Hello 2009, I feel I better enjoy you while I can before you go by as fast as 2008 did. Today is my first normal week back at work and I actually have stuff I need to do again! My boss is also back after a two week vacation but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence, right?
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This has nothing to do with nothing, I just couldn’t help myself.
(Random fan girl squeals) I love a hot guy with a gun, and Keifer Sutherland is hawt.
I know that its been killing you. You desperately want us, the HR bloggers of the world, prognosticators that we are, to tell you what we see happening in 2009.
Well, you can finally feel some relief because Lance from the Your HR Guy blog has brought together all those predictions into one handy blog post that you can find here. And yes, I also threw my own psychic (not really) hat into the ring for this one, so be sure to check it out! And if that isn’t enough for you, be sure to check out the other two parts of his 2009 prediction posts-o-rama here and here!
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For someone who really likes goals and planning, you’d think I would like making new year’s resolutions, right? Actually no, I don’t like resolutions. Resolutions are crutches, things you say to make you feel like you are going to take positive steps in the coming year when everyone, including yourself, know they are empty words. Resolutions are about things you should be doing right now, yesterday, or even years ago, but still haven’t managed to get around to. Resolutions rarely last beyond the first month.
That’s why I like goals. Good goals have structure, are attainable, and have clearly defined steps that lead to accomplishment. Resolutions are open ended promises to get in shape, stop smoking, etc. with no follow through. Goals require thought and planning, not just societal pressure to conform to what’s “normal”. Goals can be set up at any time and don’t require you to wait until the new year to make them.
So, before 2009 is upon us, take some time to think about your future. What do you want to accomplish, where do you want to be, and who do you want to be. Then write down specific goals, time limits, and the steps you need to take to get there. Write down how you will define success. That way when February rolls around you won’t be lamenting to your friends how you’ve fallen off the resolution wagon, you’ll be too busy obtaining something real.
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I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season (see how PC I’m being?). For those of you that celebrate it, here’s some Santa cheer to get you into the holiday spirit!
Bow down, bow down, before the power of Santa! Or be crushed, be crushed, by his jolly boots of doom!
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I walk into the office this morning and the receptionist tells me we have a meeting with the boss in 10 minutes. Uh oh. That’s not good. A first thing in the morning, no warning meeting is not the best way to start the day. As I walk to my office I pass whole departments heading into conference rooms. Uh oh. I’m starting to regret eating breakfast now because my stomach is clenching painfully. As I anxiously wait in my office, I gather together the Christmas presents I was going to hand out today. If we are having a meeting anyway I might as well give them out while we are together. I see co-workers doing the same. A small way to mitigate the bad with some good I suppose.
Finally, 20 minutes late I might add, the boss is ready and conveys the news: All merit pay increases scheduled for 2009 are being canceled and no one will receive an increase throughout 2009 in order to be fair. Additionally, the company will still be doing performance based bonuses for most associates and management will be given their bonus in stock, not cash. First reaction, relief that I’m not being laid off. Second reaction, happy I’ll still likely get a bonus. Third reaction, sad realization that I won’t be up for a raise again until January 2010.
A co-worker asks why we still have a performance based bonus program. Should we let that go because of the economy? I chime in that the economy will not always be bad. We don’t want to fundamentally change the culture of the company now just because times are tough. We still want to reward people for their hard work and when things get better, and if the company survives, we are going to still want that in place. That earns me a smile and agreement from the boss. We end the meeting with doughnuts and a present exchange.
Now, I’m a little sad and a little worried. I could have used a raise and I do deserve one. But I still have a job and I’m certainly not alone in this. Does this make me more inclined to look for a new job? Yes. Am I desperate to leave? No, things aren’t quite that bad yet. This company has always been very open and honest with it’s employees and I appreciate that. So that is why I am being forcibly positive right now and looking for ways to cheer myself up. Which is why I went and found the clip below and would like to share it with you, my dear readers.
I have spent many a year planning and coordinating holiday and associate appreciation events. I’m good at event planning and it’s mostly something I enjoy. It’s nice to see your hard work pay off in such a tangible way and it’s a good creative outlet. Additionally, you can learn a lot from it, both bad and good.
Here are some notable lessons I have learned over time:
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Today is my birthday and I thought I would share the love with a special video clip from one of my favorite animes, Azumanga Daioh. It’s a weird and funny slice-of-life anime that follows the adventures of a group of girls throughout high school in Japan.
Yes, you can feel creeped out now.
The latest HR Carnival is now up over at HR Thoughts and I remembered to send in a submission this time! Aren’t you proud of me? I’m proud of me. Now, I just need to be consistent. Much easier said than done.
Check out the Carnival here, there’s always something new and a new blogger to discover!
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J. William Tincup is doing something really cool over at his JPIE blog. For the whole month of December he will be profiling different Human Capital bloggers. Naturally, I wanted to jump in on this as well because it’s fun and I get to hang with the cool kids. And, well, it’s also all about me. (I’m not really this narcissistic, I swear).
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Dude, I so need the 2009 Demotivator calendar from Despair.com. I need it so very, very badly.
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Breanne at the MBTI Blog, has a great post up about what candidates would do that annoyed her as a recruiter. It’s an awesome list, and I think you should go check it out. Some of the items on the list got me thinking about why they are annoying (besides the obvious, I mean). The reason wearing too much perfume or having a sloppy appearance annoys recruiters is because they are distracting. It takes the focus away from you and your abilities and puts it squarely on something negative.
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Last year, I bought some small gifts for my co-workers for Christmas. I didn’t spend more than $10 on anyone and since I really only had 4 people to buy stuff for, it wasn’t a big deal. I know how much I love presents, so I like giving them to others as well. But this year, I found myself hesitating a little. I’m cutting back on holiday spending anyway and I was wondering if I shouldn’t just cut that out as well. I don’t think anyone would blame me if I did.
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Taking a cue from William Uranga (FOT and Talent Alchemy) I will try and do my part to help someone out in these tough economic times. And the blackmail Erik has on me has nothing to do with it, I swear.
Meet Erik Hare. Consultant, published writer, blogger, and chemical engineer with extensive experience utilizing the Internet and social media for the benefit of non-profits and small business. Erik is looking for a more stable, full time position (i.e. a “real” job) where he can leverage his diverse experience and you know you are interested.
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Last night I realized that since I’ve gone over 100 posts that means I am now eligible for syndication. Or is that only for TV Shows? Anyway, you know what happens after a show has been on air this long… that’s right, they do a clip show! I know what you’re thinking, HR Minion was feeling lazy and didn’t feel like doing a normal post. Well, you know what smarty pants… you might be right. Regardless, here we are.
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So how many of you just want to smack me for using the worn out phrase “just do it”? A few of you I bet. I know I’d want to. After all, you probably have enough to worry about right now than have some pesky minion like me bugging you about what you should or should not be doing. I understand.
Right now, I find myself at the intersection of my goals and my limitations. I have bills to pay, a dirty house to clean, studying for the PHR to start, and I’m wanting to learn both Mandarin and Japanese, to name just a few things on my to do list. Not to mention spending time with the Husband, the pets, and myself. It’s so much easier to just slack off, make a few New Year’s resolutions that I won’t have to think about for another month, and focus on planning what I should do.
I’m not saying planning is bad, I love planning and organizing, but after a certain point it just becomes a means to procrastinate. Suck it up and take action. I have things I need to do, NOW, if I want to attain the goals I have set for myself. I’m big on goals, I love them as much as I love planning. But goals mean nothing if you never do anything to achieve them.
Want a new job but afraid of the weak economy? That doesn’t mean you can’t start looking and building your professional network. Want to make improvements to your department but worried about instability? Start making the changes you can now and demonstrate innovation. Thinking about going back to school but unsure of what you could do or the time commitment? Set up informational interviews with the program advisers to get a more realistic picture. Just do… something.
I have found that action is the best cure for indecision and worry. Once I’m on a path, even if it turns out to be wrong, I’m still in a much better position than I was when I was not doing anything. And don’t think this is some self-righteous grandstanding on my part either. This post is directed at my lazy minion behind as much as it is to you. Sometimes you have to make a public declaration in order to hold yourself accountable. So I will now consider myself on notice, how about you?
BTW: I’m giving people till Wed. Dec. 3rd to submit suggestions for my 2009 work goals and then I will be making a decision. Be sure to check out the comments here and submit a suggestion. My love and a $15 Starbucks Gift Card await the winner.
The newest Carnival of HR is up now at Fortify your Oasis. Be sure to grab your knife and fork and dig into this special Thanksgiving edition here.
And yes, I suck yet again and forgot my submission.
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I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow (for those of you who celebrate it that is)! Eat lots of turkey, take a bunch of naps, and think of all the good things in your life. For now, here’s a little something to make you smile.
I was the turkey all along!
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I know that people consider work/life balance to be increasingly important. I can appreciate that. I know that I enjoy a job with flexibility. But some jobs don’t allow for that kind of freedom. It sucks, but that’s the way it goes. If you don’t like it, find another line of work. So I’m sure it won’t come as any surprise that I can’t stand when someones strive for more life and less work means more work for me.
Let me explain. My company has a call center on site and if you’ve ever worked with a call center, you know how restrictive it can be. Most employees know this and work with it. But some just don’t have the work ethic. And when everything in your life is more important than your job, you’re going to end up creating more work for me. Whether it’s disciplinary meetings, invalid worker’s compensation/FMLA claims, dispute mediation, or even unemployment appeals, your life is getting in the way of my work. When you try to game the system or test limits at work it inevitably leads to problems for me.
A 7 minute grace period on tardies does not mean you can roll in 2-5 minutes late each day and not be in trouble. A doctor’s appointment does not mean you are automatically excused from work and making unsubstantiated worker’s compensation claims won’t change that either. It’s not your supervisors job to make sure your shift is covered. Life happens, I know, but not every week. And if you do have that much drama in your life and need some help, why aren’t you taking advantage of the Employee Assistance Program I keep talking to you about? Honestly, sometimes I think I should change this blogs tag line to “I may be a minion but I’m not your mother so take some ownership over your own career and stop bugging me”.
Work shouldn’t be the only thing you care about. But it can’t be the last thing on your list of priorities either. Get over it, take some responsibility over your life, and for crying out loud stop making me clean up after you. I have holiday decorations to put up in the break room today.
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