Should career decisions be based on work life balance?

 

 

Recently, I was talking with a millenial who was in the middle of a job search. She thought it would be fun to work at a BMW dealership and learn all the features of the luxury cars. She imagined herself test driving the new models and playing with the gadgets inside. But when the manager of the dealership told her she would have to work many nights and weekends, she changed her mind about the job. "There is no way I'm giving up my weekends," she told me. 

My young nephew, who has been in the workforce about six months, recently told me he is not happy in his job. "I didn't expect to have to work Saturdays," he said. "I don't think I'm going to be in this job for long.

Research repeatedly has shown that millennials want work life balance. It's a huge factor in their job satisfaction. According to the 2016 Millennial Survey by Deloitte, 16.8 percent of Millennials evaluate career opportunities by good work-life balance, followed by 13.4 percent who look for opportunities to progress and 11 percent who seek flexibility (i.e., remote working and flexible hours). Millennials want the flexibility to prioritize whatever (work or life) is most important that day.

While that makes some Gen Xers and Boomers frustrated, it's a sign of the times and it's not going to change.

Still, when you think about it, isn't work life balance a concern for all of us? Workers around the globe have been finding it harder to juggle the demands of work and the rest of life in the past five years. According to the 2016 LinkedIn Censuswide Study, nearly half of American workers would give up the corner-office job and a high salary to gain more flexibility in their schedules.

Most older workers realize the more responsibility we take on as we move up the chain of command, the more we must sacrifice our work life balance. That's why the higher positions often come with higher stakes and higher pay. Sometimes though, there's a point when the pay and the job title aren't worth the lack of balance.

I have watched many people burn out and get to that point. When we no longer want to sacrifice work life balance, we have to make some tough career decisions. Now with the job market improving, I'm seeing more people make those decisions in favor of better work life balance. I'm seeing people give up promotions, change departments, change careers, and fire clients in an effort to reclaim their sanity and readjust the demands on their time. Should they make career decisions based on work life balance? If it's a priority, they should.

Today on my CindyKeepsUp blog, I wrote about how best selling author Kristin Hannah has made difficult career decisions and got them right. If we follow her lessons, we have a better chance of getting our difficult career decisions right, too.

For most employees, frustration lies with bosses who don't understand their needs:

-Millennials don't get bosses who don't realize technology frees them to work productively from anywhere.

-Gen Xers don't get why using a flexible schedule would still come with negative consequences.

-Boomers don't get co-workers who don't realize an older worker deserves a schedule that allows them to scale back but still add value to an employer.

Search the job ads and there is a LOT of language in them that advertises work life balance. Increasingly, American workers don't believe they have to choose between financial/career success or having a fulfilling personal life. Some smart employers understand that way of thinking, while others aren't responding as quickly as they need to keep their talent from leaving.

When faced with tough work life choices, it's best to think long term. It might be that your industry or role doesn't lend itself to the work life you now seek, and you have to focus on a bigger career change, not just change companies. It might be that you need to explore changing your role at your existing organization. Or it could be that you're ready to retire early, start your own business or search for a new job.

Career decisions based on work life needs are becoming increasingly common. If only more employers recognized the trend!

 

 

How to Respond to Bad Behavior in the Workplace

Bad behavior in the workplace. It’s everywhere. Talk and accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct are almost daily occurrences. What has been most surprising to me is that bad behavior seems to be prevalent in every type of profession. So, when TONE networks held an event called Workplace Playbook for Women: The right response to wrong behavior, I tuned into its Facebook Live to hear what the experts had to say.

The lineup: Liz Weaver O'Keefe,  Dr. Ramani, Valerie Grubb . Their expertise is described below.

 

 

Right out of the gate experts told us about the two types of sexual harassment:

1. Quid pro quo(meaning “this for that”)  - this type of sexual harassment occurs when it is stated or implied that an act or employment decision depends upon whether the employee submits to  conduct of a sexual nature. 
2. Hostile environment – this type of sexual harassment occurs when unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive working or learning environment

Next, came the helpful part. 

We learned strategies for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace. 

I am going to share what I learned. 

Know your company policy.

Valerie Grubb, a workplace expert, shared this insight with the audience: “Be very familiar with your employer’s policy and procedures. Information is power and you need to understand what your rights are. If you don’t follow policy you can negate your ability or rights to file for sex harassment.”

Most policies tell employees to report bad behavior immediately, usually to HR. But what happens if you don’t have an HR department or if HR tells you to suck it up and don’t rock the boat?  “Look for someone outside of HR you could go to, maybe someone in legal that you trust,” Grubb said.

Collect documentation.

Whether the bad behavior is an ongoing problem or one-time event, when you report misconduct or harassment, bring any documentation you can get. You need documentation. What should that documentation look like? Grubb said it should look like this: “Here’s what happened, here’s what I did about it.”

Have an action plan.

To tackle the bad behavior in the moment, you have options. Dr. Ramani Durvasula said she realizes that when misconduct happens, the receiver often is in state of shock and usually either screams or stays silent. “You’ve got to learn from each one of these events,” she said.  “The next time, be ready. Have your well thought out response in the back of your mind.”

If touching or groping is involved, tackle it head on, Dr. Durvasula says. For example, you could say, “Wow that was really awkward, particularly with all the headlines going on right now” or you could say, “I don’t appreciate your behavior or comment and I need it to stop.”  The important thing, she emphasized, is that you need to make them understand their behavior is not appreciated. She acknowledged that some people never will get it. “Those are more toxic individuals,” she said.

Don’t be intimidated.

It’s rather typical to worry that reporting misconduct will cost you your job, especially if the perpetrator has power. If HR is not going to help you and finding another job might not be an option, try to find a champion in your company, someone who can help you, Grubb suggested. At the end of the day, if you are telling HR legal that you have an issue and they do nothing about it,  you have to quit, she said. “If you’ve been documenting information, it might be worth going to a lawyer, or the EEOC, or legal aid.”

Stick up for others.

If you notice a male supervisor intimidating a female employee, speak up.

“Put on your women’s ears,” Dr. Durvasula said. “Listen for the interruptions when another woman is presenting a point. When she is interrupted, say ‘hey didn’t get to hear rest of what Vakl said.” Then turn toward her and ask “Val what were you going to say?”

If you see a woman being treated inappropriately, speak up to empower her. Dr. Durvasula suggests: “I’m so sorry. I just saw that and you did nothing wrong." As the doctor noted:  "When a woman is suffering, it is your business.”

Say no firmly. 

TONE network's Liz O’Keefe asked the panelist how to handle awkward date requests in the workplace. "If someone at work continues to ask you out after you have repeatedly said no, you need to be incredibly clear that you are not interested," Grubb said.  Say something like, “I don’t appreciate that you keep asking me out. I need you to stop.”

Another awkward scenario might occur when joking around turns offensive.

“I will say funny joke and someone takes to next level,” Grubb said. “That’s when you need to sit and in a calm voice have a conversation and outline the boundaries.”

Put yellers in perspective

How do you handle a yeller or screamer in the workplace? There is not a simple answer, and yet, yelling is not considered sexual harassment, even if it’s a way of asserting control. Grubb said she has handled yellers by .  O’Keefe raised the question of how to react when just the opposite occurs:  a male client or boss calls you sweetie. Dr. Durvasula offered an easy response: “Call him sweetie right back.”

To read more on handling bad workplace behavior, visit my personal blog CindyKeepsUp.com.

 

Do You Have One of the Most High Stress Jobs in America?

Enlisted Military Personnel, Firefighters, Airline Pilots and Police Officers are the four most stressful jobs of 2018!

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Hair Stylist, Audiologist and University Professor are the three lowest stress jobs of 2018!

The truth is, no job is ever going to be free from stress. Some days, it feels like just getting up and out the door for work is stressful. Am I right?

So when looking at what makes a job stressful, CareerCast identified these factors:   Being in the public eye, facing imminent risk of bodily harm to oneself or one's patient, and dealing with high travel or workplace hazards. Working for a jerk of a boss was not one of the factors but it is one that I would attribute to a stressful job.

If you're considering pursuing a less stressful job, you might want to think about the job's growth outlook. While Jeweler (#7) is a low-stress profession, it has a negative growth outlook of 3%. On the other hand, Operations Research Analyst, which comes in as the 9^th least stressful job, has a 27% growth outlook, according to CareerCast.com. 

Another consideration:  "For those who thrive on stress, one of our most stressful professions may be a good fit for you," says Kyle Kensing, Online Content Editor, CareerCast.com.

Check out the full list of CareerCast's Most and Least Stressful Jobs

Below are the top 10 lists and their growth outlook:

CareerCast's Least Stressful Jobs of 2018

Profession	Annual Median Salary	Growth Outlook	Stress Score
1. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer	$64,280	17%	5.11
2. Hair Stylist	$24,300	10%	6.61
3. Audiologist	$75,980	20%	7.22
4. University Professor	$75,430	15%	8.16
5. Medical Records Technician	$38,040	13%	8.54
6. Compliance Officer	$66,540	5%	8.78
7. Jeweler	$38,200	-3%	9.05
8. Pharmacy Technician	$30,920	12%	9.14
9. Operations Research Analyst	$79,200	27%	9.17
10. Medical Laboratory Technician	$50,930	12%	10.00

CareerCast's Most Stressful Jobs of 2018

Profession	Annual Median Salary	Growth Outlook	Stress Score
1. Enlisted Military Personnel (E3, 6+ years of experience)	$26,054	N/A	72.47
2. Firefighter	$48,030	7%	72.43
3. Airline Pilot	$105,270	4%	61.07
4. Police Officer	$61,600	7%	51.97
5. Event Coordinator	$47,350	10%	51.15
6. Reporter	$37,820	-11%	49.90
7. Broadcaster	$56,680	-1%	49.83
8. Public Relations Executive	$107,320	10%	49.44
9. Senior Corporate Executive	$181,210	8%	48.71
10. Taxi Driver	$24,300	5%	48.11

 

Will working from home work against you?

 

 

My friend has worked at home for six years. Recently, she was interviewing for her dream job when the interviewer asked her "Won't it be hard for you to work from an office again?" My friend responded that working in an office setting isn't foreign to her and she could easily adapt again.

After the interview, my friend called me concerned. "Is the fact that I've been working from home going to work against me?," she wanted to know.

It's a good question, and worth asking. For all the benefits of working from home, doing so comes with challenges. There are managers who are convinced you are lying on the couch watching television all day or overlook you to spearhead a project because "out of sight, out of mind." There are co-workers who are jealous of your work from home arrangement or who think they should earn more than you because they work harder. 

So yes, sometimes working from home will work against you. And, I suppose when hunting for a new job, having worked from home could be viewed as  negative, unless you emphasize the skills gained from working a flexible or remote job.

For example, such an arrangement takes discipline, organization, communication, adoption of new technology and a conscious effort to stay connected  -- skills you might get in the office but put into practice much more in a work-from-home arrangement. If you find yourself in a job interview, you likely will need to address this.

The good news is that working from home is becoming increasingly more common -- which hopefully means the stigma around it will fade. A 2017 Gallup survey found more American employees are working remotely, and they are doing so for longer periods. Indeed, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely, according to the survey of more than 15,000 adults.

We all know about how some companies have struggled with how much to embrace remote work. Yahoo and Aetna are very public examples of companies that received attention when they brought workers back to the office. But recent news stories have reported that in the best job market in a decade, employers are adding more remote workers. Online job board FlexJobs.com has listings for remote workers for large companies and small employers in cities across the country.

As someone who works from home, I have experienced the benefits and the challenges of the arrangement. I miss schmoozing with co-workers but I love making my own schedule each work day. I can firmly say most of us who work from home thrive upon it and will even argue that we work much harder than our counterparts in the office. Yes, in some instances working from home can work against you. But as flexible work arrangements become more utilized as a way to fill positions, more managers will experience the talents workers can contribute regardless of their location.

What are your experiences with working from home? Have you been penalized in any way for it?

 

Shelley Zalis Shares Insight on the Power of Female Connections

Shelley Zalis sits comfortably on the auditorium stage of the Celebrity Equinox cruise ship docked in Miami. The audience of more than 200 women are hanging on her every word in this unique venue for a women’s leadership event.  I am among them, trying to absorb every morsel of business wisdom this go-against-the-grain leader has for us.

Zalis, is the former chief executive of a Hollywood research firm and the leader of an effort to advance corporate women.  After the $71 million sale of her research firm to a bigger entity, Zalis has moved on to her next big thing. She has become the founder of the Girls’ Lounge, which she started four years ago as a gathering spot for women at the International Consumer Electronics Show when she invited women to meet in her room, and bring girlfriends. This year, Zalis, who lives in Los Angeles, will take the Girls’ Lounge to nearly a dozen major business events. In addition, Zalis also heads TheFemaleQuotient.com, a consulting firm that helps companies advance gender equality in their workplaces.

Zalis tells the audience: “There is a place in heaven for those women who help other women. There is power in collaboration. I have seen it in action. Mentorship is not from the top down or the bottom up. It is the wisdom we learn from people all around us.” 

Seated on stage next to Zalis is Katie Kempner, another formidable business woman who asks Zalis the questions on all our minds. In the next hour, the women attending The Commonwealth Institute South Florida 14th Annual Leadership Luncheon hear how to break the rules and profit from it, how to spot a need and launch a business to fill it, and how to create a support team of women to bolster your chances of success.

Here is what I learned from Zalis:

Break the rules: 

Zalis is not one to abide by the rules of business, particularly those that exclude women. It is how she built a company, started a movement and landed a show on Bloomberg television called Walk the Talk.  “I break the rules to create new ones,” she said. “Doing it for the first time is scary, especially when you have no formula for success.” Initially, Zalis tried to conform to the male business world.  Early in her career, she dressed in conservative clothing like the men, until she met Penelope Queen, a well-known researcher, who greeted her in a purple leather suit. “That’s when I realized you cannot create the new norm if you follow the same patterns.”

 

Think carefully about opting out:

Zalis realizes the tension of work life shows no signs of easing and recognizes companies are losing great leaders to caregiving. She explains that women are opting out to care for children or parents when they reach middle management levels. About the time they become mid-level managers, women are gaining responsibility at home and work. “They have three choices. To opt into leadership, they must conform to rules that make no sense, or they can leave to start their own company, or they can opt out completely,” she said. “If they opt out completely, getting back in is difficult. They never get back to where they were.” As a consultant, Zalis is working with companies to change the dynamics, something she says will happen in small steps.

Take diversity seriously:

Zalis believes it is of critical importance to have women in executive leadership where they provide a healthy counterbalance to the men.  Diversity is good for business, Zalis explains.  Yet, she realizes that male leaders need to believe in advancing women, and follow through with action. “It takes a leader saying I want to be better. I will be better, but I need to be conscious about being better.”  The first step toward a mindset shift is not a drastic change. “It’s a leadership conversation about where we are and what we want to work on first,” she said

  

Be confident:

Women often have an obnoxious roommate in their heads telling them they aren’t qualified to take a risk or make a change, Zalis says. She warns women not to listen to that voice. “Perfection does not exist and if it does, it’s boring. Blemishes make you interesting,” she said. “Believe in yourself. Be yourself. If you’re not perfect have people around you who complement you.”

  

Encourage mandatory parental leave:

Zalis said mandatory parental leave would create a more level playing field in the workplace. Hiring bosses would be less skeptical of hiring young women, and men would be better positioned to help more at home. “The rules were written 100 years ago, by men for men. We need to cut the cord and move forward. With mandatory parental leave, the bias against women kicks out. We must go in that direction if we want a modern workplace for today’s modern workforce.”

  

Take risks:

In her first job, Zalis said she took a risk by doing the sales job her way, thinking she had a perfect performance and insisting she deserved a raise. Her boss did not see her performance the same way.  “It was the worst review I have ever gotten. My boss told me I was spending too much time with clients. I told him, ‘You’re so wrong. Relationships are what business is about.’ “ Now, she does a job the way she thinks it should be done, even if it hasn’t been done that way before. “I love getting uncomfortable. I am comfortable being uncomfortable because I know I am trying something new.”

 

Stay relevant:

At 53, Zalis is gaining momentum, making connections and moving in a new direction. Zalis recommends trying something new as often as possible. “Invite a new person to dinner. Watch a different kind of movie. Try a different type of food. That’s how you evolve and stay interesting. If you do the same thing you don’t evolve and you get boring.”

 

During our short time with Zalis, she has helped the audience of businesswomen see her as the girlfriend who has our back, our inspiration for banning with other women, and a mentor for those who want to take risks and embrace change. Most of us will walk away acknowledging her guiding principle: “A woman alone has power, together we have impact.” Now, it will be up to us to act on it.

 

Hurricane Irma is coming, must I go to work?

As South Florida prepares for the hurricane coming our way, many people want or need time off to start preparing their homes. And as the week goes on, the schools may close before our workplaces shut leaving us with no childcare. It's only natural to wonder what the law is about employers requiring we go to work. I wanted to repost an article I wrote in 2008 for The Miami Herald that may help answer questions on employees' minds.

Storm's here: must I go to work?

Each hurricane season workers have to juggle their jobs with preparing for a storm. But many have three big questions about work: Do I have to go? Will I be paid? What do I do with my kids? The Miami Herald spoke to a few local labor lawyers to get their input.

Q: I need to miss work to prepare for the hurricane . Can I be fired? Will I be paid?

A: Yes, you can be fired. Florida is an employment-at-will state, which means that an employee can legally be terminated for any reason other than discrimination or actions like whistle blowing.

Getting paid will depend on your job classification. Hourly workers are paid only for time worked, so employers aren't legally obligated to pay you anything if you're not at work. If you are a salaried employee (and don't get overtime), an employer can force you to use your vacation time.

Q: My boss says I have to work during the storm. Can I be fired if I refuse?

A: Yes. Again, because Florida is an employment-at-will state. Still, while several lawyers say they can't think of a law that makes it illegal to force employers to work during a storm, they often advise common sense on the part of employers during a hurricane . A good rule of thumb is if the people in charge of the business don't want to be out on the roads, no employee should have to be.

Employers should post a hurricane work policy so everyone gets treated the same. If your employer isn't doing that, ask for a policy. Mark Cheskin, a labor lawyer at Hogan Lovells in Miami who represents employers, said he would tell employees to approach the boss and ask what the policy is to make clear you understand your workplace's rules. Cheskin said employers should make the rules clear for all employees.

Q: Can I be forced to use vacation days or personal days during a hurricane , even if the business is closed?

A: Yes, if you are a salaried employee (and don't get overtime) and your place of business is closed because of the hurricane for less than a week. According to the new Department of Labor opinion, employers can ask workers to use vacation time, which can include personal days, even if the workplace is closed. The only good news: According to the new opinion, if you have run out of vacation time, or won't have enough left to make up the time missed, then your employee has to pay you for the entire week.

Q: School is closed, most day-care centers are closed, and I don't have a place to put my kids. Can I bring them with me to work?

A: Your boss isn't obligated to provide room for your children. In fact, labor lawyer Cheskin thinks he would tell his clients that's not a great idea.

"I'd probably advise my clients not to do it, we don't want to have that kind of liability," said Cheskin. But, he says, that's "completely up to the employer".

Q: My workplace is closed before the storm and says it will reopen afterward. Will I be paid?

A: Again, it depends on whether you are a hourly or salaried worker. Companies aren't obligated to pay hourly workers, although after last year's storms, several did. In most cases, employers are obligated to pay salaried workers a full week's salary, even if they are closed, but they can make you use your vacation or personal days.

Many labor lawyers, even those who represent employers, say that companies that follow the letter of the law risk seriously damaging employee morale.

While it often depends on the size of the company, if an employer can afford to pay the workers, it's probably best to do so, says Michael Casey, a labor lawyer with Duane Morris in Miami.

"It's more difficult for small employers to pay people who don't work a couple of days. Larger companies are better positioned to absorb those extra costs," he said, but added: "Most employers want to treat people fairly and help them. This would be a good time to do that."

How to survive a hostile workplace

A friend works for a woman who has made her work life difficult. Rather than bringing any concerns directly to my friend, the woman goes above her and complains to their boss. The boss then scolds my friend. This has happened repeatedly and my friend now wants to leave her job, convinced the woman is a backstabber.

I suspect there are other people who have been in a similar scenario. People skills seem to be diminishing and more employees are complaining about toxic co-workers and bosses.

Let's say that you find yourself in an unpleasant workplace situation like my friend wondering...what's the best way to handle a workplace bully or office backstabber? A Fast Company article titled,  5 Common Workplace Bullies and How to Deal with Them, may help. As the article points out, sometimes, you have to keep detailed notes of someone's behavior. Other times the best way to survive is to find another supervisor or leader in the company who can intervene on your behalf.

I asked workplace culture expert Jerry Acuff, founder of Delta Point in Scottsdale, Arizona, for his thoughts on how to handle workplace conflicts, office backstabbers and toxic co-workers. He had some helpful suggestions.

1. Try to build a  better relationship with the backstabber or the co-workers causing you grief. It may be painful to do, but Acuff says you might say something like..."We don't  have the relationship I wish we did and I'd like to change that."

2. Have a courageous conversation. If you have made the decision that improving your relationship is not possible, have a courageous conversation. "Make it clear you will not be treated like that," Jerry says.

3. Build relationships with company leaders, people in positions of authority. "Sometimes that means taking on assignments that are important to senior level people, such as chairing the company United Way campaign," Jerry says. "You have to try to insulate yourself from the idiots and backstabbers. 

4. Address the issue head on. Jerry says confront the person causing the conflict and turn the tables. You could ask something such as... "Why did you put me in that situation? I can't imagine you would want someone to do that to you."

5. Consult a mentor. "You will always find people looking to get ahead, or people who got ahead and don't have training. "If someone is putting you in a bad light in your workplace, you may have to face it head on and figure out the best way to do that.  That's where a mentor is valuable," Jerry said.

I asked Jerry if he thinks you can tame an office backstabber. It's a question I have been pondering for years as workers in various professions complain about toxic people their workplaces.

"I think you can at times, but it depends on how evil the person is," Jerry said.  "Trust is rare. I  am not saying be skeptical, but rather be real."

If it is not one person who is toxic, but rather the workplace itself, you may feel comforted in knowing many others feel that way, too. A new study of 3,066 workers by the Rand Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Los Angeles, found many Americans feel their workplace is grueling, stressful and surprisingly hostile.

The Associated Press reported the findings earlier this week and summed up the study's bullet points:

Among the findings:

— Nearly one in five workers — a share the study calls "disturbingly high" — say they face a hostile or threatening environment at work, which can include sexual harassment and bullying. Workers who have to face customers endure a disproportionate share of abuse.

 — Nearly 55 percent say they face "unpleasant and potentially hazardous" conditions.

— Nearly three quarters say they spend at least a fourth of their time on the job in "intense or repetitive physical" labor. "I was surprised at how physically demanding jobs were," says lead author Nicole Maestas, a Harvard Medical School economist.

— Telecommuting is rare: 78 percent say they are required to be present in their workplace during working hours.

— Only 38 percent say their jobs offer good prospects for advancement. And the older they get, the less optimistic they become.

— About half say they work on their own time to meet the demands of their job.

I always enjoy hear from people who feel their co-workers are their second family. It makes going to work so much better. If you are someone who feels camaraderie with co-workers, consider yourself fortunate. If you aren't, it might be time to make a change.

 

 

 

How Good Office Design Can Help with Stress and Work Life Balance

If you are stressed out at work, it may be because your office is designed in a way that creates tension. You may not have even considered that, right? 

Today, my guest is Juliana Fernandez, founder and principal of AEI U.S. Studio, the North American office of AEI, a world-class commercial design firm that is among the largest in Latin America. She has a lot to say about how the way office design affects our stress levels and how the right design can help with our work life balance.

Juliana has led office design projects in Miami, Latin America and New York and has more than 22 years of experience. Her clients include Microsoft, Coca Cola and Holland & Knight. So, let's talk design....

By Juliana Fernandez

As employees spend more time working and staying connected to their jobs 24-7 via
smartphones, tablets and desktops, the boundaries between work-life balance are
becoming blurred. This has sparked a need for employers to take responsibility to address how their office environment plays a critical role in employee health.

From my day-to-day experience as a design professional, I have found that establishing
an office space where employees desire to spend their time is important. I have repeatedly experienced that even the smallest office changes speak to the value of making employee wellbeing a priority.

Yet, design is often overlooked when considering the foundation of improving burnout
rates and promoting healthy retention. This is unfortunate, as I have seen how
innovative workspaces can improve wellness and alleviates stress, while ultimately
encouraging movement, getting employees out from behind their desks, and fostering
interaction among colleagues.

At our firm, we employ in-house psychologists and anthropologists to design office
spaces that combat the stressful environment of workplaces to encourage and support
employee health and well-being. Our team possesses extensive experience in
workplace strategies, organizational culture and worker behavior. In fact, these
psychological elements should ideally play an integral role in today’s office design
process.

To really make a positive impact in the workplace environment and reduce employees’
stress in the office, here are the fundamental design factors that I have found to be
tremendously effective:

 Provide Natural Light. Give employees as much access to natural air and light as possible, which has proven to decrease headaches and respiratory diseases. Some ways this can be achieved include creating offices near the windows, opening closed office spaces up with the addition of glass, and moving closed rooms toward the core of
building.

 Design for Egronomics. Take ergonomics into account by using the right office furniture to minimize muscular and bone diseases. Effective ergonomic design can contribute to reduction in muscle and nerve issues. For corporate design clients, I
typically implement adjustable computer screens in terms of height and distance
to make people feel comfortable and to improve their visual acuity.

 Factor in space use.  Consider how to stay dynamic by balancing work and social spaces. This allows employees to choose where and how to work and empowers them – leading to increased job satisfaction and significant stress reduction. Also, where possible, incorporate game areas and intriguing breakrooms to give employees another reason to stay engaged and satisfied at work.

 Consider worker needs. Determine team needs based on your specific profession and culture. Give periodic surveys to employees to understand their work space desires. If
possible, work with a crew of anthropologists to collect observations, interviews,
questionnaires and results from ‘Design Thinking’ workshops – led by design
firms such as ours – AEI U.S. Studio. I have found that this process ultimately
acknowledges the relationship between spaces, workers and organizational
culture, by analyzing if they complement each other or on the contrary they send
opposite messages.

Ultimately, my years as a design professional have taught me that creating
work spaces that reduce stress, increase healthy habits, support the physical welfare
of employees, and maximize productivity and lifestyle –  requires the buy in of a socially responsible employer. If created and executed properly, thoughtful office
design has proven to be a powerful tool to support employee performance, one that I
have found to be key for surviving the digital uprise.

 

Offices of Globant in San Francisco

Monday already? 5 work life tips to get you through the week

 

There’s always a strange feeling waking up on a Monday morning. The week ahead has so much promise —  and in a way that can be scary. Will this be the week I get to leave work in time to take an evening bike ride? Will this be the week I land that big customer or make progress on that project I am working on? 

It could be. Here are some ways you can make it happen. If, you get started today.

1. Get In the Right Mindset

The first way to have a better Monday is get in the right mindset.  Are you dreading the things that might stop this from becoming a great week? Envision yourself waking up Saturday morning happy, ready to enjoy the day because you had a great week. Start Monday off by saying, “I will be happy on Saturday if I…” Now, however you filled in the blank, think positive and focus on making that happen. 

2. Get clear on your purpose

Now, to wake up happy on Saturday means you did your usual multitude of tasks during the week, but you did them with a purpose in mind. As Eric Barker writes in Time Magazine: Ask yourself, “How does what I do benefit others?” 

Barker says even without getting a new job or working for a charity you can find purpose. He notes that Duke professor Dan Ariely suggests “reframing your experience.” You might not be able to change what you have to do but you can change how you see it. And when you look at it through the lens of how it can help others, you’ll often find more motivation.

3. Gain Control

It is so unbelievably easy to feel overwhelmed driving to work on Monday, or driving home. Maybe you begin making a mental checklist of all the things you want or need to get done. Maybe you make a digital or paper list. Regardless, your mind is racing and the list is growing long. Stop. Take a breath. Think bigger. Set goals for the week. Specific, realistic goals. Ask yourself, “What could I get done this week that would give me a sense of accomplishment? Focus on those few, specific goals.

4. Energize Yourself

On Monday mornings, I’m already thinking about ways I’m going to treat myself during the week. Even if I have a ton of work to get done, I need something to motivate me. It could be a mid-week coffee break with a friend. It could be Friday night happy hour with my husband. It could be a book I’m going to start reading together with my son. It’s amazing how Mondays are easier to get through knowing there is something to look forward to during the week.

5. Plan for Positive Interaction

We all have people who annoy us. It’s an inevitable part of life. On Monday, imagine the next conversation with that person during the week going well. Plan on taking a deep breath or pausing before you respond to anything he or she says, and then choosing what you are going to say rather than reacting from anger or showing signs of irritation. Reacting to a rude person is a waste of time, as is letting your concern over the interaction put you in a grumpy mood for the week. You have the power to change that — before it happens.

 

It's easier than you think to start the week of right. So, think positive and ask yourself, "Will I wake up on Saturday morning feeling like I have had a productive, awesome week?" I think your answer will be yes. To read more of my tips, visit my website: BalanceGal.com

 

Golin shares how it helps employees with work life balance

When you run a business that employs millennials, work life balance is critical. Without it, turnover is greater and loyalty is lower. So, I love to hear how businesses handle this challenge. Today, we're going to find out.

My guest blogger is Flavia Vigio, executive director for Miami and Latin America for Golin, a global PR firm. Flavia has worked in Latin America and Italy and has seen different cultures in action. In her position at Golin, she works with global clients and has many employees who look up to her. 

Golin has made some changes in the way it operates to encourage work life balance and today, Flavia will share them with us.

                    

 

 

Going All In

At Golin, our motto is to “go all in” so in April 2016 we chose to launch a number of initiatives that aimed at promoting a good work life balance  as part of a program we call Life Time. Life Time is Golin’s official commitment to honor and revere life experiences – one’s “life time” – as a foundation of life at Golin. We go all in for our clients. But this was our moment to go all in for our employees, too.

It was an important perspective shift – away from the decades-old tenure-based benefits program to a trust-based, mutually beneficial relationship. Every suggestion from employees became fair game to be considered. The results led Golin to introduce unlimited time off, enhanced family care, extended health and wellness programs and work-from-anywhere flexibility.

Has the culture and engagement changed? The answer is yes.

In the past year, members of our Miami team have chosen to explore Machu Picchu, take historic tours of Savannah or lounge on Bahamian islands only accessible by boat. And just as important for balance, staff members have had "Life Time" days to deal with personal emergencies or losses within families without having to be constantly preoccupied about the number of vacation days remaining in a ledger.

Unlimited time off – which had never been offered globally by any other agency – can, of course, be perplexing. We found that the key to success is setting expectations correctly, sharing goals with teams, assuring everyone will do their best and building a mutually supportive culture around flexibility, respect and trust.

Our teams today have stronger and more beneficial communications protocols in place to support the work-from-anywhere flexibility offering --- something more and more of the workforce says makes a real difference. Now each employee, regardless tenure or title, can choose to work from anywhere one day a week.

Finally, our extended health and wellness benefit offers a monthly stipend for exercise, wellness or peace-of-mind activities. Those activities are determined by each employee so they can achieve their own personal balance.  They range from gym memberships to singing lessons, language courses to yoga retreats, photography classes to pet-sitting services.

The "Life Time" program not only helped us attract new employees at Golin, it has helped us retain talented people who might not have been able to fit their careers into their lives before. And it’s great to work with people who want to be here. Our founder, Al Golin, said it best, “Happy people make happy clients.” And we believe that we give our best when we are at our best. Today, this may mean having “me time.” Tomorrow, it might mean doubling down on our work in support of our clients.

In the pursuit of balance, there’s something to be said for those businesses that “go all in.”

 

Golin team at Corporate Run!