If your office has a holiday gift exchange, you’ll want to check out these Secret Santa ideas for games and rules! The holidays are supposed to be a time of festive celebration. Well, how festive is it when Uncle Bob imbibes one too many hot toddies and begins to tell lewd stories from his a army days at an office holiday party. What about the sticker shock caused by the electric bill issued for the first month of running your Christmas light display? The holidays present a smorgasbord of stressful events, but perhaps no other event causes more consternation than secret Santa gift exchanges. From inappropriate gifts to gifts that make you look like a penny pincher, secret Santa gift exchanges can go awry faster than Frosty the Snowman melting under the Miami sun. However, you can control your office secret Santa gift exchange by learning about different ways to hold the gift exchanges. Win the Secret Santa Lottery The Secret Santa lottery takes much of the stress out of office gift … [Read more...] about Secret Santa Ideas and Rules
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PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTION: HOW TO COPE
The time of the year that you dread the most has arrived. You get to sweat through a performance review to determine if your performance is worthy of a promotion. The numbers appear to be in your favor, but your boss decides to give the promotion to a fellow employee that you feel deserves nothing more than janitor duty. Once again, your company has you passed over for promotion. The question is what are you going to do about it? How are you going to cope with another slap in the face? Maintain Your Composure One of the worst behaviors employees exhibit when passed over for promotion is to throw a seemingly appropriate fit. However, throwing an Oscar worthy tantrum only brings you down in the eyes of your managers and co-workers. Even if the decision to pass you over for promotion appears unfair, you need to take the high road and stay calm. Demonstrative venting to your peers only poisons the workplace and lowers morale. … [Read more...] about PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTION: HOW TO COPE
Restaurant Industry: Do the Math
This post brought to you by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation . The content and opinions expressed below are that of Jobacle. Wouldn’t it be nice to start a job and get a raise within six months of starting? Entry-level restaurant employees experience just that! Despite the country’s economic woes of the past few years, approximately 70% of managers and shift/crew supervisors within the restaurant industry have received a raise within the past year. That’s more than most workers can claim. … [Read more...] about Restaurant Industry: Do the Math
Changing Jobs After 40
There are few things worse than staying in a job when you know it’s time to leave. Unfortunately, with today’s job market, finding another job can be very difficult. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate at 5.9 percent as of September 2014, but experts say that number is misleading because certain types of unemployment go underreported. For example, those official statistics don’t take into account people who have stopped actively seeking work, also known as discouraged workers – the ranks of which are steadily increasing. They also do not account for the underemployed and “downwardly mobile” – individuals who are employed, but only part-time or at pay rates far below what they were originally earning due to pay cuts or by changing jobs. … [Read more...] about Changing Jobs After 40
KEYS TO GETTING AHEAD AT WORK
The highly competitive job market means workers must find ways to ensure long-term employment stability. If you haven’t noticed, jobs are getting more and more scarce with each passing year. To keep your career moving upward, instead of spiraling into a freefall, you need to understand the keys to getting ahead at work. Some of the keys that you won’t use include backstabbing other employees, kissing up to your boss, and taking credit when credit is not due. The keys to getting ahead at work involve time-tested strategies that help you stand out from the crowded workplace. … [Read more...] about KEYS TO GETTING AHEAD AT WORK
For Your Small Business: 10 Types of Barcode Symbologies
If you are new to the world of barcodes, one of the things that you may have trouble deciding on is what kind of symbology you want to use for your barcodes. Before you can choose the right type of symbology, it’s essential for you to gain an understanding of the different types of barcode symbologies that you can choose from. Here are ten different barcode symbologies that are common and that are used these days for many different applications, found in part on a helpful chart on Barcode FAQ. Codabar This symbology uses character sets that include barcode symbols which represent the characters 0 to 9, the letters from A to D and the symbols: , $ - / + . EAN-13 EAN stands for European Article Numbering and it’s an international code for retail products. It contains 13 numbers and is created for larger packages. EAN – 8 This barcode symbology is a compressed version of the EAN code. It only contains 8 numbers and it’s used for the smaller products. … [Read more...] about For Your Small Business: 10 Types of Barcode Symbologies
HOW TO STAY AWAKE AT WORK
Let's face it. Work can become so boring that the plush leather chair that you use to dictate memos makes for a really comfortable bed. You can pull the blinds down, stretch your feet onto your varnished desk, and sink into deep sleep in the cozy confines of your office. The cause of your drowsiness ranges from staying out too late the night before to the after effects of gorging out during lunch. Regardless of the reason for your somnolence, most bosses don't care for workers who take siestas in the middle of the afternoon. If you begin to fade, you need to implement some of the measures that teach you how to stay awake at work. Let the Light Shine Without getting too technical, your absorb light as a way to regulate the internal rhythm of your body. The more that you expose yourself to light, the more alert you feel right about at the point of day when you typically gain heavy eyelids. Most offices have bright lights that employers use to help you maintain focus and succeed in how … [Read more...] about HOW TO STAY AWAKE AT WORK
Desk Fans Make the Perfect Gift for Coworkers
Desk fans can help save your career! ;-) The office is ground zero for interpersonal conflict. But the most heated arguments and the coldest shoulders are reserved for fighting over the thermostat. Sally in Accounting is always too hot or too cold. Gerald from IT is constantly fiddling with the control, trying to achieve the perfect temp for everyone in the office, even though that is impossible. Oh, Gerald, will you ever stop trying to please everyone? Probably best to let everyone control the temp it their own personal cubicles. But until technology evolves to the point where everyone lives in their own motorized bubble with climate control, why not spring for a desk fan for your colleagues? Desk fans are the only gift that will give the chronic complainers some real control over their temperature situation. If you work in one of those newfangled startups with rows and rows of Macbooks (or you just share space with the other creative types at Starbucks) don’t worry. This list has a … [Read more...] about Desk Fans Make the Perfect Gift for Coworkers
Introverts at Work: A Survival Guide
2019Introverts typically harness their energy and maximize their productivity in quiet work environments. So, how does an introvert make it in the bustling business world? Surely, introverts cannot thrive in an environment of constant interaction. After all, introverts are better suited for working at home, with nothing but the family dog to act as an agent of social interaction. However, introverts comprise a vital part of successful small businesses, as it takes all kinds to create dynamic work environments. Although constant stimulation and social interaction wear on introverts at work can take several steps to survive in the workplace. Find Your Rabbit Hole Introverts need workspaces where they can disappear like rabbits that burrow into a hole in the ground. Work environments that produce excessive noise distract the most focused introverts at work. Anyone who needs quiet work environments should search for conference rooms or other workspaces that no other employee … [Read more...] about Introverts at Work: A Survival Guide
WorkHack: Tips for a Better Night's Sleep
When was the last time you got a good night's sleep? Most adults do not get enough sleep and the consequences of sleep deprivation include health issues and making poor decisions at work. Have you ever heard of the axiom boasted by sleep-deprived co-workers: "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Well, people who espouse that line of thinking can start digging their graves. You need sleep as much or more than you need to exercise or eat nutritious foods. The best work hack for ensuring a health body and enhancing workplace productivity follows a few tips for a better night's sleep. Exercise Works Wonders for Sleep At the pinnacle of work hack tips for a better night's sleep sits exercise. Exercise that comprises as little as 20 minutes per day helps people fall into deep sleep. Exercise at least six hours before bedtime to allow your body to wind down after a workout. Avoid exercising within two hours of dreamland. You regimen can include cardiovascular and anaerobic exercises. … [Read more...] about WorkHack: Tips for a Better Night's Sleep