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BFF’s or Just Until Your Next Job

Developing friendships is inevitable, especially when you spend 40+ hours a week with the same people. Friends in the workplace can make those long hours in the office more bearable, can increase team morale and productivity and even help create a supportive workplace environment. However, there are pros and cons to every relationship and if workplace friendships go sour they can often have a devastating effect.

So, how should you go about navigating the volatile world of workplace friendships? There are a few simple guidelines that when followed can lead to a happy and productive workplace environment.

Recognize that personal and professional friendships are NOT the same.
It is never advisable to be too personal and emotional, as this can blur the lines between professional and personal friendships. Be discreet and careful about what you choose to divulge, being too open could come back to haunt you if the friendship fizzles. When co-workers are faced with choosing their source of income or keeping their friends confidences, more often then not, they will choose their job over their new found friendships. To form professional friendships, keep conversation light, friendly and focused on the task at hand.

Treat others with the same respect that you want in return.
If you don’t have something nice to say, you shouldn’t say it at all. Gossip can only negatively impact the workplace environment. Keep your judgments to yourself. By staying positive and focusing on your job, you can ensure that you are spared from any water-cooler drama and can accomplish tasks more quickly and efficiently.

Follow your company’s policy on workplace friendships.
It is likely that your company has a policy on workplace friendships. Make sure that you keep your friendship within the guidelines set by your company. By following the rules, you can ensure that your friendships don’t affect your job.

Making connections can reap many rewards and having friends in your workplace can make the time that you spend at work much more enjoyable. It is important, however, to recognize that personal and professional friendships are different and should be handled in different ways. Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 5/15/2009 02:19:00 PM
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FYI for Working with Gen Y: Employers Listen Up!

They’re under 30. They’re smart. They wear flip flops to work and listen to their iPods at the office. They want to work, but they want to have a life too.

If this sounds like you, you’re likely a member of Generation Y, a force of as many as 70 million born between 1980 and 1995, and a force to be reckoned with. But, if this resembles a co-worker or employee, take heed. Gen Y’ers are a creative, tech-savvy, independent bunch who embrace change and have financial smarts. They also have the reputation of being high maintenance. And one thing is for sure – they are here to stay.
So, when it comes to working with Gen Y’ers, here are a few dos and don’ts:

Do:

  • Acknowledge generational differences at work and talk about them. Boomers and Gen Y’ers both want the world to stop for them, just for different reasons. Talking about them can help.
  • Let them initiate. Play to their creativity and revel in a fresh perspective. Give them a project with some guidelines and let them run with it. Remember, no risk, no reward.
  • Encourage professional development. Let them participate in seminars, workshops and conferences. Better yet, pay for them.
  • Be flexible – in terms of how, where and when they work.
  • Give them company. Make sure there is more than one person under 30 in the office. Sometimes it’s hard to relate to things like children, spouses, and health issues. Having a like-age colleague can help ease the tension.

Don’t:

  • Emphasize age. If you start a sentence with “Well, you’re so young…” they’ll run for the hills.
  • Set them apart from the rest. Putting Gen-Y’ers in their own little bubble and treating them differently will result in little progress. Give them a place at the table and incorporate them in decision-making.
  • Dismiss their concerns. Even small concerns can have a huge impact. Take them seriously.
  • Think they are different than everyone else. After all, everybody wants flexible hours, meaningful work, a nice office environment, and ongoing training. Gen-Y’ers might just be more vocal about it.

So, put on those flip flops, turn on those iPods, and turn to Gen-Y’er for new, more creative ways to work.

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 4/30/2009 10:59:00 AM
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Workplace Romance: Does Cupid live in your cubicle?


It’s understandable why office romances flourish. Due to the lagging economy and the amount of time people are forced to spend working, where else is a couple able to meet? People who work together also live within a reasonable dating distance, and see each other on a daily basis. Also, dating co-workers seems safer, especially for women, because you have the opportunity to get to know one another. Consequently, more and more American’s are resorting to the fine art of multi-tasking and looking for love within the walls of the workplace.

Far from being harmful, many office romances can actually improve work performance. They add an enthusiasm and energy that translates into enhanced morale, communication, creativity and even productivity. Should these relationships evolve into long-term commitments, as often happens, companies will generally benefit from happier and more fulfilled employees. According to an online Spherion Workplace Snapshot survey that Harris Interactive conducted in January 2008, only 30 percent of 1,391 U.S. workers polled in 2008 think that dating a co-worker openly would hurt their job security or ability to advance, compared to 41 percent in 2007.

So it appears the key issue isn’t prohibiting workplace romances so much as managing them. It’s a good idea to first find out your company’s policy on inter-office dating. More often than not, supervisors are prohibited from having relationships with people who work under them. This is a breeding ground for sexual harassment claims. If you find yourself romantically involved with your supervisor, you should report the relationship immediately and request to be transferred to work with another supervisor.

Be up-front, open and honest
Secrecy can spur rumors… and rumors trigger juicy gossip! By being upfront with your employers and co-workers with your relationship, not only will you will deter the water cooler chit-chat but it will also relieve the stress that comes with keeping a big secret.

Don’t be too open!
Public displays of affection are strictly frowned upon in the work place. It is important to keep extracurricular activities out of the office. Just because you are honest about your relationship does not give you permission to host a public make-out session in the hallway. Keep it clean, professional and G-rated.

Inter-office relationships are an inevitable part of today’s workforce. If handled correctly, you can reduce your risk and focus on having a great time. Being in love is wonderful – take it from me. Once upon a time, I had an office romance. In fact, I married her... my wife, Emma Ploid. Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 2/13/2009 11:22:00 AM
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Year-Long Project

The first week of my final year of college is done.

I got very lucky with my schedule considering I have class two days a week. One of the classes that I'm taking is one that will last the entire year and focuses on one short animation. It may seem like a year is a long time for only one project, especially considering that the final length of the animation will probably be no longer than two minutes. It is almost the opposite, however.

Ten seconds of animation could very well take up to a full week to complete. So, with this class I'm sure I'll be staying very busy, which is why I'm happy that my schedule will allow me to have the time to work on it. I'm eager to start the pre-production planning and even more excited to start up on the actual animation of it. It's a good class and project to transition student work to that of the professional world.

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Posted by jeff on 9/13/2007 07:21:00 PM
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odd jobs

So I am working my way through school right now, and I have a variety of jobs. I am interning, working as a grad assistant and also working in retail. And I came to a realization the other day: I am working waaaaay too much and its already affecting my productivity and my health. So I am finally dropping my retail job. A big part of this decision was made yesterday while I was at my internship, sitting in on an interview with a spanish channel. It's so exciting to see the real-world applications of what we do in the classroom, and I really don't want to be robbed of energy on my internship, on my job or in my classes because I feel as though I have to work my fingers to the bone. I want to bring energy and excitement to the table, and I like being part of that brainstorming, ideas process.
I did alot of reading on "work/life balance" this summer, and I now realize that it is just as important to keep that a constant, not just at work, but while in school as well.

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Posted by Christina on 9/06/2007 12:34:00 PM
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