The Office that Never Sleeps

There are times when you may need to work remotely rather than in the office, for a variety of reasons. You may have a contract that allows you to work from home on certain days, you may have a job that involves a lot of time out of the office or you could be sent abroad on a business trip.

Some people may think that working remotely can easily be abused, that you may not start work till lunch time or could be watching television instead of writing those reports.

It is important that you work the same office hours of everyone else in your workplace. If you’re travelling you need to let your office know when and where you can be reached, taking into account time zone differences if applicable.

Our opinions and interests are what make us unique and in the office environment, or in everyday life for that matter, this can lead to conflicts.

When it comes to office politics it’s important to remain objective and focus on what is best for the business. Taking sides between two people who are at odds with each other can lead to further complications, you need to try to get them to communicate positively and constructively.

You will earn respect within your company if you are seen to be fair, listen to others and consider both sides of the story. Sucking up to people, gossiping, backstabbing or dirt slinging will always come back on you in the end. You will end up with a bad reputation within your company and could hamper your career prospects.

When you get a call back about a job interview the first thing you should feel is excitement, the company you have applied to obviously thinks your worth taking the time to talk to.

Your resume has already impressed them; however you have to remember you could be on a long list of applicants with similar work experience, skills and qualifications.

You need to stand out to the interviewers as the best candidate, so polishing up your interview technique is a good idea. A nice smile and firm handshake is not going to do the trick.

Interview questions:

Why do you want a new job? Was there a problem with your old one?

Don’t say:  I hated my boss and was expected to be nice to customers even if they we’re idiots.

Do say:      I enjoyed my job and went as far as I could, I’m looking for new challenges and to expand on what I’ve already learned.

The season of good will is upon us once again and along with it the annual office Christmas party. Even in this recession ridden time, we can still celebrate together and look back on the past years accomplishments. You could organize some drinks or a meal, depending on your company’s budget, or perhaps if you really feel like pushing the boat out, hiring a venue and entertainment. Organizing a Secret Santa with your colleagues means everyone feels part of the festivities, and adds a little fun to the office party.

With social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and YouTube becoming increasingly popular, the amount of time people spending on them is going through the roof. Understandably many businesses are looking for ways to prohibit or crack down on personal use during working hours.

While the occasional use or checking in for perhaps ten minutes a day seems harmless, some people spend up to two hours a day while at work accessing these sites. The amount of work hours lost is becoming an increasing problem.

Stress in the workplace becomes a bigger problem every year, with depression, just one type of stress related reaction, being the leading occupational disease this century resulting in more work days lost than to any other single factor. With 25% to 40% off job burnout in the US being directly blamed on work pressures and stress this cannot be taken lightly.

There are several reasons for the increased stress levels in the workplace including job insecurity, growing demands and working longer hours, higher expectation of productivity and the need for a work/family balance as more women have entered the workforce. Worldwide a global stress research study found that women who have children under the age of thirteen and work full time experience the highest levels of stress.

The New York Subway is one of the largest subway systems in the world running about every 2-5 minutes during rush hour and about every 5-15 minutes during the rest of the day.The Subway is a cheap and convenient way to get around New York City, however travelling on the Subway during rush hour can be daunting, lots of pushing and shoving, impatient people all trying to get to work at the same time.

We have put together some helpful tips on riding the Subway and ways to minimise risks.

We have all been there, come mid afternoon you feel like snoozing at your desk (not recommended if you want to keep your job!) and your focus starts to waver. You feel drained and exhausted and you find even stringing a sentence together difficult. This drop in energy is a physiological response but the good news is there are steps we can take to prevent it.

A major factor is what you eat at lunch, you need to avoid sugars and simple carbohydrates as these get absorbed into your bloodstream immediately which causes a rise in your blood sugar.

We have put together a list of some of the labor laws of New York State for you.

• The current minimum wage for covered employees in the State of New York is $7.15 per hour. There is a list of exceptions to this covered minimum wage law.
• If a covered employee is required to work overtime, they must be paid one and a half times their normal hourly rate.

Here’s a list of tips you and your colleagues can use to help reduce the negative impact of open-plan office arrangements.

1. Be quiet. Try and keep the noise level to the minimum. Avoid using the speaker phone if it’s not necessary. Avoid using noisy gadgets. Befriend a set of headphones to listen to videos and podcasts. Find an enclosed space for short personal phone calls if you must make them.

2. Control your phones. The constant ringing of your cell phone while there’s also someone on your direct line can be distracting to your colleagues. Turn down the volume and try to answer the phone within three rings. Avoid fancy ringtones.