Office courtesy
Is your open-plan office hurting your health?
Set aside the hand sanitizer for a moment: though prevailing office etiquette suggests sniffly coworkers are the greatest germ-carrying risk, a recent study out of Sweden finds that office design and layout has an unexpected relationship to employee sick time. As EHS Today reports, the study, titled “Office Design’s Impact on Sick Leave Rates,” considered […]
Who’s really winning in the workplace surveillance game?
As employees become more tech-savvy, offices whine over lower productivity, loss of work hours, and data theft. An occasional phone call and a few minutes on the internet are perfectly fine, but distraction over long periods of time can result in huge losses. To minimize the risk of fraud and keep people focused, businesses worldwide […]
How to conference call like a pro
The inherent awkwardness of the average conference call is captured in a new video from YouTube favorites Tripp and Taylor. Watch the quick clip and see how palpable discomfort – and the little white lies – becomes clear as day when the comedians cast a light on a normally remote banality of the typical workday. […]
How to catch winks at work: Where (and why) to nap on the job
Following reports that junior bankers in the world’s most competitive investment banks have been taking to their office bathroom stalls for much-needed rest breaks, even the non-bankers among us have been contemplating where to rest at work. Some workplaces offer nap rooms, such as those found at Nationwide Planning Associates, and The Huffington Post, outfitted […]
Dress to sweat: workout wear Friday gets employees moving
Loosen your ties and strap on your sneakers: if the Washington Post has anything to do with it, office workers may soon be replacing slacks with yoga pants… at least on Fridays. In a post that generated its share of comments and controversy, Post fitness and health writer Vicky Hallett argued the “Case for Workout […]
5 ways to incorporate Radiant Orchid in your office
Call the news what you will, “expressive, creative and embracing,” or simply a purple patch: Pantone’s official color of 2014 is Radiant Orchid, a vivid hue inspired by the unusual flower. Pantone has been selecting colors of the year since 2000 (that year’s hue: Cerulean), influencing fashion and design with each annual choice. “A lot […]
Mind your manners, corporate America
America’s got 99 problems and incivility is one. An online survey by Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate reveals that American businesses rank poorly when it comes to treating customers right. Of the 1000 adults surveyed, 54 percent decided never to buy from a company after being treated discourteously, and 43 percent advised others not to […]
An iPad app could be your office’s next receptionist
A start-up company based in Colorado has introduced a technology that could trigger a change in the hospitality industry. A new app called “Receptionist” now makes it possible to run an unmanned front desk via an iPad. Small businesses that can’t afford a salaried employee for the job can benefit the most from the virtual receptionist. […]
Quiz: Google Glass etiquette
As we get closer and closer to a time when spotting someone sporting Google Glass becomes a daily instead of an occasional occurrence, we’ve been updating you on all you need to know about Google Glass etiquette. Last month, we brought you a quiz on Google Glass and parenting. This month we test you on […]
Corporate colors: Do offices decorate for personality or practicality?
MyDoorSign, a leading supplier of office signs, examined 10,400 orders to better understand the buying patterns of corporate consumers. More specifically, we focused on companies’ color selection beyond the basic black. The colors burgundy, brown, gray, and green were clear leaders in sales, while colors like yellow and orange did not appeal to consumers. We […]