The most important part of commanding a higher salary is ensuring that you are indispensable to your employer, writes Steve Tobak. "You can't command a premium unless you have a premium brand, and you can't have a premium brand unless you deliver the goods - a better product and service than the competition in ways that matter to whoever writes you checks," Tobak writes.
Those who make decisions based upon the simultaneous consideration of all options make better choices than those who weigh options one at a time, according to a recent study. When several options are laid out, people are more likely to thoroughly compare them and carefully choose the best one, Shankha Basu and Krishna Savani write.
Do-it-yourself vs. Doing it right A highly-engaged workforce drives results and employee engagement programs are key to success. But most companies still lack on-the-ground programs for employee engagement and alignment. Learn how to leverage time and resources with a social recognition program in the whitepaper "Do-it-yourself vs. Doing it right".
Entry-level professionals shouldn't necessarily look for older co-workers as mentors, as experience level should be a bigger factor than age when choosing a mentor, write Ken Blanchard and Claire Diaz-Ortiz. By the time professionals hit management or midcareer level, it's time to look toward a peer mentor that works for a different organization in order to get a fresh perspective.
Women with children can feel alienated at tech startups, which often have a collegelike atmosphere based on late nights and drinking. But startup culture might be changing, says Kim Rohrer of Disqus, who notes "what's going to set you apart is how you treat your employees."
Many companies in the technology industry are emphasizing skills-based hiring instead of filtering out potential job candidates according to level of education or years of experience. TechHire, which assists with worker training programs and connects job seekers with companies, is one of the organizations working to erode "the cultural hegemony of the bachelor's degree," said Opportunity@Work President Byron Auguste.
Professionals who work a high number of hours or who are always ready to check their email or respond to work-related tasks often have a hard time being creative, says Katrina Onstad. Nations with cultures that encourage shorter workweeks tend to be more productive and have stronger economies than those that normalize longer hours, Onstad says.
Minnesota has the most overweight pets in the US, leading the nation in both the dog and cat categories, according to Banfield, which runs veterinary hospitals in 42 states. The normalization of larger bodies in dog shows and owners allowing pets to have human food and extra treats are likely contributors to the number of overweight pets in the US, said Banfield veterinarian Kirk Breuninger.
