The Top 5 Workplace Wellbeing Trends for 2019

The Top 5 Workplace Wellbeing Trends for 2019 There is no better time to think about wellness and wellbeing especially in the workplace. With so much focus on eating well, taking care of our mental health and trying to fit more physical exercise into our lives, here are the top 5 trends employee wellness experts Elevate think will be big in 2019. 1. FINANCIAL WELLBEING Deal or no deal, the Brexit vote two years ago has damaged the UK economy and a weaker pound has squeezed household incomes. With more uncertainty forecast, now is the time to get smart with our money and equip  ourselves to stay on top of our financial wellbeing. Were delighted to be teaming up with strategy and finance consultant  Darryl Bannon FCCA  MBA  to provide a brand new  financial wellbeing workshop. This will take a  practical approach to budget, negotiation, and saving tips and tricks to becoming more financially confident. 2. PERSONALISATION Health and wellbeing is personal. Much like no two companies are the same, no two employees are the same, and the key to an effective health and wellbeing programme is offering an individualized, personal approach. This is key to ongoing success and optimal engagement. First up, find out what your employees want and need by running a survey. Secondly, offer  something  more than just a  generic workshop with a one-size-fits-all approach. Employees are demanding more from their  health at work packages DNA testing, one-to-one specialist health  coaching and personalized  wearable tech now being the  norm.   3. ADDRESSING BURNOUT Employee burnout has a huge financial implication for businesses, with low productivity, high sickness absence, and presenteeism costing UK businesses an estimated £73 billion each year. Its time to take a proactive approach to this stress epidemic and teach individuals to look out for the signs of stress in themselves and others before it reaches critical levels. 4. MEASURED RESULTS No data no proof. Without clearly measured improvements, its hard to gain senior level engagement and in return the financial support to continue with  wellbeing  programmes. Measuring impact is easier than it sounds by running regular wellbeing surveys (we suggest every six months) you can keep track of the key areas of concern  within your company, gain valuable feedback monitor the notable improvements.   5. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE   With increasing numbers of young entrepreneurs and developing C-Suite leaders, a recent study found that employers value emotional intelligence over IQ. Emotionally intelligent teams perform better at work, have better relationships, and are psychologically and physically healthier. Ruth Tongue, Co-founder of Elevate, says: Research has shown that well executed employee wellbeing programmes can not only improve productivity, reduce sickness absence and presenteeism, but also improve morale, sense of value, trust and increase staff retention and attrition. About the author:  Ruth Tongue, Co-founder of Elevate,  is an MSc qualified nutritionist, sports scientist and health editor with over ten years’ experience in corporate wellness.

Goal Setting Method for Your 2018 Job Search

Goal Setting Method for Your 2018 Job Search If you have problems sitting down and setting goals for yourself, here is a great method you can use in your job search. This is called the SMART method of goal setting. Try this for various portions of your job search in 2018!What Is It?SMART stands for the following:Specific - Getting specific about the goal itself and not being vague. Measurable - The numbers you can measure. Attainable - Keep it realistic. It is great to shoot for the stars. Just don’t be unrealistic. Relevant - Make sure the actions you take are aligned with the intended goal. Time-bound - Give yourself a deadline and timeline.Using the SMARTMethod for Your Job SearchIf you are just starting a job search in 2018, or currently in the middle of one, try out the following method. In setting goals and using such a method you may start to discover when certain approaches are simply not working. It is ok to fail because failures teach you how to succeed.SpecificYour job search goals need to specific, clear, and easy to understand. You are stating what you want to accomplish. This is not the time to be the vague or big picture thinker.Bad: I want a job I like and want to get paid a good salary. Good: I am seeking three job interviews in one month, in Corporate Development for [insert industry] at a salary of $130,000 - $150,000.MeasurableIf you notice the specific goal above, it has a measurable aspect to it of three job interviews in one month. We will touch on the actions shortly to achieve this goal. But for now, the number can be used as a way to measure if your goal is being achieved. The measurement makes the goal less ambiguous.AttainableThis is the time for youto be honest and realistic. The reality is that, as a job seeker, you are not the hiring decision-maker. So, you cannot control who invites you for interviews or chooses to hire you. You are only in control of “influencing” the decision.Goals have to be reasonably attainable in order to keep you motivated and also to have the knowledge of whether or not you should stretch to achieve greater goals with higher numbers. Achieving goals is something to learn from and reinforces your strength to search for jobs.If you choose an unattainable goal such as, “20 job interviews in 2 weeks - Get hired by the end of the month”, you deserve a badge for being ambitious. But the goal is by no means attainable unless you discover a scientific method for being in two places at the same time!RelevantActions taken to achieve the goal mentioned above must be relevant to the needs of the hiring decision-maker or recruiter. For example, applying for entry-level jobs online in abundance on websites offering only entry-level to middle management jobs, will NOT help you achieve your goal of getting three job interviews in one month for a Corporate Development position.So, in order to keep actions relevant to goals remember to be realistic about what is required to achieve a goal. You may need to do research in order to disco ver what is “relevant” to your goals at hand. If you do not, through the process of not achieving goals you will discover that more information is needed on your part to better set goals.Using the example above about attaining three job interviews in one month, many have found out over the years that simply “applying for online jobs” is not a “relevant” action that will work 100% of the time. Some relevant actions will be discovered through trial and error.Time-boundThis is the part where you set a deadline for completion. Until now, you have had the completion time of one month. So, what if you do not achieve that goal in one month in the first month of trying to find work?What you can do is bind yourself to a time where you decide, “I have tried and discovered this method is not working. It is time to adjust my actions to achieve my goal.” Deadlines can be both short and long-term. They should help you stay focused.To give you a positive example, let’s say your a ctions lead to getting seven job interviews a month for the position you want. You have not only surpassed your goal but you crushed it. On the negative side, if you are finding you only get one interview per month it may be time to evaluate and assess if the actions you are taking to achieve your goals are working.On a Final NoteIf you find the “interview” goal is easily achieved month after month, but your goal for “getting hired” has failed it may be time to evaluate the following:Resume Interview preparation Networking effortsOther sections of the Find My Profession blog address such points and may help you set specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals for yourself!

Signs You Werent Meant for a Real Job

Signs You Weren’t Meant for a Real Job What is a real job anyway? The traditional definition is a 9 to 5 job. Some will say a “real job” means getting paid to do a job you really do not like. The definition has since become blurry.In the past, a real job meant you went out and got a job that paid your bills. This real job meant you conformed to the same schedule for 5 days a week, had a boss, and set uniform of sorts.Times have changed. Yet, still many seek out the traditional real job, only to discover signs it wasn’t meant for them. You may be discovering these same signs.Set Schedules Annoy YouA sign you should not have a real job is when you get annoyed with waking up at the same time from Monday to Friday. Fridays feel like you are freed from jail and Sunday nights leave you depressed about returning to your prison cell in the morning aka. The real job!Not everyone was meant to have a set schedule in life. Some need the variety of working different hours of the day and night. They also prefer having days offins tead of the set Saturday and Sunday weekends. It gives them a chance to experience many types of real jobs.Hatred for Commuting With a PassionThose who explored online jobs from home realized that driving to work, taking trains and a bus was not for them.Some believe it is time wasted that could be time spent making money. Others just prefer to have a work-life balance that allows for real jobs online while taking care of the home.Connectivity, phones, and websites all help people work real jobs from home. And when the workday is done they don’t have a commute home. This allows for spending time with family and maintaining the home.Life Behind a Screen Is Too BoringReal jobs today involve looking at screens of all kinds. If you are sitting at your screen right now, and you resent the fact that you are looking at a computer screen, this may be a sign.For all the advancements in technology, online jobs from home are still real jobs. These real jobs online are still considered work. You still get tired, hustle and work hard, but the way you do it is much different from real jobs in the past.If you do not enjoy sitting behind a screen all day, it may be a sign you were meant to work with people face to face. Perhaps, you were meant for a career in hospitality, the creative arts, customer service, tourism or travel. These are real jobs, too, but the schedules and workload can vary greatly.You Hate Having a BossSome people, by nature, are certifiably unemployable. They seek out a real job in the belief “that is the smart thing to do” without realizing they prefer autonomy. They like being their own boss (and bosses find them difficult to work with).The reality is being your own boss is still a real job and a pretty tough one. You are not an employee, but you may need them one day.If you simply think you should be running your own business, and know you can do something better than anyone else, by all means, go for it!!!A sign you hate having a boss may just me an the only real job you need is the one you created for yourself!

Use blogs as a career tool for becoming super-connected

Use blogs as a career tool for becoming super-connected One of the best ways to make a big leap in your career is to blog. Blogging allows you to create a high-quality network for yourself based, not on the old model of passing out business cards, but on a new model of passing out ideas. Contrary to popular opinion, blogging is not for college kids holed up in their dorm room posting photos of themselves. Blogging is so text-intensive in terms of both reading and writing that the amount of time required of a blogger makes it unattractive to college students. (Heres a funny video about how time-consuming blogging is.) However, to the curious and driven who are passionate about their careers, blogging is a great way to keep learning after college is over. So when you go to Google to search for blogs, most of those that come up will be from professionals who are using a blog to establish themselves as a thought leader in their field. Most of the time you spend blogging will be reading other peoples blogs and linking to them and writing commentary on your own blog about what others in the blogosphere are talking about. Its a constant course in your specialty and keeps you on the cutting edge. Moreover, the linking between blogs keeps you in touch with the other thought leaders in your industry, even if you do not know them personally. One of the best things about blogging is that the benefits are huge, but the barrier to entry is very low. The software is free, and easy to use (try Blogger or WordPress) and it takes about 10 minutes to get started. Minh Luong wanted a career in food writing, but found breaking into the industry was very tough. Instead of waiting to find an offline connection and nurture it and wait for the right opportunity and then make her move, Luong opted for taking more direct initiative to create the life she wants: She started blogging. Almost immediately, her blog, Minnie Eat World, became a local Boston favorite, and the credibility she gained by blogging led to offline offers for work she would not have had access to had she not built a quick network for herself via blogging. The blog has replaced not only paying ones dues, but also the network that comes from that. The most efficient way to build a brand name for yourself is via blogging. Not just because blogging is so linked to ones own ideas, but also because the tools for blogging encourage people to measure the reach of their personal brand. You can measure the number of people who are talking about you (via Technorati) and the number of people who are visiting you (via SiteMeter), and you can see who is telling their friends to read you (via Mint). But the commitment to a blog like this is intense writing blog posts at least four days a week is a basic requirement, for example. Harleen Kahlon recognized that while blogging is a great way to feel part of a smart, informed community, the time it takes to blog is often at odds with the time it takes professionals to manage the career they already have. So Kahlon founded Damsels in Success, which is a community for professional women that includes a group blog a place where about 50 professional women are contributing to a blog that serves as a connector for all of them. Many people are finding that group blogs provide both an outlet for ideas and a foundation for community, but the demands are much less than blogging on their own. Another group blog that provides similar benefits is Employee Evolution. Led by the intrepid duo Ryan Ryan, this blog provides a place for generation Y to spout about workplace issues to a wide audience without having to blog frequently enough to build that audience for themselves. Another limitation of blogging is that you need to decide what sort of expertise you want to be known for before you start blogging. A blog needs a topic, and the only topics worth investing in are topics that are very meaningful to you. If you are not sure about a topic, you might just start blogging and find that you gravitate toward the topic thats right for you. But if that seems too disorganized to you, start by commenting on other peoples blogs. The bloggers are knowledgeable, committed, and passionate just the kind of people you should add to your list of friends. Pick the bloggers you enjoy reading the most, and comment. Dont just say, great post. Suggest an angle the blogger might not have seen, or present some information the blogger might have missed. Have a conversation with the blogger, because this is, after all, what building a network is all about: conversations. Which brings us to Ben Casnocha, teenage entrepreneur and author of My Start-up Life. Ben blogs at ben.casnocha.com, and he has a loyal following of people who are fascinated by the thought process of someone who could launch a successful Internet-based company in sixth grade (check it out: Comcate.com). But Ben is doing something that is both in the realm of forward thinking and conventional thinking: Hes meeting people face to face. Ben took a tour of the United States meeting people each day who have become part of his electronic network. Bens tour of the United States reminds us that each connection we make either electronically or face to face is just a starting point for something deeper. And he reminds us that for all the hoopla and fantasy building of the new amazingly networked Web 2.0!, it all comes down to good, old-fashioned connecting with people we want to hang out with.

Be the Most Impressive Candidate for the Job with these Tricks

Be the Most Impressive Candidate for the Job with these Tricks Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comWhat’s going to get the job isn’t just the soft skills and hard talents you’ve developed over the years. It’s also the approach that you take to your prospective employers. It’s about standing out and hitting all the right notes they want to hear. It’s how you find them and what you have to offer when you do.These are the actions that will help you make a more impressive mark than your competition. These will make you not just another application, but a talent worth hiring.1. Get your foot in the doorThere’s one action that will immediately make you a lot more likely to get a job than most job seekers. That’s the act of approaching those who aren’t even hiring.evalMost jobs these days aren’t publicly advertised in print or on the internet. So you need to reach to make opportunity for yourself. Network, build good word of mouth for yourself and stay on good terms with any references you may need to use. Use them as support for your direct approach.That approach doesn’t just mean you’re not fighting a slew of other candidates. It also shows that you’re not just looking for a job. It shows you want to work for them which is what employers want to hear.2. Get the right helpPhoto Credit â€" Pixabay.comIf you have real skills and you want to build on them, you should be focused on a career, not just a job. This means using resources that can help you find the positions specific to the career you’re looking to build.Having the right choice of help is even better. For example, one of the top 10 executive recruiter agencies is going to have a lot more clout and links to businesses. Good recruits also have access to a lot of those jobs that aren’t being publicly advertised.3. Have a more impressive resumeAs we have said, the skills and experience that you put down on your resume matter. But you shouldn’t just be thinking about winning them over with content. You should be thinking about catching their eye and wow ing them from the get-go.Don’t just stick to word documents, but use online tools that create professional looking resumes. You might even want to create your own website. It shows dedication, commercial sense and a real sense of professionalism.4. Use the right languageYou can even cut a much more impressive figure simply by reframing the conversation. When you’re talking to potential employers, think about how you describe your past work. The language itself matters.evalPeople don’t want to hear catch-all terms like ‘thinking outside the box’ and ‘dynamic’.They want to hear action verbs. They want real examples. They want to hear what you have achieved, how you have improved and what problems you have resolved.Don’t give them words that only show hypotheticals. Sell yourself on your achievements. It will give you real ammunition against your competitors.Be proactive in how you look for a job. Use the services that have the prestige you want. Present yourself in exa ctly the way employers want you to. That’s how you make yourself an impressive hire.

Ageism Are baby boomers being snubbed in the job market

Ageism Are baby boomers being snubbed in the job market Ageism: Are baby boomers being snubbed in the job market? Im in my early 50s and just got laid off. I havent had to look for a new job in 20 years. I hear stories about how hard it is for older Americans to find work. Are the stories true? Are people older than 50 discriminated against? How do I mitigate the age question? Of course, I look at it differently. I think my maturity and experience should be welcome at most companies. But Im not sure if employers look at it that way. Advice from Dana: Do you want the good news first or the bad news? Ok, lets deal with the bad news first. Bad news: Your generation is feeling the same pain as any other sub-segment of our population. Women feel they are not getting the jobs. Minorities, millennials, mid-career-changers, military veterans and others feel that they, too, are at a disadvantage. Ive even heard 35-year-old white men concerned that hiring managers prefer diversity! For you baby boomers (me, included!), it is true that many recruiters, screeners and hiring managers are our childrens ages. Good news: There are jobs out there, and hiring companies ARE hiring baby boomers along with other types of candidates. It is important that you select the right positions to apply to and present yourself as “current.” Heres where to start first: Have a great LinkedIn profile with a current, professional photo, and be active in LinkedIn groups and discussion boards. Learn how by taking the tutorials and seeking extra â€" free! â€" help on the Internet. If you are not there, you dont exist. And someone looking for job candidates with your background may just find you! Study the latest keywords used in your industry and function. Examine dozens of job descriptions, and see what language they use. Incorporate the latest words in your updated résumé and cover letter. Rewrite your résumé. Odds are it is old and tired, and you simply added your latest job to the list. Let me guess. Its filled with acronyms, weak on metrics, reads more like a list of job duties rather than identifying skills and experiences you have, and it doesnt tell a story. There is so much help for you, again, on the Internet. Write a great cover letter. I recommend a fresh, new “Candidate Packet” to stand out in a crowded field. At the very minimum, you need a new cover letter that talks to them aboutthem. The days are gone when your cover letter is filled with “I, I, I, me, me, me.” Network. Yes, face-to-face. Go to industry and function events in your city. Examples include American Marketing Association if you are in marketing, or the local technology association if that is your industry. Search your local Business Journal for a list of business events. Get fit. Get in shape, buy a new interview outfit, carry a pad of paper to all meetings, come prepared, sit up straight, and more. Sorry, the mom in me just slipped out! The interview team is watching how you would interact with team members, customers, partners and executives if they hired you. Every move you make is an example of YOU as an employee.

Ground Maintenance Supervisor Resume Writing Skills

Ground Maintenance Supervisor Resume Writing SkillsHaving the proper resume writing skills for a groundskeeper position can be crucial in ensuring that you get a good job. After all, a position like this requires a lot of paperwork. The government requires these documents to be submitted, as do numerous financial institutions. With so many jobs in this industry, you have to make sure that you are ready to write a resume for the job.The first thing you need to remember when looking for a groundskeeper position is that the position is very detailed. There are specific steps to complete for this position. You also have to know how to tell a staff member what you want done. If you cannot handle this task, then you should probably find another job. You will want to ensure that your resume is accurate.First, you need to know what the job description is and what you are supposed to do for the government or the company. Many times, the person who is writing the job description will work with you to craft a resume for the job. This is not always the case, but it is becoming more common.An example of a job for a grounds maintenance supervisor would be to clean up the grounds and remove trash from them. The area they work in is usually the same one where the executive offices are located. This is usually outside of the building. You can use this information to help you find a job with this type of job description.The next thing you need to remember when trying to get a job is that most companies who hire groundskeepers usually prefer people who are not afraid to be on their feet for long periods of time. Companies do not want employees who are afraid to stand for long periods of time. This can be a big turn off for employers.If you can stand for more than an hour, this is a great selling point for you. You should try to stay fit and get a good routine going. If you are active and always have energy, this will really give your resume some extra punch.If you cannot afford t o hire a professional resume writer, then you will need to learn the basics. Look online at websites and read through a few samples. There are plenty of books on this subject that you can find online.Remember, a job description should detail all of the responsibilities that are required of an employee. The resume should also contain all of the pertinent information, including your level of skill and experience. If you can include these things on your resume, then you will find the perfect job.