3 Tips to Achieve Healthier Work Relations

Daily interactions are key milestones to our everyday movements, but it can get tricky when trying to figure out a balance between work and personal relations. However, cultivating meaningful relationships does not necessarily mean that it will take excessive time and energy. Usually it boils down to sincerity and effort at the right moments. 

Trying to maintain good relations can be highly beneficial in the long run, as it can increase productivity and positivity in the company. While not everyone in the office will be friends with one another, here are some ways to achieve healthy work relations for a better working environment.

BE AS REAL AS POSSIBLE

It is understandable if you want to keep your work and personal lives separated, but in order to form deeper connections with your colleagues, try to be as real as possible. Revealing bits of yourself outside of the office will help them create an impression of you better than what they perceive from just the desk. A little self-disclosure is healthy in this case, because it will help to create better understandings that can aid working partnerships in the future.

OFFER TO HELP WITH THEIR PROBLEMS

When your colleagues face problems at work, always be proactive in offering to lend a helping hand. This encourages them to trust you and therefore return the favour when necessary. You also get to show a different side of yourself when you offer to do tasks outside of your work scope. It will also help them to see you as not just a co-worker, but also a friend. 

CONSIDERATION IS KEY

In the office, working as a well-oiled team is paramount for any company to flourish. So be considerate towards your colleagues, and remember that it is not just important that you’re happy, but consider their needs as well. For example, turning down the volume of your music or keeping your things neat are good ways to show that you have considered their presences as important as yours also.

Tips on being a more productive worker after the long holidays

Imagine coming back after a long weekend or after a long holiday, and seeing the work pile up on your desk. You have not been working for such a long time, and you feel like you have lacklustre stamina to deal with all the stress. You need to be more productive, and here are some tips!

Plan the work you should complete today and Inform others

Take a breather while seeing your work load, and prioritise. Once you have decided on the area that you need to focus on, plan on the agenda for today. Once the agenda has been decided, let your colleagues know what your agenda is.
The trick behind this strategy, or “self-sabotage” as what others might call it – is that it makes you more accountable of your actions. 

Preventive Measures

If you know you are going for a long holiday, plan. You should have planned what are the aspects of work you could have clear before going for the holidays, especially those that you know is to be submitted within a few days of your arrival back to office. 

This helps you reduce stress, while meeting tight deadlines, and hence affects your productivity at work. 

Compliment your colleague! 

This is a weird technique, but in general research has shown that encouraging another’s success create a more positive work environment. This positive work environment helps in reducing stress and increasing productivity. This manages your stress level as well, and it encourages team work. You might have a team member who might volunteer to assist your over loaded work on that day. 

A compliment might result in an encouragement from your other co-workers. That encouragement could later lead to productivity. 

Stress Management Techniques

We all know when one is stressed, one becomes unproductive. Therefore, managing stress level can also help you become more productive on the first day of work. In general, techniques used like having lunch with your co-workers in an outdoor setting with fresh air and sunshine, could work.  You could also bring a potted plant into the office, to enjoy that bit of greenery. 

In addition, you could also talk about how your vacation went. Instead of just replying with one word sentences, you could share something more specific about what you have done. This helps you to be more positive as well, while you recall your happy times. 

Keeping Today’s Employees Engaged at Work

Given the ever-changing employment landscape and the demands from employees to enjoy work-life balance. Employees want to feel connected to work, yet want to have their personal time and space away from work as well. How can you strike a good balance between both? There is no one best way but good to work out something that works best for the company culture and environment.

Value the Opinions and Feedback

It is natural that employees want their voices heard by the management or the bosses. Some opinions or ideas given may be a little overboard or unrealistic in the present moment but never shove off any employee’s feedback right away. Always give them the perception that you will consider it, but never expect the turnaround of the opinions or ideas to be taken in immediately or even execute them!

Option to Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA)

FWA is one of the ways to allow employees to feel that they have the autonomy to decide and plan their schedule well. This can help them in fulfilling their personal commitments, for example, bringing kids to school early in the morning, and cutting through or if possible, avoid the traffic jams to get to work. They will be glad to commit the hours required but at a different time from others than to rush their mornings away. Other ways are also to offer options to work from home, hot-desking.

Don’t create tension unknowingly

Allow employees to be themselves at work and encouraged them to behave like their usual self. Some employers or bosses have a certain level of expectations that employees must behave in a certain manner which makes them feel uneasy at work. However, do you know that giving employees autonomy will make them feel that you trust them in their work? They will eventually portray a positive attitude towards work and will be more than willing to put it that extra effort unknowingly. Never limit your employees’ capabilities and creativities at work!

Don’t Create Fear in Failure

This is the key thing that people back-off after they faced with setbacks, people fear failure. It would be nice and consoling if employees are given an environment to learn and make mistakes. But of course, mistakes should be moderate. Employees can make mistakes and must quickly manage it together and not leave it hanging. Sense of fear will decrease as employees are given ownership, power to make decisions. Always remember that any mistakes made should not be accompanied with harsh criticism or demerits, everyone is learning on the go!

Still have no idea on what you want to be when you grow up? Here’s how.

There is never going to be a moment when you decided who you want to be when you grow up – or so that is what I thought. We always have wild ideas who you want to be, and growing up in a society where people are quick to judge you, we all want to appear successful. I’m sure several of us have wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, a manager or a successful businessman, because each of these are deemed as success. 

However, put that thought aside and think about what do you really want to do. What are you passionate about and how do you go about finding that out? Here are several tips

Do temporary assignments

This advice only applies to those who are still studying in the meantime, not to those middle-aged adults. I would not recommend this if you are a middle age adult because this would make your profile seem unstable. 

You can only know what you are passionate about by doing – whether is it a temporary assignment in the retail, Food and Beverage, Logistics industry. If you do not try the role out, you would not know whether you love, or loathe the specific job. Even if you might deem the title of “service crew” to be too embarrassing for you, you’ll get to know whether you have an interest in the industry. 
The more you do, the more you will get to find out about how suited you are in the role. 

Research

We are already in the 21st century era, and chances are – You should know how to use the Internet. You could always google about the different occupations, to better understand what they do and the daily routine responsibilities for the occupation you might think you are interested in.
Personally, for me I always wanted to be a doctor – until I realized you must conduct operations frequently, and you will get too see a lot of bloods and organs. That changed my mind immediately. 

Ask Around

This is for the middle-aged adults who are already during permanent employment. Being in a department do not necessarily mean you should restrict your interaction within the department. You can also be communicating with your non-related department. This helps you to gain knowledge, and the roles that the other departments are doing might trigger your interest and passion.

Emphasis on Getting Employment Terms and Payslips Documented!

Get the year started with everything in place, especially matters related to Human Resources which are things that can and may be easily neglected. Have you come across arguments and disagreement rising because it was not written on papers, and you have your employees coming to you with another set of information? It is, then again, words against words – which we commonly said there is no “black and white”.

Avoid such arguments and disagreement as this will create an unhappiness environment and distrusting employees. Never get yourself caught in between legality issues and later having to pay a higher price.

So, what exactly is needed in an employment contract so that it not only safe guard the employees but yourself as employers too?

1.    Name of employer
2.    Name of employee
3.    Job title and main duties and responsibilities
4.    Date of commencing employment
5.    Duration of employment (Only for employees on fixed-term contract)
6.    Daily working hours, number of working days per week and rest day(s)
7.    Salary period
8.    Basic salary per salary period
9.    Fixed allowances per salary period
10.    Fixed deductions per salary period
11.    Overtime payment period
12.    Overtime rate of pay
13.    Other salary-related components (e.g. bonuses, incentives)
14.    Statutory Leave entitlements (e.g. annual leave, outpatient sick leave)
15.    Other medical benefits (e.g. insurance, medical, dental benefits)
16.    Probation period
17.    Notice period for termination of employment initiated by either party

How about the details that are required in a payslip?
1.    Full name of employer.
2.    Full name of employee.
3.    Date of payment (or dates, if the pay slips consolidates multiple payments).
4.    Basic salary
       For hourly, daily or piece-rated workers, indicate all the following:
                  •    Basic rate of pay, e.g. $X per hour. 
                  •    Total number of hours or days worked or pieces produced
5.    Start and end date of salary period
6.    Allowances paid for salary period, such as:
                  •    All fixed allowances, e.g. transport.
                  •    All ad-hoc allowances, e.g. one-off uniform allowance.
7.    Any other additional payment for each salary period, such as: Bonuses, Rest day pay, Public holiday pay
8.    Deductions made for each salary period, such as: All fixed deductions (e.g. employee’s CPF contribution), All ad-hoc deductions (e.g. deductions for no-pay leave, absence from work).
9.    Overtime hours worked.
10.   Overtime pay
11.    Start and end date of overtime payment period (if different from item 5 start and end date of salary period).
12.    Net salary paid in total.

Start 2017 by getting the above 2 components correct!
You may also download a sample of the Payslip from MOM website: Click here
You may also download a sample of the Key Employment Terms from MOM website Click here

Desk Revamping - Go Go Power New Year!

One of the ways to kickstart the new year in the office is to create a new space for yourself. Everyone has a plain desk and cubicle space, but what really differentiates one from the other is who resides within it.

A revamp introduces room for new goals and motivations to come into the picture, and keeps the spirit afresh in the company. It can start with the simple decision to revamp the desk area, since this is the place where most of the ideas originate. While it may seem like a challenging or troublesome task, it will ultimately improve productivity, as well as encourage creativity.

BRING FLOWERS TO SPICE UP THE AREA

Unless the company has a policy against floral decorations, consider investing in one or two low maintenance pots to keep around the desk area. Multi-coloured plants, such as sunflowers or daisies, will be sure to encourage a bloom in ideas, as well as function as a calming outlet for stressful periods. It is also very good for personal health, as studies show that it can reduce depression.

UPGRADE YOUR STORAGE SPACES

There is no harm in jazzing up storage spaces meant for stationery and papers, especially if it helps to brighten the desk and increase workflow. Swap out traditional metal containers for minimalistic drawers from Muji, or treat yourself to colourful wall pockets from Typo. Not only do they add a dash of colour, but they also keep your desk clutter-free.

ADD A CRYSTAL OR TWO

For those who aren’t confident of keeping plants, crystals make for good alternatives. They are said to have natural healing properties, so keep one or two around to enjoy its benefits. It brings positive energy not only to you, but also the company space. They come in many shapes and sizes, and can also be used as luxe paperweights.

CREATE A PERSONAL MOOD BOARD

From music to pets, creating a personal mood board may reveal, or remind, yourself of what is important at the end of the day. It can be an inexpensive DIY project as lots of materials can be gathered from everyday items, such as old magazines or keepsakes. It becomes a prime space for creativity to flourish, and allow your desk to have some of your personality.

INVEST IN CUSHIONS OR TABLE MATS

Your body will thank you for this. Treat your body to the attention it lacks during periods of high workload with one or two high quality cushions fitted for your back or shoulders. Long periods of hunching over your desk means a sore back afterwards. Otherwise, long term laptop users can also consider recycling old rugs as table mats. It can cushion your hands from extensive periods of computer use, and reduce the friction between the skin and desktop.

Recruiting Strategies for Starts-Ups

When you feel that your start-up business is ready to bring in additional headcount, it means that it is taking off well! I’m sure everyone starts with doing everything on your own, literally from A to Z – and you realised that it not possible on a long run.

There is always that mind block that tells you the what-ifs Do not be afraid to start hiring when it’s necessary. Everyone is worried about hiring the wrong people and result in mistakes as such. What is the top thinking process before you start hiring? What is the potential that you’ll want from the hires?

Hiring the right people, in the right PLACE

Keep yourself open to meeting more people and interview them. Assess and have your eyes on potentials and how they can be right for your future expansion. Hire for the right position that can help you to free up your time. Hire to care for your employees too! The unconventional way to do it is to care for each other regardless of rank, and status.

Understand the Company’s Directions

While you hire, you want to give your first and subsequent employees the idea and similar directions to achieve the goals. Look for employee who think-alike and is able to move fast enough with you. Of course, you got make sure that you have the Company’s goals and directions set out before you hire them in. Remember that not all employees are able to take constant changes with the Company, or what they felt as ‘uncertainty’.

Plan, and not over-hire

Always make sure that you your clients’ demands in priority. Measure the volume of work and make sure that the anticipation to hire the employees is ready for more projects ahead. Do not hire to send a signal to the employees that they’re no longer needed to thrive with the organization. To constant hire and re-train will cost more than you should.

Brand Referrals Networking

Referral hiring is one of the most useful tools to get the right talent pool in the shortest time. You will see that employees who referred talents will be able to share more on the applicants and understand them better if they really do fit the company’s directions and culture, which reduces “risks” of hiring and would have extensively shortened interviews and the hassle of going through background checks.

How to Give Feedback to your Management?

There will come a day where feedback needs to be translated back to the higher management to maintain the quality of work done in the office. A place where it is feedback-friendly allows for transparency among everyone, and happier working relations to thrive throughout the company.

Whether the actual feedback is kind or not, the situation calls for a sensitive and tactful approach since it can involve a lot of external workplace politics. From employee-to-boss, what are some of the challenges to avoid stepping on another toes? It can damage relationships, ruin chances of promotions, and even make the workplace toxic – however, here are some advice on giving constructive feedback to the boss/manager:

TAKE TIME TO WRITE IT DOWN

Never go head in without a plan or structure to guide what exactly is being discussed – especially when concerning upper management. Start by jotting down the prominent issues and the consequences of any actions that need to be commented on, and work out a comfortable discussion pace from that point. The main goal of giving the boss/manager feedback is because their actions can have a drastic effect on the company, so they will be looking for concrete evidence that supports the feedback.

Allow them to suggest improvements before insisting on ones that are previously decided on by the employees. There is a reason why they retain their positions in the company, so this discussion requires strategic give and take for it to be constructive all around.

ASK QUESTIONS INSTEAD OF SEEKING ANSWERS

Sometimes, to lead the boss/manager into giving the correct answers or coming to the ideal conclusion, just plan a set of appropriate questions ahead. It may seem like a long and complicated way of proving your point, but it is significantly better to give the boss the reins to hold when it comes to big decisions.

If there is a concern with some areas at work, highlight it out with some questions instead of bluntly flagging it out. The latter will seem like a personal attack, while the first may reveal to the boss/manager some areas of concern that were previously hidden.

ALWAYS BE SPECIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL

After all, it is the boss/manager that the feedback is given to, and their positions in the company give them a sense of authority that can seem intimidating. Aim to be as specific as possible, without delaying the topic or beating around the bush when getting to the point. If the feedback can be succinctly delivered in 2 minutes, it will have more impact than a 20 minute conversation.

This will also allow the boss/manager space to be more receptive to the feedback, instead of feeling pressured to entertain or act on the comments. They might also have their own bosses to report to, so at times like this, do them a favour and cut them a break.