August 3rd, 2012 wasn’t a particularly stellar day for Matt Honan, senior writer with Wired Magazine. It was the day that all of his personal accounts (Google, Twitter, Apple, etc.) were hacked by a group hell bent on wreaking havoc with his digital life. Just for fun. Like many other tech-savvy users, his password was complex enough to withstand any brute force attack (it wasn’t 1234, his wife’s name, or his favorite member of House Lannister). His account fell due to two major problems: the daisy-chaining of his digital accounts and major gaps in account authentication.

The first problem is in the hands of the user but the second may lead businesses to put the old password (single-factor) authentication system out to pasture and replace it with a more secure two-factor authentication system. (more…)

Whether you are working in or looking to break into the Information Technology industry, possessing excellent writing skills is important. But with so much focus on math and sciences in college it is easy to brush off English courses, and most universities only require math and science majors to take one or two classes. However there are not many jobs in any industry that do not require good writing skills, and poor skills may even leave you at a disadvantage when searching for employment.

Why are writing skills even necessary?

If you have ever struggled to write a cover letter, resume, or anything related to your career you should know the importance of good writing. Every career path requires its workers to write notes, memos, emails, and reports, all of which require good writing skills to effectively communicate a certain set of ideas. Poor writing skills can be a red flag to employers that you are not fit for management positions, and are often read as signs of lower intelligence. (more…)

Settling into a new job can be hard. The new procedures, people, and responsibilities can be intimidating and lead to stress, so is there an easy way to adjust to a completely new office environment? Of course not, but there are several things you can do to ease your transition into your new job.

Be friendly

Now is not the time to sink into your office and become a hermit. You’re in a new environment, so now is the time to go out and meet your co-workers. Things will be a lot less awkward once you break the ice. Introduce yourself to everyone; your co-workers, the receptionist, even the employees in the mail room. That way the first time you meet someone it won’t be because you need something. You want to establish a mini-network inside of your office so that you can fully take advantage of all the resources available to you. Plus, you will make some friends in the process. (more…)

Conditions are quickly changing for the modern workforce but as an employer, are you prepared for what is to come? Find out with the following article.

Let’s face it: we can talk about hot topics like Gen Y in the workplace, the rise of mobile and cloud computing, the retirement of baby boomers, the increasing skills gap, employee retention and more until we’re blue in the face.

But ultimately, we need to look at all these topics in the context of the big picture, at the interaction between all these factors, and their combined impact on our workplaces in this increasingly complex world.

And if we don’t? We risk losing the applicability of each individual lesson, making us all the less adaptable at a time when speedy adaptability is key to our survival.

If we don’t want to be left vulnerable to being blindsided by an unfamiliar or unrecognizable future workforce, we need to consider the big picture and how it can help prepare us for what’s next.

We consulted with some experts for their thoughts on the way demographics, technology, and the economy interact to affect the future workforce. (more…)

Are you excited about dressing up for Halloween in the office? Take these tips to heart as you begin to put your costume together for October 31st!

Halloween at the office can be incredibly fun! You can gorge on candy at your desk, bond over unique costumes with your office mates, and push your creativity in fun and unexpected ways. Remember that unlike the chaotic parties of your college days or the nearly absent dress code of the local bar scene, there are a few friendly guidelines to maintain while letting loose with your fellow ghouls around the office. (more…)

The balance between work & life responsibilities has fallen out of proportion for the American workforce. Take back your personal time with these tips!

54% of American employees feel overextended in their jobs according to a survey conducted by The Families and Work Institute. This is a sign of the continued thinning of the once defined line between the work lives and personal lives. Increased workloads, mandatory overtime, and ‘round the clock availability through technology have made it difficult to juggle more than just your work priorities. Don’t lose hope though. You can still reclaim that balance between your work and your personal life. Here are some tips (more…)

Hardworking, ambitious, and productive are all great skills to have as an employee or job seeker, but your best work is done when you aren’t stressed out. This infographic reminds us how important work-life balance is. (more…)

Before 1938 the American work week looked a lot different than what we see today. Often times, an employee was required to work over twelve hours a day, sometimes six days a week. To improve employee morale on a National level, the Federal Government instated the Labor Standards Act, which standardized the eight hour work day and forty hour work week. Thus, the landscape of traditional American Employment was created. (more…)

Don’t Paint Your Office Pink!
Is your office flat lining because of those long and dark wintry days? Or maybe because of that particularly hefty and exhausting project your company just got handed? Those lulls in productivity or tense and straining silences in your office can occur at any given moment for any number of reasons. Ultimately, it’s because the motivation has fizzled.

New hires and existing employees alike, motivation is always a key factor behind productivity in any office. In our count, there are seven avenues to motivating employees. Some may be obvious, but others are easy to forget about in the rush of the work day. You’ll find that most employees respond best to a combination of these, so read on and find out how you can spark that energy boost.

Purpose
Most companies aim to run the kind of office where they employ people who aren’t just working for the money, but are motivated by purpose and the need to make a real impact. If an employee thinks their work is basically pointless, they won’t put the effort in. Get them motivated by frequently pointing out the role of their work in the big picture and your company’s vision. Whether their impact is short term, long term, or even minimal, your employees need to know their purpose.

Autonomy
Micro-management is a highly un-motivational term that no one wants to hear, let alone experience. Understandably, you can’t often give an employee total freedom over their work, but you can usually still provide some level of autonomy. If an employee knows that no one will be constantly looking over their shoulder, they will be more motivated to take their responsibilities seriously and be more productive in their role. Even if it’s a small factor of their job, the more autonomy you provide, the more motivated an employee you’ll have on your hands.

Reputation
The better an employee knows they’re doing, the more motivated they will be to do it. To build this reputation in their own eyes and the eyes of others, you’ll have to provide frequent feedback that goes beyond those dreaded annual reviews. It can be as simple as a “good job” or “thank you” in everyone’s ear shot, or a five minute meeting with an employee to tell them that you appreciate their work. A good rule of thumb is praise in public, keep criticism behind closed doors, and give credit to everyone who deserves it, even if their role was small.

Challenge
If people are faced with the same mundane, no-brainpower-needed jobs day in day out, they won’t care about doing better. On the other hand, if you present your employees with a challenge, you’ll immediately spark their motivation. Give them challenges that relate to their strengths or to skills you know they want to develop. Let them figure it out first and only provide help if they ask for it. If people know that they may frequently encounter challenges, they’ll work harder to keep their brains active, meaning they’ll be more productive in other work too.

Reward
Some people are motivated by the simple fact that if they put in the hard work, they’ll receive something in return (that is, beyond their base wage). Many companies have a bonus structure in place for this purpose, but this is not the only option. Other rewards include contests and incentives, with small prizes like gift certificates or tickets. Also consider rewards like extra time off or official monthly awards. Additionally, there are services out there that provide incentive programs in which employees gain points towards prizes of their choice. Ultimately, rewards can be a huge motivator if you know what your employees respond to best.

Fun
A dull or stressful work environment can certainly hinder motivation. Throw some fun in the mix so your employees can get excited about work, let off steam, and start thinking creatively. Your options here are endless. Simple forms of fun such as toy basketball hoops, stress balls, and nerf guns are creative stress relievers. Social events like potluck lunches, movie nights, or bowling trips, and other fun factors such as free food, birthday celebrations, and casual days can all get your employees excited about coming to work. When people know their job isn’t all work and no fun, they’re more motivated when it comes to the work part.

Work Environment
You may be surprised by how much the paint color, lighting, and floor plan of your office can affect an employee’s motivation. For example, medium greens and pale blues are soothing colors that inspire production, while light oranges and magentas spark creativity and motivation. On the other hand, pink, lime green, and yellow are too stimulating and distracting to have any motivational effect on productivity. In regards to lighting, it’s important to find a happy medium between dim, soft light and harsh white, fluorescent light. The most motivational floor plans are open and flowing. These aren’t usually factors you think about in regards to motivation, but they can be just as important.

-Clare Saumell – Marketing Director at Ashley Ellis

Every person is a product of his or her environment, so it’s no surprise that the modern work place (consisting of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y) is a complex mixture of varied work expectations, values, and degrees of tech savviness. Because of this diversity, a clear cut balance needs to be adapted in order for an office containing all three generations to thrive.

Before that happens, we need to truly understand each generation.

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers, born between 1946 & 1964, came of age during the early days of the Cold War. As they entered the workforce, they combined their parents’ work ethic with their own budding idealism in hopes of making the world a better place. As a group, Baby Boomers are loyal to a fault. Most are eager to trust their employer and only move to other companies to escape truly reprehensible conditions. For that reason, they respect hierarchy and most decide to climb the corporate ladder from within the company they start with. (more…)