Corporate data security: You’re gonna need more than a policy

An alarming number of employees are ignoring data security policies and are routinely engaging in activities that could put their employer at risk, according to a survey released by Ponemon Institute Wednesday.

According to survey results, the most frequent data security offenses were employees copying secure data to USB drives, turning off security settings in mobile devices like laptops and sharing passwords. All offenses that have the potential to put a company’s data at risk.

Of the 967 IT professionals surveyed, around 69% said they copied confidential company data to USB sticks, even though they knew it was against the rules. Still worse, some employees admit that they lost USB sticks housing company data, but failed to report it immediately.

Another disturbing trend is the amount of workers engaging in online activities that raise the risk of infecting company computers with malicious software.

About 31% of respondents engaged in social-networking practices on the Web from work PCs and around 53% said they downloaded personal software on company PCs, increasing the risk of spreading malware in the workplace, according to the research.

“Mobile technologies that let employees do more while on the road are contributing to the issue, said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of Ponemon Institute, in a blog entry. As the use of mobile devices grows, the inability to enforce data security policies could increase the possibility of data breaches. "I’m seeing a confluence of conditions that appear to be contributing to this challenge to data integrity," he said.

Over half (58%) of the IT professionals surveyed put the blame on companies for failing to provide employees with adequate data security awareness and training. About 57% also said their company’s data protection policies were ineffective and 43% said there was poor communication and enforcement of data security policies.

“The Ponemon Institute believes these results show overall lack of urgency by companies on the need to address data security. Unfortunately, our studies have also shown that it often takes a data breach incident before an organization will finally get their wake-up call and take data security seriously.” (Dr. Ponemon’s blog)

Like the survey results showed, it’s going to take more than just a policy to ensure that your company’s data is secure and protected. Read some of these past posts for more information on not only setting up a data security policy, but also training employees on how to keep your company safe:

Employee anti-phishing training, one scam at a time

Six tips for setting up a computer security policy

Employee security training: Spam 101

Employee security training: How to catch ‘phish’

Disgruntled Chrysler employee fired after Internet post

Training Trends: Training for a healthy bottom line

Got training?

See if it’s time for a training check-up in your business in the latest issue of our Training Trends newsletter. In it, you’ll also find expert answers to these key training questions:

What are the three kinds of training a company needs to keep its bottom line healthy?

Are your employees up to the challenge of doing business across language lines?

Providing your employees with the right training is important, but how do you know they’re using what they learn?

Here’s a quick look at the June issue of Training Trends:

Got training?

It’s dairy month, and that means lots of photo ops for celebrities sporting milk mustaches. Ads will tout how healthy milk is, and why everyone who is anyone just can’t wait to down their next ice cold, creamy glassful. A few years ago, the slogan was “Milk. It does a body good.”™ Catchy.

We’d like to say the same thing about training. Okay, so it’s not creamy and probably shouldn’t be served ice cold, but otherwise it’s pretty much on target.

The right training is healthy for your company. A well-trained employee is less likely to make mistakes, generate errors, get hurt at work or waste materials. Teams with the right training perform more efficiently, require less supervision and are more likely to stay with your company. That means a healthier bottom line for your company. (more)


Going global with language training

It’s a fact. The world has gotten noticeably smaller in the past 50 years or so. Okay, maybe the geographers wouldn’t agree with that, but marketers, sales people and just about anyone who uses the Internet knows exactly what I mean.

We have gotten used to doing business with people in different countries, chatting with friends across the globe and seeing images of places thousands of miles away in real time.

The one skill that has not kept up with this nearly borderless worldview is language. Most Americans speak only one language fluently. That’s not the case in the rest of the world, where learning effective communication skills in two, three or even four languages is considered a basic part of childhood education. (more)


Down the road: Is your safety training staying on track?

You’ve done it all. Harassment training, forklift training, hazardous materials training and first aid training. Your employees are ready for anything. But before you pat yourself on the back and sit back to enjoy that wonderful sense of being up-to-date on everything, we have two questions for you.

First, where are your training records? If there was an accident at work and OSHA came knocking on your door, could you show them proof that your employees had received the right training at the right time? If you were served with a lawsuit for sexual harassment, could you show proof of your company’s efforts to train employees in what is and is not acceptable behavior at work?

And second, are you following through? Even if you have training records, are you following up to make sure the lessons learned in the training seminar or interactive CD-ROM are being applied at work? Are you posting signs and reminders to keep safety practices or acceptable behavior standards in front of employees every day? (more)

Each month, the experts at TrainingTime.com share all of the latest and greatest tips, trends and buzz from across the training industry in our Training Trends newsletter. If you’re not on our mailing list, please take a few seconds and sign up.

If you’re a training expert or HR professional and are interested in writing content for Training Trends or TrainingTime.com’s learning library, visit our “Write for Us” page for instructions on how to contribute.

Are you living to work or working to live?

A new survey examining the health and well-being of Americans discovered that the majority of people value their work for more than just the paycheck it delivers by asking: Do you live to work or work to live?

As the U.S. economy struggles through a recession and companies lay off hundreds of thousands of workers, CIGNA conducted the survey to explore attitudes toward work and disability insurance, along with the effect the economy is having on work environments.

Key findings of the survey include:

• Americans have a strong work ethic and derive satisfaction from their jobs.
• Americans feel unproductive, worried, afraid, anxious and depressed when they’re out of work because of an injury or illness.
• Most say the overall mood in the workplace has changed in the past six months – and most say those changes have been for the worse.

When asked about how they viewed their job, those surveyed revealed that:

• 65% would say they belong in the “Live to Work” category
• 35% put themselves in the “Work to Live” category
• 31% like their job and feel a sense of satisfaction by going to work each day
• 21% love their job and would continue working even if they won the lottery
• 13% said their work give their life structure and purpose

Among those who work to live, survey respondents said that it was the paycheck or insurance benefits keeping them at their current job. Many felt stuck because of the economy or had hopes of retiring soon, but can’t afford to.

The most common reasons why respondents felt they live to work: they like their co-workers, feel a sense of accomplishment from their job, are proud of their work, or feel their work makes a difference.

“The good news for U.S. employers is that most people say they enjoy their work and derive satisfaction from it,” said Jodi Prohofsky, Ph.D., a licensed therapist and senior vice president of health solutions operations at CIGNA. “On the other hand, the economy is causing more stress and anxiety among workers, and we know that stress can often contribute to or lead to disabling illnesses, so it’s important for employers to help their employees manage stress and anxiety before that happens.”

Earlier this week we talked about how employees desire more in-person communication with top management in their organizations. Making employees a part of the conversation during tough times is one of the most effective ways to help employees manage the stress and fear that typically comes along with organizational change.

Effective communication can have a powerful impact on morale within an organization. Though you may be navigating some rough waters right now, focusing on communication and employee morale will have you smooth sailing when everything finally calms down.

So, the question is: Do you work to live or live to work?

Using PowerPoint for training: Top 5 tips

In most offices it’s rare to get through the day without attending at least one meeting where you were the lucky viewer of a not-so-interesting or helpful PowerPoint presentation.

Since Microsoft released the tool in more than 20 years ago, we’ve been using it as a crutch for any and every presentation we’ve ever delivered.

Unfortunately, we’ve been using it the same way for so long that everyone is tired of seeing the same old presentation and over and over again. We’ve been dying a slow death by PowerPoint and are ready for a change.

When you’re using PowerPoint for training or any other kind of workplace presentation, keep your audience alive with an interesting slideshow and review these top five PowerPoint tips:

1. Prepare. Develop your presentation with a clear goal in mind. What is it that you want your audience to understand? Mapping out the presentation by hand before getting on the computer will help you create a more focused and concise presentation.


2. Make note cards. Write down all of your main talking points on notecards, don’t depend on the screen. People like it when you talk to them, not to the screen.


3. Reinforce, don’t repeat. Use your slides to reinforce the points you’re delivering in your presentation or training seminar, not repeat what you’re saying. Instead of repeating your words, use the slides to add detail and paint a clear picture of each topic.


4. Send a copy. At the beginning of your presentation, let your audience know that you will be sending them copies of your slides along with supplemental information. This way, they’ll be paying attention to what you’re saying rather than reading a handout or copying every slide you put up.


5. Keep it short. Keep the amount of words on each slide to a minimum. Every presentation will have a different number, but concise writing will keep your audience’s attention and keep them interested in what you’re saying.

Oh, and watch this slideshow from Lifehacker for even more great PowerPoint ideas:

Death by PowerPoint

View more presentations from Alexei Kapterev.

Employees want more informal, in-person communication

Whether your company is moving offices or has just gone through a round of layoffs, effective communication is critical throughout each step of the process. Employees who are informed will find it easier to adapt during a major change and at handle the stress it creates.

While most communications and human resources professionals are content with the amount of information they’re getting on the state of their company during the recession, many want more opportunities to use social media and have face-to-face conversations with company leaders, according to a survey by Heyman Associates Executive Search.

Heyman developed the survey to gauge the effectiveness of corporate communications in today’s difficult economy, Marketing Charts writes. According to survey respondents:

• 85% say their CEO has done a good job communicating with them, but
• 65% would still like more informal, in-person communication opportunities.
  

When the 550 respondents were asked whether they were getting the right amount of information about their company:

• 71% answered “yes”
• 17% answered “somewhat”
• 68% answered “no”
  

Those who were satisfied with the communication coming from their company said they are receiving information about the company’s short- and long-term prospects and challenges on a regular basis from an official and credible internal source. Sources included presentations, town-hall meetings, email newsletters, CEO blog teleconferences, intranet postings and staff meetings with their manager.

Those who were unhappy with the amount of information they were receiving say the lack of communication has been causing mistrust of the organization among employees.


Try something new

One of the most revealing findings is the way in which employees want to receive information. Though most companies utilize email and other mass communication methods, the survey showed that employees desire more in-person communications.

When asked how they would improve the way they receive information about their company, 65% of respondents would like more informal, face-to-face communication.

Written survey responses show that employees trust informal, in-person communication because it shows that the company wants employees informed on the latest information and encourages feedback.

Responses also indicated that more employees would like to see more use of social media within the company because of its interactive nature. Many respondents would like to see an mix of in-person and social media communication, believing that it will increase the frequency and trustworthiness of messages.

If your organization is experiencing major changes as a result of the recession, remember that including employees in the conversation and trying new forms of communication will improve your chances of success.

Does your company utilize any forms of social media for internal communication? Do you think it’s a useful tool when it comes to company communication?

Twitter tips to help you stay productive at work

New online tools emerge everyday with the promise that they will improve our workdays, keeping us more productive than we’ve ever been before. While some of these tools do improve personal productivity, others can be a complete waste of time.

Twitter is one of those tools that has proponents on both sides of the productivity argument. One little bird with one simple question has taken the social media world by storm, presenting limitless possibilities both in the workplace and in our personal lives.

If you’ve started using Twitter at work, you may have found that all of the connections you make and information you find can be beneficial during the workday. However, you can easily get lost in the overload of information and find yourself wasting time.

Stop wasting your time and follow a few of these tips for using Twitter to improve your productivity:

• Disconnect. Not all the time, but turn Twitter off from time to time and completely focus on the task in front of you.


• Connect with coworkers. Instead of sending an email, or calling someone in the office to ask a simple question, ask them on Twitter. Sending a direct message on Twitter to a coworker can help you get the information you need in a non-distracting way.


• Use Twitter search tools. You can use the Twitter Search site or search directly from whatever Twitter platform you're using, to find out what people are saying about anything you're interested in.


• Remind yourself. Simple Twitter applications like Timer can help you manage daily tasks. Simply send a direct message to @timer and the program will tweet you back with a reminder at the time you set.


• Follow people who share valuable information. If you try to only follow people who share valuable information, there will be less nonsense to sort through.


• Subsribe to TwiTip. TwiTip is a blog dedicated to everything Twitter related. Darren Rowse delivers great information daily on the latest must have Twitter tools to help you get the most out of your tweeting experience.

Have you tried to use Twitter at work, does it help you to be more productive or is it a complete distraction?


Here are a few more posts on productivity and Twitter you should check out:

Productivity tips: How to become a ‘task ninja’

Top 8 ways trainers can use Twitter

How to use Twitter for training

Personal productivity training, six simple tips

Training as punishment, or opportunity?

When you sign up employees for a training course or seminar, you do it because you want them to learn and develop skills that will enhance their careers and improve the organization. Right?

Unfortunately, employees don’t always look at training in the same light. Sometimes they feel that they’ve been enrolled in training as a form of punishment, or because they’re deficient in some way.

A headline-making example of training seen as punishment came about last year with US Airways. As a result of high fuel prices, the airlines forced their pilots to take fuel-management courses if they ordered extra fuel for their flights.

US Airways wanted to educate pilots on how wasting fuel negatively impacts the company, while pilots felt cutting back on fuel was dangerous and the mandatory training was an insult to their expertise.

Rebecca Morgan at Grow Your Key Talent summarized the issue in a recent post, saying:

Then US Airways pilots took out an ad that said the airline “embarked on a program of jailintimidation to pressure your captain to reduce fuel loads.” Senior pilots — those who are well aware of the vagaries of flights — were targeted for (gasp!) fuel conservation training.

Their punishment was training!

Part of this is the humiliation they felt at being senior pilots and being relegated to re-training as if they were rookies or didn’t know what they were doing.

One pilot said he felt the airline was “selecting a few and hoping to intimidate the remainder of our pilot group to not add fuel when they feel they might need a little fuel. So hoping if they punish a few, the rest of the pilot group will get in line.”

It’s quite obvious that the pilots were offended by US Airways’ decision, but what should they have done differently?

What could US Airways have done to make pilots see that this training was meant to better their careers and the improve the company, instead of making the training seem like a punishment?

Communication.

If you clearly communicate the reasons why you want employees to go through training and then listen to what they have to say about it, you will have a much better outcome that what we saw in the US Airways example.

A similar story is replayed everyday in the corporate world. If a manager suddenly signs up an employee for a training course on time management, without talking to them about it first, the employee may start thinking that you believe they’re an inefficient worker or it’s punishment for being late on that last report.

Each time you enroll employees in a training course, communicate your reason for the training and how it will help employees reach their personal career goals, as well as help the company improve overall performance. By discussing your motives for training, employees will start looking at it as less of a punishment and more like an opportunity.

What advice do you have for companies that are having trouble positioning training in a positive light? How do you show employees that training is not a punishment?

First step to improving motivation: Communication

Right now it’s almost impossible to get through the day without hearing another depressing story on the economy and its affect on business. Instead of telling you more bad news about how the economy is taking our 401(k)s and morale down the drain with it, we’re going to share some good news on how to improve motivation in your company and you don’t have to spend a single dime.

The simplest and cheapest way to improve motivation in your organization is to improve your internal communication. Especially when management is making necessary, but tough changes including layoffs and budget cuts, it is always in your best interest to clearly communicate those changes to everyone involved.

A new study indicates that workers are twice as likely to put in extra effort for their employer and nearly four times as likely to recommend their company to a friend if they are satisfied with the ways in which their company communicates difficult decisions.

The results of the OuchPoint survey from Opinion Research Corporation suggest that effective communication has a powerful impact on employee motivation and morale.

“Positive perceptions around company communications serve to both boost motivation levels among current employees as well as foster employee advocacy, ultimately resulting in a strengthened employee brand,” said Lisa Wojtkowiak of Opinion Research Corporation’s Employee Engagement Practice. “When the economic situation improves, this strong employee advocacy will be critical to attracting and retaining top talent.”

Of those surveyed, 44% said their company has taken action in response to the recession over the last six months. Nearly half of respondents (49%) gave their employer top marks regarding their effective communication of the organizational actions taken.

The type of communication employees value the most included:

• Thorough explanations of the actions taken and the reasons behind the action (28%)
• Being kept informed of ongoing decisions and reasons for those decisions as the economy continues to toss and turn (13%)
• Providing early indications of impending difficult decisions so employees are not caught off-guard (11%)
• Open and honest communication (9%)
• Providing regular updates through frequent communication (8%)

As the economy continues to create more uncertainty, employees are finding solace in the simple ways their employers show appreciation. From effective communication to giving employees the respect they deserve, organizations can effectively improve employee morale in some of the most simple and affordable ways.

For more ideas on how to improve communication and motivation in your organization, read a few of these related posts:

Taking steps to improve employee morale

The one thing employees want at work

10 low-cost employee incentive ideas

5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy

Ideas for everyday training on a budget

Taking steps to improve employee morale

To deal with the recession and the effect it’s having on the workforce, more employers are taking steps to improve morale in their companies, according to a new survey by Accountemps.

Almost seven out of ten (68%) chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed said they are implementing strategies to uplift their teams’ mood. However, more than one-quarter (26%) of executives say their organizations have done nothing to boost morale.

CFOs were asked, “In the past 12 months, what steps, if any, has your company taken to improve employee morale?” They chose the following responses (multiple responses were allowed):

• Increased frequency, quality of communication (37%)
• Offered additional financial rewards (18%)
• Provided additional professional development opportunities (18%)
• Conducted additional team-building activities (18%)
• Enhanced employee recognition programs (15%)
• No steps taken (26%)

While finding ways to improve dwindling sales numbers may be at the top of your ‘to-do’ list right now, it would be worth your while to work employee morale into the top slot of that list as well.

"Employee motivation should be a continual priority for businesses, but in a period of economic uncertainty, managers need to invest even more time and effort into maintaining team morale," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "Companies that work diligently to keep their top performers engaged improve their chances to retain these key contributors."

Past surveys have shown that the economy has been bringing employee engagement down with it. Companies that work to counteract the economy’s effects by keeping employees motivated and engaged will find more success when the market turns around.

What is your company doing to improve morale despite the economic downturn? Please share any suggestions you may have for motivating employees during a recession.

You can also check out some of these posts for ideas on improving employee morale on a budget:

The one thing employees want at work

10 low-cost employee incentive ideas

5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy

Employee incentive ideas on a budget

Looking for new employee incentive ideas? Listen to Aretha Franklin

Dealing with a sudden drop in performance

As the economy continues to hurt business and diminish our 401(k)s, new research is showing that it’s also pulling employee engagement down with it.

In a national survey of U.S. companies by Quantum Workplace, 66% of firms saw decreases in employee engagement between 2007 and 2008.

“By an almost two-to-one margin (134 to 76), more employers had lower overall employee engagement scores in the fall of 2008 than in the fall of 2007. This result is out of the ordinary from our trends for the last five years, and strongly suggests that external circumstances regarding the economy may well be influencing employees' attitudes about their jobs and workplaces," said Greg Harris, president of Quantum Workplace.

The survey measured employee engagement by “the ability and willingness of individuals to exert extra effort for the benefit of the company, their tendency to speak highly of the organization and their intent to stay," according to Harris.

Engaged employees won’t make the recession disappear, but they are one of your most effective tools for pulling through it with more success than you would otherwise.

Workplace studies continually show that engaged employees perform significantly higher than those not engaged in their work. Businesses with an engaged workforce will typically have increased service and customer loyalty, better individual employee performance and reduced costs including safety, absenteeism and lost productivity.

Whether it’s due to the economy, a child’s health issue or dealing with a bully in the workplace, managers need to know how to spot when an employee is in trouble and what they should do to help.


It starts with a conversation

Training managers and supervisors on how to address a sudden drop in employee performance in a previously high-performing staff member starts with a lesson in communication.

Rather than making assumptions or taking an accusatory stance, supervisors should start with a conversation. Explain to the employee that you’ve noticed a drop in their performance and ask if it’s because of something that is going on at the office or at home.

Once you get down to the root of it, you’ll be in a better position to help the employee with their problem and eventually improve their performance. With that knowledge, supervisors can then help employees find the support they need.

We’ve been conducting our own research on employee performance and need your help. Please answer this simple, one-question poll on LinkedIn: How do you handle a sudden drop in a star employee's performance?

Boost employee morale with one simple question

Could the secret to employee morale lie in the answer to one simple question?

It may, according to Janet Smith at The Power of Goodwill. She recently wrote a couple posts on the most important question bosses should ask their employees, especially those employees you depend on the most.

The question - What can I do to make your job more rewarding, interesting, and satisfying?

The point is that you should never take any employee for granted—particularly the ones you need the most. And to let these folks know that you appreciate them, value them, care about them, and want to keep them happy at work, there’s one question you absolutely must ask them. It may seem simple. It may seem obvious. But how often have you asked this question (or had it asked of you)?

Before asking the question, there are a few rules you need to follow:

1. Regardless of the employee’s answer, take it seriously and show interest in what they say.
2. Discuss the answer with the employee and tell them honestly what you can and can’t do.
3. Let them know what you would like to do and when you think it could happen.

After asking the question and taking a sincere interest in their answer, do it all over again three months from now.

Why?

Employees who know that their feelings and opinions are valued by the company will show it in their work. When bosses listen, it improves employee morale and makes employees want to work harder because they know they are valued.

So, ask the question, ask it often and let employees know you care.

Improve elearning retention, keep it short

The next time you're thinking about adding more text to your learning materials, you may want to stop and think again.

While you think you may be adding pages and pages full of valuable learning materials, adding more information can actually hurt learning retention, according to a study on Efficiency in Learning in the Journal of Educational Psychology.

The study compared three lessons on the same weather process. Each lesson used the same illustrations, but varied in the number of words - 50, 100 and 600.

Students scored higher on the lesson with the fewest words.

Though the study may have not been conducted last week (it's actually more than a decade old), its findings are still relevant today, especially when it comes to elearning.

When you're writing for the web or creating new elearning materials, remember that people want clear, concise, simple instruction.

Web readers have a short attention span who like text to be short, scannable and broken up into small bites they can digest quickly. Eye-tracking studies show that online readers skip over large blocks of text and shorter paragraphs perform better.

On the Internet, readers hunt for facts, asses online material quickly and move on if there is nothing worth sticking around for.

Keep your online training programs short and to the point. This may mean having to break a long lesson into a few shorter sessions, but you’ll keep your trainees’ attention and they’ll retain more information.

Take the advice from a recent Copyblogger post: "Nobody wants to speculate how to start a lawnmower. All they want to do is cut the grass."

Is using video games to recruit deceptive?

Next to the Banana Republic and Victoria’s Secret shops in the Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, you can now find the state-of-the-art Army Experience Center. Complete with a Humvee, a Black Hawk Helicopter and an Apache gunship, the facility is part of a two-year experiment by the Army to boost recruiting numbers.

The Army spent $12 million constructing the facility and packing it full of computers and video games for an interactive, virtual reality experience designed to recruit new soldiers.

After four months, 33 full-time soldiers and five reservists have signed up - a figure that matches the performance of the five recruiting centers it replaced.

The army says the Experience Center is more than just a recruiting hub, and also serves to “dispel misperceptions about Army life,” according to a recent Reuters article.

"We want them to know that being in the Army isn't just about carrying weapons and busting down doors," said Jennings, who wears slacks and a polo shirt rather than a uniform. About 80 percent of soldiers are not involved in direct combat roles, he said.

But some people, including former soldiers, think the use of video games in recruiting for the Army is glamorizing war and can mislead potential recruits. Jesse Hamilton, a former Army staff sergeant who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, called the video games “very deceiving and very far from realistic.”

"You can't simulate the loss when you see people getting killed," said Hamilton, who left the Army after his Iraq tour and is now a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

"It's not very likely you are going to get into a firefight," he said. "The only way to simulate the heat is holding a blow dryer to your face."

We want to know what you think - Could the Army Experience Center be considered a deceptive recruitment technique or is it just a creative way to meet recruiting goals?

How not to motivate employees in 2009

With the recession, layoffs and mounting financial stress, motivating employees in 2009 may seem like an uphill battle. However you choose to motivate your employees, just remember to keep Terry Tate out of your plans (You can see why in the video below).

It's an oldie, but a goody ...





Have a happy and safe New Year.

How to be productive when business is slow

So, you're stuck working this week. For many, the week between Christmas and New Year's is one of the slowest of the year and one where not very much gets done. Whether it's because nobody is in the office or nobody is buying, now is not the time to sit around and waste the week away.

Instead, be productive when business is slow and get a head start on 2009. Use a few of these tips to get things done and not waste any time:

• Plan ahead. What would you like to accomplish in 2009? Sit down this week and write out your goals for 2009. Take it a step further and schedule a meeting to share those goals with your boss.


• Catch up. Make it a point this week to catch up on all of the industry news and trends you haven't had time to read during the year. Buy a book or two on a topic that would help you improve the way you work.


• Get organized. Attack that stack of papers on your desk and clean out your email inbox. If you don't do it before 2009, it probably won't get done. Use this slow time to get organized and put it all away.


• Connect. Have lunch or plan a meeting with that one business contact you didn't have time to meet with during the year. Get to know that person a little better and strengthen a valuable business relationship over lunch this week.


• Learn. Have you ever wondered how another department in your organization got things done? Make it a point this week to learn something new about how other departments function in your business.

Productivity: Rules for effective meetings

While we’re on the subject of getting things done, let’s tackle the business activity many consider to be the least productive - the meeting.

In a survey of 1,900 business leaders, 72% expressed that they spend more time in meetings today than they did five years ago. Almost half (49%) said they expect their time spent in meetings to increase, according to the results of a survey by Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg, Professor and Director of Organizational Science at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

The same meeting research revealed that managers felt that almost one-third of the meetings they attend are unproductive.

Whether you hate meetings or enjoy them, think they’re unproductive or not, it’s hard to escape them. When managed correctly, meetings can be a useful business tool. But if they fail, meetings can be a complete waste of time and a huge disruption to everyone’s day.

Meetings are a fact of life. So, if we’re going to have to live with them, we better learn how to make them as productive and efficient as possible.

Andrew Rondeau of Great Management, recently compiled the most simple and usually ignored rules for holding a productive meeting. To organize and improve the quality of meetings, Andrew offers this advice:

• Limit the guest list. By limiting the number of people at a meeting, you immediately improve the effectiveness of the group.
• Have an agenda. Setting an agenda before the meeting will save time and keep it focused. Include a list of topics, how much time should be spent discussing each topic, and remember to distribute the agenda to every attendee before you meet.
• Define a goal. Before meeting, get an agreement up front from attendees on what the meeting should accomplish.
• Start on time. Even if someone is missing, start the meeting on time. Don’t waste everyone’s time for the sake of one.
• Feedback. Ensure that your agenda includes time for feedback and a flow of two-way communication.
• Minimize distractions. This is one of ours, but a great addition to Andrew’s list. Before the meeting, remind people to kindly leave their cell phones, PDAs and laptops at their desks. If they choose to bring them along, ask everyone to turn their devices off at the beginning of the meeting.

The rules, though simple and basic, are often missed. Try working some into your meetings to improve their effectiveness and the overall productivity of your day.

Friday Fun: Cool office gadgets and coworker gift ideas

Even while companies announce more canceled holiday parties and cut back around the office, there’s still no reason to stop spreading the holiday cheer.

One proven way to improve morale around the office - give a gift.

Whether you’re looking for something great to give your Secret Santa recipient or long-time coworker, there are a ton of cool gifts out there that they will be proud to show off on their desk all year round.

Check out these cool office gadgets and great coworker gift ideas:

• USB Coffee Warmer. Perfect for that coworker who can’t get enough of that warm, caffeine-filled goodness. Just plug the USB-powered warmer into your computer and they’ll have a nice warm cup of coffee all day long.
• USB Beverage Chiller. If it’s the colder caffeine-filled treats your coworker loves, try the USB Beverage Chiller. Works the same way the warmer does, but keeps your drinks nice and cold at your desk.
• Office carpet skates. This is the perfect gift for the Office Olympics organizer or office daredevil. The skates slip on right over your shoes and allow you to glide across carpeted surfaces. Watch this video on how it's done.
• Bright Blinds. No window in your cube? No problem. Bright Blinds are a great gift for that coworker who needs a little light in their life. Even if you’re located in the middle of a cube maze, this cool office gadget makes it look like there’s sunshine right on the other side of your cube wall.
• Water-Powered Clock. For the eco-friendly coworker always looking for new ways to be green in the office. This clock runs entirely on water, telling the time and date without any batteries at all.
• Staple-Free Stapler. Never run out of staples again with this cool little gadget. The Staple-free stapler makes a little cut at the edge and folds sheets together, making the process more neat and efficient.

When picking out that perfect something, watch out for these office gifts that could get you fired:

• Desktop Warfare Kit. Perfect for the model plane hobbyist in the office who hates to be disturbed at work. With these mini warfare devices, you can hurl paperclips at your coworkers all day long.
• Faceball. It’s like Dodgeball, but all about hitting people in the head. Not sure this one will last very long around the office, so have your fun while it lasts.
• Desktop Batting Practice. Perfect for the sports fan in the office. If you have a minute of free time at your desk, you have just enough time to practice your batting swing. Somehow, I don’t think your coworkers will enjoy the mini baseballs flying around all day.

Whatever you choose to give this year, whether it’s a cool gadget, greeting card or a simple “thank you,” be sure to show appreciation for your coworkers during the holidays and all year round. Happy Friday!

Why the happiest companies are so happy

It’s that time of the year again, about that time when most of us have started counting down the days until our upcoming holiday break. Whether it’s for a few weeks or just a few days, it will pass quickly and that first day back to the office will be a somber one.

But, what if you worked at a company where you looked forward to coming back after vacation? A place where you thought twice about taking a vacation because you enjoyed being in the office so much?

Business coach Gill Corkindale brought up those questions and others regarding happiness at work in an article I recently came across on the Harvard Business blogs. She explains how more companies in the U.S. and U.K. are taking happiness at work very seriously, despite the economic recession.

“As a business coach, I've noticed that more and more managers and leaders are expecting to derive more happiness and satisfaction from their work. They are often young, talented and successful people who view their jobs as routes to self-actualisation. Yet this shift in the purpose of work raises many questions: how much satisfaction are we entitled to derive from work? And should employers be expected to provide meaning and happiness as well as a job and salary?”

Companies are taking happiness into their own hands, and doing so with clear business motives in mind. In the article, Gill points out a research paper from a Wharton finance professor who found that U.S. companies with the happiest employees performed “notably better” financially than lower-ranked companies.

Moreover, happiness has been scientifically proven to extend our life expectancies, keep us healthier and improve productivity at work.

“Employee satisfaction is a very effective motivational tool and a powerful method of retaining key employees.”

One IT training company in the UK, aptly named Happy, has won a number of awards for being one of the most inspired places to work and for its strong focus on employee and customer relations.

Along with the power of play, happiness can help companies become a better and more enjoyable place for leaders, employees and customers to prosper. Here are just some ways Happy gets to be so happy:

• Create a positive work environment. In most companies, managers spend more time correcting employees on what they’ve done wrong than telling them what they’ve done right. Remember to tell employees ‘thank you’ for doing a great job from time to time.



• Freedom. It’s much easier to be creative without a manager standing over your shoulder watching your every move. Give employees your trust and the freedom to be creative in their everyday work.



• Outline clear expectations. Ensure that every employee under your roof knows what is expected of them and how to reach those expectations. Whether you use employee performance reviews or not, make sure employees are working toward clear goals.



• Feedback. “Feedback is crucial to job ownership,” says Gill. Make sure employees are hearing feedback from internal as well as external sources so they can take ownership in their work. Try using the 5 cent feedback experiment if you’re having trouble.



• Develop skills with training. Recruit talented people who show a positive attitude and then give them the training to develop their skills within the organization. Training is just one way to improve employee engagement and boost morale.



• Celebrate mistakes. “Saying 'I got it wrong' is a sign of responsibility and an indication of an honest and open corporate culture,” says Gill. “If people haven't made any mistakes, they probably haven't tried anything new.”

We want to know - What do you do to make your company a more enjoyable place to work? Would you use ‘happy’ to describe your office environment?

Workplace communication: Using the right words

When you tell someone, “remember the meeting time” or “don’t forget the meeting time,” you’re saying the same thing, right?

Not at all, according to Steve Roesler at All Things Workplace. The statements are different, because our brains fail to register negatives.

When you use a negative sentence like, “Don’t forget the meeting time,” your brain ignores the “don’t” and only hears “forget the meeting time.”

If you get rid of the negativity and start using the positive alternative, saying “Remember the meeting time,” your coworkers will be more likely to show up on time.

The mind wants direction, not a sense of "lack." That's why it's important to pay attention to how you say things. If I tell you that something is "not very expensive" you'll focus on "expensive."

This is how improvement efforts often get bogged down: "I want us to make fewer mistakes" translates differently than "I want to increase the accuracy of our customer service solutions by 30% before November 30."

So, instead of telling you “Don’t forget to have a Happy Thanksgiving.” I’ll simply say, “have a Happy Thanksgiving!”

How to improve morale during the holidays

Maybe it’s because of the canceled company holiday party or low year-end sales numbers, but it seems like this holiday season is lacking the same excitement surrounding past years.

Even when the economy was doing great, the holidays always have a way of distracting us from the things we need to get done around the office. With everything going on in employees’ lives outside of work, it can be tough to find the motivation to tackle that to-do list by the time New Year’s rolls around.

Here are a few tips to motivate employees and boost morale during the holidays:

• Food. Throughout the year, especially during the holidays, food has magical way of bringing people together. Hold a bake sale, coordinate a luncheon or bring in a bag of bagels for your coworkers. It’s a quick way to lift everyone’s spirits without anyone having to spend a lot of money.


• Compliments. Encourage supervisors to hand out compliments to employees when they notice positive work or achievements. Compliments are also an immediate way to lift spirits and make employees feel confident in their work. And, they’re free. Simply saying “thank you” can do wonders for employee morale.


• Holiday cards. Business holiday cards are just a small way businesses can show their appreciation for all of the hard work employees have put in throughout the year. Take a few minutes to write a hand-written message on the inside of the card to add a personal touch.


• Fun. Find simple ways to improve morale at work every day. Hold contests, bring in pizza for lunch or make up a nonsense holiday, like “Funny Hat Day.” Decorate the office with winter decorations to brighten up the office and encourage teamwork. Keep it simple, just focus on getting everyone involved and having a great time.


• Humor. Hold an event that brings some laughter into the office. Organize an office-wide activity where supervisors hand out funny awards to employees. Not every employee views formal awards as fair, or feel left out. Funny awards get everyone laughing, whether they receive an award or not. You don’t have to spend a dime on this one either. Use supplies in the office to create awards that everyone will love. A word of caution - keep awards focused on what people did well, not on something they failed to do.

Don’t wait until January 2 to start improving employee morale around the office, get going now. With simple ideas and some creativity, a little bit of effort on your part can go a long way.