What Are the Benefits of Working Remotely

What Are the Benefits of Working Remotely This article is sponsored by Camaloon, the Barcelona-based start up who specialise in creating high-quality customised products, made  especially for you.   Even in 2015, working remotely remains an elusive reality for most employees with demanding, full-time jobs. In fact, at first glance it seems exclusively reserved for people who use Instagram to make friends jealous those lucky few who manage to wing “jobs” writing blog entries while lounging on a beach in Antigua. The truth is that fine white sand in your USB port equals an expensive repairs bill. And that, contrary to popular belief, working outside the office doesn’t necessarily offer the stress-free lifestyle that many might imagine. To find out more, I caught up with Lino Uruñuela, SEO manager at Barcelona-based start-up  Camaloon  that specialises in personalised products and an old hand at working the corporate life over 500km from his office. You’re employed at an office in Barcelona and live in San Sebastián. Hardly anyone in your team sees you regularly. Do you ever work in your pyjamas? No!  It’s really important that before starting work that you have a morning ritual. In my case, I get up, have breakfast and take my dog for a walk. If you just roll out of bed and open your laptop, you’re not going to be mentally alert. Working remotely is usually a privilege for freelancers. Do you think it’s going to be the norm for regularly employed people in 10 years time? Not in 10 years’ time, nor in a 100. Some jobs are impossible to do remotely. But anything related to communications, like marketing and journalism, sure, these people could be all working remotely by proxy one day in the near future. Does working remotely mean having a stress-free life? Not really, to be honest. Maybe there are companies out there where the workload is lighter,but with my profession, the stress levels are about the same â€" if not a little higher because you have to consistently make your work visible to your team and show them you’re actually doing the job Some people argue that if you work remotely, the quality of your work goes down.  Do you think this is true? It depends on the person! In general, people working remotely have an extra responsibility to ensure the quality of their work is always made visible to others and therefore maintain the “privilege” that has been accorded to them. They also know that if they can’t keep up, there will be consequences. These days, companies are still reluctant to make working remotely possible as bosses are unsure whether working remotely will compromise employees’ productivity. But I think productivity has much more to do with whether an employee actually enjoys their job, not where they are based. When I read peoples emails, sometimes the emotion doesnt come through correctly. Does it bother you that you connect with your colleagues uniquely through text? I’d agree that communication by text tends to be very cold, emotionally speaking, and if this is your primary way of keeping in touch with colleagues, you’ll definitely need more time to establish relationships with them than if you were working in an office. This is why my team and I regularly have videoconferences.   By “showing my face” regularly I try to combat the impersonality that comes with email communication. I also recommend being physically present at important team meetings, perhaps once a month. Certain ideas and topics are best talked about in person rather than by any other means. Do you end up working less, more or about the same number of hours when you work remotely (compared to working in an office)? I think that ultimately I work the same number of hours. If in the office you have to stay late to finish a task because it’s for that day, well, exactly the same happens to you when you work remotely. But with one crucial difference: your hours. With many jobs, when you leave the office, you know you won’t be back until the following day, therefore you are “obliged” to keep working until you’ve finished an urgent task. However, when working remotely and your workload swells, you can organise your time much more effectively â€" as well as reconcile your working life and personal life a lot better. And there’s no commute! Co-working spaces seem to be the trend right now. Whats your opinion of them? It depends a lot of the people in the co-working space.  Maybe there are experts in your sector who you can learn from.  But maybe you ended up sitting beside the most annoying person in the world and you have to spend your working hours exercising manners and patience… Could  you ever go back to working in the office? I don’t know if that day will ever come, but if it does I will try to not get depressed and think of what I have to do to get back to working from home! Author:  Kate Busby  is a British writer whose work focuses on issues of contemporary culture, environment and new technologies. She lives and works in Barcelona.  

Sense Your Humor

Sense Your Humor You were expecting something about a sense of humor here, I know. But humors (no relation to funniness) are one way of defining personality. In fact, it’s one of the oldest ways to describe personality. According to Wikipedia, From Hippocrates onward, the humoral theory was adopted by Greek, Roman and Islamic physicians, and became the most commonly held view of the human body among European physicians until the advent of modern medical research in the nineteenth century. There are four humors found in humans, according to this ancient theory (black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm.) When the humors were in balance, people are healthy; when humors are out of balance, the person gets sick. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates took this theory a step further and developed personality models based on the humors: Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine and Phlegmatic. Although the medical humor theory is long out of the mainstream, you’ll recognize these personality descriptions; we still use them today. In fact, authors Florence Littauer and Rose Sweet have written a book about these personality types and providing insight on how to manage them. Personality Plus at Work uses the four humors and personalities to describe how people interact in the workplace. For the record, here’s a brief description of the four personality types: Sanguine: extraverted, fun, optimistic â€" but prone to flightiness and talking too much Choleric: Goal-oriented, a born leader, confident â€" but may be bossy and insensitive Melancholy: Deep, thoughtful, organized â€" but negative and often a “downer” Phlegmatic: Pleasant, easygoing and flexible â€" but may be unmotivated and seem lazy Personality Plus at Work gives helpful tips on how to manage or motivate the four types. The Sanguine personality, for example, need to have fun in the workplace and love to receive attention and approval. They’re the classic sales personalities â€" energetic and charming; they’ll be best in roles where they can meet and influence people. Just don’t ask them to research details or make critical deadlines. The Choleric is a born leader; give them a goal and a deadline, and stand back. They get things done, and prefer action and activity. They’re not suited to empathetic listening, so don’t send them in to nurture needy patients or sit patiently in the back of the room to observe. The Melancholic personality comes off as a negative nitpicker at times, but if you need the details to be absolutely correct, he’s your man. They’re deep thinkers and great at analysis; but you’ve got to give them time and space to get it right. They’ll always see the glass as half empty, and disdain sunnier personalities who obviously just don’t get it. The Phlegmatic personality is the easiest to get along with. They’re usually pleasant and flexible, but it’s tough to get them to start projects; inertia is a big problem for them. It’s also hard for them to finish projects; they tend to procrastinate. But they’re excellent mediators and team workers. By now, you have recognized your coworkers â€" and why you sometimes drive each other crazy. As with any personality system, the goal is to put people in the right place to exercise their natural instincts. Put the Sanguine personality in charge of fun and business development. Put the choleric in charge. Period. (She’ll be taking the lead anyway.) Put the Melancholic in charge of money, policy and data. Give the Phlegmatic some structure and manage goals and deadlines carefully. Send him in when the others are having trouble working together (or have declared war outright.) A great working team has a balance of all four humors, with each personality in a role that plays to their strengths and manages their weaknesses. Which personality describes you? Has there been a time when your humor overcame your sense? Leave a comment and tell me the story.

What Makes a Recruiter Great isnt Their Sales Skills; its This

What Makes a Recruiter Great isn’t Their Sales Skills; it’s This… What makes a recruiter great? Is it her use of state-of-the-art technology? Is it his efficient process? Those can be factors, but what matters most is what’s at the core â€" the innate ability to connect with people. Recruiting is about relationships, after all. There’s a theory that says recruiters are best when they’re like salespeople. I think they’re best when they’re more like a therapist. They need to listen. Build trust. Create long-term relationships. Connect the dots and dispense advice. That doesn’t sound like a car salesman to me. That sounds more like a therapist. So, how do you use your therapist DNA to be successful in recruiting? Here are 5 areas to prioritize in your relationship-building: 1) Your Team An obvious place to start. In any industry, having a good relationship with your co-workers is important, but as recruiters, we often rely on each other to pitch in and help. Know a good candidate for a co-worker’s requisition? Pass along the referral. Does your team need an extra hand interviewing a host of candidates this week? Make time for them. Have a moment of down time? Grab a sandwich and get to know them. Remember, there will be a time when you need their help too and that goodwill and camaraderie goes a long way towards hitting your numbers. 2) The Community   Depending on your recruiting needs and industry, your community may be your local geography or a wider online network (it really should be both). Local community partners are always important for hiring events, brand awareness and spreading the word that you’re hiring. Your online networks (LinkedIn, Talent Network, coding sites like GitHub, etc.) put a wealth of candidates at your fingertips. Build and cultivate those relationships and when a need arises, you’ll know exactly where to look. 3) Marketing Sadly, there tends to be tension between Marketing and HR/Talent Acquisition in many organizations and that’s exactly what you don’t want. Marketing should be your best friend and can offer support in a multitude of areas. Looking for some press coverage for your event or hiring needs? How about new collaterals/ads? Maybe an integrated social campaign? Use those relationship-building skills of yours and get to know your marketing folks. Take them out for coffee and discuss what their day looks like. Send them a congratulatory note when one of their campaigns is successful. You know, be a good friend. 4) Managers C -Suite For the sake of space, I’m lumping Hiring Managers and the C-Suite Execs into one category (even though we know they’re really not). However, the approach is the same. It’s usually about education. Educate yourself on what, exactly, your hiring manager is looking for in a candidate. Then, in turn, educate them on your process and set expectations. Same goes for your Executives. Many don’t have the slightest idea what goes into your day-to-day recruiting efforts, so take the time to show them. And always be prepared to discuss your numbers. 5) Candidates Last, and most certainly not least, are your candidates. There are two aspects here to consider:   Cultivating a pipeline   Closing the right prospect.   To cultivate a pipeline, see No. 2 above (community). Now, closing the right prospect is uniquely personal, but typically involves leaning on those sales skills mentioned earlier. What tends to work incredibly well is finding out â€" early on â€" what is important to your candidate and then address how you’re providing that with this opportunity. A lot of recruiters can get a little too “salesy” in this phase, but that works in some industries. In others… not so much. You have to find your own way here and balance the softer relationship skills with the harder sales skills. But, remember, the candidate experience is paramount so when in doubt, lean more towards the relationship side. Because if you have to push too hard to close the job, you don’t have the right candidate. By nature, recruiters are closer to therapists than sales people. Eighty percent of the job revolves around building relationships and trust. That ability is usually innate, but when in doubt, just be a good friend and a genuine person and let that guide you. Author: With a unique career path that includes experience in Marketing, Communications, Social Media and Recruitment Strategy, Adam Glassman is on a mission to transform Talent Acquisition. Connect with him on LinkedIn to join the effort. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Take Control of Your Life....Opportunities Await You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Take Control of Your Life....Opportunities Await You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Part of Personal Branding is building your competencies and experience and theres no better way to do this than to jump at new opportunities. Remember that one door can always lead to the next and that your network is your most powerful tool. Another point is to always think outside of your box and by this I mean, if an opportunity lies in a new location or even country, it may be a viable option for you to build your future off of. For instance, if you spent 5 years in marketing in Boston and then traveled to Europe to work, your background strengthens and your network grows. Your life is in your hands and with the millions of businesses around the globe, theres no better time to prepare for the future. Visit recruiting sites, such as Monster.com, Yahoo Hot Jobs or Careerbuilder.com to view job openings around the globe. Call your friends, family, old teachers from college or previous jobs and push that door open. Now is your time to take risks. Remember that the higher the risk, the more potential rewards there are. For instance, if you invest $5,000 on a stock and the stock goes up $5 a share, then your high risk yields substantial rewards. If you have the knowledge and experience, try starting your own consulting company or investing in real estate or businesses. Even some majors, where the competition is fierce, there is such an enormous world out there. Each new opportunity or experience, will help further your brand development and entice employers to favor you over others. Start planning for your future today. Look around. Put yourself out of your stovepipe and into reality. Take Risks. Jump at opportunities.

5 ways you can improve your mental health at university - Debut

5 ways you can improve your mental health at university - Debut Going to university can be a quite challenging and difficult period for many students for a number of reasons. Many people find themselves juggling studying for exams, working part-time to support themselves while trying to maintain their social life and enjoy their time through university life. This can cause difficulties for your mental health at university. All of this can put a lot of pressure on people. Thankfully, there is plenty of advice and support available out there to help you through tough times so that you can get the most out of your time at university. Tip 1. Exercising This may be obvious but engaging in physical activities can be beneficial in many different ways, not only to your health but also to your mood and overall state of mind. It can be a wonderful technique to reduce feelings of stress and worry and improve your physique at the same time. Most times students tend to spend loads of time seated starting at a computer screen. Though this is understandable in times when deadlines and exams are approaching, it can never be a reason to neglect your mental or physical health.  For example, allocating time for revision early on the day and then joining a yoga or gym class later on could give you a sense of balance and would increase your productivity, as opposed to staying up all night cramming and sleeping the whole day after. Tip 2. Eating well Another significant factor in how you feel is your diet. Maintaining a balanced diet is key to ensuring your mental health at university is on track and you’ll find that you don’t need to deprive yourself of the food you love so much. You don’t need to change everything about your diet completely; you can start small by changing a few things at first and adding some healthy options afterwards. Sticking with something for a long time will give you motivation to continue to improve your diet. Tip 3. Reading With the right diet and a good exercise routine you can achieve a lot, but you can always do more when it comes to self-care and development. One more useful tip that you could incorporate can be reading. This one is quite easy as there are so many things you can read depending on what you like. All you need to do is set some time after a long and difficult day, brew a cup of nice tea and open that book you’ve been claiming you will read for a while, and enjoy the peace and quiet this activity can offer. Reading about someone else’s thoughts and problems, immersing yourself into a whole new world is a perfect way to distract yourself from what’s going in your life. Tip 4. Talking Although all of the above can help you a lot, there are just some days when nothing seems right and all you want to do is talk to someone without being interrupted. This is why those are the times it is best to call a good friend of yours to get things off your chest. It could also be a good idea to visit the mental health and wellbeing department at your university and see what services they offer. Also, you can try popping into your Student Union and check if there are services run by students, for students. For example, University of Sunderland offers schemes such as Buddie and Peer Coach which are both aimed at improving students’ mental health. Tip 5. Volunteering Volunteering is strongly encouraged by University as it is one of the best ways to develop new skills and enhance your CV. Nevertheless, volunteering is much more than that; it can boost your confidence and make you more open-minded. You will meet new people and at the same time you can learn more about an industry you’re interested in. The best part is that there are always new opportunities to take part in and if you can do it as often as you wish. This particular activity can give you a sense of fulfillment and make you feel proud of using your time in the right way. So, next time you pass by your student union, make sure you stop by and check out what opportunities they have as there might be something that can spark your interest and bring you a new adventure.

Wikipedia Coolest tool on the net - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Wikipedia Coolest tool on the net - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Of course theres no way you could engage thousands of people world-wide in creating a comprehensive, up-to-date, on-line encyclopedia. If you simply opened up the system, so anybody could contribute to any subject, it would be completely impossible to protect the system against vandalism, jokes and random errors. Such an encyclopedia could never work. Except it does: The Wikipedia may be the coolest application of the internet so far. I use it constantly and I find it to be incredibly comprehensive. But dont take my word for it. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Tough (Question) Tuesday What do you have to offer

Tough (Question) Tuesday What do you have to offer Getting Out Of My Own Way by artsyville Theres probably something in the back of your mind that is calling you, but, for whatever reason, youre letting the phone ring ring ring. Theres a reason that youre not answering, it might just be because youre convinced that youre not The Best. Why answer the call if I cant be perfect? Be right? Be the expert? Be guaranteed to be a success? I have a little itty bitty feelin, though, that you may just be kinda sorta almost selling yourself short just by a little itty bitty teensy weensy bit. Even if youre not the expert on whats waiting at the end of the line, even if this is all new to you, even if youre scared to put yourself out there, you should still ask yourself: What do you have to offer? Meet you in the comments section! Boy, this is a scary one