Sunday 30 March 2014
Switching off
How would you feel (be honest) if you were to be without your smartphone for the next week/10 days or more? Do you think you'd adapt?
Well, that's exactly what happened to yours truly and boy has it been a revelation. A faulty battery, an online order, a couple of delayed deliveries and here I am writing about my ongoing reality sans smartphone (don't get me started on customer services).
Now although my smartphone has been out of action, I can squeeze a few operational minutes before it suddenly decides to switch itself off (I did vent my frustration by phone and email as you wouldn't expect a knackered battery after a few months from one of the allegedly best devices on the market).
Learning to 'switch off'
However, to my surprise I've almost learned to live without it. The fact that I have a limited usage time of my device kind of works as a self-disciplinary mechanism: 'You can use me for 15 minutes maximum a day, so make the most of it!'
Fine by me. I have to recharge it frequently and then I know that I'll only have a few minutes to check emails etc. and then the dreaded black screen appears. Not so bad really as I'm probably actually 'switching off' a lot more than I used to.
The fact that I can't use it as a phone has its downsides. But it has made me realise just how much I was dependent on it and that I feel better now that I've reduced my surfing and social media time. And this can only be a good thing as technology does take up a disproportionately huge amount of our time.
A period of abstinence
And given that we're in Lent, it got me thinking about how many things there are that we could do without, and that when we do abstain, we often find that we could quite comfortably continue without going back to our old ways (think food or alcohol for example). Abstinence is healthy, good for the mind and the body.
Although this has been forced on me and not in fact a self-imposed 'digital detox', I never thought that a replacement battery could make me so happy. My phone switching off has helped me to switch off. A smart phone after all.
Sunday 9 March 2014
Get a life or risk burnout
Productivity, engagement, wellbeing and work-life balance - just some of the topical points I covered with +Cary Cooper.
Does improved productivity bring about increased wellbeing?
CC: Actually you need to create a wellbeing environment first so that employees enjoy working with their colleagues, are allowed to work flexibly and treated with respect. Then you’ll get productivity. This is an area that needs addressing.
Define employee engagement and explain what it should achieve.
CC: It means different things to different people, but is only one aspect of a wellbeing strategy. Employees need to be given greater control and autonomy and be kept informed as to what’s happening within an organisation. Then they’ll feel more engaged.
Let’s look at workplace stress/mental health. Are organisations doing enough to ensure the wellbeing of their staff?
CC: Some organisations are doing better than others at the moment but most aren’t doing what they should. Paradoxically, City firms and companies in sectors such as banking are leading the way, focusing on retention and attraction, concerned with ‘regrettable turnover’, so they’re introducing wellbeing strategies following their ‘meaner and leaner’ stripped down structures that resulted from the economic crisis, which has highlighted the issue of talent management.
And what should we as employees be doing to address our work-life balance?
CC: In the end you’ll be judged on how you perform, not on whether you clock out at 8pm. You may think that that’s what others are expecting, but it’s a recipe for burnout. So it’s back to having a life outside, so you can go to work refreshed and come back energised. You should also work as a team player rather than compete with your fellow colleagues, so avoid office politics and one-upmanship. Stay positive and supportive of your colleagues!
Give one piece of advice to the UK workforce, to managers and to employers in 2014.
CC: If you’re an employer or manager, allow people autonomy and control. Trust and value them, and you’ll reap the dividends in performance and loyalty.
And what’s the best piece of career/life advice that anyone has given you?
CC: As you move up the organisational ladder, make sure you help people along the way. Value and support them, even if they are competitor colleagues for promotion. In the end, you will be able to draw on them for help and support when you need it.
Cary Cooper is Distinguished Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University Management School. He has written over 150 books on a range of topics, including stress and wellbeing at work. You can follow Cary @ProfCaryCooper.
Does improved productivity bring about increased wellbeing?
CC: Actually you need to create a wellbeing environment first so that employees enjoy working with their colleagues, are allowed to work flexibly and treated with respect. Then you’ll get productivity. This is an area that needs addressing.
Define employee engagement and explain what it should achieve.
CC: It means different things to different people, but is only one aspect of a wellbeing strategy. Employees need to be given greater control and autonomy and be kept informed as to what’s happening within an organisation. Then they’ll feel more engaged.
Let’s look at workplace stress/mental health. Are organisations doing enough to ensure the wellbeing of their staff?
CC: Some organisations are doing better than others at the moment but most aren’t doing what they should. Paradoxically, City firms and companies in sectors such as banking are leading the way, focusing on retention and attraction, concerned with ‘regrettable turnover’, so they’re introducing wellbeing strategies following their ‘meaner and leaner’ stripped down structures that resulted from the economic crisis, which has highlighted the issue of talent management.
And what should we as employees be doing to address our work-life balance?
CC: In the end you’ll be judged on how you perform, not on whether you clock out at 8pm. You may think that that’s what others are expecting, but it’s a recipe for burnout. So it’s back to having a life outside, so you can go to work refreshed and come back energised. You should also work as a team player rather than compete with your fellow colleagues, so avoid office politics and one-upmanship. Stay positive and supportive of your colleagues!
Give one piece of advice to the UK workforce, to managers and to employers in 2014.
CC: If you’re an employer or manager, allow people autonomy and control. Trust and value them, and you’ll reap the dividends in performance and loyalty.
And what’s the best piece of career/life advice that anyone has given you?
CC: As you move up the organisational ladder, make sure you help people along the way. Value and support them, even if they are competitor colleagues for promotion. In the end, you will be able to draw on them for help and support when you need it.
Cary Cooper is Distinguished Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University Management School. He has written over 150 books on a range of topics, including stress and wellbeing at work. You can follow Cary @ProfCaryCooper.
Monday 3 March 2014
Work smart - is your glass half full?
Working smart isn't just about being more efficient or productive in your role. It's a question of wellbeing and having a positive mental attitude.
As one of the UK’s leading authorities on workplace stress and wellbeing, +Cary Cooper is perfectly placed to give sound advice.
Work smarts – three top tips
1) Don’t insist on working long hours and make sure you have an outside life. This will help you perform better at work, so invest in your relationships outside of work.
2) If you’re in a management role, make sure you manage by praise and reward, not fault finding.
3) Adopt a ‘glass half full’ mentality. Instead of ‘I can’t do this or that’ say ‘Anything is possible’. Think about the possibilities of change because change is here to stay.
As one of the UK’s leading authorities on workplace stress and wellbeing, +Cary Cooper is perfectly placed to give sound advice.
Work smarts – three top tips
1) Don’t insist on working long hours and make sure you have an outside life. This will help you perform better at work, so invest in your relationships outside of work.
2) If you’re in a management role, make sure you manage by praise and reward, not fault finding.
3) Adopt a ‘glass half full’ mentality. Instead of ‘I can’t do this or that’ say ‘Anything is possible’. Think about the possibilities of change because change is here to stay.
Cary Cooper is Distinguished Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University Management School. He has written over 150 books on a range of topics, including stress and wellbeing at work. You can follow Cary @ProfCaryCooper.
Sunday 2 March 2014
How to finetune your job search strategy
To be as effective as possible in your job search, you need to "treat job hunting like it's your business," says career management expert and award-winning CV writer +Sandra Ingemansen. Here are her seven top tips...
1) Make sure your CV is ready at a moment's notice
You should always be prepared for a career opportunity. You don’t want to make hiring decision makers wait for you. Or hire someone to write your CV for you. It may be too late by the time you’re done.
2) Define your target jobs and industries
Otherwise, you’re wasting precious time. Employers see that as unfocused, which is the kiss of death. Why? Because unfocused CV and job search = unfocused at work.
3) Incorporate social media, especially LinkedIn
If you Google yourself (88% of employers do), the chances are that your LinkedIn profile comes up within the first 10 listings under your name. That’s where recruiters and employers are going to go first. If you’re not social media savvy, your job search fire will soon fizzle out because you can bet that it’s definitely part of a competitor’s suite of career marketing tactics.
4) Network to discover hidden job opportunities
If you want quick results, don’t post your CV on job boards. It has a 5% effectiveness rate, whereas networking has more than a 50% effectiveness rating. In today's market, jobs are being filled before the general public even knows there are openings. This is where doing your company research and contacting decision makers within those companies comes in. Read company/employee blogs, press releases, tweets, Facebook pages, LinkedIn updates etc.
5) Familiarise yourself with hiring trends
If you haven’t adapted your current job search to the constantly evolving shifts in recruiting, hiring and employment, it’s a sure-fire way to position yourself as an out-of-touch job seeker who doesn’t know what it takes to be competitive. Big red flags for hiring decision makers.
6) Treat job hunting like it's your your business
That means working 40 hours — it’s your full-time job — so stay vigilant until you land that next opportunity.
7) Continue training and learning new skills
Professional development means added marketability during your job search.
Do you have an ATS friendly CV?
You can find out more about Sandra a www.resume-strategies.com or follow her on Twitter @Resume911.
1) Make sure your CV is ready at a moment's notice
You should always be prepared for a career opportunity. You don’t want to make hiring decision makers wait for you. Or hire someone to write your CV for you. It may be too late by the time you’re done.
2) Define your target jobs and industries
Otherwise, you’re wasting precious time. Employers see that as unfocused, which is the kiss of death. Why? Because unfocused CV and job search = unfocused at work.
3) Incorporate social media, especially LinkedIn
If you Google yourself (88% of employers do), the chances are that your LinkedIn profile comes up within the first 10 listings under your name. That’s where recruiters and employers are going to go first. If you’re not social media savvy, your job search fire will soon fizzle out because you can bet that it’s definitely part of a competitor’s suite of career marketing tactics.
4) Network to discover hidden job opportunities
If you want quick results, don’t post your CV on job boards. It has a 5% effectiveness rate, whereas networking has more than a 50% effectiveness rating. In today's market, jobs are being filled before the general public even knows there are openings. This is where doing your company research and contacting decision makers within those companies comes in. Read company/employee blogs, press releases, tweets, Facebook pages, LinkedIn updates etc.
5) Familiarise yourself with hiring trends
If you haven’t adapted your current job search to the constantly evolving shifts in recruiting, hiring and employment, it’s a sure-fire way to position yourself as an out-of-touch job seeker who doesn’t know what it takes to be competitive. Big red flags for hiring decision makers.
6) Treat job hunting like it's your your business
That means working 40 hours — it’s your full-time job — so stay vigilant until you land that next opportunity.
7) Continue training and learning new skills
Professional development means added marketability during your job search.
Do you have an ATS friendly CV?
You can find out more about Sandra a www.resume-strategies.com or follow her on Twitter @Resume911.
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