As I mentioned in Part 1 of this post’s topic, I had no idea that lame service rewards would hit such a nerve! So I decided to follow up by asking what you would LIKE to receive from your employer recognizing your work with the company. No one said they wanted a company-logo enhanced item.HR ConcursIt surprised me that many of the folks I heard from work in HR departments. Most of them agree with the staff that the usual fare is totally uncool.One HR director offered, “In lieu of the company-logo’d binoculars, I’d much rather receive a day off with a spa gift certificate or cash gift card.”Listen to the ShrinkDr. Janet Civitelli is a workplace psychologist, career coach and manager of a career counseling team at a large urban university. So her experience with employees covers a number of niche sectors and she works to “help clients achieve greater work and life satisfaction.” Here’s her take on service gifts...“After 20 years of … [Read more...] about Work Service Rewards, What Would Get You Out of Bed in the Morning?
Why Your Boss Secretly Hates Remote Work
Common sense and multiple surveys tell us that a majority of workers believe they can do their jobs from home. Even President Obama often extols the virtues of remote work. We know that at-home workers have greater flexibility, in theory, improving their work-life balance. Add in the money employees save on commuting costs and the money companies save on skyrocketing utilities, and it equals a big win for Mother Nature.But there’s a dirty little secret that corporate America doesn’t want you to know. The reality is, most employers are not supportive of remote working. In an attempt to appear progressive, they pretend that flexible schedules are more of an option than they really are.Here are the reasons your boss wants to make sure your butt is at the office on a daily basis:Control. When you work from home your boss can't call you into his office on a whim. And let’s be honest, many bosses, especially ones who have held positions of power for decades, love to do … [Read more...] about Why Your Boss Secretly Hates Remote Work
Working on a Cruise Ship: A Dream or Rough Seas?
Drones, worker bees, and beasts of burden are just a few of the names we give ourselves as we trudge through one dreary day after another at the office. Our world at work is so antiseptic and cold that our cubes might as well be cells. Too often, we ask ourselves, after all of the education, the training and the careerism, 'is this really what I signed up for'? Maybe that's why psychiatrists encourage us to have a vivid and healthy fantasy life. True, it may only be an ersatz escape, but hey-it's better than nothing.I don't know about your fantasies, but I do know that you should definitely have them. As for me, I day dream about living in an endless summer, of sailing into sunlit waters, having new adventures and seeing those parts of the world that most people just dream about. So, and unless you're very rich (but then you wouldn't be in a cube) how do you go about pursuing such a dream, to make it a reality while you're still young enough to enjoy it? If you've ever been … [Read more...] about Working on a Cruise Ship: A Dream or Rough Seas?
Thank You, Mr. Lowes Store Manager
At Jobacle, we always work hard to provide the very best we can when it comes to career advice with an edge. Because we are the folks in the cubes of the world, doing the real work and getting all the important stuff done, it can appear that we're, well, anti-management. We're not, but we do pride ourselves on saying, with humor and insight, what needs to be said.So, in the best possible spirit, we commend Michael Hollowell, the store manager of the Lowes in North Carolina, whose leadership during a recent tornado saved the lives of the over one hundred people in the store at the time. As the manager, Michael knew the stores' emergency plan, and once he saw the tornado roaring towards his store, he immediately took action. He mobilized his assistant managers and succeeded in almost instantly herding all staff and customers to the rear of the store, into a concrete-reinforced area. While Michael was doing this, the entire roof of the free standing store was peeled back, and … [Read more...] about Thank You, Mr. Lowes Store Manager
15 Tips for Cutting Expenses While Job Hunting
Losing a job can devastate your finances. To keep yourself on an even keel, commit yourself to a self-help program of cutting expenses while you're out hunting for a new job. Identify which of your expenses are "wants" and which are "needs." Prioritize, and decide which "wants" to reduce or eliminate. Here's some specific tips. Tip #1: Get Your Unemployment (and Other) Benefits Go to your local unemployment office right away and file for benefits. Apply for food stamps. Find out what food distribution programs there are in your community. If you have children in school, seek out the free or reduced-price programs for breakfast and lunch. Tip #2: Rectify Your Credit Card Balances If you cannot make the minimum monthly payment, transfer any balances to credit cards that charge lower interest rates. Find out the toll-free phone number to call for help from each of your credit card companies, and call and explain your current situation -- write down all the details of the conversation, … [Read more...] about 15 Tips for Cutting Expenses While Job Hunting
Things They Don’t Tell You About Going Freelance
When you first decide to make the change to working freelance, the world suddenly becomes that little bit more thrilling, and you genuinely feel as if a new and exciting career awaits you, with the promise of more freedom and better pay. After all, who wants to work for the man? If you go freelance you will be working in the areas of your industry that you enjoy, planning your own career path and choosing the clients that you want to work with. Right? This of course is the ideal and it is certainly achievable. But whilst most people daydream about that ideal freelancing gig, working from home or in a coffee shop on a project that they enjoy and which will bring them awards and acclaim from their peers whilst allowing them time off to spend with friends or family, the reality can sometimes be very different. This is especially true when you first start out. So, without putting a downer on your freelance plans, here are a few things to bear in mind before you quit your job and … [Read more...] about Things They Don’t Tell You About Going Freelance
Characteristics of a Successful Manager
What are the characteristics of a successful manager? It does not matter what type of business is being managed, there are certain attributes that are essential to the success of the business. A manager that is competent and can oversee operations and employees will govern the quality of the business. Becoming a leader requires certain skills that are not inherent; they must be learned. One of the most important characteristics of a successful manager is the enthusiasm they have for their job. A company or corporation's success is going to hinge on this enthusiasm. How many times have you been to a business and gotten the impression the employees would rather be anywhere else than at work? When a manager expresses enthusiasm, this motivates the employees to show enthusiasm as well. One of the basic characteristics of a successful manager is the ability to listen. This is one of the ways a manager earns the respect of employees. In addition, when a manager listens to the needs, concerns … [Read more...] about Characteristics of a Successful Manager
How to Find Out What Your Coworkers' Earn a Year
Knowing what the worker in the cubicle next to you earns on an annual basis is a blessing and a curse. It can be great to help you put your own career plan and negotiating strategy into persepctive; but it can also leave you feeling powerless and bitter, not a recipe for work happiness. SalaryShare, a new website inspired by HackerNews, allows you to pool coworker salaries anonymously by setting up a secret link that is only available to people you choose. You'll need at least four participants to get the list revealed. Well, it's not truly anonymous - your coworkers will know who set up the salary pool because you must circulate the link in order to get people to partake! But when the salaries are revealed, you will not know who is attached to each dollar amount. Each person who participates receives a private link to view the results. For example if you are a freelance blogger, let us know how much you earn a year (only from blogging) by joing our salary pool. … [Read more...] about How to Find Out What Your Coworkers' Earn a Year
Why You Should Never Turn Down an Interview
Whether you are fresh out of college or a seasoned professional, you should always embrace the opportunity to interview for a job. It doesn’t matter if the timing is bad or if you started a new job yesterday—accepting an invitation to interview is always a wise move.Here are five reasons why you should never turn down an interview:It’s good practice. There’s a reason so many people are scared to fly on airplanes: We have no way to practice and most of us do it infrequently. The more we do something, the better we get at it, and interviewing is no exception. Sure you can hold mock interviews with family and friends, but nothing will prepare you like real-world experience. Since the opportunity to interview doesn’t arise frequently, embrace it when you get the chance.Think about the future. Even if the position you are interviewing for is not a perfect fit, another opening, one that you might be unaware of, could be floating out there. Meeting face to face … [Read more...] about Why You Should Never Turn Down an Interview
5 Easy Ways to Make the Perfect Work Break Room a Reality
A well-provisioned break room can serve not only as a welcome retreat and a center for activity and discussion among employees, but also as an impromptu conference room for guests and visitors to the company. Below are some easy ways to make the perfect break room a reality. #1: Keep things tidy. Keeping a well-organized and attractive break room is beneficial to the company’s overall image as well as the morale of staff. Choosing the right office coffee solutions to stock the corporate break room can make a significant difference in the impression made on employees and guests. #2: Provide well-stocked shelves. While coffee, tea, and other hot beverages are mainstays of the corporate break room, other types of office refreshments should also be provided for staff and visitors to the company. Items like snacks, powdered drink mix packets, canisters, napkins, cups and plates are also important elements of a well-stocked staff break room. These supplies will ensure that everyone in the … [Read more...] about 5 Easy Ways to Make the Perfect Work Break Room a Reality