You might not outright ‘hate’ your job, but if you don’t enjoy going to work each day, you might want to figure out why. No one loves work all the time, but if you find that your job is dragging you down rather than lifting you up, you should take notice.
Many unhappy workers wind up feeling frustrated and defeated by their jobs, when in fact the real reason they dread work, is that they’re working way under their potential.
Ask yourself-–
1) Do you feel unfulfilled in your current job?
2) Are you bored and stressed at work?
3) Do you find it difficult to be passionate about your work?
4) Are you tired of your day-to-day work routine?
5) Is there anything you do in your job that fascinates you?
Whether you’ve been working for one or 20-years, the key to finding the right place for you is in first determining your own natural genius. Don’t stop and say you’re not a genius – everyone has a natural genius, but many of us simply don’t know what it is.
Genius is the expression of our unique set of exceptional abilities. The trouble is that we don’t always take the time -- or have the encouragement -- to find out what those genius abilities really are. Often, we are drawn to a particular area of work that somehow helps us bring out our genius, but unless we intentionally dial in, we remain on the periphery of our genius and never hit the bull’s-eye.
If you are one of the many who doesn’t really know your unique set of exceptional abilities, review the following list of five clues for natural genius. Think about what you do that fits any of these criteria, and you can start glimpsing what your genius might be.
Five Clues for Natural Genius
1. You do it easily.
2. You feel a deep satisfaction.
3. You are recognized with a natural authority.
4. You dismiss acknowledgement easily because you seem to do it too effortlessly.
5. You don’t understand when others have a much harder time doing the same thing.
Genius stays hidden because most people never learn what their genius is. Instead, they perform on the edge of their genius, but not in the core. This impacts more than their enjoyment; it affects their earning power. Genius is often associated with sacrifice, but the opposite is true. Those who resist their genius pay the greatest price by working in jobs just to cover their bills, but never truly prospering.
Manifesting your genius means learning what it is, applying your genius in a field that matches it and benefiting by becoming an expert or specialist. In the professional market- place, the specialists command the highest fees. They also love their work.
Geniuses are not satisfied with just paying their bills. They may enjoy their lifestyle, but they don’t live for it. Why? They are fully alive in doing work that means something to them. Many of us sleepwalk through our work, driven by the need for financial security or recognition, but not satisfying our core passion. Geniuses are on fire. They are positioned to be the most successful people in the world. Geniuses can measure their reward in terms of income, quality of life and personal satisfaction. It’s quite a compelling equation.
Are you living your genius? Take a free self-evaluation at http://www.geniuscoaching.net/RateYourGenius.htm. A certified learning consultant and coach, Susanna Lange co-developed Genius Coaching, which helps children, adults, and business leaders discover and maximize their special talents and strengths.
Saturday
Do You Really Want To Be A Manager?
"What do I do now?"
Craig looked plaintively across the desk at me. He'd come to me for help adapting to his new role as a manager. He was having a lot of trouble.
Craig had thought he wanted to be a manager. He'd supported himself through college by running heavy machinery in the construction industry. He was a hard worker.
When he was hired by the company that made some of the equipment he used to run, Craig was ecstatic. He liked the people in the construction industry and he thought his new employer was as fine a company as there was.
Craig was hired as a sales trainee, but his goals were something else. He wanted to be an executive and climb the corporate ladder. He started out by turning himself into a great salesperson. He let his bosses know that he wanted to move up.
His opportunity came after only a couple of years. The company tapped him for a sales manager's job. At first he was ecstatic.
Now it was three months later. Craig didn't like the things he had to do in his new job. He missed the freedom of selling on the road, spending time on jobsites and talking with people he liked.
"I used to love going to work," he told me. "Now, I get slammed from all sides. My boss wants me to make my numbers. Half the people who work for me just don't seem to cut it and they're always whining about something."
"I don't know how to handle that. Plus, my bonus is now tied to how these other people do. It was easier when I just had to work a little harder or smarter to make my numbers."
"Anything else?" I asked.
"When I was selling, the deals I cut grew naturally out of our relationship with the customers. Now, I've got my people asking me to approve deals and I'm just not comfortable deciding. It's constant pressure."
There are thousands of people out there like Craig. They start out with the idea that what they want is a management job. Then, they get one and it's nothing like what they expected. How can you keep that from happening to you?
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help decide if a management job is the right career choice.
What will I be giving up if I move into management?
This is very important to ask. Companies promote top performers. If they want to promote you to management, the odds are good that you were an above average performer as an individual contributor.
The odds are also pretty good that you like the work you're doing. So, are you willing to give it up?
You may have to give up more than work you love. If your management job requires lots of travel or more late nights or a more demanding schedule, you may give up some time at home, too. Are you willing to do that?
In some companies, promotion to management comes with an automatic relocation. Are you willing to move? Is your family willing to move?
Finally, check the income figures. Sometimes, getting promoted means a drop in regular income because commissions or overtime pay goes away.
Do I like helping other people succeed?
One of your jobs as a manager is to help the people who work for you succeed. That's not a job everyone likes to do. If you like helping other people do better, it will make your job as a manager much easier and it will make you more likely to succeed.
What if you don't? Then understand that you will probably have to put conscious effort into the work of helping others on your team. Only you know how difficult that will be for you.
Am I comfortable making decisions?
As a manager, you will have to make decisions about all sorts of things. My life experience tells me that this is not something you can learn to be comfortable with. If you are comfortable making decisions, you can improve your technique, but no amount of training will make you willing to make decisions.
Think about how you live your life. Do you make decisions as needed? Or do you put them off or hope that someone else will make the decision for you?
This one's pretty simple. If you can't make decisions you won't be an effective manager.
Am I willing to confront people about their behavior or performance?
Management is the art of controlled confrontation. Every day you will need to talk to people who work for you about their behavior and performance. You will need to confront some of them with how they're doing and what they need to fix.
We're not talking about big, blow-up, "Jerry Springer" confrontations. Most of your confrontations will be about small things. But you'll have to do them every day.
If you can't confront people who work for you about their behavior and performance, it's not likely you will do well as a manager.
Am I willing to let the group become my destiny?
This is a tough one, because it flies in the face of how we talk about management. We like to say that when you're in management, you've got power. But that's not true.
When you get promoted, you'll have less power than you do now. Think of it this way.
When you're an individual contributor and you want to improve your evaluation or income, all you have to do is work harder or smarter. When you want to achieve the same thing as a manager, you've got to convince your team members to work harder or smarter.
As one of my trainees put it: "The team is your destiny." Your success and your rewards are based on their performance. Are you ready for that?
Craig's problem was that he took a management job without thinking through whether it was something that he would like and be good at. He hadn't thought about what he liked and didn't and he hadn't considered the changes he would have to make.
Craig went to his boss and laid out the issues he and I discussed. His company decided they'd rather have a happy and successful sales rep instead of an unhappy sales manager and they let Craig pick up his old job.
All of that could have been avoided if Craig had done some analysis in advance. One of my other clients, John, was a person who did.
John was working with me on career issues for about a year when he was offered the opportunity to move up to management. We'd already discussed many of the issues, so he was in much better shape than Craig. John knew what he wanted and figured he could do a good job as a manager.
On the plus side, John really loved working with people and helping them develop. The move to management would make that a key part of his job.
Because he was a good performer as an individual contributor, John was a little leery about giving up the freedom he'd earned and about moving out of his comfort zone to a new job. In his case, relocation or money were not issues.
John thought he was a good decision maker, but he admitted to sometimes taking longer than necessary to make a decision. Sometimes he even let others make decisions he might have made better. We marked that as an area to work on in his personal development plan.
John had coached sports teams and figured that the confrontations about performance that he did in that role would help him as a manager. That has turned out to be the case.
John's biggest issue was with whether he could live with the fact that his team's performance would define his results. There wasn't any clear evidence in his background either way, but he thought he could learn to do it. We marked the issue as one for our coaching sessions.
Things worked out well for John. There were some rocky points, though. Everybody has them.
It turned out that the confrontation issue was far more difficult for him to master than either of us expected. But with concentrated effort, John mastered that and other skill issues.
When you get promoted to management you must do different kinds of work than what made you successful as an individual contributor. You gain some things and give up others. It's not a transition that everyone wants to make, but asking some key questions in advance means you can increase your odds of success when promotion comes calling.
About the Author
Wally Bock helps organizations improve productivity and morale. He is the author of Performance Talk (http://www.performancetalk.com/). He writes the Three Star Leadership blog (http://blog.threestarleadership.com/), coaches individual managers, and is a popular speaker at meetings and conferences.
Craig looked plaintively across the desk at me. He'd come to me for help adapting to his new role as a manager. He was having a lot of trouble.
Craig had thought he wanted to be a manager. He'd supported himself through college by running heavy machinery in the construction industry. He was a hard worker.
When he was hired by the company that made some of the equipment he used to run, Craig was ecstatic. He liked the people in the construction industry and he thought his new employer was as fine a company as there was.
Craig was hired as a sales trainee, but his goals were something else. He wanted to be an executive and climb the corporate ladder. He started out by turning himself into a great salesperson. He let his bosses know that he wanted to move up.
His opportunity came after only a couple of years. The company tapped him for a sales manager's job. At first he was ecstatic.
Now it was three months later. Craig didn't like the things he had to do in his new job. He missed the freedom of selling on the road, spending time on jobsites and talking with people he liked.
"I used to love going to work," he told me. "Now, I get slammed from all sides. My boss wants me to make my numbers. Half the people who work for me just don't seem to cut it and they're always whining about something."
"I don't know how to handle that. Plus, my bonus is now tied to how these other people do. It was easier when I just had to work a little harder or smarter to make my numbers."
"Anything else?" I asked.
"When I was selling, the deals I cut grew naturally out of our relationship with the customers. Now, I've got my people asking me to approve deals and I'm just not comfortable deciding. It's constant pressure."
There are thousands of people out there like Craig. They start out with the idea that what they want is a management job. Then, they get one and it's nothing like what they expected. How can you keep that from happening to you?
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help decide if a management job is the right career choice.
What will I be giving up if I move into management?
This is very important to ask. Companies promote top performers. If they want to promote you to management, the odds are good that you were an above average performer as an individual contributor.
The odds are also pretty good that you like the work you're doing. So, are you willing to give it up?
You may have to give up more than work you love. If your management job requires lots of travel or more late nights or a more demanding schedule, you may give up some time at home, too. Are you willing to do that?
In some companies, promotion to management comes with an automatic relocation. Are you willing to move? Is your family willing to move?
Finally, check the income figures. Sometimes, getting promoted means a drop in regular income because commissions or overtime pay goes away.
Do I like helping other people succeed?
One of your jobs as a manager is to help the people who work for you succeed. That's not a job everyone likes to do. If you like helping other people do better, it will make your job as a manager much easier and it will make you more likely to succeed.
What if you don't? Then understand that you will probably have to put conscious effort into the work of helping others on your team. Only you know how difficult that will be for you.
Am I comfortable making decisions?
As a manager, you will have to make decisions about all sorts of things. My life experience tells me that this is not something you can learn to be comfortable with. If you are comfortable making decisions, you can improve your technique, but no amount of training will make you willing to make decisions.
Think about how you live your life. Do you make decisions as needed? Or do you put them off or hope that someone else will make the decision for you?
This one's pretty simple. If you can't make decisions you won't be an effective manager.
Am I willing to confront people about their behavior or performance?
Management is the art of controlled confrontation. Every day you will need to talk to people who work for you about their behavior and performance. You will need to confront some of them with how they're doing and what they need to fix.
We're not talking about big, blow-up, "Jerry Springer" confrontations. Most of your confrontations will be about small things. But you'll have to do them every day.
If you can't confront people who work for you about their behavior and performance, it's not likely you will do well as a manager.
Am I willing to let the group become my destiny?
This is a tough one, because it flies in the face of how we talk about management. We like to say that when you're in management, you've got power. But that's not true.
When you get promoted, you'll have less power than you do now. Think of it this way.
When you're an individual contributor and you want to improve your evaluation or income, all you have to do is work harder or smarter. When you want to achieve the same thing as a manager, you've got to convince your team members to work harder or smarter.
As one of my trainees put it: "The team is your destiny." Your success and your rewards are based on their performance. Are you ready for that?
Craig's problem was that he took a management job without thinking through whether it was something that he would like and be good at. He hadn't thought about what he liked and didn't and he hadn't considered the changes he would have to make.
Craig went to his boss and laid out the issues he and I discussed. His company decided they'd rather have a happy and successful sales rep instead of an unhappy sales manager and they let Craig pick up his old job.
All of that could have been avoided if Craig had done some analysis in advance. One of my other clients, John, was a person who did.
John was working with me on career issues for about a year when he was offered the opportunity to move up to management. We'd already discussed many of the issues, so he was in much better shape than Craig. John knew what he wanted and figured he could do a good job as a manager.
On the plus side, John really loved working with people and helping them develop. The move to management would make that a key part of his job.
Because he was a good performer as an individual contributor, John was a little leery about giving up the freedom he'd earned and about moving out of his comfort zone to a new job. In his case, relocation or money were not issues.
John thought he was a good decision maker, but he admitted to sometimes taking longer than necessary to make a decision. Sometimes he even let others make decisions he might have made better. We marked that as an area to work on in his personal development plan.
John had coached sports teams and figured that the confrontations about performance that he did in that role would help him as a manager. That has turned out to be the case.
John's biggest issue was with whether he could live with the fact that his team's performance would define his results. There wasn't any clear evidence in his background either way, but he thought he could learn to do it. We marked the issue as one for our coaching sessions.
Things worked out well for John. There were some rocky points, though. Everybody has them.
It turned out that the confrontation issue was far more difficult for him to master than either of us expected. But with concentrated effort, John mastered that and other skill issues.
When you get promoted to management you must do different kinds of work than what made you successful as an individual contributor. You gain some things and give up others. It's not a transition that everyone wants to make, but asking some key questions in advance means you can increase your odds of success when promotion comes calling.
About the Author
Wally Bock helps organizations improve productivity and morale. He is the author of Performance Talk (http://www.performancetalk.com/). He writes the Three Star Leadership blog (http://blog.threestarleadership.com/), coaches individual managers, and is a popular speaker at meetings and conferences.
What Workers Need to Keep In Mind While On the Job
While it’s easy to realise that hard work, motivation and enthusiasm may help get you ahead in the workplace, it’s often harder to identify the many ‘workplace no-nos’ that could severely hinder career progression. Read on to find out about some of the more common things not to do at work!
We all know that positive workplace behaviours and attributes like hard work, motivation, enthusiasm, and a willingness to contribute to company development above and beyond your responsibilities can lead to positive career outcomes such as a promotion or pay rise. But what many of us don’t seem to understand is that there are a host of office no-nos that can have just as big an impact on our careers – but in a negative way!
Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace can lead to stunted career progression; it can stop you getting that all-important pay rise or that much-anticipated promotion! Below is a list of some of the top potentially career-damaging workplace no-nos to avoid:
Don’t use profane or offensive language — bad language in the workplace is not only potentially offensive to those around you, it may also make you appear unprofessional, immature and downright rude.
Don’t steal — as minor as it might seem to occasionally lighten the office stationary supply of the odd pen or two, stealing from your workplace (stealing anything at all) is one of the quickest ways to get yourself fired and should never be risked, no matter how small the item.
Don’t talk negatively about your employer, managers or co-workers — if you have a gripe about your company or somebody in it, take it through the appropriate channels; talk to your manager or human resources department, and if you don’t want to act on it then keep it to yourself. It’s a good idea to avoid venting to co-workers via email also – there’s always the risk you’ll unwittingly commit the ultimate faux pas and send the email to the wrong recipient!
Don’t gossip or spread rumours — while it is often tempting to share juicy snippets about co-workers, gossiping can be one of the quickest ways to ruin relationships and create a tense and awkward workplace atmosphere.
Don’t make sexually suggestive, racist, or inappropriate comments or jokes — inappropriate jokes or comments are not only potentially offensive, they will certainly not impress management, and could quickly get you labeled as immature and unprofessional.
Don’t be seen to be wasting company time — while pretty much every worker is guilty of sending the odd personal email or perhaps having a sneaky browse of the internet from time to time, it should be remembered that many companies monitor internet and email use, and will catch out time-wasting employees. Keep personal emails (and phone calls) to a minimum and try to limit personal use of the internet to your lunchbreak.
Don’t get drunk at office parties — as tempting as it might be to let your hair down and partake in a few drinks – especially when it’s paid for by the company – it can be one of the quickest ways to lose face with senior management. While it’s fine to have one or two drinks, workers who have one too many quickly lose the respect of their colleagues and could end up a laughing stock. Wherever possible, try to maintain a distinct line between your social and professional life.
Don’t send angry emails — if something or someone at work has upset you give yourself time to reflect and calm down before responding with an email. You’ll probably end up writing something you wish you hadn’t if you respond to a situation when you are angry or upset. A better approach might be to step out of the office for a minute or two and call a loved one and talk your problem out with them first. Then, if you’re still upset, you can hopefully construct a more considered email or talk calmly face-to-face with a manager.
Don’t dress inappropriately — whether or not we admit it, we’re all guilty of judging people on their appearance. People who look well groomed and who dress professionally will be taken more seriously, and potentially deemed more competent, than those who don’t. Avoid ill-fitting clothes – particularly clothes that are too small, too tight, or too revealing.
Never fall asleep on the job — not only could this be seriously dangerous (depending on your line of work) it also reflects very badly on your work ethic, making you appear lazy or unprofessional. If you find yourself struggling to stay awake grab yourself a strong coffee, do some stretches or have a quick walk around the office.
Clean up your act — try to keep your desk and work space tidy and clean; a cluttered, dirty desk can make you appear unprofessional or unproductive. Don’t allow mugs and plates, papers or books to build up. And definitely get rid of yesterday’s half eaten spag bog!
About the Author
Lucy Ayers is the Editorial Content Coordinator for GradCareers. The GradCareers website helps graduates and final-year university students find the right career and graduate program for them. For more information, please visit http://www.gradcareers.com.au
We all know that positive workplace behaviours and attributes like hard work, motivation, enthusiasm, and a willingness to contribute to company development above and beyond your responsibilities can lead to positive career outcomes such as a promotion or pay rise. But what many of us don’t seem to understand is that there are a host of office no-nos that can have just as big an impact on our careers – but in a negative way!
Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace can lead to stunted career progression; it can stop you getting that all-important pay rise or that much-anticipated promotion! Below is a list of some of the top potentially career-damaging workplace no-nos to avoid:
Don’t use profane or offensive language — bad language in the workplace is not only potentially offensive to those around you, it may also make you appear unprofessional, immature and downright rude.
Don’t steal — as minor as it might seem to occasionally lighten the office stationary supply of the odd pen or two, stealing from your workplace (stealing anything at all) is one of the quickest ways to get yourself fired and should never be risked, no matter how small the item.
Don’t talk negatively about your employer, managers or co-workers — if you have a gripe about your company or somebody in it, take it through the appropriate channels; talk to your manager or human resources department, and if you don’t want to act on it then keep it to yourself. It’s a good idea to avoid venting to co-workers via email also – there’s always the risk you’ll unwittingly commit the ultimate faux pas and send the email to the wrong recipient!
Don’t gossip or spread rumours — while it is often tempting to share juicy snippets about co-workers, gossiping can be one of the quickest ways to ruin relationships and create a tense and awkward workplace atmosphere.
Don’t make sexually suggestive, racist, or inappropriate comments or jokes — inappropriate jokes or comments are not only potentially offensive, they will certainly not impress management, and could quickly get you labeled as immature and unprofessional.
Don’t be seen to be wasting company time — while pretty much every worker is guilty of sending the odd personal email or perhaps having a sneaky browse of the internet from time to time, it should be remembered that many companies monitor internet and email use, and will catch out time-wasting employees. Keep personal emails (and phone calls) to a minimum and try to limit personal use of the internet to your lunchbreak.
Don’t get drunk at office parties — as tempting as it might be to let your hair down and partake in a few drinks – especially when it’s paid for by the company – it can be one of the quickest ways to lose face with senior management. While it’s fine to have one or two drinks, workers who have one too many quickly lose the respect of their colleagues and could end up a laughing stock. Wherever possible, try to maintain a distinct line between your social and professional life.
Don’t send angry emails — if something or someone at work has upset you give yourself time to reflect and calm down before responding with an email. You’ll probably end up writing something you wish you hadn’t if you respond to a situation when you are angry or upset. A better approach might be to step out of the office for a minute or two and call a loved one and talk your problem out with them first. Then, if you’re still upset, you can hopefully construct a more considered email or talk calmly face-to-face with a manager.
Don’t dress inappropriately — whether or not we admit it, we’re all guilty of judging people on their appearance. People who look well groomed and who dress professionally will be taken more seriously, and potentially deemed more competent, than those who don’t. Avoid ill-fitting clothes – particularly clothes that are too small, too tight, or too revealing.
Never fall asleep on the job — not only could this be seriously dangerous (depending on your line of work) it also reflects very badly on your work ethic, making you appear lazy or unprofessional. If you find yourself struggling to stay awake grab yourself a strong coffee, do some stretches or have a quick walk around the office.
Clean up your act — try to keep your desk and work space tidy and clean; a cluttered, dirty desk can make you appear unprofessional or unproductive. Don’t allow mugs and plates, papers or books to build up. And definitely get rid of yesterday’s half eaten spag bog!
About the Author
Lucy Ayers is the Editorial Content Coordinator for GradCareers. The GradCareers website helps graduates and final-year university students find the right career and graduate program for them. For more information, please visit http://www.gradcareers.com.au
Safety in the Retail Workplace
The retail environment may appear to be a relatively safe workplace (save the disgruntled shopper or two), and unlike a construction site or workplace that develops chemicals, a retail store doesn't seem to pose any obvious threats. However, retail workers face everyday hazards, from trip-and-fall risks to back injuries resulting from lifting heavy boxes.
With retailers typically setting aside $10-30,000 for each lost time injury, the unforeseen retail injuries can quickly add up. Employees who don't follow safety guidelines can wield a huge impact on a company's bottom line. Following are general guidelines that every retail owner and employee needs to protect themselves from the potential injury pitfalls of retail:
Safety in a Retail Store
1. Stack cartons so that they're not piled at the end of aisles where people could trip over them.
2. Clean all floors, aisles and stairs and keep them free of debris, trash, spills or fallen merchandise.
3. Make sure that all floor mats and carpets lie flat, free from ripples or curled edges, and are slide resistant.
4. All exit paths should be free of obstruction.
5. Stack merchandise in a stable manner and that's easy to reach.
6. Remove protruding objects from displays, counters, tables and floor stacks.
7. Maintain at least 30 inches of clearance around sources of ignition such as heaters, boilers, and electrical panels.
Tips for Proper Lifting
1. Size up the load. If it looks too heavy, use lifting equipment or ask for help.
2. Before lifting and carrying an object, check to make sure your route is free of obstruction, water, and other trip-and-fall hazards.
3. As you lift, place your feet close to the object, bend your knees and get a firm hold on the box. Lift primarily using your leg muscles.
4. Keeping the load close to your body without twisting or turning, lift straight up.
5. Turn your body by changing foot position as you start walking, rather than twisting.
6. Set the load down slowly, bending at the knees. Do not let go of the load until you've lowered it securely to the floor.
7. Transport carts and wheel racks by pushing - not pulling.
Receiving Dock Safety
1. Keep the dock area clear of displays or other debris.
2. Clean any spills or wet areas immediately.
3. Check all pallet jacks before use.
4. Don't hoist yourself up or jump from the dock to ground level. Use the stairs to fo from ground level to the dock, or vice versa.
5. Never ride a pallet jack or forklift.
To avoid injury or damage to inventory, retailers should also use caution when opening shipping and receiving freight. Perhaps one of the most often overlooked precautions is in the use of a utility knife. Retailers are constantly receiving shipments and orders that require careful opening to prevent injury as well as damage to the product. Use the following guidelines to safely open a carton with a box cutter:
1. Always keep a box cutter with a sharp blade handy when working with freight and opening boxes.
2. Set the carton on a flat, steady surface.
3. Position the carton at an angle to your body so that the cutter will not be moving directly towards you.
4. Place one hand on the box and use the other hand to firmly hold the box cutter.
5. Make a smooth cut, and then turn the carton a quarter revolution. Make another smooth cut, and turn the carton again.
6. Cut as close to the top of the box as possible.
7. Check the condition of the box cutter's blade. Dull blades require more pressure and increase the risk of injuries.
To work well, a safety knife needs to be mistake-proof. In other words, its safety features must be so deeply built-in that a new, untrained employee can't accidentally override them.
About the Author
Safecutters Inc., provides an online store of utility knife box cutters for opening shipping boxes and shipping packages, as well as safety knives to open moving boxes and packages. For more information about Klever Kutter and other Safecutters products contact us!
With retailers typically setting aside $10-30,000 for each lost time injury, the unforeseen retail injuries can quickly add up. Employees who don't follow safety guidelines can wield a huge impact on a company's bottom line. Following are general guidelines that every retail owner and employee needs to protect themselves from the potential injury pitfalls of retail:
Safety in a Retail Store
1. Stack cartons so that they're not piled at the end of aisles where people could trip over them.
2. Clean all floors, aisles and stairs and keep them free of debris, trash, spills or fallen merchandise.
3. Make sure that all floor mats and carpets lie flat, free from ripples or curled edges, and are slide resistant.
4. All exit paths should be free of obstruction.
5. Stack merchandise in a stable manner and that's easy to reach.
6. Remove protruding objects from displays, counters, tables and floor stacks.
7. Maintain at least 30 inches of clearance around sources of ignition such as heaters, boilers, and electrical panels.
Tips for Proper Lifting
1. Size up the load. If it looks too heavy, use lifting equipment or ask for help.
2. Before lifting and carrying an object, check to make sure your route is free of obstruction, water, and other trip-and-fall hazards.
3. As you lift, place your feet close to the object, bend your knees and get a firm hold on the box. Lift primarily using your leg muscles.
4. Keeping the load close to your body without twisting or turning, lift straight up.
5. Turn your body by changing foot position as you start walking, rather than twisting.
6. Set the load down slowly, bending at the knees. Do not let go of the load until you've lowered it securely to the floor.
7. Transport carts and wheel racks by pushing - not pulling.
Receiving Dock Safety
1. Keep the dock area clear of displays or other debris.
2. Clean any spills or wet areas immediately.
3. Check all pallet jacks before use.
4. Don't hoist yourself up or jump from the dock to ground level. Use the stairs to fo from ground level to the dock, or vice versa.
5. Never ride a pallet jack or forklift.
To avoid injury or damage to inventory, retailers should also use caution when opening shipping and receiving freight. Perhaps one of the most often overlooked precautions is in the use of a utility knife. Retailers are constantly receiving shipments and orders that require careful opening to prevent injury as well as damage to the product. Use the following guidelines to safely open a carton with a box cutter:
1. Always keep a box cutter with a sharp blade handy when working with freight and opening boxes.
2. Set the carton on a flat, steady surface.
3. Position the carton at an angle to your body so that the cutter will not be moving directly towards you.
4. Place one hand on the box and use the other hand to firmly hold the box cutter.
5. Make a smooth cut, and then turn the carton a quarter revolution. Make another smooth cut, and turn the carton again.
6. Cut as close to the top of the box as possible.
7. Check the condition of the box cutter's blade. Dull blades require more pressure and increase the risk of injuries.
To work well, a safety knife needs to be mistake-proof. In other words, its safety features must be so deeply built-in that a new, untrained employee can't accidentally override them.
About the Author
Safecutters Inc., provides an online store of utility knife box cutters for opening shipping boxes and shipping packages, as well as safety knives to open moving boxes and packages. For more information about Klever Kutter and other Safecutters products contact us!
What Project Management Training Did For Me and My Workplace
My workplace is big on training and eight weeks ago it was my turn to attend PRINCE2 training. PRINCE2 is the OGC project management methodology. I had already participated in a PRINCE2 foundation course and was more than ready for additional PRINCE2 training that would prepared me for the official practitioner’s exam. In essence PRINCE2 is essentially a process oriented method that breaks up a project into ‘bite size’ chunks of work with resource prioritisation and role allocation being well defined.
It wasn’t just because my workplace wanted me to attend a PRINCE2 course, I wanted to attend so I could improve my own project management skills. I had worked on successful projects in the past, but I was aware that there was an increasing need in today’s business world to define general processes for projects. Working out a successful strategy for every project was becoming increasingly difficult, and I knew that additional PRINCE2 training would be able to help. My project manager would readily agree a project involves combining resources and skills with technology and ideas, therefore ensuring good product delivery. Projects need to operate within time and risks constraints and PRINCE2 training would address all of those concerns very effectively.
PRINCE2 training is particularly beneficial for people who are involved with managing projects, and not just any ol’ person is allowed to teach the course. First of all they need to be associated with an accredited PRINCE2 training organisation so they can pass on the necessary skills to trainees. Our trainers certainly had the right skills; they taught us first class project management skill so we could feel confident about managing various projects successfully on the work front. We were taught a flexible and adaptable approach that could suit all types of projects, and we were provided with common systems, procedures, and an understanding of PRINCE2 terminology. The trainers said that when we were all ‘singing from the same hymn sheet,’ so to speak, there were fewer mistakes made in the work place.
The PRINCE2 training was hard work and a challenge but enjoyable at the same time. There was some fun practical learning that helped to reinforce the theory we had learnt and the information was imparted in different ways to cover all learning styles. We sat our exam at the end of the course which lasted for 3 hours and an overall score of 180 out of a possible 360 was needed to pass. I am very proud to say my score was 300.
By the end of the course lots of us were saying: ‘this is the best course I’ve ever been on.’ ‘How did I ever manage without PRINCE2?’ ‘What’s the next training course can I go on?’
Since the training the difference I have noticed in my own project management skills are amazing. There is a definite improvement in the way I handle projects and projects are producing better results because with PRINCE2 the methods are largely simplified, owing to its well directed layout, and therefore things fall into place. As a direct result of my improved project management skills my boss has been very impressed and given me a promotion and a pay rise. Another bonus with PRINCE2 training is that it looks great on my resume. PRINCE2 is recognised around the world as a world class qualification and is seen as the standard way for the management of project works.
I would recommend anyone who is involved with project management to attend PRINCE2 training and implement what they have learnt in their workplace, because not only has the training benefited my workplace it has directly benefited me.
About the Author
Brian Kelly wrote the Article 'What PRINCE2 Training Did for Me and My Workplace' and recommends you visit http://www.afaprojects.com/resources_prince2.asp for more information on PRINCE2 training.
It wasn’t just because my workplace wanted me to attend a PRINCE2 course, I wanted to attend so I could improve my own project management skills. I had worked on successful projects in the past, but I was aware that there was an increasing need in today’s business world to define general processes for projects. Working out a successful strategy for every project was becoming increasingly difficult, and I knew that additional PRINCE2 training would be able to help. My project manager would readily agree a project involves combining resources and skills with technology and ideas, therefore ensuring good product delivery. Projects need to operate within time and risks constraints and PRINCE2 training would address all of those concerns very effectively.
PRINCE2 training is particularly beneficial for people who are involved with managing projects, and not just any ol’ person is allowed to teach the course. First of all they need to be associated with an accredited PRINCE2 training organisation so they can pass on the necessary skills to trainees. Our trainers certainly had the right skills; they taught us first class project management skill so we could feel confident about managing various projects successfully on the work front. We were taught a flexible and adaptable approach that could suit all types of projects, and we were provided with common systems, procedures, and an understanding of PRINCE2 terminology. The trainers said that when we were all ‘singing from the same hymn sheet,’ so to speak, there were fewer mistakes made in the work place.
The PRINCE2 training was hard work and a challenge but enjoyable at the same time. There was some fun practical learning that helped to reinforce the theory we had learnt and the information was imparted in different ways to cover all learning styles. We sat our exam at the end of the course which lasted for 3 hours and an overall score of 180 out of a possible 360 was needed to pass. I am very proud to say my score was 300.
By the end of the course lots of us were saying: ‘this is the best course I’ve ever been on.’ ‘How did I ever manage without PRINCE2?’ ‘What’s the next training course can I go on?’
Since the training the difference I have noticed in my own project management skills are amazing. There is a definite improvement in the way I handle projects and projects are producing better results because with PRINCE2 the methods are largely simplified, owing to its well directed layout, and therefore things fall into place. As a direct result of my improved project management skills my boss has been very impressed and given me a promotion and a pay rise. Another bonus with PRINCE2 training is that it looks great on my resume. PRINCE2 is recognised around the world as a world class qualification and is seen as the standard way for the management of project works.
I would recommend anyone who is involved with project management to attend PRINCE2 training and implement what they have learnt in their workplace, because not only has the training benefited my workplace it has directly benefited me.
About the Author
Brian Kelly wrote the Article 'What PRINCE2 Training Did for Me and My Workplace' and recommends you visit http://www.afaprojects.com/resources_prince2.asp for more information on PRINCE2 training.
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