Should Salaries Be Made Public?

The radio show Here and Now on NPR station WBUR in Boston had an interesting segment today. It discussed the pros and cons of "salary transparency". Here's a summary of the discussion:

"Some researchers say most of us think we are underpaid and that colleagues are making more money than they actually are. Is salary transparency the solution? We speak to Traci Fenton, founder of WorldBlu, which compiles a list of what it calls the most democratic workplaces..."

The best part comes at the end. The host asks the proponent what her salary is, and she chooses not to share that information. Telling perhaps, but there may be certain work situations where this could help. It will be interesting to see if this becomes more widely adopted.

You can listen to the full audio clip online here.

Photo credit: su.bo

Coworker Word-of-Mouth Strongly Influences Purchases

WorkPlace Media & BIGResearch: "Americans in the workforce have a significant impact on their coworkers’ consumer shopping behaviors - 96% say they regularly or occasionally give shopping advice to their peers, according to a recent WorkPlace Media survey conducted by BIGResearch.

Moreover, nearly 93% indicate that they seek similar advice from their coworkers before making purchases.

Rising food and gas prices and busy schedules - in combination with a higher-than-ever-before percentage of time spent at work (60% of waking hours) - are driving consumers to consolidate shopping trips and make purchases on their drives to and from work, or during their lunch breaks, the study found."

Read the full article (plus charts) and download the PDF study here.

One in three IT staff snoops on colleagues: survey

Reuters: "One in three information technology professionals abuses administrative passwords to access confidential data such as colleagues' salary details, personal emails or board-meeting minutes, according to a survey.

U.S. information security company Cyber-Ark surveyed 300 senior IT professionals, and found that one-third admitted to secretly snooping, while 47 percent said they had accessed information that was not relevant to their role...

(the report) added that seven out of 10 companies rely on outdated and insecure methods to exchange sensitive data, with 35 percent choosing email and 35 percent using couriers, while 4 percent still relied on the postal system."

Read the article
or
Try a legitimate search instead ;-)

How to Deal With Bully Bosses

"Do you have a bad manager? Someone who makes your life miserable all week by criticizing your every move? Experts offer their tips on handling bully and toxic bosses...

According to a study by the Employment Law Alliance, almost half of all employees have been targeted by a bully boss.

The study also revealed the following:

• 81 percent of bullies are managers.
• 50 percent of bullies are women and 50 percent are men.
• 84 percent of targets are women.
• 82 percent of targets ultimately lost their job.
• 95 percent of bullying is witnessed."

Tip: Fight Your Way to Breakthroughs

behance.com: "Many creative teams believe that their greatest mistakes are made when nobody argues. When you really care about an idea, you are likely to develop an opinion; when multiple people have a strong opinion, you’re bound to disagree - and clash. Your approach to managing the impassioned "fighting" that ensues is a critical factor in your ability to find the best solution. While some people shy away from confrontation, we have found that a healthy dose of tension helps ideas thrive...

In poorly run teams, the person with the most power or experience just makes the call. Or, sometimes people openly disagree and eventually some people become apathetic and give up... Rather than focus on the discomforts of fighting, consider the benefits from opposite perspectives duking it out!" Read on...

This is an interesting perspective. It's important to consider the effectiveness of disagreeing, when balanced against a genuine effort to move an idea forward toward success.

Inc.com: "Are You a Bad Boss?"

From inc.com: "Seven signs that your employees detest you. (By you, of course, we mean some other boss.)"



"There's a reason Dilbert, The Office, and their ilk are so popular. Satire gets old fast, but the appeal of realism endures. And the real world, sadly, is full of lousy bosses. Someone ought to do a study on where these louts come from. Were they abused by their own bosses? Did they toss overboard the ballast of human kindness to hasten the ascent of their career balloons? Or is this an example of absolute power corrupting absolutely? Such research might also demonstrate how ubiquitous miserable managers are. The proliferation of boss-bashing screeds with titles like When You Work for a Bully, Nasty Bosses, and How To Work for an Idiot suggests a plague..."

The article outlines "seven signs that you are a bad boss". Here's our favorite excerpt:

"Sign # 4: Your 360-degree evaluations come back short and full of generically positive comments, with one very mild criticism ("Sometimes she works too damn hard for her own good") thrown in for credibility's sake..."

This is exactly why Coworkers.com Reviews are a more effective solution to providing and receiving unbiased feedback!

Understanding Office Politics

dumblittleman.com: "Many people say they hate their job because they don't like office politics. Not all office politics are bad and my assumption is that they don't like is negative office politics, such as gossip or sabotage... once you understand that politics within an office is unavoidable, instead of wasting your time "hating office politics," why not, instead, learn the rules that will make it work for you?"

Here's a summary of the key suggestions this article has for "gaming" office politics:

• Cozy Up to Detractors
• Don't Gossip
• Always Be Positive About Others
• Play Dumb and Busy to Keep Out of Toxic Conversations
• If You Want People to Help You, Understand Their Needs First
• Before Engaging in Political Battle, Know How Much Power You Have
• Grow Your Power Base Strategically Over Time
• Work Hard, But Look for Ways to Partner with Others
• Don't Look for Immediate Reciprocation
• Integrity: Be Positive, Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Realistic, Be Professional
  

Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

timesonline: "Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely monitoring a worker’s productivity, physical wellbeing and competence...

The system could also “automatically detect frustration or stress in the user” and “offer and provide assistance accordingly”. Physical changes to an employee would be matched to an individual psychological profile based on a worker’s weight, age and health. If the system picked up an increase in heart rate or facial expressions suggestive of stress or frustration, it would tell management that he needed help."

All your biometric are belong to us!

(article found thanks to techcrunch.com)

Happy Halloween (*subject to certain terms and conditions)

CareerJournal | Beware of Workplace Horrors: Office Halloween Do's and Don'ts: "While some people can't resist the prospect of wearing a costume while performing daily work tasks, others would rather dress for business as usual. And even though the young-at-heart employee might see it as the perfect time to express creativity through an elaborate get-up, it's best to fully consider whether the witty garb is innocuous enough to make every co-worker smile or if some might deem it offensive...

If the office party-planning committee encourages employees to get into the Halloween spirit with a costume, the choice is up to the individual. Just remember this: Scheduled fun at the office is 'professional fun, which is different than when you're out of the office,'..."

So, is Halloween full of fun or stress at your workplace? Know any ghouls who could benefit from a bit of feedback?

Photo credit: Dane Kantner

Holy $#%&! Researchers Say It's Good to Swear at Work!

A new study finds that profanity in the workplace can actually help boost office morale.

"Swearing can help develop and maintain solidarity among workers, as well as relieve stress, according to the study conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia, based in Norwich, England."

Hmmm, well it seems to work for Gordon Ramsay, but we'll guess it's still a context sensitive issue.

7 Tips for Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully

"Everyone has to deal with difficult people, whether they are argumentative, abusive, stubborn, or combative. The question is, how can you assert your own rights without creating an unnecessary incident?

In most cases, angry people are screaming to be heard. They want to be valued, loved, and listened to. They want to feel important but aren’t able to express themselves constructively. With the right attitude, it’s possible to get past these insecurities and reach an understanding. These 7 strategies will help you setting disputes quickly and peacefully for the benefit of everyone involved..."

See the list at PickTheBrain.com

CareerBuilder.com Survey Reveals How Many Workers Commit Office Taboos

So where do you fall, or might you care to note something interesting about your coworkers?...

via creativepro.com: "Ever wonder why you can't seem to get anything done in the office? It may be because your co-workers are preoccupied with something other than work. 'Workplace Taboos' is a new CareerBuilder.com survey, conducted by Harris Interactive of more than 5,700 workers. The most common workplace taboos that workers admitted to taking part in include:

• Falling asleep at work (45 percent)
• Kissing a co-worker (39 percent)
• Consuming alcoholic beverages while on the job (21 percent)
• Stealing from the office (22 percent)
• Spreading a rumor about a co-worker (22 percent)
• Snooping after hours (18 percent)
• Lying about an academic background (4 percent)
• Taking credit for someone else's work (2 percent)"

Showing Bad Customers the Door

Inc. - Women in Business: "Conventional wisdom says 'the customer is always right'; entrepreneurial need often compels you to take any client that pays. Living by these beliefs can cause you to overlook or excuse a customer's bad behavior, but when your business begins to suffer, it's time to take a page from Trump's playbook.

Following is a guide to firing those who pay you, including the types of clients to watch out for and some subtle (or not-so-subtle) tactics for letting them go:"

The article goes on to categorize axe-worthy customers into the following categories: The Bad Seed; The Toddler; The Narcissist; The Felon. An interesting read for consultants and other soloists. Don't forget to review your clients and customers as well. You can also look up a prospect on Coworkers.com to see if they might already have been identified as fitting any of the categories above.