By 2030, the World Health Organisation has forecast depression and anxiety will be the number one healthcare burden, costing upwards of US$1 trillion a year in many countries. Already, studies are revealing a correlation between anxiety, depression and smartphone use — not to mention what smartphones could be doing to our neurochemical balance. The urge to seek distraction People call it ‘smartphone […]
If you have a good friend for a colleague you are more likely to be engaged and satisfied at work. Part of being happy at work is having at least a few colleagues with whom you get along well with. For some, these constitute true friendships that transcend location, circumstance and peer level. But for many […]
Even if you’re not especially ambitious, many of us want to get ahead at work. It’s not really possible to remain hidden in a corner and hit the repeat button, although some jobs seem to require this. Whether you’re stagnating or gunning the motor, particular skills are called for if career progression is in order. Try these […]
Is the open-plan workplace a viable and healthy work option? Or is it too noisy and distracting? Researchers have deemed open-plan offices as poor for productivity, worse for socialising and bad all round for catching germs. Hot-desking Many government departments and large companies are only just getting into the swing of open-plan hot-desking, where employees […]
Good performers, high achievers: we all think we ‘know’ one when we see one. Years ago, it was remarked of a young Barbra Streisand that “she’s great but she’s not yet good”. Streisand was about to hit the big time with Funny Girl, thrilling audiences with her melting mezzo-soprano. But she hadn’t yet acquired the technique of […]
There are always times we feel energized and motivated. But what are your triggers? Is the glow from your summer break fading? Are you on your morning commute, in traffic or on transport, smartphone and cooling coffee in hand, pressed up against your fellow travelers? A new day in a new year and it is […]
It’s that time of the year (actually it can be any time of the year) when animated emails dance into your inbox, inviting you to Melbourne Cup lunches, staff barefoot bowls, charity fundraisers and so on. You’re tired from squinting at a never-ending database, or being pestered with complaints and inaction from colleagues. It’s only […]
Ideas are like chewable coffee beans; they stimulate, invigorate and pow! In a sterile or stony setting, however, they also wither for want of interest and understanding. How often does someone at a staff meeting put forward a badly-needed idea for improvement and then get met with blank silence? Often one objection about ‘a waste […]
Teams don’t just magically feel inspired, or suddenly develop a poor culture where people are not motivated. I am always amazed at managers who blame their teams for their poor mood, poor output and lack of initiative. It starts at the top. Strategies to inspire your people 1. Do a big SWOT of new technology Make this an […]
