Today is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when millions of Americans attempt to work off the previous days gluttony by getting up at the crack of dawn to battle other shoppers to the death.  Today, our office is actually open, though many people are taking leave. To make it festive, our accountant suggested that we all bring in our leftovers to share at lunch. And our administrative assistant suggested we all wear scrubs just for fun.

So I’m wearing pink scrubs pants. Since I don’t have a top to match, my I Make Work Meaningful HRevolution Tshirt.  I must say, this is darn comfortable attire.

People can call them ‘scrubs’ all they want, but my astute eyes have picked up on this truth: they are basically pajamas. It got me thinking: How did the medical profession maneuver itself into P.J.’s as a uniform, and do so without losing credibility, while still being taken seriously?

I’m jealous. HR friends, we should have had the foresight to  do the same. The HR uniform. What would it be, I wonder?

photo by spike55151

As it’s Thanksgiving today, I’m thinking about things for which I’m grateful.

1. That my ex talked me into becoming a mom all those years ago.
2. Family, both the ones that live under my roof and around the country.
3. Friends, of course. My health. A roof over my head and food on the table.
4. The HR social media world that has so enriched my life.
5. A job I love (most days)  in an industry I’m passionate about.

Since this is an HR blog, I want to focus a little more on my job and organization. I’m the HR Director for Jubilee Association, a nonprofit provider of residential supports for people who have  developmental disabilities. In the last five weeks, five things have made me especially proud to work there:

• Housing partnerships. Jubilee is doing some extremely creative and cutting edge projects related to housing, as unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony of our most recently opened house, which is a result of a partnership with the local housing authority. As one of the Read the rest of this entry »

The other day, I received an extremely disappointing e-mail.  As I read it, I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach.  In a few short paragraphs, six weeks of work disappeared down the drain, leaving behind untold extra hours, inconvenience and aggravation.

I could have cried. In fact, I almost did.

And then I caught myself. Cliched as it sounds, I realized I could choose my response to the news.  I could fall apart, throw a fit, or have an attitude. Or I could decide the e-mail wouldn’t ruin my day. Here are some things I did to make that happen: Read the rest of this entry »

This morning, I gave my son my standard morning send-off: “Have a happy day.” I’ve been saying this for almost as long as I remember.

He responded, “And may you have many hirings.” I really got a kick out of that, although that’s not the point of this post. My point is that that way we send our children into the world betrays our values.

I could say any number of other things, such as, “Be good, son,” or “Don’t cause any trouble, now,” or “Listen to the teacher and follow the rules, Read the rest of this entry »

Famished at work, I pillaged the kitchen cabinets desperately searching for something–anything–to eat. Finally, I came across a jar of peanut butter marked “Brian.”

I thought about just helping myself. Brian was a nice guy, after all; he wouldn’t mind sharing, I rationalized. But then manners and civility won out and I intercommed him to ask permission.

“Sure,” Brian answered. “Help yourself. But I have to warn you: I eat straight out of the jar.”

I was really glad I asked! And it got me thinking. Maybe there are real, practical reasons behind all these rules of etiquette we learn as kids. And maybe some of these rules are as much for our protection as anyone else’s.

photo by D. Scott Lipsey

Do you ever think about why you chose your profession? I mean why from a deep down place, not the easy answer, not the surface response.

I recently found old photos that sparked conversation with my husband. Pictures of the African boarding school I attended from the age of six.

There were a lot of cool things about boarding school, for example, constantly being surrounded by a group of BFFs from all over the globe.

And we were in a tropical paradise. What’s not to love? Read the rest of this entry »

The other day, I was struck with the bug to reorganize my desk drawers at work. I decided to switch the right and left file drawers and retire a bunch of paper. As I worked, I noticed I’ve collected a lot of interesting objects during my tenure:

1. Furniture spray. My table shows fingerprints quickly, especially nervous interviewee hand-prints, so I spray and clean several times weekly.
2. Contact lens solution. If you wear contacts, you understand.
3. Deodorant. ‘Cuz you know, sometimes you run out of your house in a hurry. And the rest of the world shouldn’t have to suffer!
4. A red velvet Christmas stocking declaring: Best Employee.
5. Baggies with dog food and dog treats tucked into a dog bowl at the back of a file drawer, preparation for those weekends when my dogs accompany me to work.

What are the strangest things you have in your office?

Or what’s the craziest thing you found in an inherited desk when you moved in?

photo by Manatari

This week, I just can’t find anything to wear. Maybe it’s the change of season and I just need to go out and do some Fall shopping.

So it got me thinking: have you ever called in sick because you couldn’t find anything you wanted to wear? Come on, be honest; someone out there has! Or if not you, then someone you know.

While we’re on this subject, what is the most creative or unbelievable excuse you’ve ever heard for missing work?  Mine: An employee couldn’t come in because he was locked in his garage.

Also, where you live, is it calling in, calling out, or calling off? Around here, it’s all the same; I guess any preposition will do when you don’t want to go to work.

Photo by Jen’s Stream

p.s. Let me clarify, I am going to the office today, and I’m not advocating abandoning work for frivolous reasons!

Did you know I was born in Nigeria and lived there until I was 18?  Unfortunately, I frequently hear a lot of negative hype about my birth country–mostly concerning alleged schemes of corruption–so I am always happy to come across any happy news. Here we go!

Is this a “real” or staged video? I don’t know. Would I be able to follow this traffic cop’s complex hand signals? Doubtful.  But I love this video all the same;  and although I’m not suggesting we all do a Lord of the Dance rendition around the office or warehouse or, I do wish we could all find ways to bring a little of this kind of flair to work.

And then work might feel like a happier, more fulfilling, joyful enterprise, n’est-ce pas?

How could you incorporate a little bit of personal style into your job? I’d be interested to hear.

I’ve been floating around the pool at my tropcial hotel, reading the June, 2010 HR Magazine from SHRM. (This is a highly recommended way to read professional journals of all kinds, in case you’re wondering.)  Before leaving DC, I’d tabbed the article “Checking Passive Aggression: Refuse to be a Victim,” which I looked forward to reading, since I’ve known one or two passive aggressive co-workers in my time. Read the rest of this entry »