Use Meet-And-Greet Meeting Ice Breakers

Use Meet-And-Greet Meeting Ice BreakersUse Meet-And-Greet Meeting Ice BreakersProponents of icebreakers, which reinforce the content and goal accomplishment of ateam-building or training session, use these activitiesto introduce the content of the training session. At the same time, there is a place for a fun icebreaker whose only purpose is to help session attendees know and appreciate each other. This meet-and-greet meeting icebreaker works well when you have a group of new employees who are just starting. It is also effective at large, company-wide meetings to help people working inter-departmentally get to know each other better. Breaking Down Walls In meetings, employees have a tendency to sit with the people that they know best at work. Consequently, youll find department members sitting together and people who have the same job sitting together. At a company or department meeting, to help attendees get to know co-workers outside of their immediate workgroup, these icebreak ers work well. A Sweet Icebreaker In advance of the meeting, purchase candy bars for each attendee. Buy a variety with enough to divide the attendees across the desired number of groups or tables. As an example, if you want five employees in each small group, purchase five Snickers bars, five Baby Ruth candy bars, and so forth. Place all of the candy bars in a bag and ask employees to draw a candy bar as they enter the meeting. You have also either labeled the tables with the candy bar name or placed an additional candy bar on the table in advance, so employees know where to sit. Instruct attendees that they are to sit with the people who drew the same candy bar as they did. Warn employees not to eat the candy bar on the table or people will not know how to find their group. Because this is such a fun approach to helping employees get to know each other, you can simply ask people to introduce themselves to their assigned table. If you want to involve the employees in a more elab orate debriefing, you can develop a series of questions for people to answer. The suggested questions below are easy to answer and non-intrusive. Virtually every participant will have an answer to each of the sample questions. Sample Questions or Discussion Points These questions are designed to elicit positive responses from your participants. Use them as a starting point, customize them to suit your work setting and participants, and follow thesefacilitation guidelinesto ensure success Describe how and when you came to work at this company.Share your biggest current challenge at work.Share two things about yourself that you think no one at your tableknows about you.Describe a positive customer interaction you have experienced.Tell your coworkers something you appreciate about your company.Tell your coworkers what you appreciate about your coworkers.Share what you like about your current job.Share the funniest or fruchtwein fun situation you have experienced at work.Talk about the best boss you ever had. What set him or her apart? Are you a cat person, dog person, bird person, or gerbil person? What is your favorite pet, and why?What was your favorite vacation, and what made it stand out?If you could pick your birthday dinner, what would you choose to eat?Tell your tablemates three things about yourself. Two of them are true, and one of them is a lie. Ask people to guess which is the lie.Share one thing you do every day at workand without which you would be unhappy in your current job.If you could choose one location for your next travel adventure and money is no object, where would you go and why? You can diversify your approach to this icebreaker with fruit, cookies, or other items that people enjoy. However, candy bars work best because they are wrapped, and their logos are so visual. Also, die-hard health nuts dont have to partake in the candy eating at the end- you can always have health bars ready for them.

The Wagner Act of 1935 (National Labor Relations Act)

The Wagner Act of 1935 (National Labor Relations Act)The Wagner Act of 1935 (National Labor Relations Act)The Wagner Act of 1935, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, guarantees the right of workers to organize and outlines the legal framework for labor union and management relations.In addition to protecting workers, the Act provided a framework for collective bargaining.It was designed to make it more likely that commercial interests could be conducted without disruptions from strikes thus protecting businesses and the economy as well as workers. The Wagner Act of 1935 (National Labor Relations Act) The Wagner Act defines and prohibits five unfair labor practices (others have been added since 1935). These include Interfering with, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of their rights (including the freedom to join or organize labor organizations and to bargain collectively for wages or working conditions)Controlling or interfering with the creation or adm inistration of a labor organizationDiscriminating against employees to discourage or encourage support for a labor organizationDiscriminating against (i.e., firing) employees who file charges or give testimony under the Wagner ActRefusing to bargain collectively with representatives of employees National Labor Relations mainboard The Wagner Act also created the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees union-management relations. TheNational Labor Relations Board designates the legal structure for the formation and decertifying unions and conducting elections. The Board investigates charges by workers, union representatives, and employers that their rights under the Wagner Act have been violated.It encourages parties to come to agreements without adjudication and facilitates settlements of disputes. The Board conductshearings and decides on cases that arent settled through mediation. It oversees the enforcement of orders including the trying of cases before the U.S Court of Appeals when parties dont abide by Board decisions. The Taft-Hartley Act The Wagner Act was amended in 1947 by the Taft-Hartley Act that provided some limitations to the influence of unions.Legislators at that time believed that the balance of power had shifted too far in favor of the unions. The Act provides workers with the right to refuse Union membership and decertify unions if they are unhappy with their representation in collective bargaining.The Act alsoplaces requirements on unions including that they honor existing contracts without striking and avoid secondary boycotts or strikes against companies doing business with their employer. According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), unions were also prohibited from charging excessive dues or initiation fees, and from featherbedding, or causing an employer to pay for work not performed. The new law contained a free speech clause, providing that the expression of views, arguments, or opinions shall not be evidence o f an unfair labor practice absent the threat of reprisal or promise of benefit. Several significant changes were made for representation elections. Supervisors were excluded from bargaining units, and the Board had to give special treatment to professional employees, craftsmen and plant guards in determining bargaining units. Specific Examples of Violations to Union Law The NLRB provides the following examples of employer and union conduct that violates the law. Examples of employer conduct that violates the law Threatening employees with loss of jobs or benefits if they join or vote for a union or engage in protected concerted activity.Threatening to close the plant if employees select a union to represent them.Questioning employees about their union sympathies or activities in circumstances that tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights under the Act.Promising benefits to employees to discourage their union support.Transferring, layin g off, terminating, assigning employees more difficult work tasks, or otherwise punishing employees because they engaged in union or protected concerted activity. Transferring, laying off, terminating, assigning employees more difficult work tasks, or otherwise punishing employees because they filed unfair labor practice charges or participated in an investigation conducted by NLRB. Examples of labor organization conduct that violates the law Threats to employees that they will lose their jobs unless they support the union.Seeking the suspension, discharge or other punishment of an employee for not being a union member even if the employee has paid or offered to pay a lawful initiation fee and periodic fees thereafter.Refusing to process a grievance because an employee has criticized union officials or because an employee is not a member of the union in states where union security clauses are not permitted.Fining employees who have validly resigned from the union for engaging in pro tected concerted activities following their resignation or for crossing an unlawful picket line. Engaging in picket line misconduct, such as threatening, assaulting, or barring non-strikers from the employers premises.Striking over issues unrelated to employment terms and conditions or coercively enmeshing neutrals into a labor dispute.

Simple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business Trips

Simple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business TripsSimple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business TripsHow to enaya your next work trip doesnt get in the way of your work.Traveling for work can be fun, but it can also be challenging particularly when it comes to staying productive as your routine is thrown off. Remember, your deadlines dont disappear when you hit the road.When youre traveling frequently for business, its imperative to plan ahead. Here are four tips to help you stay productive when youre out of your usual element.Set expectationsBefore you hit the road, meet with your team members to share project updates and review next steps. Communicate when you will be available to speak on the phone, and when youll be checking your email. Determine how youd like urgent messages flagged in your inbox so the most pressing issues can quickly be addressed during your short windows of time between business meetings. Set up your out-of-office messages for your phone and email, detailing a point person for inquiries, and articulating communication expectations.Plot out your work.Before you go away, take a good look at your to-do list and determine what needs to be accomplished and by when. Tie up any loose ends that require a face-to-face meeting before you head out of the office. There will be times during your travels when you may not have access to the internet. Save the projects that dont require internet access for these occasions so you can remain as productive as possible.Gather your tools before you goIn order to remain productive on the road, you first have to make sure they have the right resources to get the job done. Beyond a phone and internet access, consider what resources you need to do your job. This may include access to in-house software systems or servers that require your tech teams help to access. Thanks to mobile technology, this is easier than ever before. When Im on the go, I like to use Skype or FaceTime to handle meetings with co lleagues and document-sharing services such as iCloud and Dropbox so I dont have to worry about accessing the corporate drives.Know your internet optionsWhether youre taking a train, a plane or even a bus, these days you can find internet access almost everywhere. First, check to landsee if your service provider offers mobile internet and mobile hotspots. I use the Verizon Jetpack Mobile Hotspot MiFi to access internet anywhere my phone has service. Additionally, check to see if your airline offers WiFi on their flights. Save some time and money by setting up an account with a service like Gogo ahead of time and choosing the pricing option that makes the most sense for your needs.Looking for more ways to be productive? Click on the following link to access my favorite apps for managing your career and job search.