The University of South Florida published a 2011 study in 2011 highlighting work productivity. On average, Americans get 14 days of vacation but use about 10. Those unused days over 5 years is equivalent to a work month. Work productivity impacts us all. As civil servants, we are a customer-focused team. To be transparent, IRead… Read more »
“Nature gives us many free “gifts” we take for granted: clean air and water; beautiful surroundings. What do some of us give back in return? Intentional or not, our gift(s) may be …pollution!”
When people hear the word “portfolio,” too often they immediately begin to see dollar signs. With Wallstreet garnering attention from news headlines to Hollywood films, it is understandable. However, your Financial Portfolio isn’t your organization’s most important portfolio. That honor resides with your IT Portfolio.
We’ve all been there: the interminable meeting. The second hand on the clock quickly eclipses the minute hand; the minute hand painstakingly defies logic and stands still. Conversation circles around the nebulous “point” of the meeting. Eyes turn to phones with less and less discretion as time ticks by. Action items are recorded but neverRead… Read more »
Before beginning my detail here at the beginning of July, I had visions of what it would be like working at the Innovation Lab at the Office of Personnel Management (also known as the Lab at OPM). I had been to its ‘Introduction to Human-Centered Design’ training, and I had reveled in the couches, whiteRead… Read more »
Stress in the workplace is always a hot topic. The normal day to day pressures of the job along with the new accepted norm of doing more with less has taken the expectation of performing under pressure to new levels.When I was looking for real solutions on how to handle stress in the workplace IRead… Read more »
Somedays, don’t you just wish you had a magic wand that would make everything better with the people you work with? A magic formula, a secret potion that would make the work go better, and your working relationships run smoother? Guess what? There is! One of the simplest yet most effective practices to improve yourRead… Read more »
We’ve all thrown money away on outlandish purchases. As a freshman in college, I was a student worker earning minimum wage. Naturally, I thought spending a cool $500 on skateboarding sneakers was reasonable. I did not skate, mind you, but that’s beside the point. My supervisor at the time, perhaps sensing a perilous financial future,Read… Read more »
In case you missed it, NBC’s Parks and Recreation aired its final episode this year after seven seasons of inspirational and hilarious tales of city government workers in small-town America. Leslie Knope (as played by Amy Poehler) – my favorite character and one of my government heroes – is the Deputy Director of the ParksRead… Read more »
As 2015 graduates enter the workforce this summer, let’s talk about a contentious topic: the unpaid internship. There are a myriad of opinions for and against unpaid internships, and there are compelling arguments for each position. While interns gain industry experience that could possibly result in fulltime employment, the unpaid aspect can seem exploitative. Indeed,Read… Read more »