Displaying All Posts tagged with Office Life

Individual Contributor vs Manager: What’s Your Preference?

In roughly 30 years of full-time employment, I have been both a manager and an individual contributor. Through the years of experience I’ve developed my own preference, of course. While I’ve come to my own conclusion on the matter, some of you are just beginning to explore both options as possibilities. Let’s talk a little bit about what is attractive – and what is not – about both types of jobs. Click Here to Read Article …

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Do You Have an Intern from Hell?

Ana da Silva 4th August Office Life 4 Comments

Ah, summertime in the northern hemisphere!

If your company takes on interns this is the time of year where you’ve got your share of college kids walking around the office in their only pair of crumpled slacks and inappropriate shoes.

By the average office standards, my “intern shoes” weren’t exactly inappropriate. But by the standards of my employer, a Madison Avenue boutique public relations firm, my shoes and the rest of my wardrobe were offensively unfashionable. But this was the least of their worries. I officially became the intern from hell on the day I unintentionally mixed up the press clippings from 2 brands that had very similar names – let’s call them Soda and Soda A. There were hundreds of clippings! I realized this soon after I ended my contract (as opposed to my contract being ended for me);it must have taken my supervisors quite a while to sort out everything.

How about you, have you been an intern from hell or have you had one in your office? Click Here to Read Article …

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Where’s the Best Place for Solving Work Problems?

Bob Bessette 29th July Office Life 12 Comments

Being a software professional for the past 20 years or so, I have found that I cannot leave my work at the office. I am constantly trying to figure out answers to problems that I may have at work.

In fact, more often than not, on the drive home, I tend to solve a problem that I may have been having all day long. Even though I do bring my PC home with me, I may not even turn it on while I am at home. Simply the process of leaving the office, and getting away from the workplace environment, stirs something within my mind that allows me to figure things out.

Where do you find is the best place for solving work problems? Click Here to Read Article …

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How Relative Is “Being on Time”?

Ana da Silva 21st July Office Life 16 Comments

In some cultures it is acceptable to be late, meaning arriving after the agreed upon time. This makes the definition of “being on time” subjective as some take it as meaning being 5 minutes before the agreed upon time, for others 15 minutes after.

I’ve asked this of many people and some swear there’s no such thing as cultural differences when it comes to being on time. Others argued that everyone knows that everyone else will be 15 minutes late so, in fact, everyone is on time. In today’s increasingly diverse workplaces these differences can create some tension – and make some team members feel they’re being taken advantage of.

Do you deal with this cultural difference in your workplace? What approach do you take? Click Here to Read Article …

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Is “The Office” Real?

Peter North 27th June General 10 Comments

For those that don’t watch the American television version of The Office, it is a situation comedy about a failing paper company led by a charming-but-impulsive regional manager. The show’s humor comes mainly from its wide variety of distinct characters (although typical office stories come into play as well), some of which seem like perfect office archetypes. Protagonist Jim Halpert is a rational, level-headed salesman who, after many attempts to bring sanity to his workplace, resigns to just enjoy the humor all around him. Jim can amuse, but there are others:

Dwight, a goofy, abrasive know-it-all with action hero aspirations;
Creed, a creepy, funny should-be-retired colleague whose ambiguous comments are often disturbing and funny;
Kevin, an accountant who, seems woefully inattentive and thick-headed given the nature of his work;
Ryan, the low man on the totem pole who has little else other than Machiavellian ambition and stories of past professional glory;
Angela, the peculiar, pet-loving enigma who has some strange habits that are impossible to ignore; and
Kelley, the customer service representative who, despite her profession, is prone to having wild, dramatic fits over the insignificant.

The show is full of office-related humor, and its meaningless meetings, inappropriate antics and professional blunders leave us saying:

“Wow, that is so true.”

But, is it? Are these characters real? Can you spot them at your job? Perhaps if you can’t spot them, could you be one of them? Let’s not kid ourselves; we can’t all be cool, collected, “Jim Halpert” types. Someone has to be the drama queen, the cutthroat, the dreamer, the know-it-all.

Are you one of them? If so, which one are you? Click Here to Read Article …

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10 Premium Professional PowerPoint Themes and Backgrounds

Abhijeet Mukherjee 18th June Communication 7 Comments

We showcased some nice free PowerPoint templates in our article 20 Free PowerPoint Templates that Don’t Suck. While those were some great templates (and free too), if you are looking for some PowerPoint themes with a professional touch – and don’t mind spending a few bucks – then check out these 10 premium PowerPoint themes for creating great business presentations. Click Here to Read Article …

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Are Traditional Offices Dead?

Mike Vardy 16th June Office Life 5 Comments

Today Seth Godin posted his thoughts on the state of the “traditional office.”

I hold the man in pretty high regard (he was listed as one of my examples of “really productive people”), and I even took part in this Monday’s Worldwide Linchpin Meetup Day. While not everyone will agree with his ideas, he puts them out there no matter what.

He raises some really great points, including how one can be more productive if they work from wherever they choose.

So, do you think the traditional office is dead? Do you think there’s a place for it in today’s society? Click Here to Read Article …

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Put the Sleeper Hold on Boring Meetings

Joe Taylor Jr. 15th June General 1 Comment

Productivity gurus love to pick on lame meetings.

But let’s be realistic…even top creative professionals have to endure meetings with clients or with project teams. Taking ownership of your work means taking responsibility for the quality of your meetings. Click Here to Read Article …

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What Would You Do If You Were Let Go?

Mike Vardy 10th June Goals 12 Comments

The economic situation is tough right now; it really hasn’t eased up much recently nor does it show signs of doing so anytime soon. No matter how productive you may be at what you do, you may find yourself out of work if the proverbial “house of cards” at your place of employment comes tumbling down.

If that was to happen, are you prepared? Regardless of how you feel your position stands in terms of security, you just never know – so it’s good to make sure you’re ready should the need arise.

But let’s take it one step further.

If your job was to disappear tomorrow, are you prepared to do something else instead?

What would you do if you were let go? Would you simply move on, or re-create your work like in some form or another? Would you go it alone? Let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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5 Reasons To Check In With Human Resources

Peter North 9th June Career 7 Comments

The Human Resources department isn’t just for resolving serious work-related conflicts – or for new employees. It’s a commonly overlooked resource for both happy and unhappy employees. It’s a shame that employees only visit HR when faced with a tense situation. After all, they are quite literally “at your service,” whether you’re in the middle of a catastrophe or enjoying a long string of productive workdays. Perhaps it’s time to visit that sleepy corner of the office to see what Human Resources can do for you. Click Here to Read Article …

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It’s Okay to Stare

Coe Douglas 8th June Goals 12 Comments

Imagine stopping in the middle of a busy work day, kicking up your feet on your desk, sitting back, arms cradling the back of the head in daydream mode. Now imagine that this is one of the best things you could do in the course of a busy work day.

It’s okay, let them stare. Because the truth is that your blank stare at the wall is just what the mind needs to slow down, clear out some of the clutter and give the creative brain the opportunity to open up to better thinking, greater creativity and maybe even the next big idea. Click Here to Read Article …

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How Do You Handle Distractions?

Susan Johnston 7th June Productivity 8 Comments

Some people use headphones or a closed door to tell office mates when they’d rather not be disturbed. Some resort to web plugins to block certain websites that are just too good to resist (I’m looking at you, Facebook and ApartmentTherapy!). Others could work just fine with the TV blaring, phone ringing, and small children screaming incoherently.

How do you deal with distractions?

Do you put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign? Lock yourself in a secluded room without TV or phone service? Or are you one of those lucky few who don’t get fazed by noise or other disruptions?

As a work-at-home freelance writer without kids or pets, I don’t have many of the same distractions that office workers or even work-at-home parents have. Still, there are plenty of cyber-distractions threatening to hijack my productivity. I give myself a few minutes of Facebook and Twitter time each day (after all, social media is like my virtual water cooler and without it out I might go stir crazy all day by myself). Then it’s “back to work, missy.” Occasionally, when deadlines loom and household chores beckon, I might escape to the library or coffee shop.

What about you? While there are some suggestions here, we want to hear from our WorkAwesome readership…let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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