Welcome Cards are Perfect for New Employees

Just imagine: You have joined a new company and have been training all week on a brand new computer system with all new coworkers. You are sent to your cubical surrounded by strangers and the butterflies in your stomach are flying like mad. You sit down and adjust your chair so at least you are a little comfortable. Then a light shines down, you look at the keyboard and see an envelope propped up against the computer screen. Then, you open this card with the word “Welcome” staring back at you. A sigh of relief escapes you…..

 

Classically Elegant Welcome Card
Classically Elegant Welcome Card – Design 70JAY

 

Welcome cards are the perfect way to make new employees relax and feel like they have joined the team. It is important to make new personnel have a sense of belonging. It is also imperative that the employee is relaxed and feels safe. They need to have a comfort level so they can ask for assistance if necessary without worrying about how they will be perceived. When I began working for a new company last year and was given a welcome card, I felt that this company and I would be a perfect fit. Most offices and/or companies are like any family or close knit group of friends. It is usually difficult to feel like you fit in and are part of things quickly. Welcome cards aid in the development of relationships between new employees and their new coworkers and bosses.

Congratulations Cards for a Job Well Done

Remember when we were kids how excited we’d get if someone took the time to tell us we did a really great job on something? I can remember getting one of those handmade “Well Done” certificates that stayed on my fridge for what seemed like forever. In fact, I can remember my kids getting a far more technologically advanced version of the same thing. Well, why do we have to be a kid to get something like that? Who wouldn’t appreciate Congratulations cards that recognize your hard work?

Rainbow Congratulations Card
Rainbow Congratulations Card – Design G1KAY

 

Recently I was involved in a town wide event sponsored by our local Chamber to get people out tasting foods from several new restaurants. While I enjoyed all the running around and organizing – since I’ve been told I can be a control freak – it was tons of work. Especially since it was all done while still holding down a full time job and a family life.

When the day finally arrived, everything fell into place and I have to admit, it was a gigantic success. We made a ton of money and people got to try new foods and hopefully found some new favorite places to eat. When I got home at the end of the night, I found the most beautiful card on the kitchen table that said “Congratulations on a Job Well Done”. The card, and the accompanying flowers, was from my husband and kids. It brought tears to my eyes to know that they acknowledged and appreciated all the time I put into something I really wanted to be a part of.

The next day, I got several other cards and texts with the same message. What a great feeling it was to know that everyone had a great time and realized the effort it took on the part of many people to make that happen. I guess it doesn’t matter how old you are or how often you hear it, it makes you feel good to be recognized for a job you put your heart into.

Birthday Cards Never Go Out of Style

There is one timeless tradition that both families, friends, and businesses all across the globe share that will never go out of style. That is the giving and receiving of Birthday cards. These cards bring smiles to the faces of family members, friends and coworkers alike, no matter if they are young or old.

Cupcake Treat Birthday Card
Cupcake Treat Birthday Card – Design G1VAY

 

Both adults and children alike all enjoy reading a thoughtful Happy Birthday card! And what a special treat it is to be able to use that same card for a monetary gift holder as well! Birthday cards are the type of gift that you never have to second guess. Whether it is funny or inspirational, classic or unique, you can never go wrong with sending a card!

The best part of giving these cards is even when you don’t know quite how to wish someone a Happy Birthday, the special sentiments already supplied inside the card do all the work for you!

Tips for Prioritizing at Work

At times things at work can become overwhelming. When I feel overwhelmed, the first thing I do is write everything I have to do down. Then I write next to it when the assignment is due. I then prioritize that list by due date. This is usually my starting point. I then have to look at the list of things to do and assess how long it will take me to do each project. The project that will take the most about of time usually gets the top priority. I then set an allotted amount of time for each project per day if possible. Why not spend my whole day on my most time consuming project? At times I feel that I will never finish and that I accomplished nothing after a grueling day. So I try to break up my day and do other projects that may only take an hour or less. That way that overwhelming long list of things to do gets smaller and smaller as the hours go by instead only one project getting removed from the list.

Prioritizing_Work

Step by Step Recap of Tips for Prioritizing at Work

1. Write to do list.
2. Assign due dates for each item on the list.
3. Prioritize the to do list by due date.
4. Assess how long each project will take.
5. Set allotted time for each project per day.
6. When there is a project that take 8hrs break up the day by doing other items on the to do list that take less than an hour.
7. Feel accomplished!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Office

Celebrating New Year’s Eve at the office may be the biggest oxymoron going. Let’s face it, New Year’s Eve is all about partying and celebrating and being at the office working is well… not. But if you are stuck at work on this celebratory holiday, make the best of it and celebrate office style:

New_Years_Eve

Break out the sparkling cider. Personally, I’ll take it straight from the bottle but it does look nice and pretty in a champagne flute, even if you only score the plastic ones.

Have some fun appetizers. New Year’s Eve is all about hors d’oeuvres. Ask your co-workers to make something at home to bring in or if you are really stuck grabbing something at the office, make the best of the tuna salad and crackers from the vending machine, yikes!

Make your own New Year’s Eve falling ball and decorate your desk like Times Square so you can count down like Ryan Seacrest. Here are several ways to do it: http://www.ehow.com/info_12196863_make-new-years-eve-falling-ball.html Bonus: once constructed, you can use the same ball for all those disco parties you’ll have in the future.

Kiss your co-worker! Everyone needs some to kiss someone when the new year rings in, right? On second thought, let’s scratch that. Face time or Skype your spouse or significant other to wish them a Happy New Year and tell them how much you miss him/her. Of course, if you don’t miss him/her and would just rather be at work anyway, you may have bigger problems to tackle.

Either way, you’ll have fun however you celebrate but let’s hope the boss appreciates you working on this holiday and gives you a day off soon! Happy New Year!

Company Christmas Cards – To Sign or Not to Sign

If you have a staff of more than a few people does it make sense to pass each and every company Christmas card for signing? Well, the answer is yes…and no.

Wintergreen Christmas Card
Wintergreen Christmas Card – Design A8RJS

My husband, upon hearing this, would immediately accuse me of being deliberately obtuse. I am hedging my bets a bit but hear me out. There is usually logic, granted sometimes, hidden and a bit hard to find. It lurks in a dark recesses of my over burned brain. It can usually be found under thought about that pile of unopened mail on my kitchen table and whisper of a memory of when I was a care free youth. Ahh…but I digress. Something else I am often accused. Guilty as charged. Now back to the matter at hand.

Ok, cards should be hand signed always (unless you opt for a signature plate to be made) if you are the main act in the service industry. What do I mean by this? I mean that if you are say an insurance or financial agent and you service customer accounts and you want them to go straight to you for your insurance and financial needs then by all means, sign the Christmas cards. That personal touch goes a long way. Now there are also time when you want staff to also put their John Hancock in the sparkly pretty thing you just spent hard earned cash on to keep your name in front of your client or even patient. Say you are a dentist, doctor or lawyer. Let’s face it you staff is a key ingredient in your success and may spend more time interacting on a regular basis with your client or patient then even you do. So in this case I recommend they take the time to sign. You’d be surprised how people notice this and appreciate the time it takes.

When should you not bother to have employees sign? Well let’s face it, it takes some time and effort and if you are late in ordering and Christmas is just around the corner, I suggest the owner, manager etc sign only. Or, if you have an unusually large staff and the task become impractical. Another reason is if your work environment is messy or risks getting cards dirty etc. then it is best to leave them clean and unsigned.

I hope this helps in guiding you on who should sign your company Christmas cards. Now go find a good felt tip pen and have at it!

Christmas Cards for Your Financial Firm

My husband has been in the Financial Industry for over 30 years. He has worked for major firms in both New York and New Jersey. Ten years ago he, along with three other colleagues, started their own firm. Every year since, he has sent out Christmas cards to all of his clients to spread some holiday cheer and well wishes and to also show his appreciation for their continued business.

Jingle Bells Christmas Card
Jingle Bells Christmas Card – Design 57IJS

He has found that at The Gallery Collection there are many Christmas cards for your Financial Firm to choose from. The cards are a bright and fun way to celebrate the holiday season, and they are a nice change from the usually serious nature of their business. His clients seem to really appreciate getting the Christmas cards and each year they tell him how beautiful the cards are. You expect cards from your friends and family but not from your financial consultant. It is a nice gesture that people will definitely remember.

Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest – Seventh Round Winners

 

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Congratulations to the winners from the Seventh Round of voting in the Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest!

10 Designs moved on to the finalist round as a result of them finishing in the top 10 in voting, plus, our scholarship team also used our 1 save available to us on the photo submitted by Emily Mckenna. A beautiful scene of a cardinal sitting on snow covered branches.

Check out the top 10 vote getters and the saved design that are moving onto the finalist round in the gallery below.

Business Holiday Cards from a Catalog

Looking through the piles of greeting card catalogs I receive for the upcoming holiday season I noticed something unusual. Most of the catalogs are featuring the same card; not a similar card but the exact design. Each catalog has a different company name so I thought maybe an artist was selling their designs over and over. Don’t know the answer but I must say it gets boring to see the same thing; I wanted to find a greeting card company that could come up with unique cards that would make my company look different from the rest.
 

Holiday Ribbon and Stars Card
Holiday Ribbon and Stars Card – Design H2MCX

My wish was granted when I received a catalog from the Gallery Collection, there were no knock offs, nothing similar to another company’s look; each design was one of a kind and gorgeous. I want my Business holiday cards to represent us as a business with class and style; choosing the right card can do just that. There is nothing worse than send a flimsy card in a cheap looking envelope. I was very pleased with my Gallery Collection card and the customer service was excellent. I would recommend Gallery Collection to anyone that wants quality with distinctive designs focused on business because they know what they are doing.