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Top Tips For Work
How To Relax and Chill At Work!

Step one: avoid office affairs.
Office affairs become unhealthy when they go wrong, with increased levels of depression and a 16% drop in morale, say researchers from Iowa.
"When the romance ends, human resource managers anticipate complaints of retaliation (in 17% of cases), stalking (12%), and physical violence (5%)," says their report.
Step two: go home earlier.
Researchers at the University of California have found a link between number of hours worked and risk of increased blood pressure. Their results indicate that men and women working 40 hours a week had a 14% increased risk of hypertension compared with those working between 11 and 39 hours a week.
Step three: use the stairs.
Research at the University of Ulster has shown that people who climb the stairs rather than using the lift at work have lower cholesterol, better breathing, healthier hearts and weigh less.
Step four: move the computer screen.
Having a computer screen in the wrong position can lead to headaches, tiredness and long-term neck, back, shoulder and wrist pain. To correctly position a screen, make sure that the top is at your eye level.
Step five: buy some potted plants.
Potted plants in the office reduce the risk of dry throats and stuffed-up noses. Researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Health in Oslo found that nose, throat and dry skin symptoms were 23% lower in offices with greenery.
Coughs and fatigue were reduced by 37 and 30% respectively.
Step six: ration e-mail.
One worker in three is suffering from e-mail stress. Researchers at Paisley University have found that some people check for e-mails 40 times a minute, and it all adds to workplace pressure. Try turning off the instant messaging system and only checking e-mails twice a day.
Step seven: let it all out.
Bottling up emotions is not good for us and may play a role in depression and heart disease. A 2003 study in the journal Stress and Health asked a group of workers to keep an "emotion diary", and encouraged them to express theirfeelings
As a result, the workers experienced less stress and better overall health.
Step eight: choose your desk wisely.
Nab a desk next to a window but away from the printer. Researchers at the Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden, found that worker mood was lowest when the office lighting was too low, and sitting by the window was good for mood.
Printers may cause a form of indoor air pollution.
Step nine: consider going it alone.
OK, so it's a big step, but research indicates that people who take the plunge and become self-employed report a higher level of job satisfaction and less stress.
And finally: decorate your office.
The right colour and level of lighting can improve mood and reduce headaches. A study at the University of Texas showed that people working in white and predominantly blue-green offices had higher perceived job performance and satisfaction and better mood than those in a red office.

Good luck !

   
 
 

Feeling Sleepy?

A third of UK workers have admitted to taking a short nap after lunch,according to research. A survey of more than 11,000 people by Lightspeed Research found that 10 percent of workers had fallen asleep in front of their PC after lunch, 7 percent had dozed off in their car in the car park and 4 percent on a couch in their office. Other places that employees admitted falling asleep included the loo, a meeting room or underneath their desk! Source: Lightspeed Research www.lightspeedresearch.com

   

Satisfied at Work?

Employees' salaries are the only aspect of their jobs they are more satisfied with than last year.An annual job satisfaction survey by disability insurer Unum found that although salary satisfaction had increased from 53 percent last year to 54 percent this year, workers were growing less satisfied with many other aspects of their role, including the working environment and benefits such as health cover and gym membership. The biggest drop 53 percent in 2006 to 47 percent this year was in satisfaction with the amount of autonomy workers were given. Source: Unum www.unum.co.uk

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Relocating?..

Arranging accomodation is the top challenge faced by HR managers relocating staff into the UK from abroad, according to research.The survey found that this was the main difficulty, cited by 25 percent of those surveyed, 20 perecent had visa troubles and finding a suitable school was another challenge. UK companies spend 1500 hours and more than 400 thousand pounds relocating staff each year. The most desired country for relocation was Australia followed by the US and Canada. Source: Natwest Global Employee Banking

Body Language: When you are being interviewed it is very important that you give out the right signals. You should always look attentive - so do not slouch in your chair. Never lie to anyone in an interview, your body language and tone of voice or the words you use will probably give you away - classic body language giveaways that include scratching your nose and not looking directly at the other person when you are speaking to them.

Got Your Interview Sorted? Good, Now… Fact Find. Before your interview find out everything you can about the company. Re-read your application, thinking through your own career and the questions they might ask you. You should try to anticipate the general questions which they will ask and also prepare some questions to ask them.
To do well at the interview you will need to convince the interviewer you are technically qualified to do the job. You will also need to show that you are sufficiently motivated to get the job done well and that you will fit in with the company's structure and the team in which you will work.
You should dress smartly for the interview and should leave home earlier than you need to on the day of the interview - you may be delayed by traffic or for other reasons. Be courteous to all employees of the company. At the interview itself you must be positive about yourself and your abilities - but do not waffle.

Should I ask any questions, If so… what?
The interview is a two-way process. The company interviewing you will want to find out whether you are suitable to the position and you will want to find out if the company and position are right for you. You should therefore ensure that you have enough information to make up your mind whether you want the job. For example:
What will be my responsibilities?
Where will I fit into the overall organisational structure?
Who will I report to?
Where does he/she fit in the structure?
Who will report to me?
How experienced are they?
What do you expect me to do in the first 6 months?
What level of performance do you expect from me?
Who are your customers?
What are the chances of advancement/promotion in this position? When?
What will be my salary, benefits and bonusesWill travelling be required in this position?
Will relocation be required now or in the future?
What training do you provide?
When will you decide on the appointment?
What is the next step?

What to Avoid
Being unprepared for the interview - you should always prepare thoroughly before any interview (this will also make you feel more confident at the interview).
Poor / limp handshake - always a bit of a no-no.
Saying bad things about previous employers - the employer will be wondering what you will say about them when you leave their employment.
Not being able to communicate clearly and effectively.
Being aggressive or acting in a superior way - nobody like this so please don't do this.
Making excuses for failings in the past.

A brilliant CV and cover letter create employment opportunities but they will not secure you a job. The interview is your chance to back up in person everything that the employer has read about you.


This will probably be your first direct contact with the company and will give you an insight into its workings and the chance to meet with its personnel to see if it is a place that you would like to work, should you be given an offer

.
There are several forms of interview with varying degrees of formality, but in essence they consist of a conversation, allowing the employer to get to know you and for you to see what they are like. Whilst interviews can be nerve wracking experiences, it should be remembered that the interviewer is only human and it is possible that they are nervous also. Enter with a confident air, be friendly and open, most importantly don't forget to smile.

One-on-one interview
To get to this stage you would have succeeded in qualifying the preliminary screening processes. The selection process will have been narrowed down and the company has recognised you as an attractive prospect. Usually this interview will be carried out by department supervisor, but sometimes with human resources personnel. Be prepared to talk about yourself in detail, why you want the job, and what you can contribute to the company.

In advance of the interview carry out research into what the company does, and think of some questions you want to ask. Do not volunteer information that the interviewer doesn't ask for.

Tips: You want them to want you on their team, therefore you have to impress them with your personality, your qualifications and your career ambitions. Dress conservatively to impress and arrive punctually, be chatty with plenty of eye contact. Establish a rapport with the interviewer.