5 Ways to Avoid Employee Absences During the World Cup

5 Ways to Avoid Employee Absences During the World Cup The FIFA World Cup only happens once every four years, so its a special occasion for many.   The 2014 World Cup in Brazil saw 131 million working days lost as people skipped  work or stayed up late to celebrate (or commiserate) their teams performance and consequently missed work the next day. The England versus Wales game during the 2016 Euros cost the UK economy an estimated £269 million alone in unauthorized leave. And for companies who work outside of standard ‘office hours’ such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare, huge sporting events can have a significant impact on their operations. Here are five steps that companies should be taking to ensure your business doesn’t suffer during World Cup fever: 1. Reschedule the company workflow around matches A lot of companies will have the fixtures list on their wall, and a lot will run a staff sweepstake. So it can’t be a surprise when your countrys games take place.   Make sure you’re ready for everyone to be distracted and reschedule the company’s workflow around the matches to ensure you’re not hitting peak demand just when the kick off starts. 2. Have a strong squad Not everyone will want to watch England versus Panama but for those that do, help them find a colleague to substitute their shifts for them.   The important thing is that there’s sufficient resourcing throughout the tournament. The fixtures list is also a ready-made resource planner, so you and your team can plan ahead on what days you will be missing out to watch your national team. 3. Make sure your subs bench is ready Some games might go into extra time.   A lot of fans certainly will.   Make sure that you’ve identified team members that are willing to step in at short notice if ‘football fever’ strikes at short notice and absences spike suddenly.   Make sure you get their permission to contact them â€" and keep their contacts close to hand in case you’re suddenly short of staff. 4. Football will always be a multicultural sport The UK workforce, for example, is one of the most multicultural in the world. Remember that Poland  versus  Senegal  or France versus Australia will be huge for expats and a huge reason to get together.   Factor this in and be considerate to other nationalities and use this to help to reschedule your international teams so that you’re covered throughout the tournament. 5. Leftfield sectors will score a hattrick People inevitably flock to pubs, bars, and restaurants to watch the game with fellow fans. So venues should expect to be busier than usual and plan extra support during matches. But sectors such as retail shouldn’t be fooled into thinking they’re in for a quiet spell. The 2012 Olympics was a prime example of shoppers taking the opportunity to enjoy some retail therapy in a less busy environment while the die-hard supporters were glued to their screens. We always seem to sleepwalk into resource issues during each World Cup when we know people will be distracted or won’t turn up after big games.   On a ‘normal’ day a manager’s biggest challenge is getting the right people in the right roles at the right time.   During the World Cup, this can be an even bigger headache, so it’s essential that businesses have a flexible plan and the ability to substitute and mobilize their teams quickly. About the author:  Erik Fjellborg  is the CEO and Founder of Quinyx, one of the world’s first  fully web-based Workforce Management solution to  helps some of the world’s biggest businesses to save time and money, boost productivity and increase employee happiness.

New Year New You How to Change Your Life for the Better -

New Year New You How to Change Your Life for the Better - Christmas is a distant memory and a New Year has dawned. Did you make any resolutions this year or would you just like to lead a happier healthier life? Being healthy and happy is important not just for your own wellbeing, but because it also has a knock-on effect for your loved ones. We live in an increasingly stressful world, so it makes sense to evaluate the way you lead your life and change your life for the better where necessary. If you’re wondering how you can do it, here are some ideas. Exercise Regularly If you’ve got a sedentary lifestyle, you’re harming yourself in a number of ways. If you want to be healthy and happy, you need to stop spending so much time sitting down and start exercising. You don’t need to run a marathon every week. The right amount of exercise on a regular basis can change your life for the better. Eat a Healthy Balanced Diet If you eat a healthy balanced diet, you’re providing your body with all it needs to perform at its best. For most people, a healthy diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, pulses, nuts and grains, and not too many animal products. It can be hard to have such a balanced diet if you are working with a hectic schedule and have limited time to cook. If this sounds familiar, there are sources like  HelloFresh  that have the best ingredients delivered to your door. This can save you time, money and see you eat healthily throughout the entire week. Get Enough Sleep If you’re not getting enough sleep, it impacts on your mental and physical health. It also makes you unfocused during the day. There are some subtle changes you can make to your life that could make all the difference. Learn to Relax It does your body and mind no good at all if you’re stressed and always on the go. Learn how to relax, and you’ll give yourself time to refocus and feel refreshed. This may involve making the time to read, having a bath, going for a walk or listening to a podcast. Whatever it is, make sure you give yourself the time you need to relax and reset. Believe in Yourself If you believe in yourself you’re more likely to see the opportunities before you and have the confidence to take advantage of them. You’ll be more relaxed, and it stimulates your clarity and reasoning. Spend Quality Time with Your Loved Ones Interacting with your friends and family can be a big source of happiness so make the time to do it on a regular basis. Try and see them as regularly as you can, and maintain your friendships and family bonds, no matter how busy you are. It’s great to be able to call on a loved one unexpectedly and forget your worries and make memories to last a lifetime. Embrace Change In general, we tend not to like change, preferring the status quo. This could be due to the fact that change requires time, energy, and commitment, which seems to be less and less available at the moment. For 2019, turn the tables and accept change, no matter how difficult it is. By taking small and achievable steps, you can see your health, outlook and life change for the better.

Sales Techniques Develop Career Opportunity - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Sales Techniques Develop Career Opportunity - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career “The shortest distance between two points is a diagonal line.” How would you like to find your diagonal in securing your desired job? Using sales techniques, it’s possible. “Prospecting” to “Fill the sales funnel” increases the possibilities and decreases the time to secure your desired job. Here are proven sales techniques: 1. Practice speaking in front of a mirror prior to meetings. You have 2 seconds to make a good impression. Check your reflection for smiling as you speak, soft body gestures and erect posture. All of these practices contribute to conveying confidence. Create a personal story of 2 minutes or less as to why you are seeking work, the talent you have to offer, and why others should care. 2. Be clear on what you really want in your next job. Frequently associated aspects are included that you may not enjoy. In fact, some may be painful causing you not to want to go to work in the morning. Be honest with yourself. For instance, a big city remotely located may offer triple the salary, but do you really want to commute 2-3 hours per day? Tough questions need to be answered before you go seeking work. 3. Research your ideal companies thoroughly. Learn what is important to each company, who their clientele is, and what you have to offer that will be a great fit should they hire you. 4. Set a goal for the number of companies to contact per week. An exciting job posting may say “Do not call”. You have to follow orders. Note: it does not say, “Do not visit”. Stop by to have a friendly conversation with the receptionist, hand over a clean copy of your resume with a short cover letter addressed to the executive you wish to reach. Convey your purpose for introduction. This technique is powerful because few have the courage to do this. It’s possible an executive will briefly meet you on the spot or more often a phone call will come your way as a preliminary screening. This technique alone builds your personal brand before their eyes. 5. Call the executive in charge of the department in which you wish to work for introductory purpose. Apply your talent to their perspective. When you hear, “We have no open positions now”, the best reply is, “That’s perfect!” (They will be listening.) Quickly add, you believe it would be worthwhile for a preliminary meeting to put a face with a name so when they do have a need, they will know who to call. Meetings are granted many times in this situation. However, if they say, “not now”, ask “when”. Your determination will be admired. 6. Persevere. Contact all of the companies of interest in your desired location. Keep repeating the techniques outlined above. Activity will pick up and so will your enthusiasm making you an even better candidate on the interviews. These are the sales techniques that are your diagonal line to hearing HIRED! You will find the right job more quickly and it will seem as if it were a Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC, (800) 704-1499, was honored by Open View Labs with inclusion in their international list of “Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and the best selling career book, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press. Elinor offers inspirational keynotes for conferences and is available for consultation.

Avoiding the Faux Recruiter

Avoiding the Faux Recruiter The job search process is difficult and extremely time-consuming. One thing that job seekers shouldn’t have to worry about is identity theft. However, the sad truth is that it happens more often than we’d like to admit. I’m not talking about the suspicious work-from-home opportunities or the random emails asking for your name, number and entire life history. I’m referring to individuals who pose as employees of larger companies in order to obtain your information. In a recent incident, an individual took on the identity of a corporate recruiter in order to gain access to a candidate’s personal information. The individual contacted the candidate and, after establishing trust as a recruiter, completed a thorough interview. After a few days, the “recruiter” again contacted the candidate and requested he complete a background check form before an offer could be made. Once the recruiter had obtained the candidate’s personal information, he stopped returning calls and deleted his accounts. This scam was run on at least four known individuals within the same company; however, this is not an isolated incident. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft incidents has reached 9.9 million per year. The reason is simple: scammers are after money, and stealing identities is a direct route to victims’ credit cards and bank accounts. With a little diligence, you can avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself. Do your research! When contacted by a recruiter, there are a few things you should look at to ensure you’re dealing with a legitimate representative of that business. Start by reviewing the link, phone number, address and email provided, then cross-check this information by doing a quick Google search on the company. You should be able to confirm the physical address, phone number and link immediately. Also, look at the sender’s email address. Does the domain match the company name? If not, do another Google search by copying the domain of the email. Does the company you found appear in the results? If not, try calling the company using the phone number from the previous search and ask for the recruiter directly. The receptionist should be able to assist you. Conduct your own background check. A legitimate recruiter should have an extensive online presence. Check out their LinkedIn profile and review their information. Is their profile complete? Do they list their contact information? Do they have recommendations? Don’t be afraid to review their page and click on their information. Be cautious of recruiters with very little information on their profile, or very few connections. Also, try searching for them on both Facebook and Twitter. If the recruiter has no online presence, this should be a red flag. Ask the right questions. During your interview, be sure to ask detailed questions about the company that the recruiter should be able to answer, such as “What does the mission statement mean to you, and how does it influence you in your daily life?” Of course, this will require some research on your end. Ask about the company structure and who you would be reporting to in the new position, then research that person’s name on LinkedIn. The more detailed your questions are, the more likely the “recruiter” will abandon their scam. Always approach emails and phone calls with caution and never divulge too much personal information. Remember, faux recruiters rely on desperation. They’re hoping that you don’t check the facts or ask too many questions. If you believe you have been a victim of identity theft, contact your local police department to file a police report. Also, you will need to contact your bank, credit card companies and the three main credit bureaus. To learn more about reporting identity theft, please visit www.identitytheft.gov. Author: Kara Singh is the Social Media Manager for Insperity Recruiting Services. She has over nine years of experience in recruiting and seven years of experience in sourcing and social media. You can connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Image Credit: Shutterstock

The universities that produce the most top executives - Debut

The universities that produce the most top executives - Debut Ever wonder if theres something you can do that will make you destined for success? Well, wonder no more. Turns out if you want to be a true success, you probably need to change university. A new study by Times Higher Education has shown that  none of the top five universities producing top businessmen and women are in the UK. Oh dear. They call it the Alma Mater Index and it ranks institutions from all over the world based on the number of qualifications theyve given out to Fortune 500 CEOs. Heres the top five universities. [table 7 not found /] As you can see, the United States and France are absolutely killing it. As far as UK universities go, its not looking so good.  University of Oxford, despite being the number one uni in the world, found itself at number 14. Cambridge came in at no. 20, while Imperial landed at 29. The only other UK university in the top 100? Kent at no. 55. When you break the index down by country, the United States came out on top with the most qualifications given to the most executives. Meanwhile, the UK trailed in 5th place behind China, France and Japan. So what does this mean exactly? Well, you could argue that this proves UK higher education isnt as good value as the government would have you believe. The recent rise in tuition fees was justified on the basis that universities in the UK provide a world class education and degrees with real value. This study, however, throws all that into question.  Should students be paying tuition fees of up to £9,250 a year if their career prospects are comparatively worse than the rest of the world? Should we demand more for our money? Tweet us @DebutCareers and let us know what you think. Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Being Outrageous Teens Speak Out

Being Outrageous Teens Speak Out My daughter and her 8th grade classmates had the courage to be outrageous last week by respectfully and successfully challenging their administrators on a point of principle. As is the tradition, teachers and students were asked to vote on which three classmates should speak at graduation. The administrators confirmed that they would not override the outcome of the vote. When the three speakers were announced, they were the usual high-achievers liked and respected by all.   Immediately, there was a buzz across the grapevine as students compared notes and discovered that one classmate had gotten more student votes than any other, yet had not been named as a speaker.   Let’s call him John. As it turns out, John is regularly in trouble for disrupting class:   a basically good kid, but lacking in the “social filter” category.   Clearly, administrators did what they promised not to do:   they overrode the will of the students. Several classmates started a petition (also supported by those selected to speak).   The administrators called a meeting to explain:  they wanted to protect John from being put in a position where he might embarrass himself and be laughed at by his peers.  They freely admitted that an overwhelming majority of students voted for him, but feared it was “for the wrong reasons”. The students made eloquent arguments about due process, diversity of representation, hearing a variety of viewpoints, and that it could be confidence building for John to make a success of this moment to shine.  In the end, the administrators did the only sensible thing:   they added John as a fourth graduation speaker. Not only did John speak, his message was uplifting and appropriate.   He rose to the occasion and shone.   He told me how good it made him feel to know his classmates had spoken up for him. How marvelous that these 14 year olds had the courage to be outrageous.  I am proud of you all for your leadership.

Do You Need a Resume Writing Service?

Do You Need a Resume Writing Service?The best resume writing service military to civilian is about providing employment to individuals who may be stuck in a down economic period. A resume is a very important document for potential employers and can determine whether an applicant is qualified for the job or not. As far as job hunting goes, there are many options available to make it easier.If you are a current employee and not well suited for military to civilian jobs, there are many online resume services to help you. These are quite useful when trying to land a new job since there is a lot of competition from civilians seeking jobs. However, it can take a long time for one to find a good job, especially since employers like to use resumes and interviews to determine your professional experience. That is why it is important to have a good resume writing service that can serve you.There are many benefits of using a service such as this to help potential applicants. First, you do not h ave to invest in your own resume. Second, since a recruiter can be on the clock 24 hours a day, it is easy to put together a solid one. Last, it is easier to get into a military to civilian job since you do not have to have a long commute. Most companies do not give a recruiter or applicant a hard time to get to the office since it is located in some kind of building.These services are also very convenient since there is not a lot of work to be done by the potential applicant. You can save a lot of time that you will use for other things that you can use to land a better job. Recruiters have to deal with many people who are not really qualified for their job, but they can only give resumes.Military to civilian job offers are not something that many veterans are interested in. The great thing about these is that they do not have to wait for a recruiter to give them one. That is why it is important to get yourself one of these to increase your chances of landing a good job. It is also a great way to get your military experience out there so that employers are impressed by it.Military to civilian job offers can also help you if you are having trouble finding a job. In fact, many military personnel are now looking for civilian employment. This can be a great opportunity for many.One thing that you should do is research your options for writing a resume since you should have common sense and know how much time you have to put into it. After you learn what is needed, you should consider what you should write. Try to avoid including too much information on your resume. Just tell employers what you are good at and what you have experience in doing.It is also helpful to have a couple of letters of recommendation attached to your resume so that the potential employer knows you are someone who can be trusted. The best resume writing service military to civilian services can give you the resume writing experience you need to land the job you want.