Five pranks that’ll reduce stress this April 1st
Flying penguins, Crème Egg facials, spaghetti trees and discounted flights to Mars – just some of the best April Fool’s jokes that have had many Brits over the years. With April 1st around the corner, many people will be carefully thinking about ways they can pull the legs of their friends and colleagues, and now they have the support of industry experts.
Encouraging April Fool’s pranks is good for office morale. Playing pranks on colleagues helps reduce stress, boosts morale, encourages creativity and improves team dynamics – and a successful prank can even build stronger relationships amongst staff too.
Executive jobs site TheLadders.co.uk asked its users for some of their most popular office pranks with interesting results including:
* The fake email – sending your colleague a fake email from HR, demanding that they go to the HR floor to discuss their email habits.
*Keyboard quizzer - unplugging a keyboard can cause hours of fun.
*The Desk Move – moving the contents and desk of a colleague without telling them.
*The Fake Phone Call – pretend to be the new client behaving bizarrely.
*Dress code disaster - telling your colleague it’s Hawaiian shirt day on Friday, when its a normal shirt and tie day.
Derek Pilcher of TheLadders.co.uk says: “With the economic crisis causing high levels of stress and pressure for many companies April Fool’s Day will be a welcome distraction. Managers should see it as a fun, lighthearted day when colleagues can share a joke and let strict protocol take a back seat.”
Monday, 29 March 2010
Friday, 19 March 2010
Maternity Fears Halt Job Success For Women
Over the past few months at TheLadders.co.uk we have been conducting a study to find out which gender is better at job interviews and the results have been eye-opening. We found that women overwhelmingly outperform men in interviews, however this does not guarantee job success, as the fear of maternity can be the ultimate barrier in securing a top role.
We polled 500 British bosses, half women and half men, and found that 59% think women perform better at interviews. They also have better presentation, communication, motivation skills, understand companies and cultures better, are more thorough, affable and better able to balance multiple tasks. Unfortunately all these positive attributes can’t outweigh the fact that they may leave a company to start a family, as nearly half of senior executives we spoke to said women will not get the top job due to the fear of them becoming mothers.
Our findings also revealed that women out-do their male counterparts in 11 out of 18 criteria necessary for successful job meetings. The senior management we surveyed also said the top three considerations in choosing the right candidate are qualifications, company fit and personality. Women deliver these best at interview too, with 59% of bosses saying they present their skills more effectively, 63.9% think women understand the company culture and 72.3% find women more affable and personable in an interview situation.
But when we asked why there are not as many women securing these top jobs 42.7% of respondents said it was because they fear that women will leave to have children. 54% agree that there simply aren’t as many female candidates as male ones and 51% say that society just expects men to be in leadership roles. Surprisingly 38% feel that there is still inherent sexism in the workplace.
It doesn’t stop there though as over one quarter of the executives we spoke to believe men are rewarded for being more committed than women in their jobs. 45% say that women are simply less assertive when it comes to negotiating the top jobs and top salaries and 44.7% feel that lower pay and recognition for women is part of business stereotyping.
Derek Pilcher, Managing Director of TheLadders.co.uk agrees with many respondents who say that whilst women are as qualified as men for senior positions, they simply aren’t applying. “This could be for a number of reasons which may well include the belief that men dominate the top jobs and this scares women from going for interview. Yet women obviously shine at interview and as such should be securing the top jobs when they apply. What is concerning is the un-spoken reasons for not employing women, and in particular the fear of losing female management after they have had children. This too may be seriously impacting the number of women who make it through to leadership roles.”
Do you think the likelihood of becoming a Mother should affect the chances of women getting jobs? Have you experienced this before? Tell us your thoughts
We polled 500 British bosses, half women and half men, and found that 59% think women perform better at interviews. They also have better presentation, communication, motivation skills, understand companies and cultures better, are more thorough, affable and better able to balance multiple tasks. Unfortunately all these positive attributes can’t outweigh the fact that they may leave a company to start a family, as nearly half of senior executives we spoke to said women will not get the top job due to the fear of them becoming mothers.
Our findings also revealed that women out-do their male counterparts in 11 out of 18 criteria necessary for successful job meetings. The senior management we surveyed also said the top three considerations in choosing the right candidate are qualifications, company fit and personality. Women deliver these best at interview too, with 59% of bosses saying they present their skills more effectively, 63.9% think women understand the company culture and 72.3% find women more affable and personable in an interview situation.
But when we asked why there are not as many women securing these top jobs 42.7% of respondents said it was because they fear that women will leave to have children. 54% agree that there simply aren’t as many female candidates as male ones and 51% say that society just expects men to be in leadership roles. Surprisingly 38% feel that there is still inherent sexism in the workplace.
It doesn’t stop there though as over one quarter of the executives we spoke to believe men are rewarded for being more committed than women in their jobs. 45% say that women are simply less assertive when it comes to negotiating the top jobs and top salaries and 44.7% feel that lower pay and recognition for women is part of business stereotyping.
Derek Pilcher, Managing Director of TheLadders.co.uk agrees with many respondents who say that whilst women are as qualified as men for senior positions, they simply aren’t applying. “This could be for a number of reasons which may well include the belief that men dominate the top jobs and this scares women from going for interview. Yet women obviously shine at interview and as such should be securing the top jobs when they apply. What is concerning is the un-spoken reasons for not employing women, and in particular the fear of losing female management after they have had children. This too may be seriously impacting the number of women who make it through to leadership roles.”
Do you think the likelihood of becoming a Mother should affect the chances of women getting jobs? Have you experienced this before? Tell us your thoughts
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
WHEN NINE TO FIVE JUST ISN’T RIGHT
This Mothering Sunday, working mums across Britain will be grateful for the chance to put their feet up and relax, especially those who juggle busy work with an even busier family. For many hard pressed executives Sunday is a chance to consider their work life balance. How can they balance career with family? Should family life take second place to that top job? The answer in 2010 is no, as companies relax policies and open-up to more flexible working packages.
Flexible work involves relaxing policies on the location (working from home or on the move) and time (part-time, job share and flexitime schemes) elements of a role. This style of working has been essential for many mothers as it is important that their job has a certain level of flexibility to allow for children’s emergencies, attending important events and school holidays. But flexibility is used for many reasons, by both men and women, to allow for a variety of work related and personal reasons including; having uninterrupted time to complete tasks, to avoid long or uncomfortable commuting, to care for children or family, to pursue training or further education or to take part in sports or community activities.
With the economic climate in such dire straits, flexibility has shifted to suit the employer as well as the employee. During the recession we have seen many companies offering reduced working days/hours and sabbaticals in order to cut costs and retain skilled staff – rather than having to employ and train new workers when the economy recovers.
So what are the advantages of flexible working? A guide by the Equality and Human Rights Commission reveals that - if managed properly – flexible working arrangements can cut costs through higher staff retention, reduced absenteeism and overtime, boost productivity, motivate people, increase employee satisfaction and release more potential in staff.
Derek Pilcher from TheLadders.co.uk says ‘While creating a flexible workplace can be an effective way to build a stronger and loyal workplace, it is essential that there is a level of trust between managers and staff. Also it’s important that any policy is tailored to that company to be successful.’
Flexible work involves relaxing policies on the location (working from home or on the move) and time (part-time, job share and flexitime schemes) elements of a role. This style of working has been essential for many mothers as it is important that their job has a certain level of flexibility to allow for children’s emergencies, attending important events and school holidays. But flexibility is used for many reasons, by both men and women, to allow for a variety of work related and personal reasons including; having uninterrupted time to complete tasks, to avoid long or uncomfortable commuting, to care for children or family, to pursue training or further education or to take part in sports or community activities.
With the economic climate in such dire straits, flexibility has shifted to suit the employer as well as the employee. During the recession we have seen many companies offering reduced working days/hours and sabbaticals in order to cut costs and retain skilled staff – rather than having to employ and train new workers when the economy recovers.
So what are the advantages of flexible working? A guide by the Equality and Human Rights Commission reveals that - if managed properly – flexible working arrangements can cut costs through higher staff retention, reduced absenteeism and overtime, boost productivity, motivate people, increase employee satisfaction and release more potential in staff.
Derek Pilcher from TheLadders.co.uk says ‘While creating a flexible workplace can be an effective way to build a stronger and loyal workplace, it is essential that there is a level of trust between managers and staff. Also it’s important that any policy is tailored to that company to be successful.’
Monday, 1 March 2010
Resignations on the Rise.
It may come as a surprise, particularly as we endure one of the worst recessions in recent history, that more British management quit their jobs last year than in 2008. Yes, it’s true. According to the Chartered Management Institute, 225,600 managers quit their jobs in 2009, a rise in resignations to 4.7%, compared with 4.5% the year before.
Restructuring and job insecurity are apparently to blame for staff jumping ship. As ‘internal transfers’ fall - dropping to 3.6% from 5.8% last year - fewer options are left open for disgruntled management.
So if these figures are representative, it would seem that the dark clouds of recession are not enough to keep unhappy British bosses in their jobs. Whilst it’s good to see that managers still place their career goals first, stepping out of the comfort zone needs planning, a strategy and a very clear understanding of the steps necessary to ensure that a career move does not become a career break.
So we asked a number of career experts for their advice on changing careers during a recession. Here are their top five recommendations:
1. Have an idea of what you want to do. Before packing up your desk it is important to know what makes you tick. What pastimes do you enjoy? What challenges do you relish? What motivates you? Write them down and think about them. This may indicate a new direction or highlight skills you can bring to your existing organisation.
2. Make sure you have a market. Research your new career goal online to distinguish if there is a need for your new skill package. Look at companies doing well and how your skills can transfer into a role there.
3. Rebuild your CV. Look at your career goal, your skills and your experience and create a CV to suit, or you can try the CV rewriting service at TheLadders.co.uk. They will help ensure your skills are translated effectively to your CV.
4. Find the Opportunities. A new direction may mean a new route to finding roles. Look on careers sites like TheLadders.co.uk to find positions that tick your requirements. Identify which type of companies and recruiters are advertising these roles. Look at industry associations, networking groups online and offline to produce a target companies list.
5. Don’t leave on a bad note – resigning from a job isn’t an excuse to bad mouth your employer - just because you are leaving a company doesn’t mean you won’t see or hear from them in the future. Make sure you leave any role on a positive note to ensure there are no bad feelings, as you never know when your paths will cross again.
Has the recession made you reconsider your career? Do you think it’s better to stay in an insecure role or ‘jump ship’?
Restructuring and job insecurity are apparently to blame for staff jumping ship. As ‘internal transfers’ fall - dropping to 3.6% from 5.8% last year - fewer options are left open for disgruntled management.
So if these figures are representative, it would seem that the dark clouds of recession are not enough to keep unhappy British bosses in their jobs. Whilst it’s good to see that managers still place their career goals first, stepping out of the comfort zone needs planning, a strategy and a very clear understanding of the steps necessary to ensure that a career move does not become a career break.
So we asked a number of career experts for their advice on changing careers during a recession. Here are their top five recommendations:
1. Have an idea of what you want to do. Before packing up your desk it is important to know what makes you tick. What pastimes do you enjoy? What challenges do you relish? What motivates you? Write them down and think about them. This may indicate a new direction or highlight skills you can bring to your existing organisation.
2. Make sure you have a market. Research your new career goal online to distinguish if there is a need for your new skill package. Look at companies doing well and how your skills can transfer into a role there.
3. Rebuild your CV. Look at your career goal, your skills and your experience and create a CV to suit, or you can try the CV rewriting service at TheLadders.co.uk. They will help ensure your skills are translated effectively to your CV.
4. Find the Opportunities. A new direction may mean a new route to finding roles. Look on careers sites like TheLadders.co.uk to find positions that tick your requirements. Identify which type of companies and recruiters are advertising these roles. Look at industry associations, networking groups online and offline to produce a target companies list.
5. Don’t leave on a bad note – resigning from a job isn’t an excuse to bad mouth your employer - just because you are leaving a company doesn’t mean you won’t see or hear from them in the future. Make sure you leave any role on a positive note to ensure there are no bad feelings, as you never know when your paths will cross again.
Has the recession made you reconsider your career? Do you think it’s better to stay in an insecure role or ‘jump ship’?
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