Employees, take control

Q: Some New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep; others have a hard time even making the list. After the first day of the year everything seems to go out the window. Do you have any guidelines on how to keep resolutions for next year?     

A: “Many people focus their New Year’s resolutions on ways to spend more time with loved ones or make other quality-of-life improvements,” says Max Messmer, Accountemps chairman and author of Managing Your Career for Dummies.“But work also contributes to one’s overall well-being, which makes this time of year ideal for re-evaluating career aspirations.” Staffing firm Ajilon Finance has created a 10-step guide. “If employees can incorporate these resolutions, they will remain successful this year and well into the future,” said Neil Lebovits, Ajilon Finance’s president and chief operating officer.

The Top 10 New Year’s resolutions for workers:

10. Make a list and check it twice. To stay in control of your work priorities, organise your tasks for the day.

9. Be present and accounted for. Stay engaged while doing your tasks.

8. Pass the baton. Everyone has days where they have to work overtime, but if you are logging excessive hours, maybe it’s time to ask for help.

7. Participate in extracurricular activities and look for opportunities to broaden your skills.

6. Hang out at the water cooler. Socialising will help you learn about what’s happening in other departments and establish you as a team player.

5. Create your own goals. Determine where you want to be professionally and the skills you need to get there.

4. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Accept challenges that take you out of your comfort zone.

3. Get what you deserve. If you believe you deserve a promotion or a raise, ask for one. Demonstrate your case and stand up for your needs.

2. Unplug and unwind. Make sure you’re giving yourself some time off.

1. Seek satisfaction. If you’re feeling less than satiated by your current career, look for ways to transform your job into more of what you want. If this doesn’t solve the problem, maybe it’s time to look for a new position.

Showing staff appreciation

Q: With the holiday season upon us, I’d like to do something special for my employees to show them how much I appreciate their hard work this year. I don’t want to spend my entire limited budget on a big party, but I’m not sure what else to do. Any ideas?

A: There are lots of ways to show appreciation without blowing your budget. Host a small luncheon at your facility and order in sandwiches or pizza. Or, provide some rum punch and ask everyone to bring a special dessert and have your celebration in the afternoon. A little time away from the work routine is always appreciated. Give everyone a small token gift, like a box of candy or a poinsettia. If you have the money, purchase gift certificates or other larger items to give to each employee, such as:

• Gift certificate for dinner
• Weekend hotel stay
• Day at a spa
• Magazine subscription
• Gift baskets
• Theatre tickets
• Tickets to a sports event
• Gift certificate for books.

Make the gift giving more of an event by buying a variety of gifts and having a drawing for each one. Let your employees trade with each other so they end up with a gift they really like. If you don’t want to go the party route, you can give your staff some extra time off. That’s always appreciated around the holidays, when people have shopping to do or want to spend time with their families. But don’t just notify them in an e-mail. Take the time to write a holiday card with a personal note thanking them for everything they’ve done for you and the company.