There's nothing quite like work jargon, but we can't blame it all on U.S. business. It seems to be a global phenomenon, as the recent compilation of 50 phrases you love to hate in the BBC news attests. And be sure to play along with the Boss Speak Bingo Card (PDF). There aren't any prizes beyond the satisfaction of "gotcha" and you may want to keep that to yourself. The BBC seems to be on a quest to rid the world of the phrase going forward, which really seems to get under their skin.

If you want to keep your ear to the ground for new jargon, you might try MBA Jargon Watch. Most of the phrases in the list sound painfully familiar, but there are a few new fingernails-on-the-blackboard contenders, such as "eat your own dogfood" and "boil the ocean." Ouch, my ears! When it comes to office speak, I think we need to leapfrog into a paradigm shift - can I get any buy-in on that?

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 22, 2008 at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A few humorous items that have passed by our desk of late:

• If you are wondering how valued you are at the workplace and where you fall in the popularity pecking order, Thoughts for Training Time offers a good way to take the pulse on your workplace worth.
• Hr Lori reminds us of this amusing Monty Python sketch of the job interviewer from hell (link to video clip)
• Are your employees a little too much into clock watching?
• Think the job market is tough now? Check out these offbbeat job ads from the 30s and the 40s.
• Show your devotion to the workplace with these office heart stickers.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on April 4, 2008 at 12:41 PM | Permalink

In the past, we've talked about various innovative ways to keep your sedentary workers fit - from treadmill desks to exercise ball chairs. Now, we have yet another alternative: You may have seen the infomercial for the Hawaii chair (video clip), which bills itself as a way to get fit while you sit. Could this be the key to a new healthier work force?

The verdict is in, it would definitely enliven your workplace. Watch as Ellen Degeneres reviews the Hawaii chair (video clip).

Posted by Julie Ferguson on February 22, 2008 at 8:22 AM | Permalink

Every HR manager deals with it: the retirement of a long-valued employee. But what happens when it's the company CEO? To get a window on what that's like, here's a short video case study: Bill Gates' last full day at work. Hat tip to HR Lori for the link. Lori often has very useful advice. We particularly liked her method for determining when a meeting has run it's course.

This story may start your weekend with a smile. Addi Somekh and Charlie Eckert have traveled more than 10,000 miles visiting more than 34 countries, all with one purpose: to take pictures of people wearing silly hats made out of balloons. And the purpose? Simply to make people laugh and have fun. We ascribe to that philosophy!

Who can't relate to this? Just another day at the office...

Ever feel that bureaucracy has you running around in circles? If so, here's a brilliant piece of artwork for your desk.

And in the indispensable online tools department, we give you the Bureau of Workplace Interruptions.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on January 18, 2008 at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Santa, the employee
Employee background checks are important. Even when hiring a seemingly trustworthy guy like St. Nick, it might be worth running a check for arrest warrants, sexual offenses and other criminal matters to protect your organization from potential liability. And once you've hired Santa, the job is not complete—meticulous on-the-job training is vital. Plus, you may want to conduct an ergonomic assessment of his job—the nature of his work presents lot of potential for on-the-job injuries. And you will definitely want to refer him to your EAP program—a recent survey reveals that Santa's job can be very stressful!

Santa Claus as an employer
It pains us to bring this up, but there is no getting around it—no matter how beloved he is in the world at large, as an employer, Santa leaves something to be desired. The people at Forbes have painted him as little better than a sweat shop operator, forcing his elves to work long hours at low pay. And law firms both here in the U.S. and abroad note that he is playing fast and loose with a host of employment laws, risking everything from workers comp claims to class-action suits for hiring discrimination. Some attorneys weigh in with their thoughts on these and other potential legal risks that Santa faces.

Now we are very fond of Santa, but frankly, some of these employment practices stink. So Santa, if you are listening, give us a call—we'd be happy to enroll you in our online Management Academy free of charge. We'll gladly throw in some stress reduction counseling, too!

Posted by Julie Ferguson on December 21, 2007 at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Having a bad day? This short video clip (sound alert) compiles some of the classic "bad day" moments that have been circulating on the web. Clearly, some of these workplaces could benefit by anger management training—time to call your EAP! Also on the "bad day" theme, there are also a series of short ad spoofs about work frustrations that have been viral in their popularity: the attack of the pen, the attack of the envelope, and the attack of the elastic. These spots are reminiscent of the popular when office supplies attack page.

When all that work frustration just gets to be too much, here's a small antidote from some experts: the definitive guide to making paper planes.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on November 18, 2007 at 12:17 PM | Permalink

HMO rap - Health care benefits are increasingly complex. Explaining health care plans can pose a challenge to benefits managers everywhere. But take heart, now there is the HMO rap.

Soul-crushing jobs - Do you ever have one of those days where you feel like an insignificant little cog in a wheel? This photo essay on endless assembly lines and giant cafeterias in China might help to put things in perspective.

Still feeling badly about your job? Check out The Worst Jobs in Science, 2007. Popular Science issues this list annually as a salute to "the men and women who do what no salary can adequately reward." Next time you are having a bad day, you can console yourself with the fact that your career path did not lead you to whale-feces research or serving as a gravity research subject.

Fantasy work stations - Does your work station need a bit of a face lift? Maybe this ergonomic chair would help ease that back strain a bit. Although this nifty litle workstation is nice, too. Decisions, decisions.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on October 14, 2007 at 8:16 AM | Permalink

If you've been working in HR for more than about a week, you have probably seen your share of blunders and "creative" statements on resumes. CareerBuilder.com offers their list of the top 12 resume disasters. We'd have to agree that these represent some definite yellow flags but they make for an amusing list. We have found a few other compilations on the web that we've enjoyed. But if we are going to poke fun at the applicants, then turnabout is fair play. Some students compiled the top 100 most annoying questions asked in job interview - a very instructive list. Many people seem to take a visceral dislike to the "where do you want to be in X years" question. This applicant offers an honest response.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 29, 2007 at 2:07 PM | Permalink

Sorry to be bringing you this news so late, but we've just learned that today is the official Take Your Dog to Work Day. This annual event is sponsored by Pet Sitters International and scheduled for the first Friday after Father's Day. The underlying purpose is to extol the benefits of bringing people and pets together and to remind people that dogs make great companions—so great that maybe all you non-owners might be moved to adopt one.

According to a 2006 survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, nearly one in five companies already allow pets in the workplace. Pets-at-work proponents cite an increase in employee morale and a decrease in stress.

Mercedes Medical, a medical supply distributor in Sarasota, Fla., thinks that allowing pets at work increases loyalty and may even bolster employee retention because workers might no be able to bring a pet to work at a new job. The company has 35 employees, and about 6 to 10 visiting canines at any given time.

At Replacements Ltd., a 500-employee china and silverware retailer, it was owner Bob Page's idea to allow dogs at work, and he thinks it is a perk that pays off in productivity and enhanced employee satisfaction. According to the previously cited survey, 46 million Americans said they would work longer hours if they were allowed to bring their pets to work.

The types of establishments that allow pets can run the gamut from colleges and IT shops to tire shops and design/build firms.

If you are wondering whether a pets-at-work policy might be beneficial to your workplace, Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW) offers some guidelines for taking pets to work, which includes some sample policies. The San Francisco SPCA offers additional pets-at-work benefits, guidelines and policies. Since dogs at work are part of the Web behemoth's work-life program, you can also read Google's Dog Policy. But not everyone thinks that the idea is problem-free. Naysayer Ethan Winning lays out some of the HR issues that should be considered.

If you plan to bring your pets to work today, be sure to have them read these 5 rules for doggy etiquette at work. First and foremost, don't bite the boss—a good rule for pets and humans alike.

The cuteness factor: Pictures of working pets
What pet story would be complete without some winsome pet pics? We don't want to disappoint so we've found some photos of working pets to share.

Animal Hubub has some sweet pics of pets at work. But they don't show you the potential downside.

Shop Cat profiles cats that work in stores, libraries, hotels and many more places - you can even search by state to find working cats near you.

Dogs at work are often more than just pets. There's a long tradition of working dogs and some of these hard-working creatures perform a wide range of very important services.

And OK, because it's Friday we hope you will forgive us for including a link to our favorite animal site, even though most of the animals depicted have nothing to do with work. Cute Overload delivers what are arguably the most adorable pictures of puppies, kitties, bunnies and assorted animals on the Web. If you can't have pets at work, a daily visit to this site can be a real stress reducer. But be warned—it's addictive!

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 22, 2007 at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Employment law Hollywood style—Take the Labor Law in the Movies Trivia Quiz. There are ten questions about films that featured employment law issues. Here's a sample question:

In the 1980 film, 9 to 5, sexual harassment and sex based discrimination were the normal operating procedure. Name the trio who kidnapped their boss. Extra points if you can name his character and the actor who portrayed him.

Answers can be found here —scroll down the page about half way.

And while we're at the movies—Here are some nominees for Worst On-Screen Bosses Ever. And here are 10 more movie bosses—which one do you work for?

TV bosses aren't much better—You don't need to go out to the cinema to find bad bosses—just flip on the TV. Here's a list from John Challenger about the top tyrants on TV. Take the TV Bosses from Hell poll to vote for the boss you would least like to work for. Surprisingly, the Pointy Haired Boss didn't make either list.

And from the "bad bosses in real life" file—This British company is our nomination for bad employer of the week. That's a pretty cold way to deliver hot news.

And since we mentioned the law—If bad bosses or shoddy employment practices force you to seek legal assistance, this little ditty will explain a lot about what you can expect from your attorneys. (YouTube and sound alert.)

Posted by Julie Ferguson on May 11, 2007 at 7:19 AM | Permalink

Looking for some ways to shake up your organizational chart? Maybe changing job titles is the way to go. Does your organization need a "Director of Chaos," a "Director of First Impressions," or an "Upward Mobility Bigshot?" Jacked Up Job Titles from last November's Forbes offers some creative ideas. Be sure to click on the "In Pictures" slide show.

OK, since you work in HR, you should be good at this game: Find Frank a Job.

Ever have one of those days where you feel pulled in few different different directions? Well relax because, yes, it's Friday.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on April 20, 2007 at 3:06 PM | Permalink

Model job of the week - literally!

Are you a slob? Congrats, you're more productive - a new book is touting the benefits of messiness, claiming that "neatness is overrated, costs money, wastes time and quashes creativity." But the jury is out as to whether messiness hinders or helps your career. While one study says that messy-desk people tend to have higher salaries than neatniks, other experts caution that messiness might affect your upward mobility.

Here's a group of dentists that understand the benefit of having fun on the job. Funmeister Bernie DeKoven would approve - he's a big proponent of the benefit of fun and creative play at work. His site is a treasure trove for creative fun and games well worth exploring - there's a lot there about fun both on and off the job - be sure to see his work archives.

Office pranks and hi-jinks are another matter. Here are some creative things to do when your colleague is away. Or here's a before and after case study. Sometimes these plots can be quite elaborate (PDF).

And speaking of fun, here's a desk toy designed to defuse frustration with the boss - who knows, it might prevent a needless office outburst. (video clip)

Posted by Julie Ferguson on March 23, 2007 at 9:57 AM | Permalink

You might want to bookmark this post and return to it anytime you have a bad day at work. As we've noted before, things could always be worse.

We were recently reminded how bad jobs could be when we stumbled on an amusing site featuring the Worst Jobs in History. The site is a companion piece to a British television series by the same name that ran through 2,000 years of horrifyingly bad jobs. You can learn about the jobs your ancestors held - Medieval leech collector, a Tudor groom of the stool, an Anglo-Saxon Guillemot egg collector, a Stuart plague burier, or a Victorian tanner. If you want to see which job you might have held had you lived 1,000 years ago, take the quiz in the career center.

Of course, you don't need to travel back in time to find some frighteningly bad jobs - there are many contemporary contenders for the titles. Here's a few nominations that we've found:

Business Week: Worst jobs with the best pay

Edugree: 5 worst jobs of 2006

Pop Science: Worst jobs in science

USA Today: 10 worst jobs in sports

CNN Money: America's most dangerous jobs

CNN Money: 5 Most dangerous jobs for teens

Posted by Julie Ferguson on February 23, 2007 at 10:38 AM | Permalink

What's in a name? - here's the most interesting new job title we've seen in awhile.

Grumpy workers rule! - you may want to think twice about telling people to improve their attitude in your next round of performance reviews. New research show that grumpy workers may be your most creative problem solvers. "It's the happy, cheerful folks who tend to think things are going well and that there are no problems to be solved, she said. They're less likely to be pondering potential pitfalls and often don't see problems until there is a crisis."

What about grumpy bosses? - This Inteview with an honest boss may shed some light.

Work environments - is your workplace a trifle too stodgy? Are you looking for a bit of an office pick-me-up to create a more stimulating environment for your employees? Here's an idea from London.

I see London, I see France... Too Much Skin 10 Taboos for Office Attire

Questions of the day - what every worker wants to know. Is it Friday? and is it 5:30?. Bookmark these vital links in case you get confused.

Posted by ESI on February 9, 2007 at 11:04 AM | Permalink

When it comes to work absurdities, we ascribe to an equal opportunity philosophy - so in today's post, we are highlighting some stories that take both bosses and employees to task.

"I accidentally flushed my keys down the toilet" - Heard any good excuses for why an employee can't come to work lately? We're sure you have. Kathy Gurchiek compiled some of the best excuses that hiring managers polled by SHRM heard in 2006 in an article entitled Runaway horses, charging buffalo kept workers home in '06. The list is amusing, with excuses ranging from being locked in a restroom stall to being cornered by a snake. But some seem almost reasonable. For example, post-holiday, I can definitely relate to this one: "I'm too fat to get into my work pants." Have you heard any unique excuses lately? Feel free to add them to the comments.

Bah, humbug - We missed Slate magazine's pre-Christmas announcement about the winners in the Corporate Scrooge Contest, but think the article about America's worst office Christmas parties, gifts, and bonuses is worth posting even at this late date. Maybe some of the winners can have a second chance to show their employees some love on Valentine's Day.

A word to the wise - Workplace Prof Blog offers this sensible advice: Don't perform exorcisms at work ... anointing your demonically-possessed colleague's cubicle with olive oil might get you fired, and the courts are unlikely to be sympathetic to your religious discrimination suit.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics - Need some statistics for your boss that just don't seem to exist? No problem - eSolutions data lets you create your own. You might want to test your luck out with these HR manager salary statistics in your next job review.

Posted by ESI on January 4, 2007 at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There may be those among us who can sympathize with this HR director who is attempting to stage a politically correct holiday Party. Celebrating the holidays at work can be tricky. Last year, the Guardian conducted a "Campaign for a Real Office Christmas (CROC)" and invited readers to submit photos from their office celebrations - the results were amusing. They also offered some cut out and keep holiday decorations for your cubicle. And speaking of decorating cubicles, do you encourage creativity from your employees?

Home or office, some people really go all out when it comes to decorating (sound alert). If you're in the mood for decorating on a more modest scale, here's a tutorial for getting some help: Tree Decorating 101. But if you aren't into decorating cubicles or trees, you may want to turn your favorite employee or your boss into an elf. As its holiday gift to you, Office max is sponsoring Elf Yourself (warning: sound)

Just remember. Not everyone finds the holidays fun.

Posted by ESI on December 18, 2006 at 9:11 AM | Permalink