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Casual Articles - Corporate Gift Ideas: What to do when Birthdays at Work Suck!
Have you ever thought about branding your name? Does the idea sound too egotistical for you or does it make good business sense? Let's examine personal name branding and how it can help you achieve the recognition you need for your business and put you quickly on the path to success!Promptly upon receiving my layoff notice from my position of nearly eleven years, I decided I needed to venture out on my own. I formed a limited liability company and named the concern after my name. Why? Because my name was more known than what I did. I possessed a lengthy work history as an accomplished technical writer but mostly everyone I dealt with in and out of my company knew me more by my name than by what I did for a living.It also helped that I did a lot more tha
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when t
Do you have a dead end job? Having a dead end job can cause problems not only in your work life but in your personal life as well.If you get bored at work and aren't sure where to turn it can start having a negative impact on your ability to do your work and can extend into your private life if your unhappiness follows you out the door at nightHaving said that, is there really such thing as a dead end job, or is it something else?Is it your employer that is the problem?More specifically, is it your boss? I'm assuming of course that you are in the "right job" and that you are not in an ill-suited position that does not fit your skills and interests. In this case, any similar job with another company might appear
NEWSFLASH Corporate birthday ideas hit rock-bottom.
Shocking but TRUE!
Although Raphael was not there on his birthday his co-workers got him a cake, blew out the candles...and ate it too!
And when he returned...they had another cake.
Couldn't miss his "birthday" now, could they?!
Yes, Raphael's celebration is like out of the pages of the National Enquirer.The office cake carousel usually gets a full work out during the year. It seems to be as far as corporate birthday ideas go in some places.
Depending on who is in the mix and what initiative they show or are allowed to show, this can either make for an exciting diversion or a valid reason for, as they say in Australia, to take "a sickie"
[NB: sickie = day off work for apparent illness]
The whole birthday thing at work is a very gray area. The clash of expectations and the need to show no favoritism given the diversity of the staff is a real hot zone of emotion and, sadly, stupidity.
Relax though. Here is the an answer to all who have asked:
"Aren't there any decent corporate birthday ideas anymore?"
Yes, there is.
Firstly, some timely thoughts about...
What we want to AVOID: The Cake Conspiracy
A cake, huh? Well it's something. Something is better than nothing, right?
NO!
Nothing -- repeat -- NOTHING! says you have no imagination or you don't really care like a store-bought birthday cake. If the ritual isn't meaningful to the person don't do it! Put some thought into it.
What's worse than a cake...?
There was a time -- I hope I forget it -- when I experienced the lamest of all lame corporate birthday ideas. Four people and one cake! How nice that our fathers shed sperm 'round the same calendar time and our mothers gave agonizing birth in the same week of the year! SO!!?? Ripped-off! I have to share your birthday wishes with these bozos? I am not impressed. I have heard of doing more with less but that is ridiculous.
Yes, I hear the CEOs and VPs saying: "it's not our responsibility to organize cakes and corporate birthday ideas etc., this IS a business you know!" No it isn't, in work-speak, your core business-KPI-Milestone-Blah-Blah.
But think of the return on your small investment in productivity terms.It's part of the culture, your business folk-lore and the smooth running of a social group called a place of business.
And it takes NO EFFORT.
Replacing the Cake Conspiracy
Be mindful of the landscape. Think of call centers. Hard to sing happy birthday to a person who receiving a complaint call.
Surprises are out too. They will be expecting something. And the grapevine no doubt will add to the spilling of the beans. Have you ever tried to act surprised? Not even Jack Nicholson stubbing his toe can act surprised. It's very hard.
So, roll up your sleeves and become...
a Corporate Birthday Ideas Rebel
Onward...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Birthday Rebels include the following:
You make noise quietly.
They really have their finger on the pulse. A good first action could be to lobby staff to Ban the Cake and then go under cover to work your birthday-ops mayhem.
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when th
The most prominent trend in the employment screening industry has been a proliferation of online databases offering cheap background checks. Any one can access the internet and with a quick search be able to purchase, for example, criminal records for a low fee. While that is very appealing to companies looking to trim the budget on background checks, it may in fact be a dangerous trend.What do the companies say that have been running background checks, back when employment screening “industry” was just a concept and not an accepted practice?Tom Lawson, the founder of APSCREEN, the oldest screening firm in the country, says “The necessity of a background check has been established now, and that's why we are seeing such a proliferation of people getting into the business
The whole birthday thing at work is a very gray area. The clash of expectations and the need to show no favoritism given the diversity of the staff is a real hot zone of emotion and, sadly, stupidity.
Relax though. Here is the an answer to all who have asked:
"Aren't there any decent corporate birthday ideas anymore?"
Yes, there is.
Firstly, some timely thoughts about...
What we want to AVOID: The Cake Conspiracy
A cake, huh? Well it's something. Something is better than nothing, right?
NO!
Nothing -- repeat -- NOTHING! says you have no imagination or you don't really care like a store-bought birthday cake. If the ritual isn't meaningful to the person don't do it! Put some thought into it.
What's worse than a cake...?
There was a time -- I hope I forget it -- when I experienced the lamest of all lame corporate birthday ideas. Four people and one cake! How nice that our fathers shed sperm 'round the same calendar time and our mothers gave agonizing birth in the same week of the year! SO!!?? Ripped-off! I have to share your birthday wishes with these bozos? I am not impressed. I have heard of doing more with less but that is ridiculous.
Yes, I hear the CEOs and VPs saying: "it's not our responsibility to organize cakes and corporate birthday ideas etc., this IS a business you know!" No it isn't, in work-speak, your core business-KPI-Milestone-Blah-Blah.
But think of the return on your small investment in productivity terms.It's part of the culture, your business folk-lore and the smooth running of a social group called a place of business.
And it takes NO EFFORT.
Replacing the Cake Conspiracy
Be mindful of the landscape. Think of call centers. Hard to sing happy birthday to a person who receiving a complaint call.
Surprises are out too. They will be expecting something. And the grapevine no doubt will add to the spilling of the beans. Have you ever tried to act surprised? Not even Jack Nicholson stubbing his toe can act surprised. It's very hard.
So, roll up your sleeves and become...
a Corporate Birthday Ideas Rebel
Onward...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Birthday Rebels include the following:
You make noise quietly.
They really have their finger on the pulse. A good first action could be to lobby staff to Ban the Cake and then go under cover to work your birthday-ops mayhem.
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when t
In any type of business, one of the most important aspects is your employee morale. While this may sound like some type of HR buzzword, it is a vital piece of the puzzle. Unhappy workers produce less work. Not to mention, the quality of the work usually leaves something to be desired. Happy workers produce more quality work. This is a simple fact of the business world. Whether you’re selling vacuum cleaners or doing taxes, unless you are having fun, your work will suffer. This is why it is essential to have corporate fun days in any business.What are corporate fun days? The simple answer is that they are exactly what they sound like…a day where your corporation has fun. Sounds pretty easy, right? Is there a certain formula that should be followed to have a corporate fun
Yes, I hear the CEOs and VPs saying: "it's not our responsibility to organize cakes and corporate birthday ideas etc., this IS a business you know!" No it isn't, in work-speak, your core business-KPI-Milestone-Blah-Blah.
But think of the return on your small investment in productivity terms.It's part of the culture, your business folk-lore and the smooth running of a social group called a place of business.
And it takes NO EFFORT.
Replacing the Cake Conspiracy
Be mindful of the landscape. Think of call centers. Hard to sing happy birthday to a person who receiving a complaint call.
Surprises are out too. They will be expecting something. And the grapevine no doubt will add to the spilling of the beans. Have you ever tried to act surprised? Not even Jack Nicholson stubbing his toe can act surprised. It's very hard.
So, roll up your sleeves and become...
a Corporate Birthday Ideas Rebel
Onward...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Birthday Rebels include the following:
You make noise quietly.
They really have their finger on the pulse. A good first action could be to lobby staff to Ban the Cake and then go under cover to work your birthday-ops mayhem.
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when t
1. Select the right type of recruitment partnerDetermine whether you would be best served by a retained, contingency, contract or research based partner at a global, national or local level.2. Interview recruiters to find the appropriate fitEffective partnerships are built on mutual interests, opportunities, values and performance.3. Treat an interview with a recruiter with the same care and professionalism as a job interviewYou never get a second chance to make a first impression.4. Develop an exclusive relationship with your recruiterMore is not better. Being presented for an opportunity by more then one firm can get you knocked out of consideration.5. Have well developed job search criteriaKnow what you want in a new posit
Replacing the Cake Conspiracy
Be mindful of the landscape. Think of call centers. Hard to sing happy birthday to a person who receiving a complaint call.
Surprises are out too. They will be expecting something. And the grapevine no doubt will add to the spilling of the beans. Have you ever tried to act surprised? Not even Jack Nicholson stubbing his toe can act surprised. It's very hard.
So, roll up your sleeves and become...
a Corporate Birthday Ideas Rebel
Onward...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Birthday Rebels include the following:
You make noise quietly.
They really have their finger on the pulse. A good first action could be to lobby staff to Ban the Cake and then go under cover to work your birthday-ops mayhem.
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when t
Branding has been defined, explained and examined extensively. There are books, articles, publications, seminars, and groups all dedicated to exploring the meaning and use of brand today.Interestingly, with all this wealth of information, some of it developed by the greatest minds in the industry, I still hear "but what is branding?" Considering the multitude of sentences that begin "branding is..." it’s an understandable question. What I believe people are looking for is not another definition, but rather understanding, and an idea of how and why this tool fits into their business.The Brand EquationVisual + Verbal + Experiential = Brand PerceptionWhat you show, what you say and what you do adds up to what people know about you and what they think of your serv
You put your Hand Up.
Showing initiative comes easy to Rebels. So too does ownership. They like doing things for others.
You Challenge the existing power cartels.
Those who don't like social office change OR who think their way is the way will clash with the rebels. Bring it on!
You Engage others.
These rebels have social influence. All you need is 5%!! Once 5% of the staff love the idea, they will convince 20% and the revolution is here!
You Acknowledge and Validate others.
Understand the importance of this. Most business -- in my business coaching experience -- don't get this. They will acknowledge and validate CONDITIONALLY. And they wonder why "good staff are hard to find". Their conditional approach extends to customers too. They treat them well when they have money in hand. And they wonder why the business never seems to have enough customers...always looking for new ones is the sign that the existing ones have been forgotten. No wonder they "walk".
You are Persistent.
Don't allow the "don't make a fuss for me" syndrome to take root.
You know your main mission
...allow the Birthday Celebrations to enhance the work place and take the time to point this out to management.
Other suggestions...
Talk to lots of people every day. Communication is the key.
Build anticipation rather than the surprise.
Public acknowledgement is a good option..20 seconds of standing applause directed at he b-day person is all it takes.
Keep it different and special. Look for ideas and ways to do this. Keep a file. label it: Our Corporate Birthday Ideas
Everyone plays! Everyone! How do you feel when you get left out or forgotten?
Donations to a charity in lieu of a cake. Have a target for the year and celebrate the handing over with the money at a time that is appropriate to the charity. Celebrate that!
Fuzzy Boxes - people get to place an anonymous, caring -- underline caring -- warm fuzzy note in the box. Must be genuine and not a place for romance or abuse. This could be left up all year. The concepts of giving and receiving can be seen in this activity. Those with no messages get perfect feedback. 21C twist? - do it with email and a web page.
Finally...
The birthday culture at work is only a reflection of the other cultures present in the business: Customer Service, Sales and Marketing, Management, Quality Assurance, etc.. With a focus on diversity in world corporations presently, it makes beautiful sense to examine the diversity of how well we manage employees. This is at the heart of the Corporate Birthday Ideas revolution.
If you sign up as a Corporate Birthday Ideas Rebel remember:
...keep your head low, wear a smile and have a few standby candles in the stationery cupboard -- just in case.
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