Category: The Workplace

Appropriate April Fool’s Pranks at the Office

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I guess the word to adhere to is “Appropriate.” We can all think of pranks that would be totally unacceptable for your place of work, whether it’s an office or not. So let’s not go there.

One fun prank that works, but doesn’t hurt your co-workers, is the “fake cast.” It’s great if you like to hike, bike, bowl, or play some sort of team sport, etc. because the cast and your explanation will be very believable. If April Fool’s Day is in the middle of the week you’ll have to dream up some accident other than the weekend recreation scenario. Be creative.

Now, the night before, wrap your knee with stretch gauze and secure it. Then apply some plaster of Paris and let it harden. Don’t forget to cut a slit in the back for easy on-and-off access to your knee the day of the prank. Reserve some fresh gauze to cover the slit in the cast the day you wear it. A cane is a must if you don’t have some old crutches somewhere around the house. You have to look the part.

“Oh, Bob. What happened to you?” you’ll hear as soon as you hobble into the office. “Well, I was …” and regale them with a really sad expression on your face & shocking tale! Ask someone to please get you a cup of coffee and bring it to your desk. Play it up outrageously and see how long it takes for someone to catch on. It’ll be fun – I know because I’ve already tried it!

6 Skills You Must Have to be Successful in Corporate America

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The ultimate achievement of success in business, is truly displayed when you are in fact the boss. A managerial or ownership position certainly has its perks and rewards; however the path towards this achievement is a merciless trudge where only the strong survive. Having the key fundamentals in business will only make the process easier. Here are a few skills you must have to be successful in corporate America.

    • Work with Integrity
      In corporate America, times may seem rough, the environment can be cutthroat, but one must always possess the ability to remain honest throughout the process. Dishonesty towards coworkers, customers and clients will only come back to bite you in the long run. Always stay true to these people, and yourself as well. No one is perfect and it’s justifiable for people to make mistakes at times. The truly honest person will admit their mistake and use it as a learning experience to never replicate that mistake. People will appreciate that more than a faster answer that may not be completely correct.
    • Be Punctual
      When asking an owner what their biggest pet peeve is, many will say the tardiness of employees. The reason why most people are employed is because they showed up to the interview on time; why should showing up to work late be any different. Work like you are always trying to land that job, never take your position for granted. In addition, always work a full day. Hard workers work hard 100% of the time they’re at work. If you can execute this skill, then it is that much easier to teach it and expect it from your own employees.
    • Be Respectful
      It should be a given that one always works with the utmost amount of respect, but it should be shown to every person you come in contact with. The saying “You never know who’s watching” applies here, as you never know who you are making a connection with. You could easily be talking to the CEO of a fortune 500 company and not realize it. In addition, working in an environment where everyone is respectful; and there is no drama, will be a positive influence on the employees and make the workplace a more positive one. Always show respect and your employees will one day follow in your footsteps.
    • Be Organized
      Being organized is clearly a given, however make sure your thoughts and ideas are organized too. Ensure any ideas or concepts are well researched and well thought out should you present them to your superiors. Being unorganized and unprepared is worse than keeping it to yourself until ready for presentation. It is difficult for someone to change their impression of you if negative. Keep everything as simple as possible and never overkill anything with complexity.
    • Be a Leader
      The ability to lead or coach is clearly a must for owners. The whole point of the system is to learn, understand and ultimately teach. Having great leadership skills will already put you at an advantage in the corporate world. Learning and grasping concepts are great for the individual person, but training in those very concepts are more valuable. A saying that best fits this skill is: “You can give someone a fish and feed them for a meal; or you can teach someone to fish and they can feed themselves forever.” 
    • Be Brave
      Bravery and courage are essential components of success. Dream big, but act small. Always do the little things and never ease up on the basic functions of work; but also set goals for yourself and always strive to reach them. Setting goals is a great way to gauge yet also inspire yourself. Never be afraid to take chances; worst case the chance you take is just a learning experience. The motto “You always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” applies here. Take shots often and fire at will. If you can execute these skills in corporate America, there is a great chance you will be successful in the end.

Valentine’s Day in the Office: Why it’s an important holiday to appreciate

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Celebrating Valentine’s Day in the office may not seem like a good idea to most people. Supposedly the day is for sweethearts which keeps most people from feeling it is a little too mushy for the office. The fact of the matter is that Valentine’s Day did not start out as a lover’s holiday, but rather as a feast day in many Christian religions. It is commonly held that in many European communities that Valentine’s Day is a celebration to the coming of spring. School children make decorations and exchange Valentine’s cards as a sign of friendship and esteem. In the US about 190 million cards are sent each year.

Valentine’s Day does not have to mean love, it can be simply a day to celebrate people we care about. Most of us spent 1/3 of our week at work. I say it is important to celebrate Valentine ’s Day in the office with some simple signs of caring to show the people we spend so much time with that we think they are special. Here are a few simple dos and don’ts for appreciating coworkers on Valentine ’s Day.

DO
• Bring in a special treat, such as donuts or cookies. A little sweetness in will bring a smile to everyone’s face, with the added benefit of making the team just a little more productive.
• Wish your coworkers a happy Valentine’s Day with a smile or a card.

DON’T
• Make suggestive remarks, that is never appropriate.
• Buy anyone an expensive gift, which may make them feel uncomfortable.
• Initiate any physical contact. Shaking hands or friendly hugs are okay but should be initiated by your coworker. Some people do not feel comfortable with physical contact and that should be their decision.
Valentine’s Day can be a great team builder in the office if it is done with an appropriate amount of decorations and lighthearted wishes. Keep in mind that celebrating in an office should always be achieved without making anyone uncomfortable but rather feel a sense of happiness to carry them through this special day.

How To Get Along With New Co-Workers

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We’ve all experienced those “first day” jitters when starting a new job. You’re the newbie and you want to start off on the right foot; so what to do and not to do:

Don’t :

  • Stare at your new coworkers trying to determine ages and who’s single or married!
  • Take the last cup of coffee without making a fresh pot!
  • Take the last custard donut…actually don’t take ANY unless they were offered to you!
  • Ask the girl with the gorgeous red hair what brand of dye she uses!?
  • Congratulate your slightly overweight neighbor on her forthcoming child!

Okay we could go on and on with the Don’ts but if you seriously want to get along with your new coworkers, just follow a few simple rules.

  • Be sure to listen and learn and ask questions when you don’t understand.
  • Be Honest and Productive
  • Offer to help out others when your own tasks are completed.
  • Be kind.
  • Be punctual as well as considerate of other’s time.

In essence, if you follow basic good work ethics, act like a human being, and bake some dynamite chocolate chip cookies; you won’t have any problem getting along with new co-workers!

Sending Thank You Letter After Job Interview

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In today’s market many companies continue to find ways to stay profitable and still grow, but control costs. This is a big contributor to the idea of one person with many hats. More often than not when a new task is added to the workload a new position isn’t created instead it is added to the daily list of managers, supervisors, team leaders, and the supporting team. All that this means is that most employees, at any level, have a full day of work ahead of them when they get into work.

In the event companies are hiring for a position, you should have this understanding of how some workplaces may be before entering for the interview. You should understand that several employees have taken anywhere from 30-60 minutes out of their schedule to meet with you and give you an opportunity to join their team. This amount time is extremely valuable in today’s workplace. This time given to an interviewee can mean skipping a lunch, missing another team meeting, pushing back their daily schedule, missing a child’s sporting event, or even just sitting longer in traffic.

For these reasons a thank you letter for time given on an interview shows the company that you understood and are grateful for the time and opportunity given regardless of the outcome. This letter shows that you as a person respect other peoples’ time and schedules and would be a valuable employee if given the chance.

What to Wear to a Job Interview

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The question might be “What NOT to wear to an interview, rather than “What to wear to an interview”? I have seen people arrive for interviews with the most interesting outfits. They are drawing attention to themselves, however, it is not in a flattering way. Midriffs, cutouts, holey and/or dirty clothes and t-shirts with arm holes that show skin down to the belly button, are not appropriate attire for an interview. Even if the temperature outside is 80 degrees. Resist the urge to “under dress”. Some companies are more casual than others, so you may not have to wear a suit, but you still want to make a great first impression. Appropriate clothing is just as important as good hygiene.
 
How much to dress up or not, depends on the position you are trying to obtain. A management position would suggest that you wear a suit. A manufacturing position may be less formal. Following are just a few guidelines:
 
Men
Dress in a manner appropriate to the position you are applying for
Suits should match, fit properly and be pressed
Avoid “loud” colors, including ties

Women
Dress in a suit with pants or a skirt
It should be understated, comfortable and well fitting
Avoid anything tight, bright, short or sheer
Makeup, jewelry and nails should also be understated

If the position is less formal, such as in manufacturing, jeans may be acceptable. They should be neat, clean and free of rips and tears. Shirts should be the same. Keep accessories to a minimum and pay attention to hygiene. Dress to impress. Sit up straight and speak clearly. Avoid slang. Smile! Remember – the person that is interviewing you needs to see you as an asset to the company. For more suggestions, check out the web. There are numerous articles devoted to this very subject. Good Luck!

 

Celebrating Thanksgiving In The Office

LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION … Pick a location near work or near to employees homes, you can always do a party on any budget.  Ask employees they might just want to cater in and have a nice party in the office.  Music is always important for a great party, send around a paper and ask employees to put down 2 songs that are there favorites.  This might help if you are not sure to have a band or get a DJ.  Find out from employees if they would want a sit down dinner or a buffet.  Maybe even just finger foods and desserts.  A great corporate party is the memories and the fun between fellow employees, but a personalized cocktail or an appetizer named after one of the company products is always a nice thing to remember.  Little gifts on the table, a gorgeous centerpiece, a pretty location, it is always nice to have a night to remember with your coworkers.  Of course cash is usually an issue with many people so you would not want to go overboard on a fancy restaurant that some people might not be able to afford the clothes to go to the event.  A Holiday bonus is always a nice gift to receive, but again some companies also do not have the extra money either – there are plenty of gorgeous and affordable gifts out there.

Corporate Halloween Party Ideas

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Today, many companies are adopting a more relaxed policy towards celebrating Halloween.  Allowing employees to dress up for the holiday is number one for corporate Halloween party ideas.

Ground rules are important.  Costumes should not be restrictive or interfere with the employees’ normal duties.   Of course, anything sexual or revealing would not be allowed.  Otherwise, a few witches, ghosts, and ghouls may actually create a great atmosphere.

Second on the list for your corporate Halloween party would be a few snacks which the employees would enjoy supplying.  Black and Orange cupcakes, ghostly cookies and spider webs (see recipe below) would be welcome treats.

Third would be the great parade.  Decide on a few judges beforehand.  Taking a half hour to parade around the office will help to loosen up the atmosphere.  The prize for the best costume could be something like a $5 gift card for coffee.

You may ask, why go through all the trouble.  Well, consider this – a relaxed employee is a happy employee.  Happy employees are certainly more productive.  By relaxing the corporate atmosphere, you will create a better work environment.

Happy Halloween!

 

Spider Webs

1 8oz pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can crispy Chinese noodles

1 can peanuts

Directions:

Melt chips in a double boiler.  Add noodles and ½ can of peanuts.  Mix well.  Drop by tablespoon on waxed paper.  Refrigerate one hour.

National Boss Day Appropriate Gestures of Appreciation

 

The other day my co-workers and I were discussing National Boss’s Day. With this being the first year that our Manager is here.  Appropriate Gestures of Appreciation were being tossed about the conference room since our boss was on vacation.  This was our opportunity to get the ball rolling. Just what are we going to do this year to show our boss how we feel about her and her leadership?  A few belly laughs later along with some silly suggestions a good idea emerged.  She has commented that through laughter we can usually find solutions.  We came up with the idea that on October 16, 2015 a Thursday we would have a beautiful bouquet of flowers on her desk when she arrives.  Along with that there will be her favorite cup of Starbucks coffee the Café Misto and a large box of mini Cinnabons a favorite pastry she absolutely adores. But OH the calories!!!  She is funny that way, eating them on a special occasion is totally acceptable.  We all feel the same and will enjoy them along with her!  She will enjoy her Café Misto and cinnamon bun all the while enjoying the beautiful flowers all through day and again on Friday.  She can then take them home and enjoy them over the weekend and be reminded of how much we appreciate her and the comradery she encourages amongst all of us here in the office.  Although her sense of humor is really what we appreciate the most.

Decorating Your Office For Halloween

Halloween is my favorite fun holiday.  Children and adults alike excitedly looked forward to this day from many years past and I am sure for many years to follow.  It is important that we bring the spirit of holidays into the office, since we spend most of our day at work.  When we decorate our cubicle and because everyone has their own creativity, the office is glowing with exciting themes.  DECORATING YOUR OFFICE FOR HALLOWEEN is fun and brings pleasure to all who participate.

In my office, we not only decorate but we can also dress-up in our favorite costume, if we choose.  We are actually out of character and changed into a new, and sometimes mysterious unrecognizable character.  It is so much fun that morning watching everyone come through the door.  It is not only a great day for the staff, but, also for the children.  Our wonderful company allows our children to visit our Halloween neighborhood.   Our cubicles are designed to each represent a stop along the way of Trick or Treat Alley.  The little princesses and goblins show off their Halloween styles and get a treat at each desk they stop at.  So, no matter what the weather, Halloween will be a big success in a very fun and safe environment and the employees and their families will not miss out on sharing the Halloween festivities.