Coworkers are donating their vacation time to new moms

Coworkers are donating their vacation time to new momsCoworkers are donating their vacation time to new momsIf your employer is not going to give you paid family leave, theres a new trend of mothers crowdsourcing for it.Good Morning America recently told the story of two new moms who were able to have paid family leave - despite not having paid parental leave at their jobs - because their coworkers had donated their own paid time off to them.These are not isolated incidents. More employers are allowing employees to donate their vacation time to their colleagues. GMA cited the 2018 Employee Benefits Survey, which found that 15% of employers have donation time policies.And in Nebraska, its state policy. Nebraska does not have a dedicated paid family leave policy, but under its newMaternity Leave Donation Program, new mothers can receive donated vacation and compensatory time from their co-workers, within their own agency, to augment their own paid time off while on family medical lea ve after they use up sick time.A commendable or horrifying story about paid leave in America?The mothers who were the recipients of their coworkers generosity expressed gratitude. I welches very surprised because I had not been with the company very long. I was extremely appreciative and very humbled, Angela Hughes, a new college employee who did not qualify for any paid maternity leave, said about eight weeks of maternity leave she ultimately received.This trend could be framed as a feel-good story of admirable coworkers lending a helping hand, but it could also be read as a disheartening commentary on the state of family leave in America in 2018.As the only industrialized nation in the world that does not mandate paid family leave, employees are still at the mercy of kind coworkers to pay for it. The Family and Medical Leave Act gives workers 12 weeks of unpaid family leave, but the United States currently does not federally mandate any paid family leave for employees. On social m edia, the GMA story sparked backlash with people noting that it should not be up to individuals to crowdsource an appropriate amount of family leave.this story should be titled how americans cope with our inhumane economy https//t.co/adjdliPYLE- mirandahobbesVEVO (sprinnyC) July 19, 2018File under Fundamental, generisch rights that America has opted not to guarantee. See also GoFundMe pages for health care, abortion-access funds. https//t.co/gryGsp9MH3- ann friedman (annfriedman) July 19, 2018For Hughes, this story had a happy ending. But for many mothers, who do not have these generous coworkers, having a baby often comes at a financial cost to your career. Having a coworker donate their time off is a free way for employers to not have to pay for it themselves. If this crowdsourcing trend becomes the norm of family leave, it could substitute sensible government and corporate policies around it.

Cures for Workplace Negativity

Cures for Workplace NegativityCures for Workplace NegativityAs a manager, supervisor, or staff member dealing with a workplace that is seething with hostility and negativity can be a major challenge. You usually dont control the situation that is causing the negativity, and no matter where the schwimmbad vibes came from, its up to you to help make the atmosphere more positive, productive, and supportive. How you effectively and appropriately address negativity depends on whether you control it and identifying how it started in the first place. The timeliness of your intervention also has an impact. Addressing negativity prevents workplace violence, promotes workplace safety, and creates positive employee morale. When You Can Control or Influence the Negativity This is a best-case scenario Youve received feedback about negative rumors and you know that the underlying cause of the negativity is based on faulty information, incorrect assumptions, or deliberate misinformation. For ex ample You may receive feedback that a new policy or procedure is not understood correctly.People may be misinterpreting a corporate memo.An industry newsletter might have referenced an industry problem your company does not share.You may have fired an individual who is circulating false information about the company.In each of these circumstances, you have some control over the information, the situation, and communication. You can solve the problem and communicate effectively to overcome the negativity. When you can control or influence the situation, use a systematic problem-solving process with the affected employees to improve the identified areas of negativity. Do this as quickly as you determine that negativity exists. (Many Human Resources offices launch a complete investigation, and by the time the facts are gathered, the negativity is out of control.) Here, a few recommendations on how to address the negativity quickly. Form a problem-solving team. Include the employees who are closest to the negative situation in the problem-solving process.Do a good cause analysis so that all possible causes of the negativity are identified. It isnt enough to say, We have low morale. You need to identify exactly what is causing the low morale to have any weg of improving it.Developan action plan and solicit widespread input to each step of the plan so that solutions are owned across your organization.Involve as many people as you can inthe development of the action plan and particularly in its implementation. At each step of the problem-solving process, communicate as much information as you have about the negativity and the solutions. When the solutions selected in the action plan are rolled out, people in the organization are not surprised. They have participated in the information exchange as each step or opportunity was discussed.Implement the chosen solutions quickly.Then, periodically assess that the plan is working. When Employees Cant Control the Circumst ances Causing the Negativity Negativity often occurs when people experience the impactof decisions and issues that are out of their control. Examples of these include Corporation downsizingUnderstaffing that requires people to work mandatory overtimeHiring freezesEmployee furloughsBudget reductionsUpper-management decisions that adversely impact members of your staff Under these circumstances, try some of the following ideas. Identify any aspects of the situation that you can impact including providing feedback in your organization about the negative impact that is occurring. (Sometimes decisions are made and no one understands or predicts their outcome.) Sometimes you can influence an issue or a decision if you practice personal, professional courage and speak your mind.Listen, listen, listen. Often people just need a sounding board. Be visible and available to staff. Proactively schedule group discussion sessions, town meetings, lunches with the manager, or one-on-one blocks of t ime. Challenge pessimistic thinking and negative beliefs about people, the company, and the work area. Dont let negative, false statements go unchallenged. If the statements are true, provide the rationale, corporate thinking, and the events that are responsible for the negative circumstances. Share everything you know about a situation to build trust with your team.Ask open-ended questions to determine the cause and the scope of the negative feelings or reaction. Maybe its not as bad as people think maybe their interpretation of events is faulty. Helping people identify exactly what they feel negative about is the first step in solving the problem. You cant solve a fog of unhappiness. Help people create options, feel included, and feel part of the communication and problem-solving.

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Interview - Resumonk Blog

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Interview - Resumonk BlogTips and Tricks for the Perfect Interview Todays job market is a competitive one. Prospective employers definitely have their pick of qualified, and often overqualified, candidates. There are a number of things you can do to help you perform well in your interview. With a little preparation and some simple follow up, you can greatly increase your chances of impressing qualifikation employers and landing a job.Get A Step Ahead With Good ResearchBefore you enter an interview, it is a good idea to research the company that you are about to interview with. What kinds of products and services do they offer? What segment of the market do they cater to? Armed with knowledge about the company, you will better be able to answer interview questions. For example If a prospective employer asks you, Why are you a good candidate for this position? You would tailor your answer in a way that fits what they are looking for. Because of your rese arch, you are aware that your potential employer values employees who take the initiative. Some companies would value a team player more than the person who takes the initiative, and you would answer that question differently if you had that piece of information. There aremany questionsthat are commonly asked during interviews, and it is a good idea to have answers ready for those inquiries. Being prepared for those questions ahead of time will make you seem confident when you present your answers instead of stammering and attempting to come up with a suitable response.Dress Appropriately, Turn Up On Time and Perform WellBe sure that what you wear to your interview is appropriate for the type of position you are interviewing for. If you are interviewing for a job as a construction worker, you dont need to show up in a suit and tie. A nice pair of slacks and button-down shirt would be sufficient. If you are interviewing for a managerial position, then a suit would be very appropriate . When in doubt about what to wear, dress conservatively. Although you may be overdressed, that is better than being under-dressed.Make sure that you are on time to your interview, and be confident when meeting a potential employer. Shake hands firmly, look them in the eye and make sure to sit up straight. Be positive and smile. Employers want to know that you will blend well with their current workforce. Someone who is positive and confident will blend better than someone who never smiles and conveys a negative attitude.During the interview, speak decisively and clearly. Answer each question to the best of your ability. Once the interviewer has asked their questions, have a list of questions that you can ask them. The questions you ask should be simple and to the point. They should be things that the interviewer can easily answer. The questions should show that you care about being a good employee and that you value what your employer thinks about you and your job.Close Out The Int erview With ConfidenceWhen your interview is over, tell your interviewer that you would like the job. You could say something like, I am very interested in this position. I hope that you will consider me as a candidate. If appropriate, you can send a thank you leide to the interviewer expressing gratitude for their time and consideration. This will remind them of who you are and keep you in their minds as they deliberate who to hire. You can also call and check on the status of the position however, its important not to be too aggressive.The interview is a very important aspect of the job quest. Making a good impression is a balance of preparation, confidence and follow-up. While your skills and qualifications may help you to get the interview, the interview itself is what a potential employer will most likely base the hiring decision upon. Candidates who make it to the interview process have already been screened for qualifications, either by the HR department or possibly an extern alfixed price recruitmentagency and its likely that you are matched fairly evenly with other job applicants. Its important to stand out and show that you are capable of doing the job doing it well.