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In a recent news story, an astounding 59% of employees that were laid off or fired last year admitted to stealing data from employers. Among the data taken were employee records (35%), financial information (16%), and customer information (39%). And get this: 79% of them admitted that their former employers didn’t allow that sort of information to be taken off-site.   I don’t know about the rest of you, but that sounds pretty crazy. If your employer finds out that you took proprietary information for your own personal gain, then you could have some legal troubles on your hands. In my company, we have fairly tight restrictions on data storage and transfer. While I could probably go in and burn a CD with data on it today, I could not use a flash drive, because the USB ports were all locked down sometime last year.   Whose data is it? This is an interesting question. Basically, anything done on a company computer is property of that company. However, with things like … [Read more...] about Are You a Thief? Nearly 60% of Exiting Employees Are

It seems no occupation is truly safe these days. With major corporations from almost every financial sector reducing their workforce to survive the recession, it’s best to keep your ear to the ground to avoid getting caught off guard. Official budget cuts, business mergers and sharp drops in stocks are all obvious precursors of corporate downsizing, but there are more subtle indications that your job may be in danger. The following clues can send a variety of signals, but in the current economic climate they constitute warning signs that you’re about to be laid off.There are rumors of impending layoffsManagers typically try to hide the decision to cull their workforce for as long as possible so as not to affect employee morale and risk having their better staff members jump ship prematurely. However, secrets can be hard to keep in an office. That’s why it’s important to heed any talk of company downsizing and consider the rumor one of the signs you’re … [Read more...] about 5 Signs That You're About to Get a Pink Slip

If you have been reading my latest blogs, you know that I have recently started a new job. And with a new job at a large institution or corporation comes a new hire orientation.As I was spacing out during the most recent video installment of this particular institution’s history, it dawned on me that orientation is not necessarily the most effective way to integrate a new employee to a company’s culture. It is certainly a nice gesture for the executives and top management to speak to the group about customer service and how great the company/institution is to work at.But c’mon. Can you really capture a company’s work ethic, culture, positives, negatives, and more in a few hours or days (depending on how much time is allocated)? The answer is no. The majority of new hire orientation is spent droning on about benefits, retirement, and why this is the best company you will ever work for.Which begs the question: Why are companies desperately seeking approval from … [Read more...] about New Hire Orientation – Waste of Time?

The journey from my desk started innocently enough. I was on the prowl for a bottle of water and something sweet. As I traversed the fluorescent-lit hallways, debating between Twizzlers and a granola bar, I couldn't help but notice all of the closed doors.This was no coincidence. EVERY door was shut--indiscernible voices leaking through the door jams.Something was up.My first inclination is normally to be thankful that I am not behind closed doors. But in this instance, I felt like the kid left off the dodgeball team. What the heck is everybody talking about?Perhaps this is a symbol of the new, weakened economy.Read more of Andrew G.R.'s blog post at US News & World Report. … [Read more...] about Paranoia on the Way to the Vending Machine

Today, I'm a flashlight. No, I don't give off light and have batteries stuffed who-knows-where. I am demonstrating the qualities of a flashlight in the way that I work. It's actually a simple concept to grasp. A flashlight emits a wide, dim beam that illuminates a large area but doesn't do much else. A laser is a tightly focused beam that can be used as a signal or a tool for precise work. (By the way, why do we let children have small, handheld devices that can sear their corneas irreparably? Not the best idea for a toy.) I had to ask myself that question after seeing how my day went. I got to work early because I had a lot of things to take care of. However, instead of getting the things done that I had planned, I did a little of this and a little of that, frittering away my time until I ended up spending most of my day planning to get started on something else.  Some others at Jobacle know how that goes. I think that a lot of us spend our time as flashlights. We are low-intensity, … [Read more...] about Do You Work Like a Flashlight or a Laser?