Business Birthday Cards – A Tradition Worth Keeping

Recently I heard a coworker trying to make the point to our boss that giving out business birthday cards was a tradition worth keeping. The boss was lamenting the fact that there would be no raises for a 2nd straight year for most of us and that only some upper management would probably be getting bonuses, (I thought she was joking, but…). She even wondered about the cards we get for birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries and everything in between.

Design G1VAY - Cupcake Treat Birthday Card
Design G1VAY – Cupcake Treat Birthday Card

 

Of all the things to pick out to complain about my friend starts on about the card thing, about what a morale boost it is, about how fun it is to get that card in the mail. Always the dope I found out why when I complained about the no raises part. The boss thought it was sweet to lobby for the card tradition, while I got the stink eye for my input. I quickly reversed course and said how much I liked getting cards too. You gotta play the game.

I have to admit though that for a business to hand out cards does make difference. Unless you’re very cynical, you have to say that it’s at least a sign of goodwill. A lot of employers don’t bother to make the effort at any kind of appreciation.

I told my friend later that I get it, but I sure would like to talk about that raise too. He said we all might get more than business birthday cards if I worked harder. Very funny.

Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest – Eighth Round Winners

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Congratulations to the winners from the Eighth 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 entry submitted by Brittany Cartie which you can check out below.

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

 

Fun Ways to Celebrate an Office Birthday

Your coworker just turned 21 at work again for the fifth year straight. What a coincidence because you also happen to be 21 this year again as well! Here are some fun ways to celebrate an office birthday for an office that never seems to age past 21.

Fun_Ways_Celebrate_Office_Birthday

1. Ice-Cream Cake
Chip in for an ice-cream cake. Everyone loves ice-cream. Everyone loves cake. This is a guaranteed win-win celebration. Make sure to keep the ice-cream fridge in the office freezer though if you pick it up in the morning. It would be pretty terrible to have melted ice-cream cake all over everyone else’s lunch in the fridge by noon.

2. Party Hats
No one ever looks good in a party hat except maybe Beyoncé, which is kind of the point. Get the birthday man/woman the silliest party hat that one’s office budget can provide for maximum amusement. Everyone else in the office (aka: office peasants) receives slightly poorer quality hats. Or better. Remember, the point is no one ever looks good in a party hat. Got it.

3. Office Balloons
Balloons are the epitome of Fun. Have you ever heard someone say, “Man, I hate balloons?” Me either.

4. Birthday Cards
Get everyone in the office or department to sign a birthday card with different colored metallic pens.

5. Sing Happy Birthday
Don’t be too shy to sing that office birthday coworker a very loud and embellished rendition of “Happy Birthday.” No one ever hates someone who sings them “Happy Birthday.” Probably.

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!