receiving it. Make a habit of regularly following up on important communications. Whether you’ve just had a meeting or an interview, remember to always follow up to keep communication flowing with your coworkers.

If you have would like to share some helpful tips on workplace communication, please do so in the comment section below.