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Do You Like the People You Work With?

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For most full-time employees, they spend 40 hours or more a week with their co-workers.

Given there are 168 hours in a week, that means that employees in that scenario are with those they work with approximately one-fourth of the week. When you sit back and think about it for a moment that is a fair amount of time.

In the event you find yourself in that situation, what do you think of your co-workers? Do you enjoy your time with them? Do you tolerate time spent together? Do you wish they would give their two weeks’ notice tomorrow?

Having worked in a handful of jobs over a 23-year career to date, I can honestly say that I could count on two hands the people I really did not enjoy working with.

The reasoning in most of those cases was that I felt they did not like me and had a beef with me for one reason or another. One or two even went as far as to try and make life difficult for me inside the office. As it turns out, one of them got fired for their efforts, something that I did not exactly lose much sleep over.

Meantime, there have been many co-workers that I had absolutely nothing in common with, the same folks that I would never have anything to do with outside of the workplace. That isn’t because I did not like them, simply it has been that we had no similar interests and it would be rather moot to hang out.

So that brings me to the original question…. Do you like the people you work with?

If your answer is no, don’t feel like you are to blame or that your employer doesn’t think highly of you.

Does Your Employer Sidestep Results for Company Culture?

I have always been a big proponent of results in the workplace. You can be the least friendly individual in the office, but if your results speak for themselves and you are surpassing what was expected of you in terms of goals, you are okay in my book. Having said that, that does not mean you should walk around the office with looks that could kill.

I once worked with an individual that would come in and spend half of her day on the phone with her pre-teen daughter. Making matters worse, the woman sat right next to me.

Although I did not stay with the company for years, I was there long enough to acquire a sizable headache a couple times a week from listening to her tell her daughter to clean up her room, walk the dog, and do her homework and more. While being subjected to the trivial banter while trying to focus and get my writing done, I would at times want to grab the phone out of her hand and….

I also have had the non-pleasure of working with someone that treated everyone around her like they were in junior high and she was the teacher.

Treat Your Elders with Respect

One of the quickest ways as a departmental manager to turn people under you off is to be condescending towards them. Whether you have 20 years in the workplace or are the newest intern at work, people need to be treated with respect, not talked down to. At the end of the day, a manager needs to bring people together for the common goal of the company being successful, not dividing the office into individuals that are not excited about team success.

Lastly, I always have a little disdain for the young worker that comes into a company and thinks they know everything. Trust me; I was that same individual some 25 years ago that did not look up to or at times respect authority. Over time, I saw how immature I must have looked to those more experienced employees. Many young people that come to a company bring fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and a feeling like nothing can’t be achieved. While those are all great traits to have, nothing replaces experience.

Given my present age and my financial needs, I see myself working at least another 20 years, maybe longer.

In those years to come, I would like to think that I will enjoy working with my still unknown co-workers.

Heck, it can’t be that hard to like those you work with, yes?

Whether you have been in the workforce for decades or just a handful of years, have you enjoyed the folks you’ve worked with?

Photo credit: glassdoor.com

Dave Thomas, who discusses subjects such as HR outsourcing companies and payroll services, writes extensively for San Diego-based Business.com.

How to Set Up Your First (Or Your Next) Office

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A Guest Post by
Rosemary O’Neill

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Remember when you moved into your first apartment and you realized that toilet paper didn’t magically appear anymore? That’s what it’s like when you set up your first physical office as an entrepreneur.

If you’re ready to move from your kitchen table to some real corporate space, here are some basic tips that will smooth the transition.

  • Consider creative space sharing – there are incubators, shared spaces, and professional suites that come pre-furnished and ready to go. For a fee, some will include a receptionist or admin support. Regus.com is one company that provides meeting rooms and pre-configured offices around the world. You don’t necessarily have to start from scratch.
  • Bring-your-own computer policy – you may not have to make a capital outlay for computer equipment these days. Many employees prefer using their own laptop, and it facilitates occasionally working from home. Additional considerations include:
    • Look at providing larger screens or keyboards as peripherals at the office; laptops are not great for ergonomics in extended use.
    • Establish a written policy of how you will handle data storage and transfer, especially when an employee leaves the company.
    • Consider what sort of upgrade or maintenance you will offer for employees who bring their own device.
  • You might not need an expensive phone system – similar to the computer scenario above, many companies are allowing employees to use their own smartphones for business calls, with a virtual phone system. Services like Google Voice and Grasshopper allow you to have a business telephone number that’s portable across devices.
  • Costco (or Sam’s Club) is your friend – paper clips, coffee filters, beverages, paper, pens, snacks, all these things can be bought in bulk. They will even deliver.
  • Legal signage – once you have employees, you need to ensure that you’ve posted the required Federal and State signage (which varies according to location and type of business). This will include safety information, workers comp, and minimum wage requirements (see examples here: http://www.laborlawcenter.com/c-3-state-only-labor-law-posters.aspx?gclid=CPbt_Pa3160CFcuP7Qod2i4jlA)
  • Decor – if you’ll be receiving clients at your new location, be sure to set up a welcoming entry with a couple of chairs and a small table for coffee. This can be overlooked as you focus on your employee work environment, and you want to create a nice first impression for visitors. This is also a good place to display a little personality!

Moving from the virtual office to a “bricks and mortar” office space can be challenging, but it’s also fun. Roll up your sleeves, keep the pointers above in mind, and create a space that inspires you and your team.

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Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out their blog. You can find her on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee
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Thank you, Rosemary!

You’re irresistible!

ME “Liz” Strauss

What is the Proper Way to Let an Employee Go?

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If you’ve ever gotten a layoff or fired notice, you know the range of emotions that overtake you.

Unless this was a forgone conclusion, you are likely feeling surprise, anger, bewilderment and more. One of the first questions you likely ask is why did I lose my job when things seemed to be going well at work?

With the economy still trying to take flight, losing a job in 2011 takes on even more significance, especially with no end in sight to when things will get better.

How Did You Learn of Your Dismissal?

I can speak from experience to being laid off, quite frankly to my surprise.

Working as an online editor for Insurance Journal magazine in San Diego beginning in 2001, I had been there just under five years when it all unraveled.

Working from home on a Friday, I had received an email from my manager about doing a conference call with her and the CEO that morning, no details provided. As fate would have it, the reporter curiosity in me came out that morning for several reasons:

  • I had just been in the office working the day before and everything was fine;
  • We never did conference calls on a Friday and if we did, it involved all of the team;
  • I had not received any complaints, concerns, etc. leading up to this call.

So, I emailed the manager back and asked her what we would be discussing that day. The next communication from her was that I was being laid off as a result of my position being eliminated, no more, no less. Given that the position was an important one for a company looking to increase its online presence, the shock of the layoff hit home even more.

Being realistic, I know that layoffs happen every day in this country and around the world. What caught me by surprise, however, was the way this company chose to handle this matter.

Rather than the publisher being man enough to tell me face-to-face the previous day when I was in the office and even briefly spoke with him, he let his daughter-in-law do the dirty work behind the comfort of a computer.

Employers and Employees

Needless to say, I lost a lot of respect for this publisher who I thought liked the work I was doing, not to mention who would have brought me aside if there were an issue we needed to hash out.

While employers are not bound to give the real reason of why someone is let go, it is the honorable thing to do, especially when their decision has a number of ramifications for the employee. Yes, knowing the real reason may not make things better, but it at least prepares you for the next job and what to do and not to do.

Even though I have worked other jobs since that day six years ago, my trust level of employers will never be the same.

Yes, the company paid me for five years, but I gave a lot to that company in return and then some. A simple man-to-man explanation for the dismissal would have been better than taking the easy way out and having someone lower down on the totem pool do it.

So, have you ever been laid off or fired and felt the way it was handled was inappropriate?

Photo credit: 247wallst.com

Dave Thomas writes extensively for B2b lead generation online resource Resource Nation that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs. He is an expert writer on items like direct mail companies and is based in San Diego, California.