According to a 2007 survey from Salary.com, Americans waste about 20% of their time at work. And a chunk of that wasted time comes from surfing the Internet. One journalist writer, in a quest to find out where her time was going, tried out four online services that track productivity. Here’s what she learned from that experience.
Being afraid to ask for help can land you in deep water. So learning how to ask for help—and doing it right—is critical to your success as an administrative professional. Asking for help doesn’t have to make you look dumb. In fact, it shows you have good judgment, and that you’re aware of what you don’t know.
As Administrative Professionals Day arrives on April 21, it’s an ideal time to reflect on your ever-evolving role—and to shine a spotlight on your myriad contributions to the workplace. You may think everyone knows that you’re a huge contributor, but it’s possible they don’t. That’s why you need to brag a little—in the right way.
Hold more-focused meetings… Keep emoticons out of business communication … Find salary information for administrative positions in your area … Save money on printing … Avoid this grammar trap … Receive the credit you deserve …
More than half of workers believe their work status would be negatively affected if they sought treatment for a range of health problems, according to a recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association. For example, the percentage who fear the stigma of seeking treatment for alcoholism is 73%, and for depression, 62%. One way to change existing stigmas? Raise awareness.
As people around the world continue to send aid to Haiti, in the wake of a 7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12, an appointment coordinator at Imperial Sugar Co. recently joined the effort by arranging the donation of more than 5,000 pounds of the sweetener. Brenda Rose used her organizational and “powers of persuasion” skills to work through the logistical challenges of delivering pure cane granulated sugar to Haiti.
Question: “We have an individual who whistles almost nonstop at an ear piercing level. I have asked him politely not to whistle so loud. He refuses saying he has a right. I finally asked management to do something but they refuse. Now when he wants to get under my skin he will start whistling loudly. The tension in our shop is unbearable and others have complained. Is there some workplace standard addressing whistling? I can’t imagine any of my supervisors allowing someone to whistle at will in their office, but because I am in a carpenter shop on an airbase they don’t feel we deserve the same standards.” — David Sota
Question from the editors: “We’re thinking about hosting a webinar on using the Bibliography Tool in Word 2007. Do you use this new feature that allows users to create a list of cited works that will then be available in every new document? Would you use it if you knew how? Would you be interested in a training webinar on how to use it?” — Forum editors
Question: “In our company, employees never receive raises. We only get quarterly bonuses for meeting specific goals. Although the CEO says "we couldn’t do it without you," he makes no effort to improve our salaries. This job provides valuable experience in a profession that I love, so I hate to think about leaving. I really enjoy my work, my co-workers and the relaxed environment. On the other hand, my pay is still very low after two years. Any advice?” — Worth More
As part of
HR Professionals Week, our sister newsletter,
The HR Specialist, is collecting tales of what can go wrong when candidates sit down opposite an HR professional or hiring manager. So far, we’ve heard stories about kittens, nail polish and the police. Share your story — from either side of the interview desk — at the
HR Specialist Forum this week.
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