If there’s anything that this economic downturn has taught us, it’s that the only person looking out for you is you. In this era of mass layoffs, slashed benefits and mandatory work “furloughs,” we’re all learning quickly that years of loyalty aren’t worth much in a recession. I think that this mindset can sometimes be more difficult for women to get used to than men. … [Read more...]
Promote Women. It’s Profitable
I read a very interesting article recently in The Boston Globe called, "The Female Advantage. A New Reason for Businesses to Promote Women: It's More Profitable." http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/05/03/the_female_advantage The premise of the article is that companies with more female leadership in place at the Board and executive level are more … [Read more...]
Women in the Workplace: Issues and Challenges
Post by Jane K. Stimmler, contributing Women On Business writer As a new contributor to the site, I plan to be blogging on a number of practical things women can do to improve their chances of getting ahead in the business world. Many of these will be based on tips from my new book, Breaking Into the Boys’ Club, coming out next month. I will cover subjects such as … [Read more...]
How Much Is Too Much?
It is eleven o’clock on a Friday evening, and you have been working now for seventeen hours. Your brain is barely functioning, your fingers keep hitting the wrong keys, and you keep stealing glances at your watch, knowing you’re going to miss the last bus home. But yesterday you got to work slightly late; today you went to your colleague’s leaving do; and you simply cannot … [Read more...]
What Do I Wear?
Going to work presents a dilemma. Obviously everyone is nervous on their first ever day in the office, but no one expects you to have qualms about going to work the rest of the time. Yet looking in your wardrobe, standing in front of the mirror, hopping on the bus in the morning, do you ever experience a flutter of apprehension? Wonder if you’re giving the right impression? … [Read more...]
Negotiate your way to savings: How to get the best deal on office phone equipment
The telephone was invented in 1876, and the world hasn’t been the same since. While telephone calls have been partially eclipsed by internet contact as the primary mode of communication for most business owners, the phone is still a vital business tool. Think about it- how long could your business survive without phone service? Many business owners put about as much thought … [Read more...]
Don’t Work in a Goat’s Stomach
Post by Frances Cole Jones, contributing Women On Business writer When I was working in the nine-to-five world, there was a gentleman down the hall whose office inevitably looked like it had been stirred up with a stick: a desk loaded with piles of paper, dirty cups, takeout containers, a magic 8 ball, and a keyboard that looked like you’d be better off wearing a hazmat suit … [Read more...]
Do We Need to Be Selfish to Be Successful?
When we first came into this world as infants, we were very focused on having our immediate needs met. Life was simple. With more "socialization", we began to respond to those around us and our thoughts turned outward. Our parents, friends, and teachers were more interested in finding ways to have us please them than to have us please ourselves and we lost touch with whatever … [Read more...]
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Unlike George Bush, who famously cited The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle as one of his favourite books from his childhood despite it having been published when he was 23, I was born after its publication and have very fond memories of reading it as a child. This year marks its 40th anniversary, and it is still a much-loved classic. Yesterday also marked the beginning … [Read more...]
How to Love Your Job
Allison’s excellent post on being a good boss left me thinking about employees and their place in a company. Having a good boss is a great starting point, but if a business’ employees mope around feeling lost and miserable, the whole thing will fail. As an employee, it can be difficult to muster up enthusiasm for a job you’ve possibly ended up in out of desperation, … [Read more...]