EmploymentMetrix.com

Recess: A Great Way to End the Week

I recently read an article on SHRM.org that September 14^th was Worldwide Recess Day and companies around the globe were taking the time to honor that coveted outside time from our childhood.   Well, I missed it, so we decided to make our own recess fun day, and it was AWESOME!

After a long week of work being held captive at our desks, we needed a change of scenery, so we decided to schedule 10 minutes (which really ended up being 20 minutes) to play outside together as a team.

We had a sad collection of playground toys (as you can see in the photo above) that we amassed throughout the afternoon and ended up with two playground balls, two Frisbees, and a jump rope.  From those random toys we decided to play a quick game of kickball using the Frisbees and some strategically placed polls in the parking lot as bases. 

It was a great way to unwind at the end of the week as a group—we sometimes get so wrapped up in work (which is good, because that’s what we’re here to do) that we forget to take a break.  I sometimes sit at my desk from 8:30 – 5:30 and only get up once or twice throughout the day and my body hates me for it (it is SO unhealthy).  Even with just those 20 minutes of fresh air and running around, I feel so much happier (maybe it’s because I was on the winning kickball team), or maybe because I was in need of some serious vitamin D, but regardless I want to make this part of my routine.

Everyone should make the time to do something fun and good for yourself during the week at work.  It doesn’t have to be everyday, start small with once a week and start by not feeling guilty to be away from your desk— it’s not healthy to be tied down like that.

What’s up for next week? Well, we found an old Razor Scooter in a closet.  We can all ride it for one minute (that should take us to our ten minute mark (with transition times)).  After that, it’s back to work!

Top Ten Things to NOT Get Caught Doing at SHRM in Las Vegas

As Cliché as it is—What Happens at SHRM Stays at SHRM

It’s that time of year again—time for the Annual SHRM Conference.  While organizations in the Human Resources field across the country are prepping for the show, HR pros are gearing up for a four day stay in Las Vegas.

That’s right—it is completely ironic that HR professionals (those who keep us all politically correct and on our best behavior in the workplace) are going to brush up on the latest HR policies and procedures in the City of Sin. 

But don’t worry, while the craziness of Vegas is happening outside, inside the convention center our HR Managers will be in sessions brushing up on everything from employee benefits to recruitment, employment law and much more. 

So, just to keep our favorite HR Managers in line we thought it would be helpful for them to have a list of the Top Ten Things to NOT Get Caught Doing at SHRM in Las Vegas.

10.  Get Hitched During SHRM. Finding the perfect match is always critical for recruiters but getting married on a whim is not a story your boss will find funny or appreciate when they ask how the conference went.

9.    Shop ‘Til You Drop. At the conclusion of the Annual SHRM Conference your feet should hurt from walking the expo floor—not from browsing in the many luxury shops at Via Bellagio, Grand Canal Shops at The Venetian, The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Miracle Mile, Le Boulevard at Paris, and Wynn Esplande.

8.    Use Your Travel and Expense Allowance to Finance Your Go Round in the Casino.  If you think you can turn your T&E daily allotment into extra cash in the casino—the odds are against you, so don’t even try.

7.    Play Hooky to Sip Margaritas by the Pool.  It is predicted to be a toasty 103°F during SHRM, so drinking tasty beverages by the pool (unless you’re drinking water) is probably not a smart idea, nonetheless if you’re laying by the pool while everyone is in sessions or on the expo floor—you’re going to have a very unhappy employer.
 
6.    Let Motion Sickness Ruin Your Time.  While enjoying the sites if you have a desire to check out the gondolas at the Venetian, the rollercoaster at New York-New York, or take a ride to top of the  Stratosphere (the tallest observation tower in the United States) be sure you have a Dramamine on hand.

5.    Show Up at the Expo Hall Looking Like You Were Just Throwing…Well You Get the Picture. Working a booth or cruising the conference floor? Look your best and look professional.  While we’re all sympathetic to the fact that you’re away from home and away from your kids—that doesn’t mean that everyone you meet on the expo floor needs to know that.  Even if you’re out late partying make sure that you are at the expo hall on time, dressed professional, looking fresh and ready to represent your organization.

4.    Swim With the Sharks at the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef.  While this is a thrill that is offered, that’s the last thing your organization needs “HR Manager Eaten by Shark at SHRM Conference in Vegas”. While they say no press is bad press that is definitely a headline your PR department does not want to have to spin.
 
3.    Take a Dip in The Dancing Waters. Speaking of Swimming, the Fountains of Bellagio Are ONLY For Show.  Get caught swimming in there and there is sure to be a large fine.  After all if the fine for  jaywalking can be up to $695 in Clark County, NV you don’t want to know what it is for swimming in the dancing waters.

2.    Follow the Same Itinerary for Your Sister’s Bachelorette Party at the Palm. Las Vegas is called Sin City for a reason and if you were going there for the purpose of a bachelor/bachelorette party you would have a very different plan than if you were going for work (at least we hope so).  So take this opportunity to experience the good clean fun that Vegas has to offer when traveling on business.  Take in a show like Jersey Boys, Cirque du Soleil or The Blue Man Group, eat at the numerous delicious restaurants and enjoy a treatment at the many luxury spas (also be sure to go to those sessions!). 

1.  Get lost.  Be sure to keep track of your team members—while the movie The Hangover is entertaining to watch, no one REALLY wants to experience what the wolf pack went through.  Make sure you check in with those who you traveled to the conference with just to make sure that no one is stuck on the roof at Caesars.

CubeDuel: Facemash for Professionals in the Workplace?

The movie The Social Network, a story about the founding and establishment of Facebook, gives a behind the scenes view of the social networking site that has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.  And it all started with Mark Zuckerberg’s Facemash, a short-lived college version of HOT or NOT®, in which female students at Harvard University were ranked based on attractiveness.

CubeDuel is the next generation of this type of online rating program, but it’s not about rating the attractiveness of others. Rather, it adds an element of professionalism (if you can call it that) by evaluating and choosing which coworker you would rather work with if given the choice. CubeDuel relies on the information from LinkedIn connections to present you with duel match ups of coworkers. Although your choices remain anonymous, I can’t help but question, are the affects of this site harmful to those dueling or is it all in good fun? It even got me thinking, that if you beat out a coworker in a landslide, is that an accomplishment you’d include on your resume?

There is of course the argument that CubeDuel is unprofessional and it is ironic that it is associated with the professional networking site, LinkedIn.  LinkedIn must have also had some concerns with their involvement in such a website as they temporarily removed their connection with CubeDuel. However, CubeDuel affiliates released a statement saying that LinkedIn did not purposely shut down their operation but believed that CubeDuel hit a limit in registered members that caused the system to crash (sounds familiar to what happened with Facemash as it crashed the Harvard server when the site received an overwhelming amount of hits). The truth of the event with CubeDuel has yet to be confirmed.

On the other hand, this could all be in fun and games as those who work in offices are usually looking for some comic relief throughout the day and maybe CubeDuel is not meant to cause harm to members of the LinkedIn community. After all, those who allow CubeDuel access to their LinkedIn account and willingly battle their coworkers do so at their own risk.

Just like most social networking games, it is addicting and its popularity has soared in the short time it’s been live, but in the end, it all comes down to your willingness to expose yourself to see how your coworkers really feel when they stop “being polite and start getting real”. This game is for the brave, so if this isn’t quite your cup of tea, stick to Farmville on Facebook where the only risk involved is if you play during business hours.

Special thanks to our intern, Ariel Several for contributing to this article.

Five Ways to Survive Halloween at Work

Halloween is a big deal here at work.  Each year the holiday brings out the camaraderie amongst team members—we decorate the office to the nines complete with fog machine, graveyard sounds, and  spider webs and the day cultivates with a potluck lunch, pumpkin carving challenge and a costume contest.

But each year as my team anticipates All Hallows' Eve, we debate over whether we should participate, what we should dress up as, and even more importantly—is what we want to dress as appropriate?

After all, if you’re dressing up for Halloween at work you need to be in a completely different mind set, then if you are dressing up for friend’s costume party and being a department of mostly women, we almost always come up against the issue of a costume being too revealing or provocative (which for the record, I don’t even want to wear a costume that’s provocative to a party outside of the office).

So if you’re like us and are having trouble coming up with an appropriate costume to wear to work or are having a hard time getting into the spirit of the holiday here are some tips to help you survive Halloween at the workplace.

1. Don’t be a party-pooper. I get that not everyone likes Halloween, so if you’re someone that doesn’t dress for the occasion, don’t sulk around all day, because Halloween is not your thing.  Sign-up to bring something in for the occasion, like candy or offer to be the photographer for the day.  That way you’ll still have participated and you don’t have to dress up in a silly costume that you’re annoyed by after five minutes.
   
   
2. Don’t force HR to plan the party. Instead of sticking your HR department with the party planning duties—form a committee of those employees that want to help out. There are always team members from other departments besides Human Resources that have a knack for party planning.  Added Bonus: the planning doesn’t use up all the resource time of one department.
   
   
3. Don’t dress up as something creepy.  And by creepy, I don’t mean a goblin or a ghoul, I mean like wearing exaggerated body parts…no one wants to think about their coworkers like that.
   
   
4. Don’t wear something revealing.  I know that the costumes out there for women may be appropriate for a “dance” club, but they’re certainly not appropriate for work. Be smart when you plan your costume, dressing up for Halloween at work is a privilege, not a right.  Don’t ruin it for the others, by making a poor choice.
   
   
5. Don’t go political.  While there are some great topical costume opportunities here, such as plopping on a witch’s hat and going as Christine O’Donnell or protesting Halloween altogether as a tea partier—work is probably not the best place to be sharing your political agenda—that is unless you’re in politics. 

So, does your workplace do it up Halloween, like we do?  We’d love to hear all about it!  Share your pictures and stories!  Here are some pictures from our past Halloween celebrations for your enjoyment/inspiration.

Halloween 2006

Halloween 2007

Halloween 2008 (We never got a big group picture so here are a few highlights)

 

Halloween 2009

Halloween 2010...coming soon!

UPDATE: Halloween 2010 Group Photo

Top Sites to See In San Diego at SHRM 2010

 

In less than two weeks, we will all reunite at one of my favorite events—SHRM!  This year, I’m not only looking forward to the sessions, the expo and the networking, but also to spending time in the beautiful city of San Diego!  So in anticipation of SHRM 2010 I thought it’d be fun to put together my top ten list (in no particular order) of must do’s in sunny San Diego, which by the way is named after Saint Didacus and not whatever Ron Burgundy thought it meant.  So if you’re ready, here we go…

1. Unleash your inner animal at the San Diego Zoo. When you think of San Diego, the first thing that pops into most people’s minds is the zoo, and for good reason.  The zoo in Balboa Park is one of the largest (107 acres) and most progressive zoos in the world.  Dedicated to conservation, the San Diego Zoo offers you the opportunity to see some amazing species in their own habitats such as the Koala, Komodo Dragon, and the Giant Panda. If you do head over to the zoo make sure you have comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, and most definitely a camera. Also while you’re in town—check out Nighttime at the Zoo.  *Kid Friendly  
   
   
2. Imagine old Hollywood on Coronado Island.  An easy drive from the zoo, head over the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and prepare to go vintage as you experience the charm of the city of Coronado.  Home to the fifth best beach in America according to the Travel Channel and the famous Hotel del Coronado (aka The Del) a former getaway for old Hollywood and US Presidents, this resort style hotel is just as breathtaking as it was when it first opened in 1888.  The Del is a National Historic Landmark that should not be missed.  For you film buffs, let us know if you recognize this famed hotel from the classic Billy Wilder comedy, Some Like It Hot.  For you non-beach bums—rent a bicycle and tour around the island.  Be sure to stop in the quant shops for a great taste of small town America.  *Kid Friendly 
   
    
3. Party on the Pacific Beach Strip. This popular beach strip is known for having a low-key surfing scene by day and a bustling bar scene by night. During the day, you can experience the true beach bum lifestyle by lying on the beach, swimming in the ocean or strolling along the ocean front boardwalk. As soon as the sun goes down, get ready for some fun because Pacific Beach “PB” is home to countless dive bars, live music venues and dance clubs.
   
   
4. Experience first class shopping in La Jolla. Located 15 minutes from downtown San Diego, La Jolla is an exquisite combination of a southern European resort atmosphere and Southern California fun. In addition to the beautiful scenery, sandy beaches, adorable harbor seals and fine dining, La Jolla is also home to an array of high end shopping retailers! True paradise if you ask me!
   
   
5. See a show at Sea World.  Best known for Shamu, Sea World is a great way to get up close and personal (ladies, if you do plan to get close be sure your hair is in a bun) with marine life such as Dolphins, Orcas, Pacific Walruses, Penguins, Sharks, and of course Whales.  For those of you not so interested in the marine life there are also attractions and rides such as Journey to Atlantis, Wild Arctic, Bayside Skyride, Shipwreck Rapids, and more.  Stick around for the fireworks display that goes off each night at 9:50 p.m.  *Kid Friendly   
   
   
6. Experience the Gaslamp District Nightlife. Often referred as San Diego’s “party central,” the restaurants, bars and nightclubs come together to form a nightlife that rivals any city in the country.  A few of my personal favorites hot spots are:

•  Altitude Sky Lounge, an upscale lounge which allows you to surround yourself with San Diego’s glittering skyline twenty-two stories in the air.  Take in the unforgettable views and gaze down onto home plate in Petco Stadium. 
  
   
•  Stingeree, a nightclub and dining venue that sets the standard for San Diego nightlife. Rated one of the top ten new bars in the country by MSN, this three story nightclub offers the ultimate blend of high style and excellent service, and features a floor-to-ceiling waterfall, rooftop cabanas, fire pit and VIP lounge.
  
  
•  On Broadway, a high-energy night club that boasts over 30,000 square feet of ultra luxurious and modern décor complete with 9 different spaces, a computer light show and a 90,000 watt sound system.
  
  7. Witness cougars on the prowl in Del Mar. This exclusive area boasts pristine beaches, gourmet dining and unique shopping, but is most recognized for being a haven for “cougars” on the prowl (cougar = urban slang for a woman who looks young, dresses young and dates young).
  
  8. Hike Torrey Pines State Park. Take in all the beauty that Torrey Pines State Park has to offer.  Explore over 2,000 acres of preserved land that includes the rare and elegant Torrey pine tries, miles of unspoiled beaches, a beautiful lagoon and stunning overlooks. If you choose to take a trail leading to Black’s Beach, just beware that once you get past Flatrock, clothing is optional!
  
  9. Take in a baseball game at Petco Stadium. This ballpark is truly spectacular in every way, combining the timeless traditions of baseball with state-of-the-art fan amenities and breathtaking views of San Diego. And with a winning record this year, this is an exciting time to see a Padres game!
  
  10. Recreate the famous scene from Top Gun at Kansas City BBQ. A landmark restaurant known for its role in the 1986 Tom Cruise film, Top Gun, where Goose and Maverick belt out “Great Balls of Fire” is a must-see attraction in San Diego.