Are you a Cyberloafer

Are you a Cyberloafer by Michael Cheary Weve done it. Our managers have done it. Over 80% of Americans have done it (which probably means over 80% of Britons have done it too). You might even be doing it right now. But just what is cyberloafing?For those less savvy in the jargon of the workplace, cyberloafing refers to the time we spend at work using the internet to do anything which is not directly related to the work were actually there to do.And for many of us, that means social networks.Whether its Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest, whatever your social media weapon of choice, most of us will probably admit to being guilty of cyberloafing at some point. But how much impact is it really having on our productivity? And should our bosses be taking steps against it?To help get a handle on the issue, we asked workers in a range of roles, from around the UK, about their attitudes to cyberloafing and compared it to similar research we carried out in 2010. Heres what we found:The researchNear ly half of all UK employees believe social networking should be banned in the workplace.However, the 2013 study, which collected results from 4,242 workers, also showed us that 35% of UK staff connect on Facebook, 18% use business social network LinkedIn, and 16% like to keep up with the latest trends on Twitter during their working hours.Whats more, of those who do admit to using social media at work, less than one-in-ten uses it for business purposes only a huge drop in comparison to the one-in-three recorded the last time the survey was conducted, in 2010. Nearly half use social media for both business and personal use, and 43% admit they use it solely to keep up-to-date with family and friends up from the 10% using it for the same reason in 2010.Access and company policyThere also seems to have been a shift in how were accessing our online accounts. Over 70% of us use mobile devices to keep tabs on Twitter and update our Facebook status rather than using a work computer a 10% rise since last time the survey was conducted.Our research also revealed that almost one-in-three businesses has banned employees from browsing social networking sites during working hours. And whilst 39% do allow access, its permitted for business purposes only. A surprising 32%, however, have no blocking or official company policy surrounding social media usage.But, with more and more employees using their mobile phones or tablets to access their personal accounts, is banning social media even possible?Increased productivityOn the other side of the debate, some argue that regular breaks from your workload can, in fact, increase productivity. Its a well-known fact that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but does it make him an unproductive one?Certain studies suggest that taking time out of your day to visit websites of personal interest, including news sites and social networks, provides workers with a much-needed mental break that can ultimately boost concentration and productivity levels by up to 9%.So, rather than allowing or denying complete access, is the secret to social media success keeping it all in moderation?NetworkingIts also important to consider that social networks arent just about likes and pokes, but that they also have an increasingly important role in business and career development.Used in the right way, certain social media outlets offer a powerful platform for engaging with new customers, strengthening client relationships and gathering information, not to mention improving relationships with co-workers.Our study found that 80% of us use social platforms to connect with our colleagues, mainly through Facebook (48%), LinkedIn (26%) and Twitter (14%). However, a certain level of caution is adopted when it comes to who were keeping in touch with: less than half of us admit to adding our boss as a contact.Whatever your take on social networks, one thing is clear: Facebook and Twitter are here to stay. And, for many of us, theyve b ecome the prominent form of communication. Whichever stance they choose to adopt, employers should set out their policy for using social media in the workplace early. If they dont, they risk missing out on commercial opportunities, not to mention, an unhappy workforce.As for employees? Well, there are always the privacy settingsDo you think companies should ban using social media at work? Share your thoughts below, or tell us on twitter @reedcoukFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features

What Can Be Achieved Through The Utilization Of ROP Programs

What Can Be Achieved Through The Utilization Of ROP Programs Over the years, America’s job market has sunk to the bottom of the barrel. This has put American citizens in an incredibly difficult situation and has forced them to look elsewhere for a steady income. Some have decided to take up odd jobs around their local neighborhood, while others have turned to the Internet. For the young generation, it would be wise to consider enrolling in some type of regional occupational program. This will give them the ability to learn a skill, which will help them make a living later in life. Within this guide, you will discover what could be achieved by attending such a program. How It Works First and foremost, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the regional occupational program concept. These are programs, which are offered at the county level in most cases. They are created with the cooperation of local school districts. The goal is to provide the younger generation with the skills and experience needed to excel, after they’ve finished schooling. Of course, adults can also benefit from such programs. When enrolling in an ROP program, students will be able to obtain essential job skills, career guidance, on the job learning, and the course can sometimes be used as college credit. The course availability and offerings will vary substantially from one location to the next. Below, you will discover some of the classes, which may be available in your area. Yoga Instructor Many people will be interested in finding a job that will be fun and exciting. Being a Yoga instructor will definitely fit that mold. Yoga is fun, very relaxing, and it helps people improve their overall health. Of course, there are hundreds of different poses, which can be carried out. In order to be proficient at this career, it is essential to learn as many poses as possible. And, you will need to learn how to work efficiently with others. This is why it is a good idea to complete an ROP course. The course will provide you with a wealth of information, while making sure you’re prepared to teach Yoga to others. Crime-Scene Investigator A lot of people like the idea of becoming an investigator. Digging into the crime scene and spotting the clues that can help solve the case is undeniably exciting. Of course, this job is much more difficult than you could ever imagine. It requires intense and thorough training, as well as an eye for tiny details. There are many ROP classes, which can prepare you for crime scene investigations. The classes will teach you how to identify and preserve evidence, so you can help put the criminal behind bars. Dental Assistant Another great career venture that is offered through ROP is dental assistant. This professional will assist the licensed dentist to perform their duties, including initiating treatment, sterilizing dental instruments, and exposing dental radiographs. This is a rewarding career that offers a decent wage, plus it will give you plenty of opportunity to continue advancing into the medical world. As a dental assistance, you will become the dentist’s hands, since you are assisting with holding suction devices and distributing the treatment necessities. Certified Medical Assistant Another great ROP career opportunity is certified medical assistant. This career involves working in medical clinics, alongside a licensed physician or nurse practitioner. Believe it or not, this job offers plenty of room for advancement, because many physicians will provide their CMAs with post-secondary financial reimbursement. If you are tired of working on weekends or the graveyard shift and enjoy helping others, by all means consider the certified medical assistant program. Veterinarian Assistant If you love animals, you will definitely love being a veterinarian assistant. This ROP class provides students with skill training and career guidance. By the time you graduate the program, you will be ready to assist a veterinarian care for ailing canines, felines, horses, birds, and cows. Graphic Designer If you consider yourself to be a creative person and like to take charge, you should consider becoming a graphic designer. One of the biggest benefits of being a graphic designer is that you will have the ability to freely express your creativity, while earning a great living. In fact, most art students are moving into the graphic designer field, because it is so much easier to find work and earn a living. If you look at all the facts, every business needs a graphic artist, which means you are going to have a huge client base. For instance, when a business decides to open a market for a new product they are going to need someone to design those marketing materials. As long as a business is growing and expanding they are going to need a graphic designer. Welding Welders are people that use specialized tools to heat metal in order to join it together. This process produces strong parts that are used every day in cars and buildings. While the career does go for long work hours and dangerous working conditions there are plenty of benefits that you can receive. Most welding jobs will be acquired in the manufacturing fields.  But welding is a practical application that can be used in many fields. For instance, welders can find work in auto manufacturing, engineering, construction, and shipbuilding.

August 1, 2011 Changes to Unemployment

August 1, 2011 Changes to Unemployment Additional Unemployment Compensation Reforms to Take Effect August 1  TALLAHASSEE â€" Beginning Monday, August 1, 2011, several changes to Florida’s Unemployment Compensation program that were signed into law last month will take effect. If you have a current unemployment claim, heres what you should know.  Changes taking effect August 1 include:  Internet Filing and Certification of Weeks â€" Initial and continued claims must be filed over the Internet. The change will improve government efficiency and provide a projected $4.7 million savings annually in administrative costs. AWI’s unemployment compensation hotline will be available to answer questions about the filing process.  Work Search â€" Claimants are required to contact at least five potential employers per week and provide this information over the Internet during their bi-weekly certification for benefits. A quick, efficient way to contact employers is by using the Employ Florida Marketplace at employflorida.com, the state’s online job matching system where you can search thousands of job postings and apply for jobs. If a claimant is not able to make at least five employer contacts in a week, meeting with a representative at a local One-Stop Career Center for reemployment services will satisfy this requirement for that week.  Skills Review â€" In order to receive benefits, claimants filing new claims must complete an initial skills review over the Internet. The results of the review will be used by local One-Stop Career Centers to assist claimants with job searches. Severance Pay â€" If a claimant’s severance pay per week is equal to or greater than the claimant’s weekly benefit amount, the claimant is not entitled to benefits for that week. Severance pay does not impact the total amount of benefits that can be paid on the claim.  For more information, please visit www.floridajobs.org.  

Aspergers at work Why I need a sick day to register my car

Aspergers at work Why I need a sick day to register my car The guy who sold me my car cancelled the plates the very next week. Luckily, I didnt know that because there was a November expiration sticker on the plate. So the fact that I was driving the car illegally for three months did not bother me. Until now. But now Im at the DMV. I know your first inclination is to say that Im an idiot for waiting until the end of November. But I really, really cannot deal with bureaucracy. To give you a sense of how much I cant deal with it, I almost did not graduate college because I had too many library fines. I graduated only because my grandma made some calls. I have found, in adult life, that bureaucracy only gets deeper and deeper, and for someone like me, with Asperger Syndrome, the rules, numbers and conversations that bureaucracy entails is completely overwhelming: IRS, health insurance, 401Ks, I actually have no idea how people cope with this stuff. Which brings me to the DMV, to register my car, the day my sticker expires. I have to fill in my age on the form, but there are numbers all over the form and all over the room and I cant remember if Im 41 or 42. I know the math problem is 2009 1966, but it would require borrowing and carrying, I think, because the 9 is so much bigger than the 0 and thats where they will line up: the 9 under the 0. The numbers on top always feel like they are flying and I cant keep track of them and Ill never get the math problem right. At least not right now. So I guess. I tell the DMV lady I filled out my form. She looks to see if I filled in everything. She says that I left the second part blank. This is true. It looked like it was too much. Like, how could they want all that information? I just cant believe it. She says, You need your VIN, color, make, date purchased and your signature. I do? Yes. Do you have it? I forgot the car title stuff at my house. Can you look it up? You came to register your car without the vehicle identification number? Oh. Um. I thought I had it. I have to go home. This is not easy. I cant read a map, and I dont know left and right, so I cant follow verbal directions, so I have three routes I know well in Madison, and if Im trying to get anywhere, I try to get to one of my three routes. For me, its not about the fastest route, its about not having to follow a new one. But Im on the side of town I never go to, so I cant figure out how to get to one of my routes. I think I have a straight shot to my office, though. So I tell myself Ill go to my office and then Ill do my regular drive home, and get the title. But I get lost going to my office. I would usually call Ryan Paugh for something like this but hes on vacation. I review the social norms I know about vacations: usually, if someone is your friend, you can call them for help on vacation. But Ryan probably only helps me because Im sort of his boss. So I get lost going to my office, and then I go home, and then I take the same route back to the DMV, but its so long that I decide to stop at my favorite gas station. Its my favorite gas station for the coffee. Have I told you that now that I live in Wisconsin I have taken to drinking gas station coffee? I dont know whats come over me. So my favorite meal right now is French Vanilla coffee and a Peanut Butter Power Bar. I have told you before that transitions are insanely difficult for me. This is one of those times. I am eatingso nice and easyand going back to the DMV seems so terrible, and isnt going to ever work out anyway. So I get another coffee and another Power Bar. And its so nice, sitting in my car, alone, with no noise, and I think Im going to die if I have to go back to the DMV. I do not die, but I do get anxiety and start picking at my cuticles. I have Googled a million times to see if picking cuticles is associated with Aspergers because its insane that I do it. I mean, it hurts and everyone can see it, and sometimes, if its a really bad day, I get blood on a nice shirt. Which is today. Well, not really a nice shirt because I was so stressed about today that I did not change out of the shirt I slept in. But I am bleeding. The only thing I found out from Google is that people with Aspergers self-mutilate as a way to focus away from what is overwhelming. So its like cutting. Thats whats going on here. I find Googling that another form of this sort of self-mutilation is anorexia, which I wish so much I could have. Do not tell me this is not acceptable to say. Its always the fat people who say that. Because really everyone wishes they could be anorexic for a few days, just to get their weight down. Im just wishing I could be anorexic for the days that Im picking at my cuticles. The food thing is so much more socially acceptable. I bring my VIN number to the window where the lady is. She says, Hello again. Really. She says this. And I can only think of that part of the book Go Dog Go where the dogs say: Hello again. Hello. Do you like my hat? I do not. Goodbye again. Goodbye. I always liked that part because I felt like Go Dog Go doesnt just have work dogs and play dogs, and up dogs and down dogs. Go Dog Go also has Aspergers dogs. So I say, Hello. I hope we are going to do the Go Dog Go script. Im giddy with anticipation of having a real connection with the DMV lady. She says, Do you have proper identification now? I panic. I was expecting Do you like my hat? I thought she only needed the car stuff. I worry she needs a phone bill with my address on it or something. I show her my stuff. She helps me fill in the form. She talks slowly for me, and its comforting. She gives me a number and tells me to wait until its called. I look around for people looking at numbers being called. I dont see a crowd of people holding papers like mine. Also, I hear a lot of stuff being called. I mean, theres the Wisconsin ID department, and the drivers license department, and the car registration people, and you can even get a passport photo taken here. Theres a lot going on. There are a lot of numbers here. I worry that Im going to miss my number while Im trying to figure things out. So I go back to the woman and ask her how long she thinks itll be. She says, Not long at all. I say, Not long like an hour, or not long like a minute? She says, Five minutes. I go back to looking for where people are listening to numbers. I tell myself I have four minutes to figure out where the numbers are coming from. I look around and the place is full of sixteen-year-olds who are handling all the paperwork for their drivers licenses. Their parents are reading books, taking care of young siblings, not paying attention to the forms and the numbers and the lines. The sixteen-year-olds are doing it. Is this the DMV for the gifted-and-talented? Is it normal that all these teens can navigate the DMV? How do they know what to do? Where do they get their information? I cannot figure out who is supposed to call my number. I am not hearing numbers. I so so so do not want to go back to the woman at the desk. I stare at the wall trying to figure out what to do. The wall at the DMV is, actually, overwhelming. There are videos about immigration and posters about drunk driving, and there are LCD displays of numbers and letters and I have to find the only blank spot on the wall, in between the bathroom doors, to stare. I tell myself that it will be fine to ask the lady at the window for help again. I remind myself about the airport. For years I was too scared to ask for help at the airport even though I could not read my boarding pass. I missed so many flights that Ryan Healy was not even surprised anymore when I called him from an airport to tell him I was stuck. Sometimes Id be right there, sitting at the gate, watching the clock, but the clock is just more numbers, and still Id miss the flight. Or, if I did not miss my flight, it took so much concentration that I would lose all my stuff; theres too much commotion to navigate for me to also read numbers. So I started asking the person at the counter to circle the gate and the time on my boarding pass. I say, Im dyslexic and I cant read my boarding pass. The person always has a moment of surprise but usually they watch out for me. So I pretend Im at the airport and I go to the DMV lady again. I say, Can you tell me what to do with this? I cant figure out how to know where to go with my number. She says, What number? I hand her my slip. She says, These are all letters. I look. And its true. They are. But they are tricky letters for someone thinking numbers. Well, the H is not tricky, but the I and the O really threw me off. I say thank you, and then I see there is an LCD above each window in the whole place that shows the number and letter sequence that is almost like mine but not really mine. I watch. And then its my turn. I go up to the counter. The woman looks over my form. I am so nervous that Im not going to have the right information that I have to look away. I look at the customer at the window next to me. She has a folder of information. Everyone has folders for their car stuff? How can the whole world be so organized? How can the government require that you be this organized to get through life? Why is no one protesting? My new DMV lady looks up stuff in the computer. She tells me I have a ticket. This does not surprise me. I get tickets a lot and I forget to pay them. So I sort of think of all tickets, when I get them, as the amount on the slip plus the inevitable late fee. I say, Can I pay it now? She says, No. You need to pay at the police station at the Capitol. I dont know why I say this, because just getting the words out gives me so much stress that I think Im going to have diarrhea right there on the spot. But I say, Can I go pay it at the police station and then come back? No. It takes up to seven days to clear in the system. What? The system here needs to show you have no tickets before I can register your car. So I settle in for a week of surreptitious, unregistered driving while I wait for the system to clear. Luckily this is not a day I have to drive to the farm. The farmer drives to my house. And right when I am trying to get dinner on the table, he says, Do you have a stamp? My first thought is, Its so annoying that are you are talking to me when I am trying to get dinner ready because its too hard for me to do dinner and kids and stamps. Also, I think, Who is still using stamps? What do we need stamps for in 2009 besides letters to Santa? He says, I got a ticket today for parking in front of your house, and I want to pay it before I forget. Then I put down my pot, turn off the stove and walk over to give him a kiss. The important thing when you have Aspergers is not to be able to do stuff you cant do, but to surround yourself with people who can.

Elevate Your Executive Resume From Bland to BRAND - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Elevate Your Executive Resume From Bland to BRAND

Say something nice to a co-worker - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Say something nice to a co-worker - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I got this email out of the blue from a lady called Valerie: I recently started reading Happy Hour is from 9 to 5. I decided to make it a goal this week to write a personal note of sincere appreciation to each of my co-workers (and my boss). This was particularly easy for the most part as I have great co-workers ? except for one that is challenging. Nonetheless, I did this and it?s nice to see everybody, even ?crabby pants? with a smile on their face. In fact, my boss told me today that he took his note home and put it up on his refrigerator. I asked Valerie what the reactions were, and she followed up yesterday with this: Two co-workers sent emails to me, telling how much they enjoyed their notes, proceeding into things they like about me. I replied to both persons that I was not fishing for compliments, but thanked them for their kind responses. One of the emails came from ?crabby pants.? As I presented each person with their note, I said, ?I made myself a promise this week to give a note to each of my co-workers to express something I appreciate about each of you.? I then just left the note and walked away. In the end, I think the person most touched by my note was a 50 something co-worker preparing for her youngest of four boys to leave the nest. It became evident to me several months ago that she had the onset of empty nest syndrome. She seems to be inadvertently hovering over everybody, spoon feeding information like we can?t possibly do our jobs on our own. My note to her was a simple expression of how I appreciate her calm demeanor and how much her presence is the glue that holds our group together when things are getting a little insane. The greatest reward in giving the notes wasn?t receiving compliments in return. It was the noticeable difference of facial expressions as I passed by those same people later. I am making Happy Hour is 9 to 5 required reading for my husband and plan to anonymously get a copy of it put on our COOs desk. Thanks Valerie you rock for doing this. I love this kind of thing and it just goes to show that small gestures can really make a difference. Could you try this in your workplace? Have you already done something similar? Write a comment Id love to know what you think. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Dream, Inspire, Create Seven Souls, One Musing

Dream, Inspire, Create Seven Souls, One Musing While I was running around like a chicken without a head last Saturday, gettin ready for SXSW (Ill give ya a rundown soon promise!), the lovely Louise Gale was sweet enough to post an interview with me!  Click here to find out how I came up with my name, the advice Id give any new or aspiring coaches, and how Ive overcome my biggest coaching challenge. Fun! I was also included in the very first volume of Seven Souls, One Musing interview series on Kind Over Matter, along with super cool chicas like Alexandra Franzen, Jamie Ridler and Rachelle Mee-Chapman. Head on over to hear about the spontaneous thing I ever done even though I planned it 3 months in advance!