thecareerbeat.com Blog

Be careful what you view online at work!

In case you need an example of why you shouldn’t look at racy items on your computer at work, check out this video clip.  A man in the background doesn’t realize (until late) that his screen is visible to a TV audience…

It’s hard to tell if the photos are racy, but his surprised look back once he realizes the camera is rolling says it all. (via Towleroad)

UPDATE: The man with wandering eyes — a bank employee — will get to keep his job.

Scrooge wouldn’t recognize these workplaces

While 2009 brought widespread salary cuts and freezes that created new empathy for Bob Cratchit, the holiday spirit is melting plenty of cold hearts in the workplace. Nearly half of workers plan to give gifts to colleagues, says a new survey.

The OfficeTeam staffing firm found that 48% of employed adults plan to get a present for a colleague, and 34% intend to give a gift to the boss.  And many expect nothing in return: Only 36% expect a gift from a coworker, 29% expect one from the boss.

The season of giving is alive and well at the office.

Of course, exchanging gifts in the work setting requires good judgment. “When choosing presents for colleagues, it’s important to be thoughtful and appropriate,” says Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “New employees should check in with tenured staff for insight into prevailing customs.”

OfficeTeam offers some helpful “don’ts” to guide your choices:

• Don’t give overly personal gifts, such as jewelry, to those you don’t know well.
• Don’t pick a controversial or inappropriate gift (e.g. religious-themed gift).
• Don’t scramble to reciprocate if given an unexpected gift.

Here are some articles that also offer good advice:

• Client and Coworker Gifts on a Budget
• Should the Boss Be on Your Holiday Gift List?
• FAQ for Office Gift Giving

Risky business: online shopping at work

The temptation to shop online while at work gets much stronger at this time of year. Despite the known risks, many of us do it on the sly anyway — like using a cell phone while driving.

In fact, 1 in 5 workers (21%) said they will shop online for holiday gifts this year while working. The statistic comes from a new survey, conducted by financial staffing firm Accountemps, that was released a week before Cyber Monday — typically the biggest day of the year for online shopping.

After Cyber Monday last year, 41% percent of Yahoo! HotJobs users said in an online poll that they had made a personal online purchase while on the job.

Shopping at work may violate workplace policy for many employers, but the rule is often hard to enforce.  And it’s so easy to pop over to a retailer’s site and knock off a few stocker stuffers from your list, right?

Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of “Job Hunting for Dummies,” has some good words of caution:

“While some companies look the other way when employees browse retail sites in moderation, online shopping is frequently against company policy. Workers need to familiarize themselves with their firm’s rules on acceptable Internet use during business hours and follow these guidelines throughout the year.”

To help minimize your risks, check out some of the useful ideas in the article “Cyber Monday Survival Tips for the Office.”

Here’s a good one from Charlie Graham, CEO of Shop It To Me: “Arrive at work early on Cyber Monday to do quick sales checks. Then, shop on your lunch hour, during breaks, or at the end of the work day.”

And here’s another, courtesy of yours truly: “Ask yourself, ‘Is the discount I’ll get right now on this scarf worth getting fired?’”

Workers behave better during recessions. Surprised?

Yes, U.S. employees have been behaving better during the Great Recession, according to the annual National Business Ethics Survey.

The survey found that measures of ethical behavior — the amount of misconduct observed, the willingness to report misdeeds, the strength of ethical cultures and the pressure to cut corners — all improved since 2007, when the survey was last taken.

The Ethics Resource Center, which conducted the research, noted a similar pattern from 2000 to 2003, when the dot-com bubble and 9/11 affected most workplaces.

While this is good news, I’ll bet most of us would rather have no recession and more workers behaving badly.

For a great example of unethical behavior at work, enjoy this clip:

For tips on how good behavior can help you get ahead at work, try these:

• The Most Valuable Employees Tame Tensions
• 5 Ways to Wow Your Boss
• How Nice Guys Can Get Ahead

Using gossip to your advantage

Last week I was on “View from the Bay” to talk about how gossip can sometimes be beneficial for your career.  It’s definitely a gray area, but knowing how to filter out the harmful stuff can lead to useful information.

Maybe work relationships haven’t changed much

A few weeks ago I wrote about how the recession may be improving relations in the workplace, but now I’m not so sure.

Check the results of last week’s Yahoo! HotJobs poll, which are essentially unchanged from last year:

Poll Results

Q Of the coworkers you deal with daily, how many do you find really annoying? None 13% One 23% Two 22% Three 10% More than three 32% 4876 Votes to date

When the exact same question was asked a year ago, the biggest difference was that 28% said “more than three” coworkers were really annoying. This year more people can’t stand multiple coworkers!

The difference between this poll and the Robert Half International (RHI) research — besides being more scientific and thorough — could be the time comparison. RHI checked 2009 results against those from 2005.

If Yahoo! HotJobs had asked its poll question in 2005, maybe the number of respondents irked by multiple coworkers would be much higher. That would again support the notion that the recession could be improving ties in the workplace.

Good looks give you an advantage

If you want to get ahead, start by assessing your appearance. We live in a visual society, and hiring decisions — among other business decisions — are often made on first impressions.

That doesn’t mean start researching cosmetic procedures — although I am fascinated by stories of men getting liposuction or pec implants or even hair-dye jobs to improve their professional prospects.

It does mean making the most of what you’ve got and carefully honing your appearance, according to Jennifer Selby Long, an executive coach in the San Francisco area. Maybe a better haircut, a manicure, or better-fitting clothes can give you an image pickup — and a career boost.

In a recent Yahoo! HotJobs site poll, 3 in 4 respondents said they were more likely to get a promotion or raise if they improved how they look. It shows the power of a good appearance!

For on this topic, I recommend the article “Using Your Looks for Career Success (Without Going Overboard).”

Getting tempted to shop from work?

The economic climate is frightful, but the urge to shop is getting so delightful. Right now our jobs have many anxieties because of the economic downturn (at least for many of us). Who can blame you for wanting an escape?

But if keeping your job is a priority right now (as it should be for most people), then consider avoiding the onslaught of online sales while you are working.

Even on Cyber Monday (Dec. 1), which some experts say could be the biggest day for retail sales this year.

Don’t just take my word for it, check out the article “Online Shopping on the Job,” which offers some tips about how to avoid risks if you’re thinking of mixing a little shopping with work.

Remember that your employer may monitor your email and Web-surfing activity, and there may be a stated policy against using work equipment for personal use. Big Brother is alive and well in the workplace!

Are you compatible with your boss?

Now is the time of year when we think about bosses. Did you get your boss a card for National Boss Day (Oct. 16)?

The relationship you have with your boss is really important; he or she holds the power to your paycheck. So it’s worth taking some time to assess your compatibility and identify ways you can make the relationship better.

In the article “Are You and Your Boss Compatible?” you will find some good tips for figuring out basics about your boss’s personality and then adjusting your style to work better with him or her.

For example, your boss may be a Dreamer: someone who inspires with enthusiasm but whose head is in the clouds. You may need to bump up your skills in grounding a grand vision to reality, and then setting deliverables and timely goals. Complementing your boss’s strengths in this way is not only a good learning experience for you, but a potentially good move for advancing on the job.

On the other hand, you may want to learn “How to Steal Your Boss’s Job.” In any case, it’s always a good idea to master the “10 Habits that Bosses Love.”

How to dress for success

Looking professional and dressing appropriately for work have become a little more difficult with the business-casual workplace.

I am very thankful for business-casual dress codes (or even no dress codes — which is more the case with my employer), but they can blur concepts of what’s appropriate.

There’s some trusty advice in “The Rules of Workplace Style,” a new Yahoo! HotJobs article that offers fashion pointers to men and women. If you want to be taken seriously, one expert advises staying away from three no-no’s: flip-flops, jeans, and visible tattoos.

The jeans prohibition rankles me a bit. But when in doubt, save the jeans for “casual Fridays.” Don’t let a fashion faux pas hurt your career advancement!

P.S. I should also point out that Banana Republic has an ad on that HotJobs article that offers a 20% discount. Nice incentive for updating the work wardrobe.