6 Tips for Encouraging a More Mentally Healthy Workplace

6 Tips for Encouraging a More Mentally Healthy Workplace Eight hours a day, seven days a week, 40 hours a week… We spend a great deal of time at work, and that’s not even counting the time spent getting to and from the office and any extra shifts or overtime. If you consider your workplace to be your home away from home, then you’re certainly not alone. But what if this mindset is having a detrimental impact on your mental health? Mental health is starting to gain more attention, and rightly so, with the TUC reporting work-related stress as “growing epidemic”. Now more than ever, it’s incredibly important for employers to start doing anything they can to make their workplaces more mentally friendly. But just how can they go about this? YES Glazing has six tips that you can implement into your office starting today. 1. Work/life balance We all want to do well at our jobs. And who doesn’t have lofty career goals? But expecting your staff to answer emails on weekends and get in early and leave late is pushing us ever closer towards a burnout culture. The term ‘work-life balance’ is being thrown around more and more. But rather than just adding a catchy buzzword to your list of priorities, why not actually go the extra mile and actually implement helpful strategies into your day-to-day? Here are a few ideas… Be flexible. Flexi-time is a great little perk that allows your employees to avoid peak travel times and work around childcare commitments by coming into work a little earlier and leaving earlier, or coming in later and leaving later Or go one step further and let people work from home Help with childcare. Could you offer childcare vouchers? Allow flexible working arrangements to be used for doctors appointments and when kids are sick â€" you never know how much it helps! Organize regular team outings. Down tools early and head out for a drink and some grub for some much-needed bonding time 2. Change the office If you spend upwards of eight hours a day in the same building, wouldn’t you want that building to at least look nice? The surrounding environment of your workplace has a tremendous impact on mental health, and here are some tips on making sure it’s as comforting and healthy as possible… Focus on natural light. Fluorescent bulbs are harsh and unnatural â€" not good for your eyes and brain. On the other hand, sunlight and natural light streaming in through big windows have been proven to encourage better moods, productivity and even boost your concentration If you ever work from home, don’t overlook your home office set up. Opt for a bright and airy room that allows as much light in as possible The argument of open plan vs closed office sparks much debate to this day. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, being able to get up and move around and deal with colleagues face-to-face can be a real mood booster Create ‘breakout’ spaces where your staff can zone out, catch up with others about non-work topics are even play a few games on their lunch. It can even be just a simple picnic bench or new comfy chairs but it’ll go a long way towards boosting relaxation and reducing stress Take a look around you. How’s your décor looking recently? A fresh, well-designed and modern workspace can make a world of difference to how your staff feels. Focus on bright and airy colors that make the space feel bigger; whites, off-whites, blues, greens, and yellows are the best colors to inspire creativity “When it comes to improving mental health, your office space may be the last thing you think of,” says Tom Ellis from YES Glazing. “But the reality of the matter is that it can actually have the biggest impact, whether you spend all day in an office or freelance from home. Let in as much natural light as possible to lift your mood. Think about making your surroundings as bright, airy and light as possible whites and off-whites are perfect colours to brighten up spaces, complemented by bright blues or greens to spark ideas.” 3. Start talking One of the hardest things to do is to talk about mental health, but it’s also one of the most important things. If you only make one change to your office this year, then let it be this one. The barriers are breaking down and the stigmas are disappearing, but it’s being done slowly and there’s always more than can be done. Encourage your staff to know that doors are open to talk about whatever may be impacting them. Nick Davies, leading UK psychotherapist and hypnotherapist, says opening up the conversation needs to be a top priority: Workplaces need to be doing a lot more to find out about and treat their employees mental health. In everyday life, most people, especially men, fear talking about mental health issues for fear of being judged, now imagine you are worried you could lose your livelihood too by talking about it and you get an idea of how big the problem is. Not only are people fearful of opening up, but they are fearful of the repercussions, so mental health needs to be taken more seriously but when people are supported and given the right help you will increase productivity and loyalty to your business. Mental health education Once your staff know your door is always open, it’s a great first step. The second is making sure that those who listen are educated and trained to listen. Arranging for staff members to become fully trained Mental Health First Aiders, is a fantastic step to take. Just like physical first aid, these trained people will be able to make a decision about the next steps for their wellbeing. “Educating people about mental health is key to creating an open and honest culture of wellbeing in the workplace,” said Mary Wallace, HR Officer at Northumberland National Park. “In the past two years, Northumberland National Park has rolled out mental health resilience training for all employees to help them recognize the signs of mental ill-health, know how to respond to it and seek support. We have also appointed mental health advocates to give employees a dedicated point of contact for any issues they might have. “Designed to create a long-term culture change across the Authority which will benefit employees for years to come, our vision is to create a workplace environment where people feel like they can reach out for help if they need it. Employees are fully supported and there is no shame in talking about mental health. “Through sharing experiences and creating the space to talk freely and honestly, businesses can really advocate positive mental health in the workplace and help to reduce the stigma around it.” 5. Prioritize wellness In case you didn’t know, people in the UK can spend roughly eight hours a day in the office. That’s a long time to be sat down and staring at a computer screen, and we all know it’s not the healthiest thing you can be doing with your time. Encourage your staff to get up and move as much as possible in the working day… Instead of a tuck shop, order an office fruit basket to be delivered every week Organize a group of people to head out on lunchtime walks â€" if the weather is on your side. Even just 20 minutes of walking can help improve moods and refresh the brain ready for the second half of the day Encourage people to get up and walk around every hour to take a break from their screen Bring a water cooler into the office to make it easier for people to fill up their water bottles Book fitness classes or yoga or meditation to come in once a week during lunchtimes Be gracious and positive Being recognized and applauded for your hard work is a feeling like no other. But it also feels great when you pass on that feeling to another. Showing and receiving gratitude can have a wonderful impact on our happiness levels. It can even be as small as a handwritten post-it not on the desk of someone who has been having a particularly hard time, or a special lunch treat if your team has worked particularly hard on a project. By working together to build a culture of recognition and gratitude in your workplace, you will be helping to drastically reduce stress, boost positivity, encourage motivation and build strong and lasting bonds between colleagues. About the author: Tom Ellis, Managing Director at YES Glazing.

Bad career advice Do what you love

Bad career advice Do what you love One of the worst pieces of career advice that I bet each of you has not only gotten but given is to do what you love. Forget that. Its absurd. I have been writing since before I even knew how to write when I was a preschooler I dictated my writing to my dad. And you might not be in preschool, but if you are in touch with who you are, you are doing what you love, no matter what, because you love it. So its preposterous that we need to get paid to do what we love because we do that stuff anyway. So you will say, But look. Now you are getting paid to do what you love. You are so lucky. But its not true. We are each multifaceted, multilayered, complicated people, and if you are reading this blog, you probably devote a large part of your life to learning about yourself and you know its a process. None of us loves just one thing. I am a writer, but I love sex more than I love writing. And I am not getting paid for sex. In fact, as you might imagine, my sex life is really tanking right now. But I dont sit up at night thinking, should I do writing or sex? Because career decisions are not decisions about what do I love most? Career decisions are about what kind of life do I want to set up for myself? So how could you possibly pick one thing you love to do? And what would be the point? The world reveals to you all that you love by what you spend time on. Try stuff. If you like it, youll go back to it. I just tried Pilates last month. I didnt want to try, but a friend said she loved the teacher, so I went. I loved it. I have taken it three times a week ever since. And its changed me. I stand up straighter. (Id also have better sex, if I were having it. The Pilates world should advertise more that it improves your sex life: Totally untapped market.) Often, the thing we should do for our career is something we would only do if we were getting a reward. If you tell yourself that your job has to be something youd do even if you didnt get paid, youll be looking for a long time. Maybe forever. So why set that standard? The reward for doing a job is contributing to something larger than you are, participating in society, and being valued in the form of money. The pressure we feel to find a perfect career is insane. And, given that people are trying to find it before they are thirty, in order to avoid both a quarterlife crisis and a biological-clock crisis, the pressure is enough to push people over the edge. Which is why one of the highest risk times for depression in life is in ones early twenties when people realize how totally impossible it is to simply do what you love. Heres some practical advice: Do not what you love; do what you are. Its how I chose my career. I bought the book with that title maybe my favorite career book of all time and I took the quickie version of the Myers-Briggs test. The book gave me a list of my strengths, and a list of jobs where I would likely succeed based on those strengths. Relationships make your life great, not jobs. But a job can ruin your life make you feel out of control in terms of your time or your ability to accomplish goals but no job will make your life complete. Its a myth mostly propagated by people who tell you to do what you love. Doing what you love will make you feel fulfilled. But you dont need to get paid for it. A job can save your life, though. If you are lost, and lonely, and wondering how youll ever find your way in this world. Take a job. Any job. Because structure, and regular contact with regular people, and a method of contributing to a larger group are all things that help us recalibrate ourselves. So if you are overwhelmed with the task of doing what you love you should recognize that you are totally normal, and maybe you should just forget it. Just do something that caters to your strengths. Do anything. And if you are so overwhelmed that you feel depression coming on, consider that a job might save you. Take one. Doing work and being valued in the community is important. For better or worse, we value people with money. Earn some. Doing work you love is not so important. We value love in relationships. Make some.

Use Personal Promotion like Web Designers Use Heat Maps - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Use Personal Promotion like Web Designers Use Heat Maps - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today’s post is written by Gareth Parkin. Personal Promotion is all about using the right strategies and the right promotional products to get the results you want. You may be using personal promotion to get a new job or to secure a raise. Very simply, you can be the best (fill in the blank) in the world but without a little self-promotion, skill and hard work isn’t likely to translate into a better job or a fulfilling career. Women in particular have trouble with self-promotion. Culturally women are taught that modesty is a sign of virtue. Many women have a really hard time putting their flag out there and claiming, “I’m the best!” Thinking about self-promotion in the context of heat maps help to make the entire process more fun and less egotistical. Heat maps are also an excellent marketing tool for anyone who has a website. What are Heat Maps? Heat Maps are excellent visual tools that analyze a webpage and tell you whether or not the website will be easy or difficult for a viewer to navigate. The entire idea of using heat maps is to create a webpage that easily and quickly funnels viewers into taking the action you want them to. Simply put, heat maps help web designers develop more effective selling tools. Personal promotion does the same thing; it is a marketing tool. Your personal assets are like the products sold on the website. Without effective personal promotion an employer or boss will simply pass you over in favor of another person. That other person probably has many of the same qualifications that you do. There are many websites that sell exactly the same things. Why do some online websites make a lot of money while others fail? Some are easy to navigate and well-built while others take forever to download and are badly organized. Self-promotion, like using a heat map, lets you optimize yourself. Just like the website, at the end of the day your work product needs to live up to the hype. However, the hype itself, the carefully crafted personal promotion, makes your assets easier to appreciate. Heat maps are valuable visual tools because they predict design flaws whereas traditional analytics tools only catalog what has happened. Similarly, personal promotion can help you to see areas where you need to improve your core assets. Maybe you need to add in additional education or training to make yourself more marketable. Personal promotion, like heat maps, will tell you early on that updates are needed- before you lose the sale, job or promotion. Let’s look at a visual heat map produced for the website http://www.privatejetscharter.com/  using the heat map tool Attention Wizard. This tool analyzes the design and then uses a visual algorithm to predict where users will click based on scientific visual-optimization research. The strings in the heat map follow the customer’s involuntary eye movements. Attention Wizard uses numbers to mark where the eye will go to first and then links them with lines. When lines are too numerous they reflect confusion that can cause the customer to leave the site. The lines and numbers combined with the color coded visuals shows the best design locations for call to action points (these are the places you want the user to click). Now, instead of the website elements, place your own call to action points into the diagram. (It is truly helpful to actually layout a webpage if you have the time and the skill). Is your main call to action point (#1) your work experience or your education? Once you have listed and mapped your personal call to action points think about how you can string them together to produce a cohesive and interesting promotional map about yourself. Then visualize this map as you continue to develop your promotional skills. Maybe you will want to add some promotional items into the mix? Maybe your social media networking skills need to be expanded? Where would you put these things on your heat map? In the example you can see that the calls to action are strategically placed and simple to understand. The private jet company has lots to offer but their first priority is to present their brand as classy, efficient and trustworthy. Think about applying similar branding ideas to yourself and you will be on your way to a great start in self-promotion. The best part is that using the heat map idea makes it easier to let go of the “me” aspect of self-promotion. You aren’t bragging- you’re just making yourself irresistibly clickable! Some Affordable and easy to use Heat Map Tools: Attention Wizard CrazyEgg ClickDensity ClickTale Google In-page Analytics (free tool) Omniture ClickMap (Adobe) Author: Gareth Parkin  is the Managing Director at  GoPromotional  an international online marketing group that specializes in promotional business gifts and corporate merchandising. GoPromotional’s team has more than 30 years worth of experience in corporate gifts, branding and international marketing and offers an enormous selection of quality promotional items  at exceptional prices including: promotional mugs and cups, promotional keyrings, conference bags, promotional Green shopping bags, corporate promotional clothing  and much more. At GoPromotional, “We turn your marketing visions into reality!”

Finding a Graduate Job with KPMG

Finding a Graduate Job with KPMG “I started thinking about graduate jobs in my 1st year…” Adi is a 2011 Economics graduate from the University of Leicester, and a good friend of mine. However, I didn’t interview him just because he is a friend, I wanted to interview him as I’ve watched him get job rejections and then pick himself up and work harder to improve himself. He has been a keen  volunteer for three years. He is now (at the time of writing) employed by  KPMG. Faizan:    So, Mr. Accountant, when did you start looking for a job? Adi:   I started thinking about graduate jobs when I was in my first year. I knew that the graduate market was very tough and competitive and I wanted to take as many opportunities as early as possible in my university years to bulk up my CV and find out what I really wanted to do career-wise. I applied to the  HSBC  first-year internship and although I was invited to the Assessment Day, I wasn’t offered a position. In my second year, I attended career fairs, as well as open days at firms that I was interested in, because I really wanted to know more about the jobs, as well as to have a chat with the current employees about their work. A few weeks into my second year, I applied for summer internships at a few professional services firms and banks. My first year experience proved beneficial, as I knew what the firms were looking for in my application forms, and I was pretty familiar with the online tests. I attended many interviews and eventually accepted an offer from KPMG. Faizan:  This is interesting, so you basically started planning your career   from day one at University. What’s the application/assessment process like with KPMG? Any tips on graduate applications? Adi:  The application process with KPMG was pretty straightforward. I had to fill in an application form, and was then asked to do online tests. After I passed the tests, I was invited to go for an interview with a senior manager at my chosen office and that’s it. However, please note, that the process might be different now (a quick look at the website suggests that an Assessment Day is involved). My advice is to really go through your application form and try to not apply to different firms at the same time. Try to see if a firm rejects/accepts your first attempt at the application form, because if you send off similar application forms, then chances are, you will get similar outcomes. To ensure your application form is solid, you have to answer the questions tailored to the firm. Go through their website and find out as much information as possible about the firm from open days/leaflets, or even calling their graduate recruiter. Firms like it if you mention specific things about their firms (i.e. their awards, achievements, etc.) so try to incorporate them into your answers. Also, be professional and succinct in your answers, and remember that simple spelling/grammatical errors give a bad first impression. Try to do loads of practice numerical/verbal tests online, and familiarise yourself with the structure, because similar questions usually will come up in different firms’ tests. When doing the tests, have enough rough paper at hand to do your working, and make sure you are in a quiet environment. If you are required to do a telephone interview, it might be worth dressing up, as if you are in a face-to-face interview to get you in the right frame of mind. Don’t try to read answers off a sheet of paper because the interviewer can tell when your answers are rehearsed. Try to think of possible questions and answers and list keywords on a sheet of paper, should you need some help. Try to smile as you speak on the phone because it really helps in giving off that friendly tone and lastly, get a friend to practice with you. For the face-to-face interview, first impressions count. This means that when your interviewer greets you for the first time, give a good firm handshake and be confident and friendly. Take note of your gestures and try not to cross that line of being too casual (especially if you are applying to a professional services firm), and be mindful of your choices of words. It’s probably best not to talk bad about the firm’s competitors, but it’s always good to express your admiration for the firm you are applying to. Remember to mention firm-specific facts, to show that you have done your research. Do not worry if you stutter, because the interviewer knows that you are nervous, and just try to be as concise as possible. Lastly, enough preparation always helps, so practice a lot! Faizan:  That is impressive advice, I am sure this will help students with interviews. Now, you’ve been involved in extra curricular activities, so is it necessary or beneficial to be involved in such activities while at university? Adi:  Extra curricular activities definitely help because in your interview, you will have to talk about specific times where you show the many qualities that the firm is looking for. You cannot just draw examples from your studying because the interviewer will expect varied answers from different settings. Hence, your experience in societies/volunteer works/part-time jobs will play a huge part in displaying your many abilities and skills, that have helped you cope with different situations. I personally joined a few societies and volunteered weekly at a learning centre, and not only are they beneficial for your interviewer, they are also great for your CV! Also, try to go to career forums like  thestudentroom.co.uk  or  wikijob.co.uk  because you will get really good tips from people who have gone to interviews etc. You will also get to read other peoples experiences during the whole recruitment process, and maybe you can learn a thing or two from them. Faizan:  Of course, how can we, as graduates forget those two websites. I’ve used them (along with others) even at the application stage. To finish off, is there any personal advice you would give to students? Adi:  Don’t be discouraged if you get a rejection email from the firms! It is a numbers game after all, and the more applications you make, the more experience you have, and the more aware you are of what the firms are looking for. So, apply to as many firms as you are interested in, but remember to tailor your answers. Faizan:  Thanks a lot. And I wish you good luck for the future. For more information and application deadline and schemes on offer, visit the KPMG careers website. (The following interview was conducted by the author during the time he was contracted for writing for UOL Careers Blog, where the interview appears in original.) 0

Statements For Resume Writing - Important Parts to Your Resume

Statements For Resume Writing - Important Parts to Your ResumeStatements for resume writing are perhaps the most important part of the resume. I mean really critical and very basic!It is a good idea to have a statement in your resume to put into context your work experience. You may be asked to fill out many statements for resume writing. The fact is that the most important parts will get filled up first so the only reason you are asking for more statements is because you are on your way out! These are the first sentences of your resume.After all your skills and experiences, it is important to give a statement that shows your skill level. Here is where you state what you did, who you did it with, and your average rating of yourself. It's a huge factor in getting the job.Another statement is the job responsibilities you worked. Again, these should match your skills and experience. The more detailed and specific to the job description the better.Don't list off type jobs you just left w hen you didn't really do them. Always write about the type of jobs you did.If you were a CPA, make sure you list it as 'cpa, certified public accountant' in your statement. Use this as a guideline to help you create your own statement for resume writing. You could say something like 'recently completed courses of study' and include a little bit about the certificate.A final statement could be about how you met, what happened during your interview, and what led to you hiring them. List what exactly happened that day so you can remember.Statements for resume writing are the most important parts of your resume. You must make them or your resume may not get a serious consideration!

Happiness and elephants - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happiness and elephants - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Michael Poulsen, software developer and Chief Happiness Officer, shows off Valtechs order of the elephant. The Danish division of the French software company Valtech are very committed to creating a happy workplace. One of their developers, Michael Poulsen, volunteered to be the companys Chief Happiness Officer for a year and his first initative was to introduce an initative based on the most prestitious award in the Kingdom of Denmark, The Order of the Elephant. This is how he introduced the idea to Valtechs 100 Danish employees: I?m happy to be able to introduce Valtechs first Happiness@Work initiative: The Valtech Order of the Elephant. Purpose: To bring all the good things we do for each other out in the light. How it works: The elephant is passed on from co-worker to co-worker on a weekly basis, with a reason why it is passed to that person in particular. The reason for passing the elephant on to a new co-worker is up to you. Maybe someone helped you move apartment, fix a bug in your code or just have a positive impact on your day by always being happy and smiling. There are only a few ground rules: Whenever you receive the elephant you may only hold on to it for a maximum of one week. Whenever you pass along the elephant you need to tell the person you give it to why they receive it and send a mail to michael.poulsen@valtech.dk with the name of the receiver and the reason why. (I?m working on a way to visualize the reasons). When the elephant is in your possession he needs to be in plain view so everyone passing your desk can see him (and maybe even ask why you got it? hint hint). Optional: Remember to supply him with lots of peanuts. The reasoning behind all this is based on the Danish pioneer in happiness at work (arbejdsgl?de) Alexander Kjerulf. He states that happiness at work is based on two things. Our results and our personal relations. I hope you all will accept and support the initiative so we can keep it rolling? Elephants get very old you know :-) A closeup of the elephant which was donated by the CEOs 6-year old son. Since then the elephant has been circulating around the office, and here are some of the recipients and the reason why they got it: The first stop for the Order of the Elephant, on his long journey will be at Michael Gyde M?llers desk. He is receiving the company of the elephant for the next week because he has always been happy to help me when I was in a tight spot, and always did so with a smile, which means a lot to me. The Elephant has moved, this time to Eri! At Eris the elephant will find itself a good home since she with such good humor shares her invaluable insights in the mysterious danish society. Through her cultural background and experience shes able to help recent visitors to understand Denmark, may it be swedes or elephants?:) Elephant is now moved to Lone. Elephant has chosen Lone because she is always happy and sweet fair and understanding great at project management (so developers can enjoy working on the project) I think this just fantastic. It is a fun, simple and above all highly visible way to praise and appreciate co-workers. Kudos to Michael for doing this and I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next. Related posts Richard branson celebrates his employees. Specific praise is good praise. You are great. Your take What do you think of this? Does your workplace already so something similar? Could this work for you? What does getting praise and recognition from your peers mean to you? Write a comment, Id like to know your take. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Who Are the Right People to Meet

Who Are the Right People to Meet I dont want to waste my time networking with a bunch of other unemployed people   I cant tell you how often I have heard this.   I also hear I dont have time to network, I am too busy with my job. The Right People To Meet The reality is, anyone can be the right person. The key to networking is to develop and nurture relationships. The facts are that the majority of jobs are filled through internal hires.   If you cant be an internal candidate, then your next best bet is to be a referral.   How can you be a referred by someone within the company if you dont network? If you have developed a friendship with the wife of a business owner, do you think she might say something to her husband about this interesting new person shes met?   And when that business owner announces that he needs a new Accountant, Product Developer, IT guru, who do you think he will talk to first?   His wife. Hell probably complain that he cant find any good talent in his company or that he dreads the interview process or whatever.   That is when shell remind him of you.   At least thats the theory. Sound simplistic,  I hope so. You just  never know how your next opportunity will show itself and therefore,  learn how to balance your time and network with as many people as possible! Use this  List of Networking Contacts  to help you brainstorm and document your network. Its a starting point!