Category Archives: Office Tips

Job Satisfaction – Factors That Matter

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Are you happy with your current career or position? What makes it a good or bad path?

LinkedIn, the most prolific professional networking and recruiting social media network has compiled a study that looks into the most motivating (and  least motivating) factors that influence job satisfaction.

According to their summary there are 3 most and least important factors in professionals accepting a new job:

3 Most Important Factors

1. Better Compensation & Benefits

This is a no-brainer, everyone likes to get paid and be covered to some extent. Having a comprehensive package of both income and benefits is the main deciding factor when accepting a new job role. Benefits do not necessarily mean just insurance: does your employer provide holiday bonuses? Profit sharing? Social events? Recognize employees for their hard work and dedication? Going this extra mile can be the difference in attracting and keeping great talent.

2. Good Work/Life Balance

Usually the hardest one to establish: how many paid vacation days do you have? Does your employer have flex time? Sick or personal days for every-day appointments or needs? Giving employees flexibility is crucial as most people have busy personal lives that are demanding. Similarly, having the ability to cover an employee that goes on a two or three week vacation can ensure less “burn-out” and higher work-life balance. What is the point of having vacation if you cannot use it for a trip that you want – regardless of duration!

3. Opportunities for Advancement

While not the biggest influencing factor, but opportunities for advancement can help keep you motivated and working hard towards both; a personal and corporate goal. It is a situation that benefits both you and the employer (as they get to promote someone from the inside who is already familiar with their organization).

3 Least Important Factors

1. Job Title

While titles like Director and VP do sound nice, they are not at all motivators for job satisfaction. Position is no longer important as is the type of work, challenge and atmosphere that an employee is in.

2. Office Location

With the advent of computers, commuting and other technology, location has also gone down in importance. Some workplaces offer work-from home schedules and virtual offices which makes it easy for employees to get work done even if they are not in the office.

3. Relationship With Manager

This may be the most surprising factor that does not play a big role, but majority of people do not place their relationship with the manager as important. It is the work and challenge that they achieve which matters more. Surprising since majority of employees have to not only report to their managers, but work with them on a daily basis to get projects done effectively and on time.

Job Satisfaction Factors

Original Source of Infographic: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231693

How To De-Stress With Smart Food Choices

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The start of a new year usually means that increased amounts of work, overtime, staying true to resolutions and other factors can cause higher levels of stress in your life. While a certain amount of stress is healthy and leads to being productive – too much of it can cause you to burn out, have mood swings and feel fatigued.

how-to-destress-with-food

A recent article talks about certain food habits that can help you eliminate stress and help keep your mind focused and body energized. The following steps can be incorporated into your daily routine:

1. Don’t Skip Breakfest

This is probably a no-brainer; eating breakfast gives you energy to start the morning and helps you feel awake. A good breakfast should include grains, protein and a healthy fat (ie. avocado).

2. Eat Five Times a Day

Eating often during the day helps keep your brain and body fueled for the entire day. Skipping a meal or eating at two extremes of the day (morning and night) can cause fatigue and drop in blood sugar levels.

3. Snack Wisely

Fruits, nut, whole-grain snacks are much better than candy bars, pop and high-processed sugar foods.

4. Boost Vitamins

B and C vitamins help mobilize stored energy for instant energy results and have shown improved, positive mental and physical reactions to stress compared to people who lack in these vitamins.

5. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol

Too much of both (or each) can reduce mental focus and cause problems in sleep patterns, resulting in fatigue or tiredness. Switching to decaf or tea is a great alternative, and limiting yourself to one caffeinated drink per day can show significant results.

De-Cluttering Your Office

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Research shows physical clutter damages your ability to focus and limits your brain’s ability to process information.

In order to make the year of 2014 a successful one, it’s important to start it off right. This means optimizing your workplace environment by removing clutter, and therefore stress, while boosting productivity through habits of organization.

It is so easy to become buried in paperwork, despite living in the era of the “paperless office.” One of the most important steps in de-cluttering your office is creating a file organization system. Here are three file organization tips:

1. Create a Daily Document System

Try labeling several folders at your desk by day of the week so you know what has to get done and filed away each day.

2. Designate a Filing Cabinet for Regular Files

Have a designated spot for important documents, and get into the habit of putting files away immediately, rather than allowing them to collect on your desk.

3. Keep Only What You Need at Arm’s Length

Store past client documents or any files you will not be continuously referring to throughout the year in an office file storage area.

For more tips on office organization, see the infographic below.