ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > July
July 2008
Are you a cyberslacker?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to a recent study on the frequency of cyberslacking, sneaking in some personal Internet time while on the job may not be all bad.
The study, which was published in the June 2008 issue of the CyberPsychology and Behavior journal, indicates that everyone at work is guilty of checking personal email and doing other non-related work tasks via the Internet, including your boss. But the study suggests that the majority of people aren’t really slackers, and employers who permit their staff to efficiently handle a few personal errands online allows them to return their focus to their jobs quicker than if they are forced to go offsite to handle such tasks.
Do you consider yourself a cyberslacker? What do you use your company’s Internet connection for? (Don’t worry- you will remain anonymous.) Do you feel guilty about surfing the web on the company’s time?
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Show off your workspace!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Are you obsessively organized or just plain messy? Send us photos of your cubicle, office or workspace and let others see how you live on the job. We want to see the neat freaks, the paper hoarders and those with themed workspaces.
Does your co-worker’s cubicle drive you crazy with its tropical theme or collection of beanie babies? Make your workspace fashion crime reports here (but if you submit a photo of a co-worker’s “scene of the crime”, make sure you have their permission or we can’t post it).
If you are seeking tips on how to efficiently organize your workspace, then refer to this week’s ajcjobs feature story, which provides tips from the experts.
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Are racial slurs in the workplace ever acceptable?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don Imus was fired in 2007 for making racial comments on the air. Interestingly, he is back on the air and he makes about $15 million dollars more annually than he did before he was fired. He has diversified his new show, which I find to be interesting. As they say, bad press is better than no press.
Recently, Jessie Jackson was caught using the “N” word, which drew a lot of criticism from both whites and blacks. This has sparked a debate on the use of racial slurs within one’s own race. Is it okay for people to talk about their own race in a degrading way?
I personally don’t think so.
Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, it was a major break through to be referred to as black or African-American. I am grateful for the accomplishment.
However, some people have not grown, and that includes those who are supposed to be leaders, e.g. Jessie Jackson. I can not believe someone who is in such a high-profile position and someone who is called Reverend would actually say something like that.
I dislike any type of racial slur, and feel that they should not be used in the workplace.
What are your feelings about racial slurs and jokes on the job? Is it acceptable for African-American employees to use racially-motivated slang that is frequently used in pop culture but unacceptable if other races use the same language?
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Do you have a dirty mouth at work?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Comedian George Carlin passed away in June. I am sure he will be remembered for a lot of things but the one thing that stands out in my mind was his seven dirty words you can’t say on radio or TV routine.
I personally don’t like to swear but we all slip up every once in a while.
And then there are those where every other word out of their mouth is a curse word. To them, it is so natural to swear, they don’t even realize that they have a limited vocabulary.
I have worked for a couple of managers who felt compelled to strategically use curse words when administering discipline with their subordinates. One manager justified this action by explaining that this will leave a lasting impression with the worker. Well, he was right. It also impressed the EEOC in a discrimination charge for which the company paid dearly.
We have all heard the saying, sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. This is not true. People don’t forget broken bones and people don’t forget hurtful words.
There are over 500,000 words in the English dictionary. Surely we don’t have to use the seven George talked about when communicating at work.
Cursing does not belong in the work place in my opinion.
Do people curse in your work place? Does it bother you or do you have a dirty mouth as well?
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Is your office kitchen a toxic wasteland?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The AJC recently ran a story about office kitchen etiquette. The article includes tips on how to be courteous and polite when using the office kitchen.
But anyone that’s ever worked in an office environment knows that there are always a few people that don’t play by the rules. At every company I’ve ever worked for, there has always been food stealing. It’s one thing if you accidentally grabbed the wrong Lean Cuisine out of the freezer, but come on, you know if you did or didn’t make homemade chili last night. And can we just ban people putting soda cans in the freezer? No one ever remembers to get it out before it explodes all over creation, and then the offenders never clean it up!
So if you’ve ever been annoyed by your messy, lazy and sloppy co-workers, here’s your chance to vent. We want to hear about your pet peeves with your office kitchen. Are people messy? Do they cut in front of you in the microwave line? Do they take the last of the coffee and not make another pot? Is your cubicle neighbor determined to eat stinky foods at his desk? Let us know if your office kitchen is more of a pain than a perk.
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Mistakes on the job: Who should be held responsible?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week, the AJC reported that Rodney “Krook” Hawkins died from a severe allergic reaction while dining at a Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant in Lovejoy. Hawkins’ wife claims her husband, who has had a severe shellfish allergy since childhood, did not order a dish with crab, but the waitress wrote down the wrong order and served him an entree with crab in it. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation agrees but won’t be filing any criminal charges in the case. Ruby Tuesday conducted their own investigation and claim that Hawkins was served the dish that he ordered, which contained shellfish. We may never know who is telling the truth in this case, but it does raise some interesting points.
There’s always a chance for human error, and we’ve all made mistakes at work. Do you think some positions should be held to a higher standard of responsibility? For example, should a doctor who prescribes the wrong medication for a patient be held more liable than a restaurant server who brings the wrong dish to a patron, even if the result in each case is death?
For those of you that work in service fields, have you ever made a mistake that brought harm to the customer? Did you fess up or did you try to shirk responsibility? When customers know they have a potentially life-threatening condition, how much of the burden of protecting themselves should fall on their own shoulders and not on the place of business that’s serving them?
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Sex, lies or videotape revisited: How the Internet can ruin job prospects
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(Moderator’s Note: Blogger Chandra Fox revisits this hot topic for BlogBreak, expanding upon her tips for avoiding the pitfalls of personal information on the Internet while job-searching.)
Most job seekers know the importance of a good impression in an interview, but with the Internet, we need to be sure we know what happens before and after the interview as well. Recruiters now use the Internet to their advantage to avoid sending candidates that are not appropriate for their clients to interview. Be sure to think of those late night blog chats, online dating profiles or videos of your Survivor application attempts and how they may have a link to your resume in some way. With a little web sleuthing, an employer may not have too hard of a time finding out a little more about you than you’d like, so be sure your professionalism passes the Internet search with flying colors by following these tips:
Sex
Let’s suppose you’ve been searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right and have been pouring your soul into a video for a web dating site. Make sure it cannot be linked to your resume. If your screen name and e-mail address are similar, change your e-mail on your resume to one specific to job search. Many people have e-mail addresses that have sexual undertones and use this e-mail on their resumes. It is inappropriate.
Lies
If you have a personal Web site, still maintain some professionalism so you don’t reveal inappropriate personal information to an employer. Make sure it compliments your resume, and doesn’t contradict it (so don’t invent Ivy League school degrees if you can’t back it up). Use a personal Web site to your benefit by giving more intriguing information about yourself that you can’t put on a resume such as your hobbies or that you are president of the PTA.
Videotape
Ready to submit your Survivor application videotape? Be sure you present yourself professionally and wouldn’t mind an employer’s knowledge of that information. Nudity, profanity and inappropriate behavior should be avoided on a video submission of any kind. Reality TV applications, Webdating sites and YouTube postings are the most likely places you may find yourself with your guard down. You never know who’s watching so be sure to keep your private life just that…private.
Don’t let the Internet wreck your chances of a new job; instead, make the Internet your best friend in your job search.
Have you ever had an Internet blast from your past wreck a job opportunity? Give us the details (but keep it clean).
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When diversity clashes with morality in the workplace
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After the recent California Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriages in the state, a number of county clerk employees responsible for officiating weddings refused to perform that duty for same-sex couples based upon moral or religious grounds. Their supervisors have stated these employees will be reassigned, as they can’t choose to only conduct heterosexual weddings. In this L.A. Times story, we see that some wedding vendors are opting out of a good paying gig based upon their opposition to gay marriage.
In light of the Atlanta Pride Festival this weekend, we thought we’d tackle this touchy subject. The California gay marriage ruling clearly illustrates there are situations in which an employee feels their moral convictions are being violated. How much should the employer be responsible for trying to weave together the diverse backgrounds of its staff members?
How important are your moral or spiritual beliefs when it comes to your career? Can you separate the two and work with others you find morally objectionable or would you pass up a good job opportunity because you could not work effectively with openly gay employees or serve openly gay customers? On the flip side, if a co-worker or a place where you do business objected to your sexual orientation, what would you do?
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