Things that Make Your CEO Nervous

What worries the big boss? A significant number of CEOs expect the world economy to get worse this year, and a shrinking minority anticipates revenue to grow at their own companies during that time, according to research from PwC. But CEOs cant just hide under their desks. Theyre revising strategies to take advantage of shifting opportunities, via mergers and acquisitions and other forms of restructuring, and are committed to improving the way they recruit talent. Theyre also looking to reduce risk and increase their investment in green strategies. More than 1,250 CEOs took part in the research that supported most of these findings, with additional data taken from a recent PwC quarterly technology forecast. For more about the CEO survey, click here. - ...

Posted on 6 February 2012 | 10:22 am

10 Ways to Work With People You Hate

You know who were talking about -- that one coworker who just gets under your skin. Working alongside someone you can't stand can undermine your own effectiveness, but uncomfortable relationships are part of life. "There are always other people be they relatives, fellow commuters, neighbors, or coworkers who we are at risk of tangling with,” said Robert Sutton, a professor of management science and engineering at Stanford University and author of Good Boss, Bad Boss and The No Asshole Rule, to the Harvard Business Review. See also Worst Bosses Ever Daniel Goleman, co-director of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University, says you can manage these folks by focusing less on their actions and controlling your own behavior. Relaxation exercises, he told HBR, "enhance your ability to handle stress, which means the annoying person isn't that annoying anymore." For more on managing jerks, click here. - ...

Posted on 3 February 2012 | 10:52 am

How You Spend $120,000 on Coffee and Lunch

Routine expenses for office workers add up over time, often reaching into the thousands of dollars in a year and possibly into six figures over the course of a career. And thats just for coffee and lunch. Accounting Principals crunched the numbers, and reports that younger workers are most prone to these extravagances. See also What People Gave Up for the Recession Good news: You can spend a lot less by packing a lunch and making your own coffee. And employers can help by providing better alternatives in-house to going out for food and caffeine. “Small but consistent expenses add up quickly, and it can be difficult for consumers to realize it because they're only spending a few dollars at a time,” says Jodi Chavez, senior vice president at Accounting Principals. “Small improvements around the office -- such as better food and drinks -- can make a big difference in workers' morale.” An estimated 1,000 American workers took part in the research. For more about the survey, click here. - ...

Posted on 2 February 2012 | 11:29 am