So I was reading the blog of an Enigin PLC employee the other day ad realized that I really wanted to work for that company. But it also made me realize that in most offices the atmosphere isn’t really that relaxed. Difficult people can be a real challenge to deal with in the workplace. Not only that, but there are different types of difficult people. There is the bossy personality,impolite, argumentative, sneaky, aggressive and demanding personality. These types of people are just the tip of the iceberg. Needless to say, these kind of people can really get under your skin and affect your productivity in the workplace. Fortunately, there are some tips you can follow to get past them and get on with your day.

* Never take it personally. These people are the way they are because of how they were raised and experiences they have dealt with. They are not difficult because of anything you have done so do not let them get to you. Brush them off and realize that there is nothing you can do to change them. Chances are, they are difficult to just about everyone they come in contact with.

* Do not give in to the reaction that difficult people expect you to have. Most difficult people expect you to challenge them or throw a fit of some sort. Give them an opposite reaction instead. Instead, smile and remain calm.

* If you happen to get one of those co-workers who has to have everything better than the next person, instead of showing envy or jealousy, throw them off by congratulating them on having such a wonderful thing. Then smile and get back to work.

* Respond with thought rather than react to difficult people. Responding is when you think out how you will handle the difficult person and their behavior. Reacting is when you fly off the handle and do something without thinking first which normally results in you regretting it later. Count to ten slowly…it really does work.

Difficult people do not need to get in the way of your productivity and they do not need to alter your mood. The choice is yours if you will allow them to do so.

It does not matter where you work, whether it be in an executive office or in a cafe serving hot coffee, you will still have to deal with workplace politics or otherwise known as office politics. Positioning yourself above it and staying ahead is key to surviving in the workplace. Some tips to doing this are as follows:

1. Stay levelheaded when in the office (or workplace). No matter what goes down, staying calm, cool and collected will keep you above it all. When incidents do occur, try to put them in perspective and move on.

2. Be fair with your co-workers, even if you do not like them. Do not be part of the playing favorites game. Everyone is grown up here and everyone should be treated equally. If confrontation does happen, stay diplomatic. Conduct yourself in a respectful manner and be polite and courteous regardless of any personal feelings.

3. Do not take things to heart. Too many times, people either quit or get fired because they take everything that happens in the workplace too personally. Do yourself a favor and do not be one of those types of people. If your boss is giving you constructive criticism, take it just as it was intended to be and use it to learn from and better yourself.

4. Knock heads with the right kind of people. Find that network of allies that you can learn from. This isn’t to say they have to be your friends. They are the people you need around you to provide you will information, connections, experience and resources to move up the ladder.

You do not have to fall trap to office politics. You can be unique and individual and let the others fall trap to it. This will put you above the rest which is key to more recognition, bigger raises and promotions. Plus, the office is a place to work not play romper room, if you want to read some more office stories from the front lines I really recommend that you visit this Enigin site!

One of the biggest clutter problems around are those yellow little sticky notes. Sure, they are convenient, but they can certainly build up. Instead of framing your computer with a row of stickies, get yourself a bulletin board where you can pin them up on. Better yet, get rid of them all together and get yourself a notebook and pen. Use this one notebook to jot down your to do list and other important things you need to focus on. This keeps everything in one spot easier to find. Having a desktop full of notepad documents is just as bad as having those sticky notes, so you should avoid this as well unless you plan on keeping them in one desktop folder.

Remember those things called filing cabinets? They were made for a reason – for you to use them and they work great, actually. Alphabetize and file your important documents, receipts and other paperwork. Nothing is more distracting than a piles of papers all over your desk (except for those sticky notes).

Trays work fabulous when there is a need for paperwork to be on your desk. You can designate trays for different purposes such as an inbox and outbox for mail, catalogs and other items.

Along with paperwork, you should also organize the other clutter such as pens, pencils, paperclips, etc. Get yourself a basket or better yet, a drawer for these items.

An orderly desk free from clutter not only helps to keep you focused on work, but it also prevents unwanted stress. There are many ways you can organize your office. Start by taking some time to get organized and then each day give yourself 15 minutes to put things in their place before you begin your workday.

Also, I feel that I should give a quick shout out to the Office Stories blog at Enigin PLC, it is really great. I find myself looking at it everyday hoping that there are new posts up!

I didn’t really get an answer beyond “it’s smart”.

We don’t have a dress code at work – it really isn’t necessary, we have a uniform anyway and the uniform does not have a tie and indeed would look extremely stupid as is includes a poloshirt anyway. So why does a man turn up wearing a tie?

I have always considered ties as particularly stupid and don’t understand why many people think it is smart to have a piece of, usually bright coloured, material flapping around their neck. Oh I’ve worn them and in fact own probably a good thirty or so but haven’t stuck one on socially for about six years. There are times when I feel compelled to adorn myself with this useless bit of paraphernalia – weddings, funerals and the like – but I only really conform because it is expected.

If I’m asked out socially to a “smart” do I usually wear a casual suit and a poloshirt or polo neck or maybe even a teeshirt – not with a logo! No one ever mentions that I’m not wearing a tie and I have to say that the ladies seem to rather like it, I think it rather sets me apart.

Perhaps that’s it – men who wear ties are doing so to avoid standing out, to blend in with the rest. They are saying – “look, I’m normal, I conform, a member of the gang.” I read “boring”.

Well I’m not and I like it tha way!

And another update, I have finally finished changing the images for the vaser liposuction London webpage. I am a little conflicted how I feel about this one, any criticisms are welcome

We have all at some point been in the position where you have been out the night before, drank too much, and have to come into work the next day. The worst situation is when you know some of your work colleagues know you have been out drinking and you have to hide your hangover. Perhaps it was your birthday, or even an office party, but you need to hide the evidence despite a samba band attempting to play tunes in you head. If this is the case for you, here are some top tips to help you cope.

1. Turn up as early as possible
The last thing you want to deal with is starting the day with your boss shouting at you – so avoid being late with a hangover, if possible. It will also put them off the scent of exactly how bad you are feeling and, if you are early, they are likely to put a lot less pressure on you as they will believe you have come in early as you have so much work to do. If you work in an office where there is flexi-time you will be able to leave early too, which is much better than dragging the day out in pain.

2. Raid the kitchen – drink a lot of coffee and eat biscuits and crisps
Caffeine will help speed up your metabolism and help you process the alcohol remaining in your system more quickly. Sugar from the biscuits, will help break down the alcohol residue, and salt from the crisps will replace salt you have lost from dehydration. Obviously hit the water cooler too to deal with the dehydration and relieve the pain in your head.

3. Grab some documents and go for a walk
If you find yourself losing concentration, pick up a few documents and walk around the office (if its a big office) or to and from the photocopier at a brisk pace. Walking about will boost your metabolism more than sitting at the desk. The documents in your hand will make it look like you are doing something important.

4. Find somewhere to have a nap
If you really feel yourself flagging, then every office has a secret place to have a power nap. If you work in a large firm, you may even be able to book a room, lock the door and have a proper sleep, but even in the smallest company, you can always lock yourself in a toilet cubicle and put your head down on your knees for 10 minutes.

5. Keep smiling
Firstly it will mean your colleagues will not be able to guess how bad your feeling, plus it releases endorphins which reduce pain. If you need a little inspiration, just think of your next three valleys ski holiday…

Good luck!

The world of business can be a precarious place in 2010, and nowhere is more dangerous than the office jungle. Predators are waiting to prey on the vulnerable and ill-prepared and if you’re not ready for them then they can make your working life hell. Well, fear not because I’m here to describe the three main categories of office menace and how you can overcome them!

Office menace number one is The Snitcher! These people are ultra-ambitious and will stop at nothing to ensure that they reach the top of the ladder. The snitcher will appear to keep out of office politics and will never indulge in the general gossip and chit-chat that makes office life bearable, but beware because they are all ears. They will make a mental note of any indiscretion and will use it to their advantage. If somebody has criticised a manager and you later see the snitcher’s fingers flying across his keyboard then you can be sure that he will be sending an email, with as many names and details as possible, to the manager in question. The only way to combat this danger is to know your enemy: you can spot them by their hawk like eyes, their silence during office debates and the little black book that is kept locked in their drawers. Once you have found the snitcher, just make sure that you praise your managers at every opportunity once the snitch is around and who knows, this might make its way back to the powers that be as well! It also helps if the snitcher is convinced (whether true or not) that you have no desire for advancement yourself, if they see you as no threat then they are less likely to target you.

The second menace is The Joker, do not underestimate this danger because behind the jocular exterior he can be as malicious as the snitcher can. The Joker will spend his days mixing coffee with tea, changing the letters around on keyboards and lowering chairs to the floor ready for the unsuspecting victim to sit on them. The Joker is also prone to give offensive and hurtful nicknames to people and will repeat them ad infinitum as the truth about the joker is that he has very little sense of humour at all: he is simply a bully who hides his viciousness behind a fake bonhomie. The only way to beat the joker is to let them know that you are not to be messed with, to beat them at their own game! One way to do this is to set up a false email (you could use googlemail or hotmail for this) in a woman’s name and then send a series of increasingly flirtatious emails to the joker. When you have enough cringeworthy replies from him you can then confront him with the evidence with the implicit threat that you could forward them to his victims; once he realises that he has been out pranked by a master then he will leave you alone.

The third menace comes in the form of The Teacher’s Pet! This menace, as opposed to the snitcher, is not doing this out of any desire for advancement but simply out of an overactive work ethic! They are always the first to volunteer but the danger with the teacher’s pet is that not only do they hate to be doing nothing but they hate to see their colleagues inactive as well. You, like me and any right thinking worker, may wish to spend a quiet day looking at Facebook or throwing virtual paper planes out of a virtual window. If the teacher’s pet is not checked, however, then he will have everybody tidying an already tidy office or repeating work that was done a month previously. To defeat this menace you have to make them feel that you are already working on a secret project that is too important to be torn away from: use your imagine here, the more implausible the better. Your white lies will go unchallenged, as the teacher’s pet does not have the capacity to think that somebody might be deliberately shirking work. Just don’t let them know that your secret project is really selling your spare CD’s on Ebay!

The modern office can be a dangerous environment but by following my tips you can negotiate a stress-free path to another weekend. Now put your feet up and relax, book a bit of ski accommodation if you fancy it, you’ve worked hard enough for one day!

Nothing makes a day at work go more smoothly than being organized. Taking the time to get organized before you start your day will not only help you be more productive, but it will also boost your morale. Below are some tips to organize your workspace so that your workday goes much smoother.

* Clean up that desk of yours. How in the world are you going to expect to get any work done if your desk is piled high with files, folders, books and other clutter. Take the time to clear off your desk. Use your desk drawers to store your stationary, pens, sticky notes and other material. Get yourself some filing cabinets and organize those files and folders.

* Get yourself a professional office planner. Not only does your workspace need to be organized, but so does your appointment book. A professional planner can help with this. This is a great way to keep on top of what you need to attend such as important meetings and business lunches.

* Along with a professional planner, it is a good idea to keep a daily to-do list by your side at all times. Each day before you leave the office to go home, make out your to-do list for the next day and have it waiting for you on your desk. Prioritize it so that your most important tasks are listed first.

* Organize your computer. Yes, even cyber space needs to be cleaned up. Your computer is one of the most important parts of your job in most cases and if your computer desktop is filled with icons, folders and text documents scattered about without any order, this can become quite overwhelming. Create yourself some templates and folders to put your daily, weekly and monthly work in.

These are just a few tips you can follow to organize your workday. The best advice is to always start out fresh each day with a clean desk, clean computer, a daily to-do list and don’t forget that fresh cup of coffee!

I have exciting news for you all, I was chatting to my brother last week and he has just got a amazing new place at an hr software company. Well done Dan

I am not sure why it is, but some people feel the need to be bullies. If you have ever been a victim of this then you will know just how unpleasant it can be. Exactly why some individuals feel it necessary to cause misery for others is a bit of a mystery to me. Bullying has always gone on but that does not mean it is acceptable.

This post is all about different ways of dealing with a bully in the workplace and it gives you several very good pieces of advice. There are a lot more cases of employees being bullied at work than you might think.

One last thing before I run, my slightly quirky boss is on this new craze about a day of team building London. Turns out in a couple of weeks time I will be growing long-lasting work based relationships with all of the people that I go to the office with. Wish me luck everyone (at least I get a paid trip)!

‘Cell Phones at Work’ is right about a few things, but it all depends on where you work. A friend of mine has a job where his boss doesn’t care how much he uses his phone (as long as he still gets his work done).

At my job a cell phone is strictly forbidden. If you are one of the ‘naughty people’ to have one (like myself and almost everyone else) then you have to keep it hidden away in your pocket.

As long as people are not using it all the time then I don’t see a problem with having a phone at work.

So, you have decided to take that plunge and give up that day job for a better life of working from home. The problem is, is it seems that there are just too many distractions to get anything done. Between the children, the housework, the TV, the phone ringing and the Interment, how does one get away from these distractions to get any work done?

The problem with working from home is that many people treat it more like a hobby than they do a job. When working outside the home, you have a certain time that you must punch in to work and a certain time when you can go home. You wouldn’t come in when you feel like it and leave when you want, right? Of course not. That’s a good way to lose your job. So, why not treat your work at home job the same way. Schedule yourself certain hours when you know you are able to work and stick with those hours! Treat your work at home job as you would any other job. After all, this is going to pay your bills so treat it with respect.
The other very dangerous thing that can happen is since you are working online most of the day, there is the distinct possibility that you can get a little bit distracted. For example, I have found myself looking up pre and post op beauty treatments (I am a little bit obsessed with all of those reality shows) and I have found some real winners! Although looking at this tattoo removal before and after pics, I think the bottom one would have been better off just staying with the original tattoo!