Halloween at Work

Do you work at a place where dressing up for Halloween is frowned upon or are you the party popper if you don't don a spooky getup? Social media consultant and speaker Miriam Salpeter addresses this very issue in Should You Dress Up for Halloween at Work? (Aol Jobs, October 21, 2013).  The answer, Salpeter writes, is "it depends on where you work and what you plan to wear." Take heed of her advice before October 31st so you don't wind up looking like the office clown (literally or figuratively).

Click here to read the entire post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/10/21/halloween-at-work/

Who's the Boss?

We've all been there at some point — the boss from hell who makes their employees lives so miserable, it's like a sport for them. Hopefully you're not in that situation now, but if you are, here are Eight tips for managing a difficult boss (The Globe and Mail, September 23, 2013) from Beverly Flaxington. The certified professional behavioural analyst, hypnotherapist, and career and business adviser offers tips such as matching your behavioural style to your boss', thinking about their "what’s in it for me?", and accommodating their weaknesses. 

Flaxington says, "the trick is to manage your boss without the boss knowing you’re doing it." Our two cents? Keep it up while keeping your radar open for positions elsewhere. You can only handle a poisonous person for so long before it starts to take your toll.

Click here to read the entire post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/tips-to-manage-a-difficult-boss/article14401136/

Noshing at the Office

Are you guilty of being a lady who lunches at her desk? Not only is this a practice that doesn't coincide with good work/life balance, you may actually be peeving off your neighbouring colleagues while chowing down on Pad Thai takeout or your re-heated leftovers from last night's dinner. In The rules of office lunch etiquette (you’re probably breaking one right now) (The Globe and Mail's Hot Button Blog, July 8, 2013), Amber Daugherty blogs about etiquette expert and author Mary Mitchell's advice for proper workplace kitchen and eating manners. 

It seems like a recurring problem that happens in every workplace, so take the advice to heart and be a considerate office gourmand. 

Click here to read the entire post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/the-rules-of-office-lunch-etiquette-youre-probably-breaking-one-right-now/article13068412

Fit Physique, Fat Paycheque

On the SmartMoney.com blog, a recent entry Want a 9% Raise? Hit the Gym by Jack Hough reports on a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Labor Research, in which the findings were that, on average, workers who exercise regularly earn a higher pay than those who don’t.

What do you think? Have you noticed a correlation between sweating it out and salary increases among the workers in your office?

Click here to read the entire blog post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://blogs.smartmoney.com/advice/2012/06/06/want-a-9-raise-hit-the-gym/?link=SM_hp_ls4e

Funny Gals Can't Get a Break

In a recent post on The Globe and Mail's Hot Button Blog, Zosia Bielski wrote on the topic of Female jokesters bomb in the boardroom, study shows. The study, done at a British university by a linguistics expert, found that "about 70 per cent of the women opted for self-deprecating humour [however] more than 80 per cent of the jokes were met with painful silence." On the other hand, "90 per cent of jokes made by men scored 'immediate laughter.' Consequently, men were three times more likely to kid around while leading a meeting."

The study appears to suggest that "these men used humour to display their dominance [while] women would rather laugh at themselves on the whole than laugh at others because it is the safe option".

Click here to read the entire post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/female-jokesters-bomb-in-the-boardroom-study-shows/article4226021/

5 Stereotypes about Young Workers

There are a lot of misconceptions about the work ethic of those born in the 80s. In Five myths about Gen Y workers, Harvey Schachter examines these common stereotypes and seeks to refute them. Perhaps workers in their late 20s and early 30s are not completely different from the Gen Xers and baby boomers after all.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/morning-manager/five-myths-about-gen-y-workers/article2387593/

5 Ideas for Tackling Job Burnout

Feeling drained from your work responsibilities? In Beat Job Burnout by Shelly Field, you'll find a quick self-assessment questionnaire that gauges your level of burnout. More importantly, if you are experiencing persistent mental and physical fatigue due to your work, there are five suggestions on how to make your job more enjoyable and less stressful.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://career-advice.monster.ca/in-the-workplace/work-life-balance/beat-job-burnout-ca/article.aspx

9 Ways to Create a Fun Workplace

A job doesn't have to be all work and no play. Check out the Canadian Living article How to make work fun by Julie Ovenell-Carter for nine suggestions on how to build employee camaraderie.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.canadianliving.com/life/work/how_to_make_work_fun.php

How to Keep Employees from Quitting

In a managerial position? Check out this video for employee retention tips:

Conference Call Blunder

Here's a funny webisode made by staffing firm Robert Half International.

As their tagline says, "don't let this happen to you" in real life!

10 Unflattering Stereotypes About Powerful Women

Women of power. From top left: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, Michelle Obama and the Queen. (Photo credit: The Daily Telegraph)

In From Ice Queen to Cheerleader: Ten terrible stereotypes about powerful women, Elizabeth Bromstein reports on a recent round-up done by Forbes magazine staff writer Jenna Gourdreau. Gourdreau polled some powerful women, including IMF chief Christine Lagarde and Jill Abramson of the New York Times to share their least favourite stereotypes about powerful women. 

The top three stereotypes on the list were that a powerful woman is tough, she's single and lonely, and above all, she's an Ice Queen.

To find out what other stereotypes made the list, click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.workopolis.com/advice/article/1396-from-ice-queen-to-cheerleader-ten-terrible-stereotypes-about-powerful-women

9 Things About You that Drive Your Co-workers Crazy

Okay, so you might be used to complaining about a co-worker who's a nuisance, but have you ever reflected on your own behaviour? None of us are perfect and it may just be that a habit of yours irks your fellow office mates. It could be that you don't read your emails or you don't bother to respond to them, or it might be far worse, such as trash-talking your peers. Check out 9 Ways You're Being Annoying At Work by Amanda Frank, and see if you're guilty of any of these common workplace faux pas. And then think about how you can go about becoming a more collegial colleague.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:
http://career-advice.monster.ca/in-the-workplace/workplace-issues/ways-youre-being-annoying-at-work/article.aspx

Neverending Noise

We've all had to deal with chatty co-workers, various gadgets such as smartphones or machines like the photocopier beeping or whirring, and other random white noises in the office. In her article Noise annoys in the workplace (originally published in The Globe and Mail), Jennifer Myers discusses these workplace dins and drones, as well as offers some sound advice (pun intended) on how to reduce workplace noise.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.ctv.ca/generic/generated/static/business/article1592755.html