Category Archives: Office Trends

Simple Ways to Show Appreciation in the Office

Posted on by
Reply

Everyone loves to be appreciated, especially for the work they do in the office. Take some time to appreciate your fellow employees with one of these examples!

Hand-written Notes

By living in such a tech-savvy world, we are used to sending and receiving so many emails that it typically is the main resource for sending out a thank-you to someone that deserves it. Odds are, whoever is receiving this thank-you will quickly scan the message then trash it. Try taking the time to write out a nice letter, it shows that you are appreciative enough of this person that you would take the time out to do something nice for them.

Thank you post-it notes in many different languages.

Small Gestures

A small gesture respecting someone’s comfort and convenience can mean a lot. Even taking an employee’s empty cup or paperwork for them can make their day just a little bit better.

Acknowledge Absences

We all know that when employees take a vacation or even a sick day, their work gets added to your to-do list. Instead of getting frustrated about it, take the work happily then when the person returns, let them know how much they were missed and how important their contribution is to the office.

Give it back

Make sure that when you borrow someone’s supplies that you return them as soon as you are done with them. Don’t let the lender feel annoyed and inconvenienced.

Clean it up

On a busy day, it is really tempting to leave your dishes in the break room sink or your files piled on the conference room table. Schedule some time in your day to clean up your mess, it shows that you respect and appreciate the shared spaces in the office.

Offer Public Praise

Look for opportunities to pay small, genuine compliments around the office. Everyone loves to be told that they did a great job or look great and sometimes those are just what a person needs to brighten their day.

Give Second Chances

Everyone makes mistakes, so show people that you trust them to make things right the second time around.

Celebrate Milestones

You don’t need to shower your colleagues with gifts, but just taking the time to go to them and say “congratulations” on their personal and professional milestones can mean a lot to them.

Leave a Lagniappe

A lagniappe is a small, inexpensive gift such as a flower, hand-drawn doodle, or even a post-it note with a smile on it. Small gestures can make a big difference on a hard day.

Source: https://www.inc.com

Whiteboard vs Glassboard – Which is Right for You?

Posted on by
Reply

So you want to update your workspace, or you’re looking to add some collaboration tools to your office.  A board for writing down ideas or to-do lists is just what you need! With many choices now available for dry-erase boards, it can be hard to determine which one is right for you.  Here, we’ve broken down the differences in all the options available and describe the pros and cons of each to help you narrow down the best option for you. 

Whiteboards

First we start with the more traditional, Whiteboards.  You may be surprised to learn that not every whiteboard is made equal.  Here you have 3 different material options:

  1. Porcelain – these durable boards have a smooth porcelain surface and steel-backing to make the board magnetic. The porcelain is non-porous, which prevents ink from penetrating the surface and permanently staining. Porcelain boards are heavier than the other options, which will require a sturdy place to mount the board and multiple people to help with the installation.
  2. Painted Steel – these are your classic-style whiteboards and most commonly found.  Made with a steel-backing, then coated with a white base colour and clear coating which gives the board its dry-erase ability.  These boards do not last as long as porcelain, but with consistent cleaning the life of the surface can be extended.
  3. Melamine – these are the most cost effective whiteboards and ideal for personal or occasional use.  Melamine boards are not magnetic and the surface coating is not as durable as the other whiteboard options. 

Glassboards

Glassboards tend to be more expensive than whiteboards but glassboards are generally longer lasting, more durable and have a premium look within an office environment.

Made with tempered glass, these boards are extremely durable and will not scratch or dent.  The smooth glass surface will not leave stains or ghosted writing behind.

Although they are the more expensive option, their longevity and high quality make them a good investment.

Board Comparison Chart

Source:  https://www.quartet.com/quartet-blog/buyers-guide/the-difference-between-whiteboard-surface-types/

How to Handle Stress – Some tips to help bring the balance back!

Posted on by
Reply

We all lead busy lives so it is important that we take responsibility for our health and learn how to cope with stress when it hits. There are four pillars of health – mental, physical, financial and career – that each person needs to keep in balance. It will make a large impact on a person if two of the four pillars are in negative territory which results in a drop of productivity.

The first step in keeping balance is to build resilience by exercising, eating properly, and spending time in nature. If you are able to build resilience, you will have more psychological wellness and if you are hit by stress, you won’t be impacted as hard. Another thing you can do is check out your company’s employee assistance program to get a rating for your health. The program helps to find the aspects of a person’s life that are causing stress. Once the cause is determined, the company’s employee assistance program can provide you with the help you need, such as a councilor or financial planner.

Businessman Dealing With Stress

Three steps to reduce day-to-day stress:

1. Learn tactics to reduce stress

If you find that you are stressed because of a large list of tasks you have to complete or by a large project, try breaking them into smaller chunks and tackle each task one at a time. Typically when a person is able to check off finished work at a relatively fast rate, they start to feel more productive and less stressed.

2. Deal immediately with a tough task

It’s best to tackle a tough task as soon as possible, as we tend to let our heads get the best of us. Instead of waiting until the end of the day to deal with your “to-do” project, deal with it as early as you can. By dealing with tasks right away, we save ourselves a day of stress and worrying.

3. Know when to ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re feeling stressed and aren’t sure what to do. There will always be someone willing to help.

Seven steps to building resilience

1. Exercise

Exercise is always important, especially when stressed. It helps to clear your mind and get rid of stress by allowing you to calm your breathing. Exercises such as yoga and streching helpsthe body and mind relax.

Try starting off with going for a half-hour walk every day. If you feel stressed during work, take some time out of your lunch break to take a walk. If you’re able to, try to arrange walking meetings or have a friendly office competition by having all colleagues wear pedometers and see who can take the most steps in a week.

2. Eat right

Make sure you’re eating the proper amount of food and nutrients your body needs. You don’t want to be under eating or overeating as that can make an impact on stress and lead to other problems.

3. Get enough sleep

Everything is harder when we are running on little sleep, so it is important to get quality sleep every night.

4. Spend time with friends and family

Take the time to spend time with friends as family as they can help take your mind off of the every day routine and make you feel better overall.

5. Spend time in nature

Spending time in nature allows us to refocus, relax, and get away from technology and other collaborative means of staying “connected” to everything.

6. Focus on spirituality

Whether through organized religion, star-gazing, meditating or simply time spent contemplating life, give yourself a chance to stop and think about topics beyond the daily routine.

7. Be involved with your community

Helping others helps us feel better about ourselves.