Human Resources – Page 2 – Debra Newby Watkins CPA

What’s On Your Desk?

Make yourself number one! Keep in mind that when you are happy and taken care of, you are able to do much more efficient and focused work. Not to mention warding off the temptation to feast on the chocolates at your neighbor’s desk or the donuts in the break room. The ideas shared by Danielle, a contributor to apartmenttherapy.com, in her article, Be Happier at Work: Try This Simple Desk Update Today make sense. Who doesn’t enjoy drinks and delicious snacks at his/her fingertips, as well as a little beauty added to the space?

Shall we give this a try?

Tell us your experiences in the comments section and we’ll share ours too. Now, get to work!

Thinking it’s About Time For a Snack?

Are you sitting at your desk right now wishing you had a big piece of chocolate cake? Ever wondered why you feel the overwhelming urge for a sugary snack each afternoon? In their article, The Science Behind the 3 p.m. Snack Slump, thekitchcn.com offers scientific facts about the late afternoon slump as well as ways to curb your desire for sugar and fat with healthy options. 5 Healthy Ways to Beat Your Afternoon Snack Cravings. They even mention that sleep may play a big part in this daily crave. Instead of willing yourself to not eat junk, maybe you should just go to bed!

These Shoes Were Made For Walking

You may remember this post from July, Bureaucracy, Autocracy, Holacracy? Online shoe retailer Zappos was ditching a traditional business plan for the more free-form governance known as holacracy. In theory, the plan offered each employee an equal say in various parts of the business. Flash forward to January 2016 where employees have left the company in droves due to this new found “freedom.” The Zappos Exodus Continues After a Radical Management Experiment.

The New Slang

Are you up-to-date and in-the-know? John Brandon for INC.com advises that the words you’re using may reveal more about your generational age than you thought. 8 Words That Totally Reveal You Are Not a Millennial For those working in offices full of millennials, you may want to watch your language, JK. Guess it’s time to learn the new slang, 15 Words and Phrases Millennials Use but No One Else Understands and be right on, no wait, on fleek.

Living For the Weekend?

Do you breathe a sigh of relief when Friday rolls around? Ready for a couple of days of rest and relaxation? How do you feel once it’s Sunday evening? Turns out that our bodies aren’t wired for this quick change-up and that it’s important for us to approach every day anew. In the article, T.G.I.F. is a Four-Letter Word, also featuring a short video, Dr. Art Markham and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the weekend as a relatively new phenomenon and how learning to see our week from a different perspective can help us lead more fulfilled lives.

If Memory Serves…

Where were you on 9/11? What do you remember about the exact moment you heard the news or saw the events unfolding on television? Now think again, are you sure? Were you really at the office or on the street, in a restaurant having coffee? In a study begun shortly following 9/11/2001, researchers asked people these very questions. One year, five years and ten years later, they repeated the same and found that in the years that followed, 40% changed their stories. It is fascinating how the human mind works and takes in details from various locations such as news media and others around us. So, where were you actually on this day fourteen years ago?

Why 40% of Americans Misremember Their 9/11 Experience

When I Say, “End-of-Year Review” How Does That Make You Feel?

Earlier this year I posted an article citing all the issues with employee end-of-year reviews, What if you could replace performance evaluations with four simple questions? In this Forbes spot, The Real Problem Isn’t Annual Employee Reviews – It’s Simply Management, Victor Lipman suggests that end-of-year reviews are actually a good tool as long as there is adequate communication with employees throughout the year. What do you think? Read both articles and see if either change your opinion.

To the Ends of the Earth: High Plains to Patagonia

Today I have a book recommendation for you from an author whom I’ve known for many years. Check it out by following the link below!

To the Ends of the Earth: High Plains to Patagonia

—-On the road to seek work in the cotton fields of Texas, an old Ford Model T truck breaks down and forces a change of destination that ultimately leads the protagonists to the Argentine Patagonia. Follow the anecdote-driven story of a devoted couple who spent their childhood in the U.S. Southwest during the Great Depression, met and married during World War II, and together undertook a lifelong journey of adventure and service.

Industry Standard Paid Leave

If you are/were a working mother, how long was your maternity leave? Did your spouse also receive any time off after your child’s birth? Although some companies have been offering parental leave for many years, it’s nothing like what is happening at Netflix who is now becoming an industry leader for offering any new parents paid leave during the entire first year of their child’s life. Sound amazing and a little crazy? Well, it’s based on research showing that employees who are not worried about home life are more efficient and productive. Imagine being able to have your cake and eat it too.

To Camp or Not To Camp?

Every summer, parents face the daunting decision of whether or not to send their children to camp. What kind of camp to choose? Day camp? Sleep-away?

The summer camp experience offers children so many life lessons, such as teamwork, resilience and decision making. Skills that are useful throughout adulthood. Not to mention a week or more break for parents! I will never forget my time spent at Ghost Ranch Vocal Camp. Todd Kestin feels the same way, 5 Ways Summer Camp Helps Your Child Prepare for Adulthood