It’s a skill they don’t teach in college or at those company training seminars, but one most employees learn anyway: How to look busy.
Whether you’re bored, stressed or just need a break, sometimes you need to put down the spreadsheet and pick up the Sudoku. To make sure you at least create the appearance of being diligently engaged in company business, check out the following suggestions from bloggers on the Internet.
– Always carry a file folder with at least one sheet of paper inside. Scribble a note on it and mumble, “Must not forget that.”
– Leave a cup of coffee and bakery bag on your desk at night and leave your computer running. When you’re late the next morning, everyone will think you’ve been there all along.
– Always have a work-related question or statement ready that you can fire off at a moment’s notice while gabbing with a co- worker. When a manager walks by, seamlessly transition to your prepared statement. “So Susan, that’s how we calculate profit-margins.”
Summer “sick” days
It’s funny how the office ranks start to thin just as the summer kicks off, with reports of stomach viruses rising coincidentally with the number of bright, sunny days.
Nearly 40 per cent of full-time workers admit to calling in sick to work to enjoy a summer day off, according to a recently released online survey. Here’s a shocker: The most popular days to play hooky were Friday and Monday.
“It really leads to a bit of a productivity and morale problem if it’s left unchecked,” said Jim Kizielewicz of management firm Kronos Inc., which sponsored the survey.