Q. I heard that Facebook use is really picking up, but I don’t think most of our employees are that tech-savvy. Should I be concerned about my employees accessing social networking sites while at work?
Workplace Communication
In an era of Casual Fridays and work-from-home colleagues, how can you maintain effective office communication in a changing business climate?
We’ll steer you through changes in business etiquette, and help you successfully navigate through the new realities of workplace conflict and office politics.
Put yourself on the same page as your boss, literally, by reading what he’s reading. Some of the best books on executives’ nightstands: Superfreakonomics, Outliers, Built to Last, The Upside of the Downturn, Viral Loop and Too Big to Fail.
Facebook and Twitter may be getting all the attention, but you still need to pay attention to LinkedIn. LinkedIn is important precisely because it is so stodgy and predictable as a business tool. Here’s how to work it:
Question: “I recently left a very toxic workplace. I never again want to work in such a fearful, backbiting culture. Next time, how can I make sure that I’m entering a healthy work environment? Should I ask to take a tour or interview some co-workers?” — Cautious
As business travel picks up, try incorporating this savvy tip to make trips hassle-free: Ship your luggage via FedEx ahead of time, using three-day service or ground. CBS travel editor Peter Greenberg says he hasn’t checked luggage on domestic flights in nearly nine years—even before airlines began charging to check bags.
How far would you go to help your boss? Would you call in a bomb threat? That’s what one admin did in an attempt to delay a flight out of Miami International Airport—so her boss wouldn’t miss it. It’s an extreme example, to be sure. But most of us have felt tempted, at some point, to go overboard to help a manager we’re loyal to.
Have you ever looked at how a colleague is working and thought, “He’d get better results if he did it this way instead”? Should you offer a suggestion? You have a couple of options:
You may be using Twitter.com already. If not, it’s worth taking a second look. Why? Because savvy businesses are using the tool to do some of what you do already—smooth out the information flow between leadership and everyone else. Here's how Twitter can help you on the job:
“Because,” “due to,” “since”—which one is the right one to use? Use "because" instead of wordier options, such as “owing to the fact that” or “on the grounds that.” You could also use it instead of the persnickety “due to.” Example: “It was canceled because of illness.” "Since" often means the same thing as “because.”
When employees quit, they often want to remain friends with their former colleagues and clients. Usually that’s fine, but sometimes it’s not in co-workers’ or clients’ best interests. That doesn’t mean, however, that the former employer can get a restraining order against the employee who quit.
