Workplace Culture

Do you consider yourself a workaholic? Before you answer, you may need to stop and think about what that term actually means. Years ago, it was fairly easy to pinpoint how much time you spent working—and, from that, whether you were spending too much time working. You mainly went by how much time you spent in the office, and possibly if you took work home with you, in the form of files or other hard copies.  

The holidays are tricky on many levels, but for companies the holiday season can be a political minefield when it comes to striking a balance between offering employees an appropriate gift and maintaining corporate’s strict budget. Some companies offer cash bonuses, others presents, and still others a holiday party complete with an open bar and fake smiles. Do not, however, underestimate how much attention employees pay to what they—and their fellow colleagues—receive as a holiday bonus.

One of the unfortunate byproducts of a prolonged down economy is that it makes everyone afraid of everything. People with jobs are afraid of losing jobs. People without jobs are afraid they’ll land another one. Entire companies are afraid they’ll have to close their doors should business not pick up. This fear has a profound effect on office professionals everywhere, as they’re afraid of saying something stupid, divulging too much of their personal life or offering any piece of information that can lead to their being laid off.

We’ve all been told time and time again how important an effective resume is. Without an excellent resume, you don’t even stand the chance of being asked for an interview. With so many people out there looking for work, the resume bar has been raised to the level of being able to masquerade the true nature and personality of the individual behind the paper. This can pose challenges for companies looking to hire, particularly if they make the mistake of be too greatly influenced by the power of a persuasive resume.

Let's face it, we all have bad habits. Some of us have bad habits that may be unhealthy, such as smoking or eating too much junk food. These habits may already affect you physically, and perhaps (if you've tried unsuccessfully to break them) they've also taken an emotional or mental toll. But should these bad habits also cost you financially?

Is your grandmother nice? How about your dad? We all like to think that our nicer attributes such as being kind and caring are part of our upbringing and personal decisions about how we choose to behave as a human being—especially in the difficult confines of office life. But it turns out your sense of empathy may not stem from your bleeding heart, but from the hardwiring of your DNA.

Like it or not, your company has a culture. If you can’t describe your company’s culture or offer a characterization of the values it stands for and how it stands for them, well, you’re probably not working in a very inspiring environment. Corporations everywhere are capitalizing on the importance of establishing a culture within their brand and workforces, and this is having a profound effect on office professionals. Much like being an American gives you certain cultural mores and dispositions so does adopting and living the cultural attitudes of your workplaces.

For job seekers in today's high-tech environment, email is becoming an increasingly important tool. You use it to build a network of contacts, inquire about possible opportunities and possibly even to submit your resume or application.

Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes people often make when it comes to email, often without even realizing it. And considering how this one communication can be a "make it or break it" moment, it's important that you avoid making any careless mistakes.

Branding is a huge industry that continues to gain traction as companies internalize the idea of building their images around a set of beliefs and values. The company you work for wants a vibrant brand, and probably has a brand in one manifestation or another. But not all companies realize the importance of brand integration, which means ensuring their employees buy into the brand, the principles it represents and the values it stands for.

We know that stereotypes are rampant at the office: the soccer mom, the greedy CEO, the spoiled Millennial, the overachiever, and yes, the single woman without a spouse or children—the one Carrie Bradshaw made iconic. We see these women as being obsessed with their jobs because they are lacking in other areas of life. "Of course she’s dedicated and successful," we say, "What else does she have to focus on other than her job?" As with all stereotypes, this one is full of inaccuracies and misleading generalizations.