Hugging Etiquette at Work

Hugging Etiquette at WorkHugging Etiquette at WorkBusiness hugs. Many of us are guilty of doling them out from time to time. When you work in the creative industry and in a casual environment, a handshake can sometimes feel too formal when interacting with colleagues.In fact, 65 percent of advertising and marketing managers recently surveyed by The Creative Group said its at least somewhat common to hug coworkers. And 52 percent said the same regarding clients and business contacts. (You can view the full survey results in the infographic below.)But just because business hugs are happening in todays professional world doesnt mean theyre always appropriate. Non-huggers and fist-bumpers would agree.So whats a creative professional to do? We reconsulted Daniel deutsche post ag Senning, author of The Etiquette Advantage in Business, 3rd Edition, for hugging etiquette pointers, particularly in light of the Me Too movement.TCG Given current events and growing attention on harassment, whats your current stance on business hugs?Daniel Post Senning Traditional etiquette standards are in place for a reason They make people feel comfortable. The handshake remains the standard for a business greeting or introduction. If you deviate from it, know that youre deviating from the standard.The handshake is like the tie - it gets a bad rap. People think its formal and artificial, but it can be a warm and genuine gesture.Were curious Do you shake hands or hug it out when greeting business contacts?Its situationally dependent. But in a business setting, I defer to a slightly more formal standard because the stakes are higher. In an increasingly casual world, were asked to make a lot of choices. We have the option to greet people with a handshake, a fist bump or a hug. Generally speaking, unless youre sure its going to be OK to hug someone, stick with a handshake. Its a universally accepted and globally understood gesture of goodwill and friendship.What if youre someone who likes t o hug? Is there any stigma of being the office hugger?There can be. You need to be aware of other peoples perspectives. Some teams may be comfortable hugging, but its not always appropriate. Its contextual. Know your audience and assume that not everyone is as comfortable with hugging as you are.People wont always tell you how they feel - and asking someone if he or she is open to hugging can get awkward. In a professional setting, dont impose hugs on anyone. Observe body language and let others take the lead.Finally, find ways to greet people that are fair to everyone versus handhabung it on case-by-case basis. Think of etiquette as people being courteous to people.Would you be comfortable hugging both male and female colleagues, for example? Treating people differentially could be problematic.Are there certain business contacts you should never greet with a hug?Stick with a handshake when meeting people for the first time. Hugs are only an option once youve gotten to know someone .Whats the best way to recover from an awkward business hug?Dont dwell on it, and then try not to let it happen again. This is why I love the handshake. People know what to expect with a handshake, so you avoid any uncertainty. By offering your hand, you can take control of the situation. And good eye contact and a smile also help.

Wheres my computer Survey finds onboarding needs improvement

Wheres my computer Survey finds onboarding needs improvementWheres my computer Survey finds onboarding needs improvementThe first few days of work are always awkward. Half the time, it seems like no one knows where youre supposed to sit. Then, your computer doesnt work. And wheres the bathroom? What is all this paperwork for? And the person who is supposed to teach you the proprietary CMS is on vacation ServiceNow, a cloud platform, surveyed2001 U.S. office workers about the onboarding experience, conducted by Edelman Intelligence.Companies processes for managing their new hires everything from first-day wheres my computer issues to first-month whats my job training tasks are supposed to make everything run smoothly.It doesnt always work out that way, although onboarding is crucial a recent study showed that companies with a good onboarding process can improve its new-hire retention by up to 82%. One in three office workers would rather go on a cringe-worthy first date than an onb oarding orientation for a new job, the survey found.Thats because onboarding isnt always as well thought-out as employers might think it is. Seventy-nine percent of office workers have experienced glitches during the onboarding process. Of that percentage28% felt they had no clearly defined job responsibilities and goals26% had IT issues26% had no real onboarding program19% didnt feel completely onboarded, even after 3 months18% didnt have a computerSome of the top things that workers said would make their first day at a new job great (and heres another list)A walk-through of important processes (58%)Being assigned a buddy to ask questions (58%)Being given time to review the onboarding materials (47%)A welcome lunch (40%)Frustrated? Onboard yourselfSometimes, a successful onboarding process is one you can take control of yourself Instead of waiting for the company to guide you, go ahead and make a friend, set expectations for 30, 60, and 90 days with your manager, document your earl y successes, and begin to scout around for a mentor. You dont even have to wait until the first day to begin taking action like reaching out on social media with members of your new organization.Harvard Business Review also recommends seizing the reigns on your own onboarding by taking initiative to ask your boss key questions in the first months about how you can help them succeed, what theyd like you to accomplish in certain time frames, and how your success will be measured.Just make sure you have a computer first.

7 Ways to Move Up the Ladder with a STEM Degree, Part 2

7 Ways to Move Up the Ladder with a STEM Degree, Part 2 7 Ways to Move Up the Ladder with a STEM Degree, Part 2 7 Ways to Move Up the Ladder with a STEM Degree, Part 2Part 1 of 7 Ways to Move Up the Ladder with a STEM Degree looked at planning, training, and honing your skills to advance an engineering career. Here are a few more strategies to help you along.4. abflug networkingNot only is networking a good way to continue developing your interpersonal skills, its also useful to develop positive relationships with other people in your field particularly if you ever find yourself looking for work outside of your firm. The best approach is to figure out how you can help other people in your network. In this case, helping others is helping yourself.Networking is not just about what I can get. Its about giving, Suffredini says. What can I give? How can I support others in getting what they want? Theres that old saying from Zig Ziglar, You can have everythinginlife you want,if youll just helpenoughother people get whatthey want. Make those connections and maintain those over time. 5. Exercise your right brainWhile its important to have strong analytical skills both as an engineer and as a manager, upper-level positions often involve a bit more creative thinking than you may be doing now. Maybe that means taking some nontechnical courses, like business training, or it could even mean doing something artistic or studying a language. Whatever it means for you, start developing your right brain.When you start to exercise the other side of your brain, you can really have success outside of the engineering field, because youre taking your analytical skills and adding to them, Fasano says. It gives you a big advantage, because most people usually focus on either or.For You Learn more career and strategies.An engineering degree is one of those degrees where people just assume that youre smart. There are opportunities that can come from that. Terry Suffredini, engineerin g career strategist6. Hold yourself accountableIts all well and good to educate yourself and hone your unique skillset. But its another thing entirely to put that practice into action.You could always read a book on how to become a better manager, but theres no accountability to have to implement those things in the book, Fasano says. Think about something that youre going to do thats going to hold you accountable. Whether its something within your firm, or making a commitment to your company that youre taking a course, or going after a license all these things are going to force you to really implement the things youre learning, he says.7. Look outside the boxIf your firm isnt willing or able to promote you to the job you want and deserve, then it may be time to start looking elsewhere. You have a valuable skill set to offer, and someone else may will see them, even if your company cant. Update your resume to reflect all of the training and skills youve taken on and position yourse lf for management roles. The truth is, your engineering says a lot more about you than simply that you possess the technical skills needed to be an engineer.An engineering degree is one of those degrees where people just assume that youre smart, Suffredini says. So they will oftentimes give you the benefit of the doubt. There are opportunities that can come from that.Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer.Read MoreSolar-Powered Drones Go MainstreamArtificial Intelligence Transforms ManufacturingHandheld Dronut Brings Drones Indoors