Your Employee Matters

A workplace dress code creates a standard, professional appearance for employees who interact with the public. It can also ensure safety. Whether you can wear casual clothes, must dress up or receive a uniform, here are a few things you should know about your workplace dress code.

Dress Code Laws

Several federal and state anti-discrimination laws affect the dress code employers can implement. In general, dress codes cannot discriminate anyone based on:

Religion

Certain religious apparel is allowed in the workplace, but your company may restrict what you wear. Ask your boss to accommodate your religious beliefs. In cases, especially where safety is involved, you may be unable to wear your particular religious garment. Ask your religious leader for an exemption that allows you to work without it. If you are unable to get an exemption, ask your boss for a different position. He or she is required to explore all possible options before firing you.

Race

All dress codes should be nondiscriminatory to every race. Your employer cannot ask you to shave your beard or cut dreadlocks, for example, unless there is a safety or other essential business reason for doing so.

Disability

Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for disabled employees.

Gender

Any dress code guidelines can be different for men and women. However, it cannot give one gender significant employment advantage, inhibit equal employment access between genders or deny employment to men or women. For example, if your employer allows women to wear earrings, it must allow men to wear earrings too or ban earrings.

Sexual

Ensure your dress code does not promote sexual harassment. It cannot allow men to wear revealing clothing but discourage women from doing so, and dress code memos or the section of the employee handbook cannot show pictures of specific employees violating the dress code.

Certain Restrictions

There are several specific restrictions your employer may require.
Slogans or pictures – no political or religious slogans, advertisements or nude or semi-nude pictures on clothing
Rips, tears and holes in clothing
Baggy clothing
Sweat suits, yoga pants, jeans or other casual attire
Revealing attire, including open cropped shirts, shorts and see-through material
Footwear that’s loose, has a wedge or high heel or is slippery
Socks and other hosiery
Gang attire
Jewelry
Grooming
Check your employee handbook for more details on your company’s dress code. It should include specific restrictions and requirements as well as information on how your company will handle violations. Then follow the dress code as you preserve a safe, uniform and professional atmosphere.

The professional references you include on your resume should be people who can give you a positive referral. You may think your former bosses, supervisors or managers are on the same page with you, but what happens if they don’t have your best interests in mind? Use several tips to make sure you and your professional references are on the same page.

Ask For Their Permission

Before including anyone one your reference list, ask for permission. The people you think will give you a referral may not want that responsibility.

Make Sure They’re Available

Always verify availability with your references before you list them on your resume. You don’t want to list a referral who has switched jobs or is too busy to talk to hiring managers. Be sure to get accurate contact information before you include a reference on your resume, too.

Remind Potential References of Who You Are

Your former boss may have helped to shape your career, but you could be one of thousands of employees he or she managed. Reintroduce yourself to ensure you receive an accurate referral. You can schedule a quick meeting, chat via Skype or forward supporting documents, including your resume, current job description, work history, strengths and future goals, via email as you make sure your reference knows you now.

Share the Key Facts of the Job

Let’s say you worked in sales but are now applying to be a manager. Your reference may answer questions based on your sales ability and totally skim over your managerial skills. Tell your potential references about the job for which you are applying, share a copy of the job description and outline the reasons why you’re right for the position so that they understand how to answer questions from potential employers.

Find Out Where You Can Improve

Many hiring managers want to know the flaws of potential employees. Discuss the areas in which you need improvement with your references in advance. You don’t want a reference to hurt your chances of landing a job because they share a long list of shortcomings.

Reply in a Timely Manner

It’s unrealistic to expect a reference to reply immediately after receiving a phone call, email or online survey from a hiring manager, but that person does need to reply in a timely manner. If he or she delays too long, you could lose your chances of getting the job. When you talk to your reference, tactfully remind him or her that you appreciate their prompt response.

In a world of Twitter, Facebook and texting, email has taken a back seat. However, it’s still an important communication tool for working relationships. Understand the basics of how to write a professional email as you stay connected at work.

Use a Proper Salutation

From the beginning of your email, establish that you are a person who understands courtesy and manners. To do that, address emails with the recipient’s name. An example salutation is “Dear Ms. or Mr. Last Name.”

Request Rather Than Demand

It’s easy to use email to demand things from others. Consider requesting rather than demanding, though, as you keep your professional relationship and collaborative reputation intact. Instead of writing, “Place the report on my desk by five”, write, “Please give me the report this afternoon.”

Watch Your Tone

Written words are easy to misinterpret since you can’t hear someone’s voice or see their facial expressions. While you can’t always predict when someone will misinterpret your email, you can read it before you hit send. Cut curse words and inflammatory language, and if the tone could be construed as sarcastic, rude, bossy or anything less than professional and courteous, rewrite it.

Proofread

Spelling, grammar and punctuation don’t always matter in personal communications, but they are essential for professional emails. Use complete sentences and proofread your emails carefully before you send them. If you’re not skilled in this area, spend time learning the rules or ask a co-worker to help you edit.

Maintain Privacy

In your rush to make a sale or handle an issue, you may include sensitive information in the email or cc information that should remain private. Be sure to respect the recipient by not sharing his or her email address without permission or including an outsider in a private conversation.

Follow Up in a Timely Manner

An email overload may cause you to delay responding. Quick replies can improve your reputation, though, and symbolize that you value your teammates and customers. Set time aside each day to read and reply immediately to email. If you need more time to find an answer, let the person know and then be sure to follow up.

Remember That Email is Forever

Before you hit send on any email, remember that it is permanent. You can delete it, but the recipient may not. Take a minute before sending an email and only send it if you’re okay with it going public.

Remember your manners when you write email, and invest in your career and reputation.

Getting laid off from your job is stressful. Sometimes, you don’t know when a layoff is coming, but if you have advance warning, take seven preparative steps.

1. Update Your Resume

   If it’s been a while since you’ve updated your resume, make time to do it now. Add any job responsibilities, new skills and other employment details that showcase your current professional abilities.

2. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

   Many employers use LinkedIn to check the job qualifications of prospective employees. Update your profile so that it complements your resume, and add any links, work samples or other materials that support your professional experience and qualifications. You should also connect with colleagues and managers from your current job so that you can contact them for job recommendations or referrals later.

3. Improve Your Professional Skills

   Now’s a great time to improve your marketability and expand your skills. Finish any certification classes or skill-training programs in your field or take an online course and become skilled at marketing, Excel, Photoshop or other skills that can help you land a new job.

4. Negotiate

   Even though you face a layoff, you could have room to negotiate. Read your company handbook or employee agreement to find information about severance packages and negotiate a beneficial financial payout. You may also be able to negotiate for a partial paycheck or to retain other benefits even though you’re no longer working.
   
   

5. Continue to Work Hard

   You may be tempted to complain and rant against your employer because of the upcoming layoff, but choose to work hard, cooperate with others and remain professional. Your attitude could help you find favor with your bosses, postpone your layoff, land you a different position or  paves the way for a good referral for a new job.

6. Increase Emergency Savings

   Because you won’t have a regular income, boost your emergency fund savings now. Set up automatic transfers from your paycheck into your savings account, sell anything you don’t need, stop using your credit cards and don’t make any major purchases. You can also examine your family’s budget and cut as many expenses as possible.
   
   

7. Stay Positive During Your Job Search

   When you face a layoff, you may feel yourself becoming angry, stressed or depressed. Give yourself permission to mourn your job loss then focus on your skills and experience as you stay positive while filling out applications, preparing for interviews and looking for a new position.

A layoff is challenging, but you can successfully navigate the challenge with these seven tips. Discuss additional options with your Human Resources manager before you are laid off.

Work can be miserable when you and your boss don’t get along. Disagreements can be minor and easily resolved, ongoing personality differences or long-term disagreements that are not resolved. Here are a few tips you can try when you and your boss disagree.

Remain Professional

Despite your differences, always remain professional toward your boss, co-workers and job. Continue to do your best work, and don’t badmouth your boss to anyone.

Perform Self-Reflection

It’s tempting to blame your boss entirely for disagreements, but look at yourself first.

• Pinpoint how you feel when you interact with your boss and what happens to make you feel upset.
• Honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses. In some cases, you may be responsible for some of the conflict because you procrastinate or don’t delegate enough.
• Ask for feedback.  Your co-workers, teammates and boss can tell you when you’re slacking or being bossy or if it’s an issue like work style that causes conflict.

Use that data from your self reflection to find patterns of behavior or ongoing issues and to make a plan to address and resolve the issues in your control.

Meet With Your Boss

After you assess your behavior and responsibility, meet with your boss. Ask your boss where you fit in with the team and what personal issues cause problems. Remain humble, not confrontational, too, as you seek to understand and resolve any issues. If you can’t find a resolution, take a break to re-assess and schedule another meeting.

Meet With HR

Despite your best efforts, you may find that you and your boss are still unable to get along. That’s when you can schedule a meeting with Human Resources. Share the facts about the disagreement and what you’ve done to address the issue then brainstorm solutions.

Manage Your Stress

Work challenges can create incredible stress in your work and home life. Take time to manage the stress in positive ways. Look for things to be thankful for at work, exercise, meditate, sleep and eat a balanced diet as you protect your mental health and physical well-being.

Walk Away

In the worst case scenario, you and your boss may be unable to come to a resolution, and you may need to walk away for your mental health. Apply for a transfer to a different department or take another job with a different company. If you switch jobs, consider asking someone other than your boss to be a reference for you, and don’t badmouth your boss during job interviews.

When you feel stuck at a job you hate, it’s easy to focus on your misery. You may even be tempted to switch jobs. Before you find yourself stressed out, unemployed or burning important professional bridges, though, consider taking these steps.

1. Determine what needs to change.

   Maybe a different boss, easier clients or a raise would help you be happy at work. Maybe you’re tired of the commute, itching to climb the ladder or perturbed by a co-worker. Identify the cause of your frustration as you figure out exactly what you don’t like about your job.

1. Be clear about what’s important to you.

   Your job frustration could stem from the fact that you’re not getting something that’s important to you. For instance, maybe you value work/life balance but work a lot of overtime. By determining what’s important to you, you can decide if you can live with your job or if you need to find something new.

1. Talk to someone you trust.

   Sometimes, it’s difficult to see a situation clearly. Confide in a trusted friend or mentor and get a different perspective on your job situation.

1. Make changes.

   Perhaps the problem with your job is the commute. Can you alter your work schedule to avoid rush hour traffic or work from home? A simple solution may be exactly what you need to find job satisfaction again.

1. Be discreet.

   Misery loves company, but try to keep your job displeasure to yourself. If you share with co-workers, you potentially jeopardize your job. Plus, complaining never makes any situation better.

1. Start looking for a job.
   
   Rather than wait until you’re absolutely sure you should quit your current job, start a job search now. You might end up finding something with a shorter commute, better work hours or hands-off manager. Simply searching job postings online can help jumpstart a new career you love.

1. Find something new before you quit.

   No matter how much you hate your job, don’t quit until you secure another job. It’s easier to get a job while you’re still employed, and it’s almost always better to receive a paycheck from a job you hate rather than be unemployed.

1. Preserve your bridges.

   Your future success could depend on the relationships you have at work now. As an example, you need your current employer to give you a good reference. Be careful about how you act and don’t burn your bridges.

How many hours a week do you spend in your car, in the air or riding a bike, bus, train or ferry to work? The average commute is 25.5 minutes, so whether you drive, ride, walk or fly, your commute could total nearly five hours a week. Consider several tips that help you maximize that time.

Read

Catch up on the latest novels, current events or stock prices when you read. Keep a magazine in your briefcase, download a book to your phone or grab a paper at the corner store and enjoy personal or professional reading on your way to and from work.

Write

On your laptop, in your journal or on notebook paper, write a novel, thank you notes or emails. You can also type to-do lists, note ways to grow your business or outline professional goals. If you’re driving, consider software that types as you talk, allowing you to write hands-free.

Plan

Open your calendar and spend a few minutes planning your day, week, month and year. Jot down important business meetings, family events and personal obligations. You can also plan dinner reservations for client meetings, your next vacation or your menu for the week.

Connect

It’s tempting to stay to yourself during your commute, but the person sitting next to you could be your next client, co-worker or friend. Consider connecting with the people around you as you commute.

Call

Sometimes, there simply is not time during the day to call potential clients, current customers or even your mom. If you’re not the vehicle operator, use your commute to make calls or send texts.

Learn

You could learn a new language, enhance your business acumen or uncover the mysteries of ancient civilizations on your way to work. Simply download podcasts, listen to CDs or tune into a university website.

Exercise

Walk or bike to work, and you automatically get a workout. If you ride, stomp your feet, squeeze your abdominal muscles or stretch as you keep your body moving.

Nap

Unless you’re driving, consider taking a nap. Even a little shut eye can refresh and rejuvenate you for your work day or family responsibilities after work.

Meditate

Sometimes, stress from daily life, a big meeting or a recent mistake can be overwhelming. Focus your mental energy when you meditate. It can be as simple as turning off the radio and listening to the silence, repeating your favorite mantra aloud or in your mind or tuning into your favorite meditation channel.

The majority of job applications today are completed online. It’s easy to simply enter your information, upload your resume and hit send. What happens to your personal information, though? If someone accesses your full name, social security number, address and work details, they could steal your identity. Keep yourself safe when you take several precautions.

1. Don’t apply for bogus jobs.

   People do list bogus jobs with the sole purpose of gaining access to your personal information. Legitimate jobs will include details about the hiring company, job position and job description. Always confirm that the ad is for an actual job opening before you apply.

1. Use reputable job boards.

   There are hundreds of job boards online, but do your homework before you create accounts. Find out who owns the site, identify who has access to your information and read the comprehensive privacy policy. If you can’t find this information, don’t use that job board.

1. Never share your personal information.

   To apply for a job, you have to share your name and phone number as well as job history. However, no potential employer should ask for your Social Security number, birth date, gender or race. You also should never be required to provide bank account information, a credit card number, your mother’s maiden name or your passwords. While you will need to provide your Social Security number for a background or credit check, do not provide that information until after the interview when you verify that you are interested in the job.

1. Use secure online sites only.

   When you apply for a job online, take a look at the address bar before you hit send. Do you see a lock symbol in front of the URL? If so, the site is secure. Don’t apply for the job if it’s not secure.

1. Use a strong password.

   Whether you create an account on a job search site or apply for a job online, use a strong password. It should not be a password you use for another site, and don’t choose anything that’s easy to guess or hack.

1. Give your application to the right person.

The presidential election is approaching fast, and every newscast features some type of discussion or ad related to the candidates. Instead of changing the channel, consider tuning in. You could learn a few tips from political campaigns that help your job search succeed.

1. Be Friendly

   Rarely will you see a political candidate frown. That’s because they know they need to be friendly. So smile, make eye contact, use your manners and call people by the right name when you print resumes, talk to hiring managers and interview for jobs. These actions show that you’re friendly, likeable and nice, and they attract people as you demonstrate that you’re a team player.

1. Keep it Simple

   Of course you are familiar with product names and technical acronyms associated with your industry, but you risk turning off hiring managers who is not familiar with those terms. Stick with simple language on your resume and during interviews as you share your skills and wow potential employers.

1. Enlist Superdelegates

   Every successful job search is achieved with help from a team. Ask former co-workers to be a reference, ask friends to share potential job openings, and ask a career center to proofread your resume. All of these people can support your job search, boost your morale and help you land a job.

1. Answer Questions

   Some job interview questions are hard, including why you left your previous job or why there are gaps in employment. Anticipate the tough questions and prepare answers that are direct. Skirting issues only shows that you are not trustworthy or ready to tackle tough challenges at work.
   
   

1. Use Social Media

   In addition to finding jobs on social media sites, you can use Google Plus, Twitter and LinkedIn to build your brand and image. Share relevant news articles, discuss trends and talk about your opinions as you gain credibility it the field, engage your audience and stay visible to potential employers.

1. Share a Short Message

   You are passionate about your experience and may even have a vision for what you want to do in a new position, but use fewer words not more. A short message is more likely to hold a hiring manager’s attention and allows everyone to get a turn to talk during interviews.

1. Be Trustworthy

   Employers are looking for team members who tell the truth, follow ethical behavior and live with integrity. Tell the truth about your qualifications and during interviews as you demonstrate your trustworthiness.

Federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of their age. Multi-generational hiring has benefits beyond legal ones, though. Understand these benefits as you find the right talent for your company.

Appreciate a Range of Skill Sets

Employees in different age groups approach work with different skill sets. Mature employees who have been working in their field for years have learned a variety of tricks and tips. Young employees are typically skilled with new technology. Together, they offer a well-rounded wealth of skills that benefit the company.

Embrace all Aspects of Technology

Young employees grew up with electronics and know how to use social media platforms, webcasting and iPhones. Mature employees may not be as well versed in modern technology. Your diverse workforce can teach each other the benefits of being online and going offline once in awhile, and they have the capability of reaching a diverse audience of customers, including those who are tech savvy and the ones who are not interested in using a computer of any kind.

Share Different Traditions

Your business may have customers who value a personal visit or don’t get online. Mature employees grew up in that generation and understand the needs of those customers. Likewise, today’s generation values being part of social change, and your young employees understand this outlook. Together, your workforce expands their reach and values the traditions of all your customers.

Ensure Company Continuity

Reduce the risk of becoming obsolete, running out of skilled workers or losing your company’s history when you employ members of several generations. Older employees can train younger employees and pass down their years of experience. They also prepare the next generation to keep the company in business and to honor the values on which the business was founded after the older generation retires.

Develop an Effective Mentoring Program

Mature and young employees need each other. They can learn a number of skills from each other and will grow as employees and individuals. By pairing two generations of workers, you start a mentoring program that benefits your workers and company.

Stay Competitive

Every day, your company faces stiff competition for your customers’ attention and dollars. To stay competitive, you need a multi-generational workforce. They combine their experience, talents and skills to reach a wider range of customers, offer unique customer service and use the newest technology. Enjoy a competitive edge with a diverse employee base.