One way to blow off steam and recharge your batteries at work is to chat with co-workers. While talking about topics unrelated to work may seem unproductive, it actually helps to build the relationships that are necessary for good teamwork and workplace morale. However, it's important to remember that no matter how comfortable with or friendly toward your co-workers you feel, there are simply some topics that are better suited to Saturday night than Monday morning. This article explores seven topics that are acceptable, and seven topics that are taboo.Water cooler do: Su... view article details

Working in a nonprofit organization brings both material and nonmaterial rewards. Although some nonprofit organizations do not pay (or are unable to pay) market wages, the benefits of working in a nonprofit often outweigh the drawbacks for many employees.In the United States, nonprofit or charitable organizations such as foundations, churches, arts organizations, universities, and even some hospitals, are exempt from federal income taxes. Although the range of their services is rather broad, these groups have in common a mission to provide a benefit to a constituency that is more important tha... view article details

What is a Severance Package? You've just been notified of your last day of employment. Your supervisor hands you a severance agreement and release, and your mind is flooded with questions about your severance package. If you are an employee at will, your employer can terminate you at any time, without notice and with or without severance. After the shock, here are nine things you should consider when reviewing a severance package agreement and managing the transition from one company to your next opportunity. 1. Last Paycheck vs. Severance Package For most people, the first questions that c... view article details

5 things you need to know about employment background checks Nowadays, Human Resource departments are facing a series of risks caused by carelessness. This is simply because some candidates are not reliable enough to take a position within the hiring organization. With senior management often spread thin, promoting the company's interests can become less evident. This can run the risk of people leaving the company to form their own, similar company – providing them higher salary and personal gain. So employment background check is an important step before salary negotiation.... view article details

Not Using Company Medical Benefits? Negotiate Other Perks Instead When it comes to the topic of negotiation, most people's main focus is on salary. As David Lee Roth reportedly once said, "Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it." However, an increasingly important factor in an overall compensation package is health benefits. According to a 2007 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, since 2001 premiums for family coverage have increased 78%, while wages have risen 19% and inflation has risen 17%. In 2010 the OECD ranked the US #1 in t... view article details

With the unemployment rate hovering at 4.5 percent, "calling in sick" or taking unplanned time off has fallen out of fashion to such an extent that experts have invented a word to describe it -- "presenteeism." The phenomenon results in employees coming to work even when they shouldn't. That's right -- there are legitimate reasons to call off work. The rules below apply whether your company has combined paid time off (PTO), or separate sick, vacation, and personal days. Valid reason 1: Contagious illness, such as the common cold or flu. There's no better reason to stay home than legitimate si... view article details

A Great Way to Get Your Feet Wet You wake up in the morning on a gorgeous day, throw on a pair of shorts and sandals, and head out to the river in a national park. You hear whitewater rapids rumble in the background, as you lather on suntan lotion. You get ready to put a raft in the river for your trip under the summer sun through a scenic gorge. What a peaceful vacation. But wait - you are not on vacation. You just arrived for work. Such preparations are part of the normal routine for Tom Bashore, a river rafting guide for the Rolling Thunder River Co. in Eastern Tennessee. Bashore was work... view article details

Salary Negotiation Email Can Help You Get A Raise- Just Ask Rebecca! The Importance of an Email People send a lot of emails. In fact, the Radicati Group noted that nearly 269 billion emails are sent every single day. However, another study showed that only 14% of work emails are "important". So when is an email important enough that it’s worth $11,000? Answer: When it’s a well-crafted counter-offer to a job offer. Let’s take a look at three common questions job-seekers have. Should I Negotiate My Salary? There are dozens of reasons why people don’t indulge in salary negotiation, such as: They... view article details

The Top 9 Hottest Jobs during the Pandemic Affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses of all shapes and sizes are finding it difficult to operate smoothly. Many employees find themselves out of work due to social distancing and others have transitioned to a work-from-home model and are relying on technology and the internet to collaborate with colleagues and get things done. Not surprising, internet-related hot jobs are in suddenly in great demand during coronavirus outbreak. If you are looking for a new job and have the skills and knowledge needed, the time is right f... view article details

You've just been notified of your last day of employment. Your supervisor hands you a severance agreement and release and your mind is flooded with questions. How can this happen? Can they do that? Unfortunately, if you are an employee at will your employer can terminate you at any time, without notice and with or without severance. After the shock, here are a few things you should consider when reviewing a severance agreement and managing the transition from one company to your next opportunity. 1. Last Paycheck vs. Severance Package For most, the first questions that come to mind are "what's... view article details