Office Christmas Party on a Shoe String

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A lot of companies will have had to cut back on those Xmas extras this year, but you can still have a Credit Crunch Christmas Celebration. The swanky champagne reception from last year may indeed be a thing of the past, but it doesn’t have to be a Scrooge like lump of coal either. It’s important for both team building and office morale to have little celebration, to relax and enjoy a bit of the Christmas spirit together.

So you can’t book the ballroom at a big hotel this year, but you can find out about pubs or bars with event rooms, some don’t charge a hire fee, just a minimum spend at the bar. A restaurant meal is also a nice idea; many do a set Xmas menu that is quite reasonable. Secret Santa can be fun, where everyone chooses a name from a hat and buys that person a present, cap the spend limit at 5 or 10 pounds.

And look on the bright side, with less money behind the bar, perhaps you won’t have as many bad memories as in previous years, or be suffering from a hangover that lasts till the New Year.

Further advice on all things Christmassy in the office including office Xmas parties, planning an office Christmas party in London and company Christmas cards.

Office Christmas Party Checklist

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If you’ve been put in charge of planning the office Xmas do, here is a checklist to get you started on your way:
Venue – Choose your Christmas party venue carefully, can people get to it easily? What about drivers? Public transport options?

  • Date and Time – You don’t want to overlap with other parties if you can help it, for example individual team Xmas parties.
  • Budget – How much has been allocated per head?
  • How many people are attending – Are you allowing spouses/dates?
  • Caterer – Is it a sit down meal or buffet? Don’t forget to cater for vegetarians, allergies etc.
  • Drink allowance – is there a bar?
  • Entertainment – Themed, music or band?

Remember that places get booked up very quickly during December, so don’t leave it too late to get organising.

Further advice on all things Christmassy in the office including planning an office Christmas party in London and company Christmas cards and Christmas on a budget.

Office Share – The Pros and Cons

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Sharing an office with another person can be difficult. Having a colleague in close quarters with you when you are trying to work can be advantageous or completely unbearable.

It can be beneficial to have another person in your office. They can be someone to brain storm with and discuss ideas and solutions to your work problems or simply just someone to talk to. This can make your day more interesting and motivating. However, sharing your office can cause a lot of problems too, particularly if your job requires quiet and is fast paced and stressful. If you are used to working in your way, having another person in your space can be distracting and even aggravating.

Having an office-mate can be a positive experience. It can be someone to bounce ideas off of and help you to develop those ideas before presentation to your boss. However, it is important to try and allow each other to have personal space, even if it is a small office.

The arrangement of the furniture in the room can either make or break a shared-office relationship. If you can, it can often be good to have some kind of partition in the room, clearly marking your space. If not, just make sure that your desks are far enough apart that you are not bumping into one another every time you move. Also make sure that office equipment that has to be shared, such as printers, fax machines and copiers, are in a position that you can both reach with ease without getting into each other’s way.

Besides the problems that the logistics of the office space itself can cause there are also personality and work-style clashes. Some people like to listen to music while working, and if this is the case it is best to use headphones. Not everyone wants to hear your music and it can be distracting for some. Headphones may help to solve this argument before it even occurs. It can also be a good idea to “stagger” lunchtime as this can provide you with some peace and quiet if you take lunch at different times. This can then allow you to get critical things that require focus done. Continue reading “Office Share – The Pros and Cons” →

Top 5 Microwave Manners – Office Kitchen Etiquette

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In most offices there is a distinct lack of kitchen etiquette: people leaving dirty dishes in the sink or crumbs/leftover food all over the kitchen counters. Many office workers either forget or ignore the rulers of the office kitchen even though most of the rules simply stem from common sense and consideration for others.

When using the office kitchen there are simple and seemingly obvious general rules that should be followed.

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Top 10 Tips for Effective Job Interview Preparation

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Once you have been called to a face to face interview, it is important to take the time to prepare correctly. Today’s business world is very competitive, especially in London, and there are bound to be quite a few other candidates that have the same or similar qualifications going after the job.

It is important to make yourself stand out and a good way to do that is to practice exactly how you will sell yourself to your prospective employer. The first meeting is crucial, and therefore it is essential to be at your best and fully prepared.
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Office Art and Decor

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When choosing how to decorate your office it is important to choose art and décor that speaks positively about the environment of the office and sends the right message to both employees and clients.

It can be difficult to choose the right colours, wall hangings or sculptures that not only fit in with the corporate culture but also adhere to a sense of professionalism and will help to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for clients. You and your employees also spend a large amount of time in the office so it should be an interesting and motivating place.

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Good Working Relationships

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Updated November 26, 2012

Unless you work from home or spend most of your working day visiting clients, the truth is that relationships with work colleagues are an essential –and sometimes conflictive- part of our working lives. Some people actually spend more time with their colleagues than with their families, so it is easy to understand how necessary it is to make sure that work relationships flow smoothly instead of being a source of conflict.

The importance of good working relationships

Over the past few decades, team work and the ability to maintain positive relationships with other members of staff have become valuable skills that virtually every employer expects. There are several reasons why good working relationships are a must in today’s fast-paced corporate world.

In the first place, positive relationships with work colleagues contribute to create an agreeable atmosphere in the workplace. Perhaps only those who have problematic relationships with their colleagues know how oppressive an office can be when you do not get along with the people around you. In fact, psychologists believe that having problems with work colleagues is one of the biggest causes of stress and that its importance is often underestimated.

Secondly, an agreeable working atmosphere can help increase productivity. A 2009 study showed that productivity levels could be enhanced by up to 10 per cent when the relationships between staff members were free of strains. It has been shown that companies where staff gets along have lower levels of absenteeism and lower turnover. Therefore, it is not surprising that employers look for team members who know how to relate to others positively. Continue reading “Good Working Relationships” →