Whittle down scheduling time
Two online tools to help you manage schedules when everyone isn’t on the same calendar system: Meeting Agent and Shiftboard.
Year: 2009
Left behind while others work at home?
Workers can feel left behind when some employees are “allowed” to work from home, while they are firmly planted at the office. “The co-worker who has to stay behind has to get over that, as much as a manager has to get over the idea that the only way to manage is by ‘face time,’” says Rose Stanley, an employee benefits specialist with WorldatWork.
File organizing: Plow through the paper backlog
Chip away at a paper pile by first flipping the stack upside down, so the oldest material is on top. It’s easier to toss out old things. Break down a large pile into one-inch piles. Attack the first one-inch pile by reviewing each piece and asking these four questions:
More employees working from home
More Americans are working from home, even if they aren’t doing it very often, according to a recent survey by WorldatWork. The proliferation of high-speed connectivity and hand-held devices—as well as gas prices—is fueling the trend.
3 tips to keep the audience engaged
“It’s one thing to keep a crowd engaged for two minutes, but two hours—or more—requires a different set of techniques,” says communications coach Carmine Gallo in BusinessWeek. So if you’re preparing a PowerPoint presentation, remember Gallo’s rules for keeping an audience captivated:
‘Rearrange’ co-workers’ bad habits
You’ve tried sending out memos, putting up posters and issuing gentle reminders, but nothing keeps employees from leaving their extra papers behind at the copier. You feel like a den mother, constantly cleaning up after everyone. What’s the best way to get people to change their habits? Change their environment.
Books to feed your soul
We know your to-do list is overflowing, but here’s a list of books to help you boost your energy level, be more content and focus on priorities:
How to write a resolution
A resolution is a formal way of saying what your group is going to do, or what its position is. The format is: title and number, "whereas" clauses and "resolved" clauses. Here’s the protocol and some formatting tips …
What’s a ‘tickler’ file?
What exactly is a tickler file, and what’s the best way to use one? We liked the answer one administrative assistant, Bonnie, gave on our online forum, Admin Pro Forum.
Finding the silver lining in a recession
In this recession, how can anyone feel upbeat? Experts say the secret is to stop trying to fill your days with moments of pleasure. For example, spend $20 on an experience rather than an item. Here are more tips for being happier: