Wouldn’t it be great to know if your boss was hightailing it out of the office, if it wasn’t frowned upon, and in fact, was an openly acceptable behavior for all – on occasion? A recent study by Deloitte, suggests that kind of transparency might actually improve employee productivity and engagement.
Retirement is so far from my thoughts as a rule. But there’s been so much talk of the sagging economy, job security and the future of the older worker that, quite frankly, I’ve been feeling a bit jittery about it. But just a few days ago I had a conversation that offered a bit of hope in my elusive quest for worklife balance down the road.
I remember very specific dialogue between my parents that took place at the end of every summer when I was a little girl. My dad would talk about counting down the years toward retirement. There was discussion of “the pension,” but I never fully understood the import of the arrival of “retirement day.” As a High School Administrator he had a very stable job – until labor issues forced an early retirement.
Honstely, most of us can more than justify a “mental health day” from work – on occasion. And a new study suggests that a lot of you out there agree. 82% of employees admit to taking “mental health days” to recover or recharge. Interestingly, work stress was not the most likely cause of skipping out.
New rule: instead of hitting send – I’m picking up the phone. Not every day mind you, and certainly not for all interactions. Lost in the sea of the in-box last week, trying to set up a radio story it became apparent that picking up the phone was the most efficient way to nail down an interview with an official here in New York City.
Taken with the monsterous sales signs in a local shoe store window this week, I slipped into a parking spot fully aware that I had a conference call in fifteen minutes. With my black berry in hand, I figured I could check out the agenda that was sent to me and call into the meeting – while trying on a fabulous pair of black heels that I’ve had my eye on. I was partically correct.
In our 24/7 high-tech global marketplace, the wizardry of the Gen X and Gen Y folk is an important commodity. But a new survey by executive search firm Stanton Chase International and Birkman International demonstrates essentially that companies should be more concerned with losing the wisdom of the baby boomer generation.
A winter freeze has taken residence across parts of the country. The snow is falling, people are staying indoors and a storm is brewing outside (and in the markets) as I write these words. Although the wicked weather is a frightful mix of whipping winds, gray skies and the occasional snowflake where I live in New York, a rather large afternoon crowd took to the treadmills, weights, and steamroom this afternoon at my local gym; myself included.
This is really the time to turn up the heat and put more effort into removing holiday pounds. And with the job numbers at a new low not seen since after Katrina, it’s also a time to turn up the heat at work or in your career. Talk of recession might spark some jitters in job stability moving forward in 2008 due to the housing market mess and other fallout from the subprime crunch. It really depends on the sector in which you work. Regardless, it’s not such a bad idea to pump up the volume on your image at work or in business. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
