A common characteristic of all successful companies is that they know how to attract and retain an engaged and qualified work force. Mentoring is one tool they use to ensure their employees are constantly learning to facilitate improved performance across the board. Below are several benefits of building and implementing a strong and effective workplaceRead… Read more »
“Wow. You know you’ve made it when you get to work from home,’” my sister told me. I’ll be the first to admit that I was very excited about the idea of teleworking; I made sure to have all of my paperwork turned in so I could start as soon as I was allowed. ThatRead… Read more »
Conflict is a normal part of human nature, so it’s not surprising that we find it in the workplace. It’s probably even less surprising that it emerges when applying human-centered design (HCD). Just think about it – human-centered design is a very different way of working for most people. Many find its application uncomfortable inRead… Read more »
Writing a column for women in government means I spend a lot of time on the Internet, looking for inspiration, news, and advice for ladies. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of online resources out there dedicated to female public servants (hence, why we created GovFem!). However, there is an abundance of websites dedicated to women’sRead… Read more »
Looking for a new job, concerned about a potential lay-off, wanting to reconnect with old colleagues, or have an amazing new idea you want to get supporters for? You’ve been told you’re “supposed” to network, but how to do it without coming off like some type of slimy salesperson? Building your professional relationships – often known as networkingRead… Read more »
When the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) urged D.C. federal agencies to let employees work from home during the Pope’s visit from September 22–24, the idea threw many govies into ecstasy. While government will officially be open for business, the OPM is encouraging “workplace flexibility options” like telework or a day off so they don’t add to the expected holy mayhem. Many agenciesRead… Read more »
At a recent professional networking group event one of the other members asked me if I could tell him about organizations like the Federal Communicators Network (FCN). By way of background, FCN is a listserv that communicators in the federal government use to exchange ideas about the field of communications. The group, which also hostsRead… Read more »
Before my current state government position supporting AmeriCorps programs, I spent two years working as a community development consultant in Madagascar, the large island off the southeast coast of Africa. While living and working in Madagascar — a country and culture so different from our lives here in America — I learned a lot about perspective. And perspectiveRead… Read more »
We’ve all said at some point we wish that we had more time in the day. Chances are we would put more on our plate and complain about the same issue. Time is a commodity. Everyone has 24 hours in a day-how you spend them makes the difference. Invest some of my spare time workingRead… Read more »
We disagree with things people say or do all the time. At work we may disagree with a method, an outcome, a piece of data, a decision, what is said, or how something is said. We shouldn’t be afraid to disagree; it is a natural part of good communication. Topics of great importance inspire passionateRead… Read more »