These Soft Skills Will Get You Hired

06/04/2019 |

Your hard skills play a role in getting you the interview, but they won’t get you the job by themselves. These days, employers look for candidates who already have good soft skills. Why? Soft skills make people more effective on the job, for one. They’re also very hard to teach and all but impossible to teach quickly. So, which soft skills are most likely to get you hired?

Teamwork

Businesses don’t really employ individuals. They employ teams. Businesses expect the people on these teams to work together to achieve their goals. People who routinely show up late, for example, don’t make good team players. Showing up late inconveniences everyone on their team. People who make useful suggestions often make excellent team players.
Takeaway: Think of examples of times when you were a good team player that you can discuss in interviews.

Communication

Good communication doesn’t mean tossing out $10 words all the time or talking at length. Most people have worked with someone who talked a lot but never made a clear point. Good communication means you can explain your thoughts or the steps in a process clearly. Businesses place a premium on good communication skills because they make the work run smoother.

Problem Solving

No matter how well-run a business is, problems still happen. Equipment breaks down or people call out at the last second. All too often, work slows or even stops in these situations. If you can think your way around these kinds of issues, businesses want you.
Takeaway: Not confident about your problem-solving skills? Take up a hobby like playing an instrument or learning a second language to boost those skills.

Accepting Feedback

Getting feedback can prove a trying experience for you and your supervisor. Poorly delivered feedback can feel like open criticism and put people on the defensive. Even when poorly delivered, the whole point of feedback is improvement. Businesses want employees who can take feedback in the spirit of improving performance. Learn that skill and you move right up the list of preferred candidates.

Conflict Management

You can’t avoid workplace conflict. If you’re aiming for a supervisory or leadership role, however, start honing your conflict management skills. Businesses shell out more than $350 billion a year dealing with conflict in the workplace. If you can help reduce those costs even a little by preventing problems from escalating, you become an invaluable resource.
Takeaway: If you don’t already know conflict management techniques, start learning and practicing them.

Practice Your Soft Skills

Businesses know they probably can’t teach you soft skills fast enough to make a real difference. That means you must work on them yourself ahead of time. Look for hobbies or volunteering opportunities that let you practice soft skills in a low-stakes situation.

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The Smartest Managers Hire People Who Are Smarter Than Them

01/02/2019 |

The Smartest Managers Hire People Who Are Smarter Than Them

 

Nobody’s an expert at EVERYTHING — business is simply too complex and fast changing! Whether you engage them for an assignment or hire them full time, here’s how to effectively manage people with more experience or knowledge than youT– and make yourself, your team and your company even more successful:

Leading a team full of smart people is important for your personal success. However, it can be intimidating to manage people who have learned and achieved more than you. The key is to take the right approach so everyone pulls in the same direction.

Don’t Let Them See You Sweat

It is normal to feel nervous about hiring and managing people who might be smarter or more experienced than you. You can feel the fear, but take care not to let it show. You must project confidence at all times if you want others to feel comfortable with your abilities as a leader. When it comes to confidence, however, you must walk a fine line. If you aren’t careful, confidence can come across as arrogance.

Address Issues Swiftly

If you catch buzz that a member of your team is unhappy working for someone with less experience or knowledge, don’t let that buzz get out of hand. Even one openly hostile employee can quickly destroy morale, spreading ill will through the group.

Sit down with that employee for an open and honest conversation as soon as you’re made aware of the situation. Take care not to be hostile or defensive. Open by saying, “I know that you have X more years of experience than I do, and I understand that you’ve got some concerns about that.” Let the employee know you are there to support them, and find out what they want from you and do your best to provide that support.

Honesty Is the Best Policy

When your reports ask you a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t avoid the question and by all means, don’t lie. Offering poor direction or giving an answer that is just plain wrong can put you in a bad position, it could put the employee in a bad position, and it could lead to loss of respect among your team.

When someone has a question you can’t answer, do the same thing you’d want your employees to do in that scenario. Tell them you aren’t positive of the answer, but you’ll track down the correct answer ASAP — and then get to work finding it.

Solicit Input, Ideas and Feedback

Employees who have been with the company for a decade or more have been on the front lines of change. They’ve witnessed the evolution of processes and management, and they have seen what works and what doesn’t work for the department and the organization.

During one-on-one meetings with your team members, actively solicit feedback and input from experienced employees. When you are faced with a challenge, crowdsource ideas and input from the group, especially those who have been there the longest.

Don’t Micromanage

Micromanaging can be tempting, but great managers give their teams the space to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Delegate strategically, assigning tasks that align with each employee’s strengths — then trust them with that responsibility.

You must also remember that you were hired to lead the team. Just because you’ve got direct reports with more experience does not mean they should run the show. You’re still in charge of keeping the ship righted, so give them room to do the job, but don’t let them run roughshod over you as a leader.

When In Doubt, Ask for Advice

Hopefully, you have a mentor or close members of your professional network with whom you can share ideas, vent frustrations and celebrate successes. These people are incredibly important on your leadership journey and they can be a terrific sounding board. Don’t be afraid to tap this network when you need to. Schedule a weekly breakfast, coffee date or lunch with your mentor(s) to stay connected to your network and receive objective advice when you need it.

Be a Development Advocate

If you hire and manage people who are smarter and more experienced than you are, take an active interest in helping them grow their careers as well. During one-on-one meetings, familiarize yourself with each team member’s career goals. Identify people who want to take the next step, and help them map out a plan to get there.

Smart leaders hire smart employees. Pull from their experience and use them strategically to set yourself and your team on the path to success.

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Give Thanks!

11/01/2018 |

30 Days of Giving Thanks!

Give Thanks! November is 30 Days of Giving Thanks at Gallman Consulting!  As the holidays approach with much hustle and bustle, we would like to encourage you to thoughtfully commit acts of kindness in your workplace, home and community.

We wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!

#givethanks #30daysofgivingthanks

 

Random Acts of Kindness!

When you commit a random act of kindness, you not only touch the life of the recipient, but you inspire others to be kind, too.

Baudville has put together the list below of no and low-cost ideas to inspire kindness.

 

“NO COST ACTS OF KINDNESS

These random acts of kindness only require your presence and a smile!

 

1. Hold the door open for the person behind you.

2. Brush snow off someone else’s car in the parking lot.

3. Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk.

4. Pick up litter.

5. Babysit for free.

6. Leave baked goods in the mailbox for your mailman.

7. Donate a used book to your local library.

8. Send an ePraise to someone.

9. Return shopping carts to the store.

10. Run an errand for a neighbor.

11. Send a card to someone serving in the military overseas.

12. Help someone pick up items they dropped.

13. Donate clothes to Goodwill or Salvation Army.

14. Bake cookies for your coworkers.

15. Volunteer at a local charity.

16. Write and mail a thank you card.

17. Donate blood.

18. Collect canned goods for a food pantry.

19. Bring in your neighbor’s garbage can.

20. Let someone cut in front of you in line.

21. Give your leftovers from dining out to someone on the street.

22. Smile at strangers!

23. Say hello to the person next to you.

24. Give a compliment.

25. Help someone who is stranded on the side of the road.

26. Organize a group of friends to do yard work for a neighbor who is unable to do it themselves.

27. Clean up after yourself and someone else.

28. Invite someone who may be alone over for dinner.

29. Give someone a hug.

30. Encourage a child.

31. Praise your boss.

32. Write an inspirational quote on a post-it and put it on the bathroom mirror in your office.

33. Help someone before they ask.

34. Hold the elevator for someone running behind.

35. Introduce yourself to someone new.

36. Mow your neighbor’s yard.

37. Visit a local nursing home. Give handmade cards to all the residents.

38. Surprise a coworker with a free Baudville Print and Post with a handwritten note on the back.

39. Donate your time and skills to a local organization.

40. Take a box of hats, gloves, and scarves to a school for kids who need something warm.

41. Share your umbrella with someone who doesn’t have one.

42. Read to a child, or let the child read to you!

 

LOW COST ACTS OF KINDNESS

These random acts of kindness require a little funding but will make big change!

 

43. Add change to random parking meters.

44. Pay past due library fees for another person.

45. Buy the coffee for the person behind you in line.

46. Put change in a vending machine or tape a quarter to the machine for the next person.

47. Buy a pack of gum or mints for the grocery store checkout clerk.

48. Tape scratch-off lottery tickets to a gas pump.

49. Pay for the car behind you at a toll booth.

50. Buy a gift card for groceries and give it to the person behind you in line.

51. Drop off handwritten thank you notes and doughnuts to the police station.

52. Give balloons to children shopping with their parents.

53. Buy movie tickets for the person behind you in line.

54. Anonymously buy new sports equipment for a local child in need.

55. Pay for someone’s layaway items.

56. Deliver a goodie basket of treats and activities to a nursing home.

57. Hand out bottles of water on a hot day.

58. Send a care package to military men and women overseas.

59. Present a trophy to someone – just because!

60. Hide dollar bills in the toy section at a dollar store.

61. Hand out packages of treats at a local college student center during exam week.

62. Buy a copy of your favorite children’s book for the local hospital.

63. Give a coffee shop gift card to a parking attendant – it can get cold in those booths!

64. Pay for someone else’s dinner in a restaurant.

65. Bring your coworker a coffee in the morning as a surprise.

66. Anonymously send a gift card to a friend or community member.

67. Tape suckers and with a positive note to ATMs.

68. Buy cookies or muffins from a local bakery and take them to your local librarians.

69. Pay for lunch for the person behind you in the lunch line.

70. Leave diapers and wipes on a public changing table.

71. Pay for someone’s bus fare.

72. Anonymously send flowers to brighten someone’s day.

73. Buy doughnuts for a different department or office.

74. Plant a tree in your neighborhood.

75. Get to work early and leave a piece of candy at each person’s desk.”

 

Now that you have Random Acts of Kindness ideas, use them!

Practice acts of kindness year round and make a difference!

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PINK Out with Gallman Consulting!

10/05/2018 |

PINK Out with Gallman Consulting in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Take Action!

By Jeanne Croteau via Forbes.com

“Every October, a sea of pink surrounds us in the form of ribbons, hoodies emblazoned with inspirational quotes and even on the uniforms of professional athletes. Unless you’ve been personally affected by breast cancer, though, does the significance of this month really register? Are you using the opportunity to learn more and do more?

If the answer is no, you’re probably not alone. Good health is a luxury that many people take for granted so it’s not surprising that so many walk past the displays without even pausing — but we should. We all should.

Sobering Statistics

Did you know that about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime? This year alone, it’s estimated that 266,120 will be diagnosed along with 63,960 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. Tragically, more than 40,000 will lose their battle in 2018.

It’s not just women, either. Approximately 2,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be
diagnosed in men this year, also — this is something we should all care about.”

 

To read more of this article, click here.

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Hot Tips for Summer Safety

07/04/2018 |

Hot Tips for Summer Safety

Summer is well under way in North America, and with the sun and fun comes a number of safety concerns to keep in mind.

By Jessica Davis   Jul 03, 2018  via Occupational Health & Safety

Summer is well under way in North America, and with the sun and fun comes a number of safety concerns to keep in mind. Many safety-related agencies and organizations have issued safety warnings and tips for a variety of summer celebration hazards and activities. We’ve collected them here for you, organized under the categories of heat/fire safety, bug-related safety, water safety, and safety on amusement park rides.

 

Heat and Fire Safety

Sun Exposure (via CDC NIOSH)

  • Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15.
  • Follow the application directions on the sunscreen bottle.
  • Apply sunscreen liberally (a minimum of 1 oz.) at least 20 minutes before sun exposure.
  • Make sure to cover the ears, lips, neck, tops of feet, and backs of hands.
  • Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and each time you get out of the water or sweat heavily.
  • Throw away old sunscreen, as sunscreens lose their potency after 1-2 years.
  • Some sunscreens may not work as well when used with insect repellent, requiring more frequent reapplication when the two are used together.
  • Wearing protective clothing can also help prevent sunscreen, particularly high-SPF clothing.
  • Workers should wear wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses. Sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection and side panels are recommended.

Hot Cars (via Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs)

  • Always check the vehicle for passengers and pets after parking.
  • Remember that the inside of a parked car can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit within minutes on a 78-degree day, and 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes on a 90-degree day.
  • If you see a person or animal trapped in a hot car, have the driver paged in the nearby store and/or call 911 immediately.

Grilling

According to NFPA statistics, July is the peak month for grilling fires. In addition to the fire hazards posed by grills, they can also release carbon monoxide, a deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Follow these tips from Michigan LARA to help prevent accidents.

  • Check for leaks or breaks with gas grills.
  • Clean the grill before use to eliminate fire hazards posed by heavy grease buildup.
  • Always grill outdoors. Never grill indoors, on a balcony, or in the garage.
  • Grill on a level surface at least 10 feet away from the house, garage, deck, or any flammable material.
  • Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grilling area.
  • Never leave the grill unattended.
  • Don’t overload the grill with food. Excessive fat and grease dripping on flames can ignite large flare ups.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher close by and know how to use it. Keep a spray bottle or bucket of water handy for minor flare ups.

Bug Safety

Ticks (via CDC NIOSH)

  • Wear a hat and light-colored clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into boots or socks.
  • Use insect repellents that provide protection for the amount of time you will be outdoors:
  • Use repellents such as Permethrin for greater protection.
  • Check your skin and clothes for ticks every day. The immature forms of these ticks are very small and may be hard to see.
  • Wash and dry work clothes in a hot dryer to kill any ticks present.
  • Learn the symptoms of tick-borne diseases.
  • If you develop symptoms of a tick-borne disease seek medical attention promptly. Be sure to tell your health care provider that you work outdoors in an area where ticks may be present.

Mosquitoes (via National Safety Council)

  • To prevent mosquito bites, use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellant with DEET and wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants
  • Read product labels when using insect repellant and apply as directed
  • Do not leave doors or windows propped open
  • Once a week, scrub or empty planters, birdbaths, vases and flowerpot saucers; mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water
  • Use EPA-approved indoor and outdoor flying insect spray or foggers
  • Turn on air conditioning; mosquitoes prefer warm, damp and dark spaces

Water Safety

There are many electrical hazards in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, on board boats, and in the waters surrounding boats, marinas, and launch ramps. One such danger is electric shock drowning (ESD), when marina or onboard electrical systems leak electrical current into the surrounding water. The current then passes through the body, causing paralysis that results in drowning. In addition, drowning is the leading injury-related cause of death for children ages 1-4 and the third leading cause of injury-related death among children age 19 and under.

Michigan LARA offers the following safety tips for summer water-related activities:

Swimming

  • Never swim near a marina, dock, or boatyard, or near a boat while it’s running.
  • Never leave children unattended near any body of water or pool.
  • If you are around water and your child is missing, always check the water first. Seconds count.
  • Always check the depth of the water before diving in.
  • Never dive in the shallow end of a pool or into above-ground pools.
  • Wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets while on a boat or around an open body of water or while playing water sports.

Boating

Nearly 71 percent of all boating fatalities are caused by drowning, and 85 percent are a result of not wearing a life jacket, according to Michigan LARA.

  • Equip you and your passengers with Coast Guard approved life jackets.
  • Complete a boater’s safety course to know and understand your boat’s full operation.
  • Know boating laws and be courteous to other boaters.
  • Always check water and weather conditions before taking the boat out.
  • Don’t overload the boat with passengers and cargo.

Amusement Park Rides Safety

The New York Department of Labor recommends the following to make amusement park rides as safe and fun as possible:

  • Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
  • Keep hands and feet inside the ride while it is moving.
  • Don’t reach toward fences or barriers.
  • Secure loose clothing and long hair.
  • Don’t drink and ride; you put yourself and others at risk.
  • Don’t stand or attempt to leave a ride until it comes to a complete stop.
  • Check restraining devices to make sure they are properly latched. If the equipment does not work, exit the ride.
  • Avoid horseplay; it’s dangerous.
  • Never attempt to unlock or loosen a restraining device until instructed by the operator.
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How to Make Potential Employees Feel Welcome

11/02/2017 |

How to Make Potential Employees Feel Welcome

4 weeks ago by Corinne Ledling | 0

One of the biggest mistakes that employers and recruiters make is by simply putting off potential candidates by making them feel like an intruder. An uncomfortable interviewing or hiring process is a sure way to lose the best talent to competitors. If you’re part of the recruitment process for a company, you are likely to make the first impression they will have of what it will be like to work there. Here are some tips for putting candidates at ease during the interviewing process.

Don’t waste anyone’s time

The initial screening process for candidates should include not only questions about what they can bring to the company, but what the company has to offer them as well. While final salary negotiations are usually done towards the end of the whole process, asking an experienced professional to go through an interview process and candidacy, only to learn at the end that it’s an entry-level salary, is insulting. Make sure that the candidate knows whether it is a contract or full-time position, a general idea of what the position pays, and any benefits that they may be eligible for before scheduling any serious interviews.

Communicate clearly

Once you’ve screened a potential applicant and they’ve accepted an interview, be sure to explain the process in detail. Give clear directions and instructions for locating your office and who to ask for when they arrive. Just saying “be here Thursday at 2:00” is simply not enough info. They need to know the location of the building, if there are other suites they will need to navigate past, and what to expect when they arrive.

Help them prepare

If an applicant thinks they’re coming in to meet with you to go over their resume, and you march them to a conference room where they’re met by the department head and three other team members for a technical interview, you’ve just set them up for failure. Not only will this intimidate your candidate, but they won’t be able to adequately demonstrate their skills if they aren’t prepared. Let them know who they will be meeting with, the purpose of the interview, and what kinds of things they will need to be ready to discuss.

Greet them and treat them as guests

Leaving candidates waiting in the lobby for an extended period of time is never a good idea. Interviews are stressful situations, even when they go well. Being blatantly rude and leaving applicants alone or unattended will build anxiety, which can lead to a negative performance during the interview. Invite them in, thank them for coming, and if you are running behind schedule, find someone who can take a few moments and give them a tour of the facility. If you’ve gone through the trouble of setting up an interview, there must be something in them that you desire. Don’t throw it away by being inattentive and distant.

Try to show them the real face of the business

Remember that an interview is a meeting between two parties, to see how well the arrangement will work. If your office is normally a chaotic and high-energy collaborative environment, don’t stifle your other employees for an hour because you’re trying to make a good impression. On the other hand, if your office is quiet and compartmentalized, don’t try to make it appear to be a fast-paced and fun atmosphere. Trying to be something you’re not will create a tension in the workspace that candidates will be able to feel when walking around.

Let them also interview you

Whether a candidate will fit into a position well has implications for both sides. While they are selling themselves to you, you’re also selling a company to them. Leave space at the end of the interview for the candidate to ask any potential questions, or discuss possible deal-breakers. Both sides need to be comfortable with the relationship if you’re going to avoid turnover.

Interviewing candidates for a position shouldn’t be a question of seeing who will jump through the most hoops. Welcoming potential employees and putting them at ease will help to ensure the best fit, not just for them, but also for your company.

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Are you ready for Eclipse 2017? We are!

08/20/2017 |

Are you ready for Eclipse 2017?  We are!

Some of our GPS Corporate staff are ready for the Solar Eclipse 2017!

GPS gave out FREE solar eclipse glasses to our staff and associates.  Thank you Experience Columbia SC for making it so easy to order our NASA approved eclipse glasses early in the year!  Please refer to our Facebook pages (Gallman Personnel Services, Inc. and Gallman Consulting) for viewing locations, viewing tips, etc.

GPS Branch Closures

GPS Branches in South Carolina will be closing at 12pm on Monday, August 21 to ensure our staff members can make arrangements with their families to view the Eclipse safely as possible.

 

Pictured above from left to right is Terri Stone (Accounting), Sue Ellison (Accounting), Barbara Greene (Safety), Georgette Sandifer (Gallman Consulting), Karen Smith (Human Resources).  And these ladies are all ready for the Eclipse. Are you?

GPS branches in South Carolina will close at 12:00pm on Monday, August 21, 2017.

Please reference below information to ensure the safety of your Eclipse experience.

 

DON’T GO BLIND AUGUST 21, 2017!

Total Solar Eclipse:

Newberry, SC approximate time 1:11pm–4:05pm (max view 2:41pm)
Columbia, SC approximate time 1:13pm–4:06pm (max view 2:43pm)
Orangeburg, SC approximate time 1:14pm–4:07pm (max view 2:44pm)
Charleston, SC approximate time 1:16pm–4:09pm (max view 2:47pm)

It should go without saying that it’s dangerous to stare into the sun. But so long as you trust NASA, the American Optometric Association, and many other experts who’ve dedicated their lives to understanding how the sun and your peepers work: You can look directly at the total phase of a solar eclipse (and only the “total” phase where the sun is completely covered by the moon) with the naked eye without causing eye damage. Problem is, the total phase only lasts a couple of minutes, but people likely will want to watch from the partial phase which lasts much longer. From start to finish on all phases, an eclipse lasts about three hours — so more than two and half of those hours spent watching could pose a serious risk to unprotected eyes.

You’re going to need something more powerful than a pair of polarized sunglasses if you want to safely block out those harmful rays.

Aug. 21, 2017, may be one of the worst traffic days in national history, some NASA representatives predict. Although about 12 million people live within the narrow band of totality, approximately 25 million reside within a day’s drive of it, and the agency has estimated that the population inside the path of totality may double on the day of the eclipse.

With that in mind, make sure you plan for extra travel time, especially on the day of the eclipse. Most hotel rooms inside the path of totality have been booked for months or years, so you may not be able to stay inside the path the night before.  Traveling even short distances could be difficult in some areas, and midday in the middle of August can mean punishing heat in many parts of the country.

 

 

** DISCLAIMER: This pair of eclipse viewing glasses is provided as is without any guarantees or warranty. In association with the product, GPS makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a viewing purposes, of title, or of noninfringement of third party rights. Use of the product by a user is at the user’s risk. GPS is not responsible for any injuries suffered by viewing of any eclipse. **

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8 Habits That Make Millennials Stressed, Anxious and Unproductive

05/23/2017 |

8 Habits That Make Millennials Stressed, Anxious And Unproductive

Despite our youth, chronic anxiety is not sustainable.

05/23/2017 10:53 pm ET  Caroline Beaton, Contributor I cover the psychology of millennials at work

A version of this article was originally published on Forbes. Sign up for Caroline’s newsletter to get her writing sent straight to your inbox.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), millennials experience more stress and are less able to manage it than any other generation. More than half of us admit to having lain awake at night during the past month from stress.

Not surprisingly, millennials are also more anxious than older Americans. The APA reports that 12 percent of millennials have a diagnosed anxiety disorder—almost twice the percentage of Boomers. On a non-clinical scale, a BDA Morneau Shepell white paper discovered that 30 percent of working millennials have general anxiety, while a 2014 American College Health Association (ACHA) assessment found that anxiety regularly afflicts 61 percent of college students.

Anxiety not only harms our wellbeing but also sabotages our productivity. The ACHA assessment found that the top two tolls on students’ academic performance were stress and anxiety. Two-thirds of millennials interviewed by BDA  attribute declining work performance to anxiety.

Sources of millennial anxiety may include a tough job market and student debt as well as psychological causes I’ve covered previously such as ambition addiction, career crises and choice-overload. But even our day-to-day behaviors can incite anxiety. Here are eight common habits that instigate stress and compromise our potential:

1. Bad sleep habits

Perhaps the most prevalent contributor to anxiety is poor sleep. A study by the University of California at Berkeley found that lack of sleep “may play a key role in ramping up the brain regions that contribute to excessive worrying.” Common causes of insufficient sleep include going to bed at different times, not making sleep a priority and spending time on phones or laptops right before bed.

Instead:

Calm Clinic, an online magazine dedicated to anxiety management, suggests forming a long, boring nighttime routine free from technology, keeping a journal by your bed to write down thoughts that keep you awake, and exercising during the day to wear out your body.

2. Skipping sustenance

Eating consistently regulates not only our metabolism and insulin levels but also our mental stability.

“Waiting too long to eat or missing out on breakfast may lead to unsteady blood sugar levels, which can cause anxiety-like sensations, including shakiness, dizziness, confusion, and difficulty speaking,” writes Body and Health. Dehydration has a similar effect. Because food and water are biological needs, anxiety naturally follows hunger and thirst.

Instead:

Eat meals regularly. Keep granola bars or nuts at your desk or in your purse. Bring a water bottle to work and sip it throughout the day. Have a glass of water right when you wake up and before you go to sleep.

3. Drinking coffee

Drinking coffee makes us more alert and, in many cases, helps us perform better on short-term tasks. But it can also make people jittery, irritable and nervous, especially if they’re already predisposed to anxiety. Sensitivity to caffeine is, in fact, heightened in people with panic disorder and social phobia, and caffeine can provoke panic attacks in some individuals. Caffeine is also diuretic, which can cause dehydration—an anxiety trigger established above.

Instead:

Try weaning off coffee by switching to just one cup a day, decaf or black tea. If you feel calmer and more in control after a couple weeks without it, commit to quitting and pull out all the stops.

4. Sitting

America’s surge of anxiety symptoms parallels our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. But, until a recent review by BMC Public Health, it was unclear whether the two were actually linked. After lengthy analysis, researchers found that the risk of anxiety risk increases as sedentary behavior increases—and, specifically, sitting time spikes one’s likelihood of experiencing anxiety.

Instead:

If you work at a desk all day, you’re not doomed. Get up and walk around every ninety minutes. Offset your sitting time with regular exercise, which halves your risk of anxiety and depression.

5. Your phone 

A 2014 study by Baylor University found that American students spend an average of nine hours a day on their phone. Of course, technology vastly improves our lives in innumerable ways. But too much of it makes us anxious. Screen-based entertainment increases central nervous system arousal, which can amplify anxiety. Social media is similarly associated with low moods and depression.

Instead:

Next time you’re waiting or have nothing to do, leave your phone in your pocket or purse. Relinquish it as a means of alleviating boredom and instead use it consciously as needed for its useful functions.

6. Not “clocking out”

According to data from FORBES’ @Work State of Mind Project, millennials become anxious and irritated when work intrudes on our personal lives. But our bad work-life balance is our own choosing. BDA’s assessment explains, “Millennials do not believe that productivity should be measured by the number of hours worked at the office, but by the output of the work performed. They view work as a ‘thing’ and not a ‘place.’” Even after we leave the office, we’re still at work.

Instead:

We can still be ambitious, work long hours and impress our bosses without sacrificing psychological health and personal boundaries. So clock out: In your calendar, schedule a defined, consistent time at night to stop working. When time’s up, mark that task complete and go take care of yourself.

7. Netflix and hanging out

You may think snuggling up on the couch and watching a movie will help you unwind, but research disproves this trend.

In one study, participants felt more depressed and anxious after watching just two hours of TV than those who didn’t. Another study found that those with anxiety and depression spend significantly more time on the computer and watching television. While resting reduces anxiety short-term, research reveals that its effect is short lived, particularly compared with exercise.

Instead:

Do anything but watch TV when you’re done with work. Go on a walk, grab drinks, knit, work, draw, write, sit in your room and look at the wall, call your mom, actually cook dinner, build something, play badminton.

8. Hanging out with anxious people

You might feel like you’ve found someone you can vent to who understands you, but studies show that ruminating on anxiety often makes it worse. Furthermore, participating in “intergroup anxiety” increases one’s anxious behaviors.

Instead:

Seek out people who level your mood. After you hang out with someone, ask yourself if you feel stable and well—or if you’re hyped up and on edge. It’s easy to spend less time with certain people once you’ve decided they’re bad for your health.

If the annoyance, pain and performance impairment of day-to-day anxiety isn’t enough to quit these bad habits, perhaps this is: According to Harvard Medical School, anxiety is implicated in heart disease, migraines, chronic respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal conditions.

Despite our youth, chronic anxiety is not sustainable.  By swapping out these daily practices, we can improve our moods and our lives one habit a time.

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Always running late? Here’s why…

05/01/2017 |

Psychology Explains Why You’re Always Late

And what to do about it.

HEALTHY LIVING   04/25/2017 07:34 am ET | Updated Apr 28, 2017

By Lindsay Holmes

Despite your best intentions, you show up at least 10 minutes after you say you will. At least you’re dependable, right?

Chronic lateness isn’t thoughtlessness or “bad subway luck,” it’s a personality profile, according to research. There are multiple character traits at play that contribute to a person’s repeated tardiness, including some that may not be in your control.

But that doesn’t mean your timing problem is a pattern that will last forever. If you can identify what is behind the lateness, there’s plenty you can do about it. After all, no one wants to be the person who always arrives last.

You might be multitasking too much.

Time flies when you’re juggling multiple items. A 2003 study that examined the habits of New York City subway workers found that those who multitasked were more likely to be late for their jobs than those who focused on on single activity at a time.

This could be due to a phenomenon known as metacognition, or an awareness of what you’re doing (in the case of lateness, it could an awareness of whether you’re doing what you need to make sure you’re on time). Multitasking typically makes it harder to have metacognition, Business Insider reported.

The Fix: Set alerts or reminders so you can stay on track if you get distracted.

“Set a very firm calendar and set of reminders with prompts that occur 10 or 15 minutes before a meeting or appointment is supposed to occur,” Susan Krauss-Whitbourne, a professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told The Huffington Post.

Krauss-Whitborne also recommends mapping out how to get from point A to point B ahead of time and set your reminders based on that.

Your internal clock might be off.

Your internal clock could help with regulating time, according to Krauss-Whitbourne. And if you’re always late, you may not have such a reliable compass.

A 2016 study found that chronic lateness may originate in what’s called Time-Based Prospective Memory, which is a function of memory triggered by a time cue (like remembering to watch a TV show at 9 p.m. every week, for example).

The study measured TBPM by giving participants tasks like completing a jigsaw puzzle and telling them to finish it in a certain amount of time, which required them to pace themselves so they can get the tasks done. The participants were given the option to check the time while they were working. However, the experiment was set up in a way that made it unlikely they would check since they were so engrossed in their tasks.

For the most part, the study found that people relied on their own internal clock to regulate their time ― and those who were able to complete the tasks had a better handle on that inner clock and a better perception of time.

In a post for Psychology Today, Krauss-Whitbourne explained how the process can be applied to real life:

The situation in TBPM experiments is analogous to what happens when you’re engrossed in one activity, such as catching up on your social media feed, at the same time that you’re also supposed to be getting ready to leave your home to be on time for work. You think only five minutes have passed when in fact you’ve let 20 minutes slip by. People who are good at TBPM tasks seem better able to regulate their own clock-checking behavior, so they’re less reliant on their potentially flawed internal timekeeper.

The Fix: Work on perfecting your definition of time.

Make an effort to be your own best critic when it comes to managing your minutes. There are also tasks you can do to help sharpen your sense of time, Krauss-Whitbourne said.

“We all have internal clocks and if yours is constantly off kilter, you need to train yourself to recalibrate,” she explained. “One thought is to play games to guess the time without cues and then see how off you are. Resetting may be as simple as retraining your ability to estimate time.”

You have a “Type B” personality.

Studies suggest those who are typically late tend to underestimate their time ― and personality may be to blame. Research shows that those who display Type B behavior, or the personality type that’s known for being more laid back, may have an off perception of the clock.

The study found that those who associate with the achievement-oriented “Type A” character trait were more accurate in estimating the passage of time than Type B folks. Those who were Type B in the study suspected that less time had passed than it really did when trying to measure out a minute.

“Type A individuals estimated that a minute passed in 58 seconds, compared with 77 seconds for Type B individuals,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Fix: Practice empathy.

It’s totally fine to have a laid back personality (there are even benefits to it!) but it’s important to not be so relaxed that you don’t consider others in the process. Try adding more minutes in your schedule estimation, Krauss-Whitbourne recommends ― and do it for the people you’re meeting.

“Imagine that you’re the one always waiting for someone else,” she said. “It’s irritating to you and therefore irritating to others.”

Most of all, incorporating a few new lifestyle habits into your routine to prevent you from running behind may benefit you the most in the long run, Krauss-Whitbourne explained. Especially when it comes to your own wellbeing.

“Always feeling you’re late contributes to stress levels, and this is also bad for your health,” she said. “So try to change, even if you think it’s hopeless.”

It’s never too late to stop being late.

Lindsay Holmes Deputy Healthy Living Editor, HuffPost
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How to Be a Pet-Friendly Employer

03/29/2017 |

How to Be a Pet-Friendly Employer

For many employees, their dogs and cats are beloved family members. Here are seven ways your company can show it cares.

By: Lisa Rabasca Roepe

February 22, 2017

Office life isn’t for everyone. It certainly didn’t suit Beasley. After his first foray into the work world, he found himself feeling skittish and overwhelmed. He got carsick on the commute, and some of the employees made him uncomfortable.
It soon became clear this wasn’t going to be a good fit. He wasn’t let go so much as left at home—by his owner, Cheryl DeSantis, vice president of people and organization for Mars Petcare North America in Franklin, Tenn.
You see, Beasley is a 3-year-old goldendoodle. And while he didn’t have the right personality to accompany DeSantis to work, he remains a very good boy. DeSantis found a better office mate with her mini-goldendoodle puppy, Riggins, who enjoys the daily routine and meeting new people.
“It’s looking promising for Riggins,” DeSantis says.
Beasley and Riggins are members of the more than 54 million U.S. households that include a dog and the nearly 80 million families with a pet of any kind, according to the 2015-2016 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. And Mars Petcare is among a growing number of companies that allow dogs to come to work with their owners.
As organizations look to provide perks that will attract and retain key talent, many are coming to realize that offering pet-friendly benefits—whether that means take-your-dog-to-work days, pet insurance or animal-related volunteer excursions—can be an effective tool for improving recruitment, morale and even wellness.
“Dogs have become a bigger part of everyone’s life, especially as Millennials delay having children,” says Jennifer Joyce, vice president of marketing for Kurgo, a company based in Salisbury, Mass., that makes travel accessories and outdoor products for dogs. “For many, their dog is often their first child.”
Indeed, when Kurgo recently surveyed 1,242 dog owners across the country, 65 percent said their dog is part of their family, while only 8 percent referred to Fido as a pet.

The Benefits of Furry Friends

Mars Petcare, which owns the Banfield brand, has been allowing its employees to bring their dogs to work five days a week since 2007, DeSantis says. On a typical day, there are 900 employees and 30 to 40 dogs in the headquarters office.

Copack
Copack scheduler Lee Wilson greets Mackenzie at the Mars Petcare office in Franklin, Tenn. Photograph courtesy of Mars Petcare.

From an employer’s perspective, one of the biggest benefits of allowing pets in the workplace is related to retention. A 2016 study by Banfield Pet Hospital found that 83 percent of employees feel a greater sense of loyalty to companies with pet-friendly policies.

Moreover, more than half of workers at companies without such policies said they would be more likely to stay at their organization if it were to offer pet-related perks. The same survey found that 88 percent of the 1,006 employees surveyed, and 91 percent of 200 HR decision-makers, agreed that having pets at work improves morale.

​“What we hear is people will pick Mars over another employer because they can bring their dogs to work,” DeSantis says. “We also hear that it is hard for associates to leave Mars because not every business allows pets in the office.”

Dogs and cats can also bring people closer together. “They create unity among staff and opportunities for interaction among departments that might not otherwise have interacted,” says Bill Page, HR director for Arkansas Business Publishing Group in Little Rock, Ark., which has 72 employees and four to five dogs at the office each day.

Shaping Pet Policies

Before creating any policy that involves bringing pets to the office, it’s critical to get employees’ input, says Patti Perez, an employment attorney with Ogletree Deakins.

“Everyone’s opinion must be heard,” she says. Are you willing to lose good employees because some don’t want to work in a pet-friendly office? If the feedback is mixed, one way to gauge the potential impact on your culture is to try allowing pets one day per week or month.

“Bringing a dog to work is a privilege, not a right,” says Robbie Eddison, a service desk manager at Softchoice Corp., an IT consulting firm based in Toronto. Eddison oversees her office’s Dog Committee. Softchoice has allowed dogs on the premises for at least 20 years. More than 700 employees work in the Toronto office, and they share the space with about 115 dogs each day.

Sometimes smaller companies become pet-friendly by accident after one or two people start bringing their dogs to work and other employees follow suit. That’s what happened at Arkansas Business Publishing Group five years ago, when CEO Olivia Farrell started bringing her Labrador retriever to the office every day, Page says.

“The generally tacit agreement [was] that your dog is friendly, housebroken, well-mannered and gets along well with others,” Farrell says. The organization recently developed a short policy laying out the ground rules in writing.

Kurgo
The office at Kurgo, a pet-accessory company in Salisbury, Mass., was designed with dogs in mind. It has easy-to-clean floors, dog-level water fountains and synthetic grass for playing. Photograph courtesy of Kurgo.

Initially, TINYpulse in Seattle—which creates employee engagement surveys—also lacked a written policy. Company leaders wanted to embrace the flexible, informal feel of a small startup. However, as the organization grew from 20 employees and two to three dogs to 60 workers with six to nine canines, the senior team realized it needed to provide clear guidelines and expectations. “It felt important, especially for non-dog owners,” HR Director Eliza Polly says.

As Polly and her colleagues delved into the issues, they realized there was a lot more to consider than they initially thought. “The leadership team still laughs about how much time it spent on this policy,” she says, noting that the topic was discussed at the group’s regularly scheduled meetings for three consecutive weeks. “When you get senior leaders talking about how much a dog should weigh to be allowed to roam free, it feels like a silly detail,” she says.

Actually, it’s not. “We had a big Irish setter puppy coming in that liked to knock over garbage cans and get into everything,” Polly says. “It was the sweetest dog, but he wanted to play and get attention. Not every dog is workplace-ready.”

That’s why TINYpulse’s policy explicitly states that dogs weighing more than 25 pounds can’t roam the building unattended and that dogs must not disturb any employees.

Each of Softchoice’s 21 U.S. and eight Canadian offices sets its own rules and guidelines for its dogs-at-work program, including negotiating agreements with local landlords.

In the Toronto location, employees are required to have worked at the company for three months before they can apply to bring their dog in. When workers make the request, Eddison says, they need to note their department; the location of their desk; their dog’s name, age, breed and gender; whether the dog has been fixed; whether it has had obedience training; and how often the pooch would come to work.

Employees must also get their manager’s written permission and confirm that they have asked nearby co-workers if having a dog around would be OK. A manager can revoke an agreement at any time if he or she thinks the situation isn’t working out, and people who aren’t dog lovers or who are allergic can request to work in a dog-free zone that has its own entrance and exit and a separate HVAC system, Eddison says.

Many company policies also stipulate that pets need to be healthy, clean, and up-to-date on vaccinations and heartworm and flea treatments.

[SHRM members-only resource: ADA Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Service Animals]

Accommodating Service Animals

There are approximately 20,000 U.S. service dogs, according to the American Humane Association. These animals are trained to perform tasks to help people with disabilities, such as guiding employees who are blind or deaf.

Regardless of whether an office allows pets, service animals must be allowed to accompany a person with a disability, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That said, animals whose sole function is to provide comfort do not qualify as service animals under the ADA, although some state and local laws allow emotional support animals in the workplace.

Deciding whether to allow an employee to bring in a so-called comfort animal is not that different from making a reasonable accommodation, says Patti Perez, an employment attorney with Ogletree Deakins. Ask yourself these three questions to make the determination.

Is it reasonable?

A monkey or snake is unlikely to be considered a reasonable companion, but a small trained dog may be. Ask the employee to provide medical documentation that having a comfort animal is a valid accommodation for his or her condition.
​Would it be an effective solution?

Will the animal keep the employee from performing his or her essential functions? Perez knows of a case where a woman who pierced ears at a mall kiosk asked if she could do her work while holding a comfort dog. In this instance, the employer could make the case that the animal was interfering with the worker’s effectiveness because many people likely wouldn’t want their ears pierced by someone clutching a canine.

Is it an undue burden?

If an employee needs a comfort animal but the building lease won’t allow it, for instance, it is probably not reasonable to expect the employer to move to make the accommodation.

Once Bitten

Dogs have bitten employees at Softchoice’s Toronto office twice, Eddison says. “Biting is cause for an immediate expulsion for us,” she says, adding that there is a three-strike policy for lesser complaints, which any employee can submit anonymously; most are related to barking, whimpering or playing with a squeaky toy.

The owner gets a warning when someone complains. A pup that accrues three strikes is not welcome in the office for six months to a year, although it may return on a trial basis if the owner can show a change in behavior, Eddison says.

TINYpulse’s policy relies heavily on self-reporting. If an employee knows her dog barks too much or has had an accident, she is expected to report it, Polly says. The company has a three-strike rule for accidents and no tolerance for biting. “If a dog even bites someone once, they are not welcome back in the office,” she says.

Trupanion
Seattle-based pet medical insurance provider Trupanion is one of the few companies that allow employees to bring cats to work. Photograph courtesy of Trupanion.

Employers can’t assume that workers’ compensation would cover a bite from a dog visiting the workplace, Perez says. That’s because, to submit a claim, the employer must show that an injury was caused by the scope of the employee’s work.

However, workers may be able to sue an employer for allowing dogs in the office, Perez says, although she isn’t aware of any such cases. Employees might also have a case if two or more dogs get into a fight and one is injured.

Another tip: Make it very clear who is responsible for the dog at all times. Perez worked at a law firm where an attorney who brought her dog to work asked a co-worker to dog-sit on the days she needed to be in court—which made the co-worker less productive. Your policy should address what happens when someone has to go to meetings. Consider stipulating that workers can’t bring their pets in on the days they have other scheduled events, Perez suggests.

Other Options

If allowing workers to bring their pets to work doesn’t seem like a good option for your company, you’re not alone. Although office animals are making headlines, most organizations don’t allow them. According to the SHRM 2016 Employee Benefits research report, only 7 percent of employers permit pets in the workplace (compared with 8 percent in 2015 and 4 percent in 2014).

Fortunately, there are many other creative ways to show your support for furry friends, including the following:

Foster puppy (or kitty) love online. Because so many employees at Genentech, a San Francisco-based pharmaceutical company with 11,000 employees, were sharing dog photos and advice through e-mail, the company set up gDOGs, an employee resource group for dog owners, in 2014. More than 200 of Genentech’s employees are members, says Andrew Villani, senior manager of corporate relations and co-founder of gDOGs. The group created an online community and schedules events to encourage members to socialize with their dogs after hours and on weekends.

Allow occasional visits. The Penny Hoarder, a personal finance company based in St. Petersburg, Fla., invites employees to bring their dogs into the office for occasional photo shoots, says Erin O’Neill, the organization’s people and culture manager. It’s important to communicate with staff ahead of time that dogs will be at the office, she says. “We have one staffer who is allergic, and she is super gracious about it and just stays out of the area,” O’Neill says.

Motley Fool
Once a quarter, The Motley Fool in Alexandria, Va., hosts an animal therapy day for staff, featuring either puppies or ducklings. Here, Kristine Harjes is visited by a pup from the Operation Paws for Homes rescue. Photograph courtesy of The Motley Fool.

Schedule animal therapy days. Once a quarter, investment media business The Motley Fool in Alexandria, Va., sponsors an “animal therapy day.” A staff member who lives on a farm brings in puppies or ducklings, says Chief Wellness Officer Samantha Whiteside. “I try to schedule them when the staff seems stressed-out,” she says.

Other building tenants are also invited to participate, she says, because “it’s a good way to create intentional collision points to build relationships.” And the company sponsors an occasional “yappy hour”—a social event in which pets are welcome—at a nearby restaurant with an outdoor patio.

Arrange volunteer opportunities. Mars Petcare offers employee volunteer opportunities with the Nashville Humane Society, and staff deliver lunches and pet food to homebound seniors with pets.

Provide bereavement leave. San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is one of a few employers to provide three days of bereavement leave following the death of a pet. Mars Petcare gives one day.

Offer pet insurance. Pet-related coverage was offered by 36 percent of companies in 2015, and that number is expected to surge to 60 percent by 2018, according to a 2016 survey by Willis Towers Watson. The Motley Fool added pet insurance to its benefits package after an employee survey indicated demand.

Consider offering a coverage discount, says Chris Middleton, president of Pets Best Insurance. The typical markdown is 5 percent, he says, and even organizations with only 20 employees can offer this benefit affordably. Keep in mind, though, that each employee’s premium will be different based on where he or she lives and the pet’s species, breed and age, Middleton says.

Genentech offers a plan that covers dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets, Villani says. Employees can pay premiums through payroll deductions, and owners of multiple pets receive additional discounts. The company has also negotiated with several local doggie day care providers to offer employees a discount on the daily rate.

No matter which options you pursue, showing employees you care about their lives outside of work—including their pets—can give you an edge when it comes to recruiting, wellness and morale. And who doesn’t want to be top dog?

Lisa Rabasca Roepe is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va. 

Opening photograph courtesy of Trupanion.

Pet-Friendly Office Checklist

Experts at Trupanion, a Seattle-based pet medical insurance provider with a 1:2 pet-to-employee ratio (233 cats and dogs to 434 employees) offer this framework for creating a pet-friendly office.
Get executive buy-in. The CEO and senior management must agree to any pet-friendly policies.

Secure landlord approval. The Motley Fool can’t permit daily visits from animals at its offices because the property owner says the ventilation system won’t filter out all the dander and allergens, says Chief Wellness Officer Samantha Whiteside.
Create a policy. Clearly outline expectations, beginning by defining “pet-friendly,” says Patti Perez, an employment attorney with Ogletree Deakins. Do you mean just dogs and cats? What about boa constrictors and ferrets?
Pet-proof your space. This may include incorporating baby gates or tethers and hiding electrical cords. When Trupanion redesigned its offices, it included gated cubicles so office dogs and cats could enjoy being off-leash while sitting near their owner, says Erich Wuhrman, the company’s vice president of HR.
Communicate with employees. Let employees know if and when they can bring their pets to work. Some companies require employees to sign a written acknowledgment of the pet policy.
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