Soft Skills: Definitions and Examples
Soft skills are personality traits and behaviors. Unlike technical or “hard” skills, soft skills are not about the knowledge you possess but rather behaviors you display in different situations.
Let a tough problem marinate overnight.
Write it down before you go to bed. Let your mind turn it over, and then write more in the morning.
Who used this method? Thomas Edison. He once said: “Never go to sleep without a request to your subconscious.”
— Adapted from “10 Things the Most Successful People Do Every Day,” Eric Barker, Time.
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U.S. Department of Labor Releases Long-Awaited Overtime Rule
Originally Published By: Troutman Sanders LLP on March 12, 2019
Last week, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-awaited proposed change to the minimum salary threshold for the white-collar exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new minimum salary threshold is $35,308/year (or $679/week).
This new rule is not finalized nor in effect now. Rather, the new rule is open for a notice and comment period, with the DOL accepting public comments for 60 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register. The Department of Labor predicts that the new rule will likely become effective in January 2020.
4 Ways To Create A More Stable & Healthy Work Environment
As a leader, it’s your job to make sure your employees are happy, healthy and enjoy working at your business. Turnover is expensive, and too much of it will create a very difficult environment to work and exist each day.
However, there are a few particular ways you can create a more stable atmosphere in the workplace that will help your employees keep their mental and physical wellbeing in check. The worst decision you can make is to look the other way and take no action at all for improving the conditions at your office. Hoping the situation will get better on its own isn’t a wise approach, so it’s worth your energy to figure out how you can help.
8 Expert Tips To Having A Healthy Company Environment
Originally Published By: John Rampton on February 18, 2015
Arguably one of the most important elements in motivating and engaging employees is by having a healthy company environment. But, how exactly can you make an environment where team members are productive, happy, encouraged and accepted? Try these eight valuable tips and you’ll be on your way to having a healthy company environment.
1. Build Trust
According to 90% or workers, honesty, trust and fairness are considered the most important attributes valued in the workplace. But, how exactly can you establish trust in the workplace? According to Eva Rykrsmith on QuickBase, an organizational psychologist and HR/OD leader, you can begin by doing the following:
Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades. Increased levels of job stress as assessed by the perception of having little control but lots of demands have been demonstrated to be associated with increased rates of heart attack, hypertension, and other disorders. In New York, Los Angels and other municipalities, the relationship between job stress and heart attacks is so well acknowledged, that any police officer who suffers a coronary event on or off the job is assumed to have a work-related injury and is compensated accordingly (including heart attack sustained while fishing on vacation or gambling in Las Vegas).
This 5-Day Workplace Meditation Challenge Will Make Everyone in Your Office Happier
PUBLISHED ON: FEB 6, 2018 By Matthew JonesContributor, Inc.com
You don't know yourself.
You spend your life pretending to understand yourself, others, and the world. But the truth is that you have no idea--you're just doing what everyone else does: going with the flow instead of engaging in meaningful introspection.
But you want something more.
You're aware that, despite your limitations, there's still plenty of fulfillment to be discovered in this lifetime. So, you're trying to walk the fine line between professional success and personal fulfillment.
Sedentary lifestyles are killing us – we need to build activity into our everyday lives, not just leave it for the gym.
By Vybarr Cregan-Reid Thu 3 Jan 2019 01.00 EST
Originally Published by The Guardian
This is the time of year when trainers are mined from under beds and gym kits are disinterred from the bottom drawer. Google searches relating to physical fitness peak in January. Many people even trawl the web to find out about “desk exercises” and “workouts on the go” in case they are too busy to use their new gym memberships.
Our first Alpha Cares initiative for 2019 is…
Maintaining a Healthy You!
We will be focusing our efforts from January through March on the importance of keeping yourself healthy. Maintaining a healthy body, mind, and workplace are of the utmost importance, and will positively affect other aspects of your life.
What you might see in the coming months from Alpha Cares:
Physical Health: Did you know that there are no visibly clear symptoms of high blood pressure?
Mental Health: Did you know that about one in five adults experienced a mental health issue in 2014? You are not alone.
Workplace Health: Did you know that workplace health programs that offer an integrated approach to employee health can lead to better productivity, fewer absences, and improvements in employee retention?
Don’t forget to follow us on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages as we share more information throughout Q1 of 2019!
A Guide To Hiring Recruitment Firms
Originally Published By: Ken Sundheim, Forbes.com
Hiring the right employees for any size company can be extremely difficult and very time consuming. Nevertheless, recruiting top workers should be a priority for every firm and your company should be no different.
Since staffing talent can take significant effort and internal HR costs can prove expensive, many organizations consider using a recruitment company.
As an employer, if you're considering this route, the following guide should help you:
When Should Your Company Hire a Recruiting Firm?
There are a few circumstances in which your company could utilize recruiting services. Most often, employers use recruiters when one or more of the following is the case:
