When a team's workload becomes out of balance, the strain can be evident. Fatigue, frustration, stress, and a decline in work quality can result. Over the long term, stress can impact overall health, such as high blood pressure, headaches, depression, eating problems, sleep loss, and more.

For leaders, it's important to closely observe the flow of work in relation to existing deadlines. And when one or more individuals on the team appear to be struggling to reach their objectives, some course…

What are the hot business trends in your occupation? Don't wait to be told by others. Instead, discover funnels of information that will let you know. Employers pay attention to their employees' engagement in your job. Engagement is the hottest topic in employee performance management. Business trend awareness is a soft skill that helps your employer stay ahead, forecast, and compete. It can make your daily interaction with coworkers and management more exciting, and help you be seen as a…

Why volunteer in your community? 

The obvious answer is to help an altruistic, nonprofit organization meet its goals without it incurring extra labor costs. Beyond a loving act of giving, volunteering has powerful personal benefits. Volunteerism can fight depression and anxiety because it offers a positive distraction away from negative "self talk" scripts that often accompany these conditions. The act of giving back serves as a strong counter-punch. The result is you are happier helping…

Many factors can contribute to workplace stress. Some may be out of your awareness. Discover them with a guided approach. Consider working with a counselor or an employee assistance program to find interventions in the following  areas: Your workload, capabilities, need for resources, techniques or approaches to the job; discovery of more meaning in the work; finding inspiration; your need to be creative; your role and its modification; being given more responsibility, required time/frequency…

With all of the benefits to having humor in the workplace, every office could stand to have a little more fun. But how do you incorporate humor into the corporate world? It's easier than you might think.

Personal Health

Break up the work day with some physical activity, laughter, or even meditation to help reduce stress, improve blood flow, and burn calories. 

1. Relax and Recharge: Spend 15 minutes a day relaxing and recharging.

2. Walk around: Start a walking group at work; map out a…

All workplaces experience conflict, but not all employees know how to manage conflict well. Some avoid conflict, while others make conflict worse. Since conflict is considered normal and expected in work organizations, employees and conflict management skills are valued. Knowing how to manage conflict is a learned skill with specific elements. Understanding what these elements are will allow you to see conflict as an opportunity, fear it less, and move quickly to turn conflicts into positive…

Productivity suffers when conflicts drag on. This is why using conflict resolution skills makes you a valuable employee. Easy tips: (1) Communicate often, and check differences quickly with coworkers. You'll zap most conflicts this way. (2) When differences linger, carve out time for focused discussion. Share your concerns by describing what you experience - what, where, and when. ("Tom, you are not coming to Monday meetings prepared.") And share the impact: ("This makes meetings take…

Demonstrating confidence communicates the certainty of your positions, decisions and the reliability of outcomes you say will appear. Confidence is a leadership quality and a soft skill that can help you achieve goals. Showing confidence is not a sign of arrogance or the inability to accept feedback. The power of confidence means other key traits likely exist. These include high self-esteem, the willingness to take risks, the ability to achieve goals, resilience, and knowing how to meet…

Employers not only want employees with the right skills and abilities, but also they want positive personal attributes. Could you describe your positive attributes? The ability to discuss them shows your personal insight and adds energy to any job interview, making you stand out in ways that many other applicants do not. Examples of personal attributes are the following: flexible and adaptable, ability to work unsupervised, taking initiative, getting along well with others, willing and eager to…