Beowulf's Funny New Website

Just in time for the release of the new Beowulf movie with Angelina Jolie a humorous version of Beowulf comes out. It is just like you're sitting around the campfire and Bubba is telling you this age old classic.

www.BeowulfPoem.com

Make Excuses for Being Late a Fun Game

Since the phony excuse (ate bad sushi last night anyone?) is unavoidable, how about making a game out of it?

Give workers 10 to 15 days which they can use for either personal or sick days. Then ask them to come up with the most creative story they can think of when they call in. Legally you probably can't require them to do this, but give them an incentive by making into a contest in which awards are given quarterly for the best tardy/need-to-be-absent lie.

Childish nonsense in the workplace is always a noble aspiration, but turning the excuse game into a real game ties into learning and development. It's a creativity stimulation exercise that could be classified as innovation training. When the mind becomes facile enough to dream up outlandish excuses about meteorites on the front lawn with NASA inspectors on the way to explain a noon arrival, think about what that could do for your business. The cutting-edge product, or avant-garde marketing campaign becomes that much easier to generate.
Acknowledging and laughing at a human foible like the need to push work out of the way on a lazy/hung-over morning, or an overly pretty August afternoon, fosters a more honest office environment. It may encourage employees to be more realistic when discussing deadlines with bosses, or admitting with a self-deprecating laugh that an assignment is beyond their capabilities, and much better suited to the talents of a co-worker.

Read the entire story: http://vnutravel.typepad.com/trainingday/2007/06/late_because.html

For other ideas visit:
www.gamesforbusinessmeetings.com

Your Body Needs A Break Today

According to H and L Office Furniture, your body needs a break. Just like you would in a workout schedule at the gym, you need to mix things up and let the worked-out muscles rest.

Switch the hand you use for the mouse. This will take a little practice at first, but your other hand can learn to use the mouse with a little training, and the break will be appreciated by the hand and wrist accustomed to doing this work.

Set up hotkeys. Many computer programs will allow users to use hotkeys instead of using a number of keystrokes. Such as using Ctrl+P to print instead of having to go through 3-4 other steps to get to the same place.

Switch your position. Take a break from typing to do some filing, sorting, or any other activity. If you do not have any such activity to complete, just take a break for the sake of getting up and moving about.

Stretch. while you are up, and if you can take a brisk walk, even if it is just around the office. It is a way to get blood flowing throughout the body and to let some muscles that have been sitting still too long get moving, while giving a break to the ones you generally use at the desk.

Think of your days work like a workout. Your body does and needs the same kinds of breaks you would give it in the gym.

www.robinthompson.com
www.creditunionfun.com
www.bankingforfun.com
www.gamesforbusinessmeetings.com

What Workers Want

Despite worker shortages throughout North America, a recent survey by international staffing firm Express Personnel Services shows employees today want to stay on the job long-term.

The firm surveyed a cross section of 788 business owners, managers, and employees in a variety of industries throughout the U.S. on their current employment situation. A total of 143 individuals answered the question, "How long do you plan on staying with your current employer?" Nearly half, or 48 percent, say they never plan to leave.

When analyzed by age groups, respondents ages 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 echo that mentality at 54 percent and 63 percent respectively, compared to respondents ages 25 to 34 (27 percent) and 55 to 64 (29 percent).

Maybe people are having more fun at work than what we thought.

www.robinthompson.com
www.creditunionfun.com
www.bankingforfun.com

Qualities of Great Places to Work

Your employees could be smiling--and producing--more, and it doesn't have anything to do with Six Sigma or Lean Management. According to San Francisco-based Great Place To Work Institute, Inc., the happiest workforces are also some of the most successful. Speaking at the Human Resources Forum, aboard The Norwegian Dawn last week, Jennifer Robin, Ph.D., consultant for the institute, and her colleague, business development manager Meghan Johle, offered "Great Workplace" pointers:

· The best workplaces are supported by: a strong commitment from the CEO and senior management to preserve the corporate culture; a genuine belief that workers are indispensable to the success of the business; active community forums between employees and managers; and the perception of a "special and unique culture."

· At these "Great Places," everybody knows his or her responsibility and acts on it.

· If greatness still eludes you, start by focusing on what you already do well for your employees, and do more of it. If your CEO needs to be convinced to be part of the effort, figure out what he or she most likes to do. If he or she is a people person who likes to interact, explain how the plan will include regular live forums with workers.

· Show your CEO how a great office links up with profit, customer experience, and adding to the bottom line, but also point out that the advantages of a happy work environment are incalculable. "Numbers are one thing, but they are not what moves people," Robin says of making your case to management. "It's the emotion of the fundamental belief in a better way."

www.robinthompson.com
www.creditunionfun.com
www.bankingforfun.com

Training for Senior Management

Senior management is the least likely, of all corporate staff levels, to receive training and development, according to a survey of 2,000 human resources and training and development executives by Boston-based Novations Group. Ninety percent of first-line managers will receive training this year, but only 59 percent of senior executives will.

For fun training ideas go to: www.creditunionfun.com

Leading Organizational Concern for 2007

Findings released last week by The Ken Blanchard Companies annual Corporate Issues Survey cite increased competition and escalating challenges in attracting and retaining talent as the leading organizational concern in 2007. Top employee development challenges for the year include developing managerial and supervisory skills, building customer relationship skills, and executive development.

www.robinthompson.com