Paid time off is an important part of employee benefits that you should review carefully and make the best use of it. We have a great resource that helps you examine and manage your paid time off benefits. I think there are two critical elements to think about:

• Planned paid time off: this usually involves your travel or vacation plans of the year. Make sure you are proactive in planning your calendar and let your team know in advance to coordinate the work flow.
• Unplanned paid time off: this usually means sick or other personal situations that come up. Communication again is the absolute key especially during the time of pandemic. We see lots of members taking sick leaves but experiencing many miscommunications with their employers that end up losing wages or even jobs. That’s why it’s also very important to communicate proactively and clearly about the workplace policy (which could be subject to constant changes due to the current COVID situation). Make sure everything is documented through paperwork or emails. And also explore other potential benefits such as short term disability insurance to see if there can be some safety net to pay the bills.

Learning more about your benefits and rights can help you maintain your work life balance while ensuring your job security. How do you usually manage your paid time off?

#worklifehacks

Several friends around me are experiencing waves of turnover at their workplaces. How to stay positive and motivated if you feel like you’re the only one left at the same job?

Think about the potential growth opportunities this gap might bring to you Build new relationships Follow up with old contacts to expand your network

Are you experiencing the same? What is your process to manage these personnel transitions and changes?

#worklifehacks

It’s still the beginning of the new year and many people are reflecting on their financial and career plans. One of the common things that cross our mind is wondering if we are being underpaid. I found this really cool resources with tools and suggestions to find out if you’re underpaid. If you do think you’re underpaid, we have a great article about how to ask for more money if you’re thinking about advocating for a raise.

Do you feel that you’re being underpaid? What are your ideas to boost your incomes?

#worklifehacks

As @Janice Reed shared last week about how to snap out of the post holiday blues, one of the options is to consider switching jobs. I’ve seen many people job search while being employed. I was pretty open with my last employer about my decision to leave and was very lucky to get their blessing and support. There are definitely some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Explore the opportunities in your current company
• Keep things off the radar especially avoid using company resources
• Don’t bad mouthed your current employer
• Use your network actively

What are your tricks for job search while being employed? Any success or lessons learned? #worklifehacks #jobsearch

Is it too early for spring cleaning? If it’s hard to stay motivated and productive in the first week of 2022, why not try decluttering your workspace, computer files or even work calendar? Here are some benefits for getting organized at work:

• Create comfortability
• Improve productivity and creativity
• Boost confidence

Do you have any foolproof tricks for decluttering and getting organized? #worklifehacks

@Robyn Miller asked a question about lunch breaks at work. Here is a great resource to learn how to protect your rights including:

• Personal rights regarding pay, break and rest periods, sick leave
• Basic rights to a safe, clean and sanitary environment

Join Robyn’s conversation to explore how to protect and advocate for your rights in the workplace.

#worklifehacks

I hope everyone had a nice and peaceful New Year. It’s the official end of the holiday season. I still feel a little slow even though it's already Wednesday. So of course I went to my default–WebMD to look for advice on coping with post holiday blues 😆. I actually really like these ideas on setting big audacious goals BAG:

• 🌐Learn a new language
• 💡Change career (check this guide on making successful career changes)
• 💪Volunteer
• 💵Make more money (check these 5 ways to make quick money or 6 apps to make money)
• 💞Join a dating service
• 🌳Plant a tree

I’m already looking for a new online class that I can take this year. What would be your BAG in 2022?

#worklifehacks

Are you coming up short this December? Time may be ticking, but there are still plenty of ways for you to make some quick cash before the end of this year. These options can work for a variety of resource levels, so check out these options to see how they might work best for your current situation.

TryMyUI - User Interface Tester Like Clickworker, TryMyUI will allow you to test a website or app from your phone. Once you’ve completed testing, give your honest feedback and impressions for up to $10 per test, making this a good option for extra cash.

#worklifehacks

When I grew up, I was told that it was a virtue to set the bar high and be an overachiever. But after I actually started my career, I realized how unhealthy it was to be too harsh to myself. I love these tips shared through NPR to break the cycle of being mean to yourself. Particularly on “talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend”.

Have you been harsh to yourself? How do you “lower your standard”? Let’s practice self love in the new year!

#watercooler #worklifehacks

As we are transitioning to a new calendar year, there might be changes happening at your workplace. It could be new coworkers, new boss, new software systems or new company policies etc. How do you usually cope with these changes?

Here are some tips:

• 🤔Keep an open mind: we usually prefer to stay where we were if it was working for us. So there might be some resistance for any new changes. Try to keep an open mind and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone when embracing the changes.
• ❓Ask lots of questions: communications are so important when it comes to changes. Make sure to be very honest and ask lots of questions about the roles, directions, potential impact to get yourself prepared for the situation.
• 📝Repetition is key: if you are the change maker, don’t be afraid to repeat all the new changes. There is no over communications on these changes. So make sure to create all kinds of reminders and reinforcements to make sure people feel ready for the change.
• ❤️Give yourself some space and time: give yourself some time and space and admit that it can be hard to keep up with the changes. Don’t be too harsh on yourself to jump to the new reality too soon. Take it easy!

What changes are you seeing at your company this year? Was it easy for you to adjust? How did you cope with the change?

#worklifehacks #watercooler