~ Week in Review ~

Does anybody really want to work?

Week of September 17th

I've been out of graduate school and working for about 3 years now.... and this week I seriously questioned, "Does anybody really want to work"?

Once I arrive to work on Monday mornings I either encounter or over hear greetings and responses from coworkers and other building dwellers:

"Good morning" with 2 possible responses 1) "its Monday!" or 2) "As good as it gets for a Monday" in a rather disgruntled, even irritated tone. What a way to start the work week. I mean, Mondays are rough for me too, but I try to fake it till I make it ~ through the day that is. With the 2 day weekends not being enough time to fully recuperate from the previous 5 day work week, it is understandable to be agitated at being back at work again. But I say - FAKE IT, people, don't bring everyone else down. Some people are actually trying to hype themselves up.

We then move on to Tuesday mornings; I'm in the the break room making my usual morning cup of oatmeal and in comes a fellow building mate, I say, "Good Morning" - they say - "Is today only Tuesday?" Did you honestly think it was Friday already you lazy bum - how much work did you get done yesterday that has you thinking its the end of the week already?

Wednesday becomes "Hump Day" because we are now getting over the hump and on a downward spiral towards the end of the week. I've noticed at this point employees are trying to put some pep in their step and get positive and motivated to make it to the finish line, we call "Friday".

Thursday takes people to the point of desperation, begging for the weekend. I hear numerous times a day, "I can't wait until Friday" and "I wish it were tomorrow already, like if its said enough we will time travel at warp speed into Friday at exactly 4:59pm.

If one just so happens to make it to Friday, everyone is thanking God and Goodness because they have survived the week. I hear cheerful voices greeting and shouting "Happy Friday" as I walk throughout the building.

Let us try to be a little more positive people. Apparently we have to work otherwise we wouldn't be subjecting ourselves to this torture every week.

.....Better Luck next week!

"The Code"

In most jobs there are dress codes--whether it is a uniform, business causal or formal business attire, it is understood that you are exchanging a paycheck with your freedom to dress as you please. Some company's employee handbooks will outline the do's and don'ts, while others just have a blanket statement of being dressed professional, clean, and neat. Whose idea of professional, clean and neat?

The interpretation for professional, clean and neat of course differs from person to person. The workplace already has its rules and regulations, on work ethics, internet use and the like, and now one's sense of style is being restricted! I guess this is what you have to put up with when you "stay in the loop" of Corporate America.

Look on the bright side Ladies and Gents. Check out the latest work foot wear for ladies and shirts and ties for the men--these trends are sure to keep you in line with your dress code and at the same time show off your sense of style........

Ladies, please don't kill your feet all week-- you can dance the night away in your stilettos on the weekends and be comfortable and cute during the week!

Wearing flats to the office could very well be the best possible fashion trend today; especially because designers have created very fashion forward and stylish flats that have cute decorative pieces in place of the infamous "penny" in the penny loafer. The color schemes and textures also provide that splash of pizazz, mojo or whatever you want to call it to set off your outfit.

On those days when I'm frustrated with my boss and wish I were at home watching "The People's Court" I simply look down at my cute and comfortable flats, and think of another outfit I could match them up with!

As for the guys, please don't get caught up in the "white shirts" club. You too can stick to the dress code and have your mojo too!

• Patterned shirts and tie


• If you absolutely have to wear a "white shirt" jazz it up with a cool tie!


• If no tie is required -- live it up!
  

I had to learn that there are ways to express my personal style and follow the rules, you can too, unless that is --you'd rather quit your job because you aren't able to wear pajama pants and flip flops.

Image source: http://www.macys.com/ , http://www.stevemadden.com/ and http://www.bachrach.com/

Caution - Office Safety Risks

I was thinking one day...When deciding on a career one may take into consideration the risks involved with performing a job. I always knew that I didn't want to have a job that involved manual labor, or any other type of work that would purposely put me in harms way. A corporate type, office job seemed like a safe environment, but beware of the dangers in the workplace. How can you hurt yourself sitting at your desk. Little did I know of the top 5 risks I face each day when I step foot into my office building.


5. Paper cuts - I currently have 5 paper cuts combined on both of my hands.

4. Slamming finger in file drawer - who is putting WD40 on these drawers, boy do they slam shut so fast.

3. Hanging file folders - Not only has these hanging file folders put holes in my clothes, and pulled threads out of my sweaters, I have actually had one of those prongs get caught in an existing papercut. Ouch!

2. Hand/Arm caught in vending machine trying to retrieve merchandise you bought that did not release properly. At 5 feet 5 inches and about 108 pounds (and gaining), it is quite impossible for me to rock the entire vending machine back and forth to get my Strawberry pop tart.

1. Bathroom doors - if you have ever been in a hurry - off to a meeting you forgot about, trying to hurry out to lunch or even that last bathroom break before you rush home - you may have been a victim of the being hit with a swinging bathroom door or better yet having a head on collision with a fellow colleague.

Be careful and extremely cautious at work, we are definitely not in the clear of injury.

~WEEK IN REVIEW~

Week of August 20th

Monday- 10:00AM, You sat in a meeting for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes , and you are still trying to figure out what it was about.

Tuesday - 4:57PM - Your coworker pawns an employee call off on you, when she knows good and well that their question requires her expertise. She sees you packing up to go home!

Wednesday - 12:20PM, Lunch time rush - You stand in line for approximately 23 minutes at a local sandwich shop for a chicken salad sandwich. What a ding-dong, lunch is at 1:00PM from now on.

Thursday - 2:45PM, Your boss insist that you attend an out of office meeting at another location. You brave the mid-afternoon traffic, hassle with the toll bridge, and fear all the crazies who shouldn't have a license. Once you reach your destination 45 minutes later, you find that the meeting has been cancelled and no one thought to tell you!

Friday - 8:30AM, Trying to end your week on a positive note, you are at your desk typing an email when you hear a "pop". Your belt buckle completely snaps off the leather end as you are wearing pants that actually require a belt to keep them UP! You hurry off to the grocery store to find a cheap belt, needless to say its ugly!

...........Better luck next week

"Corporate Lingo"

After about 2 months of working in "Corporate America" I learned of this secret language. A language that I would eventually grow to mock. My good friend Olivia and I, have had countless conversations regarding the meanings of these phrases and the need to use them. Do these terms really get our points across in a more effective way? Are we trying to create an elite club where you can distinguish its members through these sayings? Can one be considered unprofessional, or lacking in intelligence, innovation and business savvy if these terms and phrases are not present in their vocabulary?



Top 10 Overly Communicated Corporate Terms, Phrases and Lingo

1. "Think outside the box" - Thinking creatively and not of the norm (lingo within lingo). Would it not be accepted to say, "try thinking of something that hasn't been thought of before" or "be a little more creative". What is the box, the box of business measurements the box of normalcy? Wouldn't it be great for everyone to think within their own box, their minds, and then exchange boxes, and then collaborate the boxes to create this great big box of creativity.

2. "Touch Base" - To follow up. Such an easy term to define, yet used way too much. No really, way too much!

3. "....Oriented" - According to Webster.com, oriented means intellectually, emotionally, or functionally directed. My gripe is that just adding "oriented" before or after something does not make it a power saying hence hearing this word in numerous variations many times a day. i.e. deadline-oriented.

4. "Drill down" - Digging/researching deeper into a problem or issue's core. I'm sure that one could say, "I am going to research further and get back to you" or a manager could ask their employee to "gather more information to get to the bottom of it".

5. "Show Stopper" - A highly important item that if not addressed will cause detrimental effects. I already have a short attention span, so sayings like this just take me away from the meeting at hand. It makes me think that the meeting I am in is really about something fun and interesting and then I snap back to reality and find myself in a boring meeting discussing budgets or something.

6. "Push Back" - To disagree with an idea. In different workplace settings I have had bosses who welcome push back or simply despise it. This takes us to my theory that these terms, thought to be universal can carry different meanings in different places and you never really know what your coworker or boss is talking about. Oh, or is that just me? Perhaps I am "pushing back" on all these terms because I don't know their true meanings.

7. "Buy In" - Gaining support perhaps from upper management and/or executives.

8. "Take this Offline" - Discuss a topic or issue at a later time, outside of the current meeting.

9. "Benchmark" - Making comparison or evaluation of best practices (lingo within lingo) within industry to aide in making informed and strategic decisions. And that is fine, it is actually needed in all business aspects to remain competitive in the company's respective industry. But another that I have witnessed be used numerous times a day.

10. "Stay in the loop" - Yet another form of "Touch Base". Staying informed of a variety of things including, physical whereabouts throughout the work day, progress on assignments, projects and tasks, all not to leave your boss, coworkers without a clue of what is going on in relevance to them. (wink, wink) Yes, it is the name of the blog, but believe me, this phrase is the only one that I admit has made a home in my vocabulary!