Be mindful that jobs aren't constant fun Don't lose sight of the fact that no job is fun all the time, so being envious of someone with a job that appears to be fun and exciting isn't actually the reality of the situation -- and it isn't productive. Focus on skill-building to bring value to your career and be OK with having a job that isn't always fun. The Muse (10/26)Choosing wisely during open enrollment can earn major savings Making well-thought decisions about benefit plans during the open-enrollment period can save some workers thousands of dollars each year, suggests Daniel Galli, a certified financial planner. For example, workers with children can contribute to a dependent care FSA to use pretax dollars for day care expenses, Galli explains. USA Today (10/29)
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Displaying genuine good manners in business is beneficial in the workplace and on the job hunt, explains Harvey Mackay. Smiling and saying "please" and "thank you" are critical parts of making a great first impression, he adds. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (tiered subscription model) (10/27)
The Landscape
Labor Dept. proposes disability hiring reward program The US Labor Department wants to encourage businesses that contract with the federal government to hire people with disabilities with its new Excellence in Disability Inclusion award program. Companies that create a plan to increase disability hiring would be eligible for a two-year exemption from federal compliance evaluations. Disability Scoop (10/29)
Your Next Challenge
Increased salary doesn't make a bad job a good one Companies that increase base pay for workers, such as Amazon and Whole Foods, must understand that this change alone does not make a mediocre job a great one, writes Katie Bach, Sarah Kalloch and Zeynep Ton. The same problems that existed before will exist after the increase, so companies need to address employee frustrations -- such as last-minute scheduling and micromanaging -- to retain employees, they suggest. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (10/29)Companies change benefits packages to reflect current workforce With baby boomers retiring and millennials filling these positions, companies are having to reconfigure the compensation structure to accommodate the differing demands, including adopting flexible scheduling and benefits. Two-thirds of companies have modified their employment packages to meet the needs of the current workforce, according to a Willis Towers Watson survey. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (10/29)
Balancing Yourself
The difference between disengagement and burnout Working long hours doesn't necessarily lead to burnout; it's working long hours while being highly engaged in the work that leads to burnout, explains Laura Hamill. Make self-care a priority by allowing for recovery time, using vacation days strategically, and find your sense of purpose at work, Hamill adds. U.S. News & World Report (10/29)
If you live in Saudi Arabia and have a pure-bred camel deemed beautiful enough, you might be eligible to win about $5.3 million in prize money. The King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival and other beauty pageants like it judge the animals on the appearance of their coat, neck, head and hump. Quartzy (10/28)
I am continually fascinated at the difficulty intelligent people have in distinguishing what is controversial from what is merely offensive.
