Tackling Period Stigma in the Workplace

Tackling Period Stigma in the Workplace The workplace is a huge part of most people’s lives and it’s important that they feel comfortable in it, for their own well-being. All employers should strive to make their organizations a safe and welcoming environment for each and every member of staff. Recent research has revealed that many people still feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in their workplace due to the stigma around periods. A survey of 2,000 menstruating women and trans men by HR and CIPD training provider DPG shows that almost half (47%) acknowledge they face period stigma at work. The Problem Period stigma is the result of belief, whether conscious or unconscious, that menstruation is somehow dirty or shameful. The effect it has on women can be oppressive and impact on women’s health. Although only half of the women acknowledge outright that they face stigma on this topic, further research indicates that the problem may be more far-reaching. 60% of menstruators say that they feel they could not talk about periods at work at all. This jumps up to three-quarters (75%) in workplaces with more men than women. This discomfort towards a discussion on the topic leads to a reluctance on the part of menstruators to share related health issues. 57% of menstruating women and trans men say they’ve had to lie about reasons they needed a sick day to cover up period pain. The impact of this stigma is not just a reluctance to talk about periods, but also a lack of awareness of the facilities people need. This is reflected by shortfalls in the workplace. One-quarter of survey respondents said that their workplace did not have sanitary bins in its restrooms. Lacking this facility creates awkward and potentially dangerous situations for staff. Furthermore, almost one-third of respondents also said they do not have constant access to a toilet at work. This scenario can be difficult for workers if they have to alert colleagues and managers each time they need to use the bathroom. DPG’s survey revealed that this stigma can also manifest itself as offensive and sometimes derogatory comments. Respondents to their survey recounted examples of hostilities they had faced, including statements such as: “It’s just an excuse to be a bitch” “You’re just lazy” “It’s because she’s on the rag” Seeking Solutions To prevent stigma building in the workplace, there’s plenty that employers and managers can be doing. A major part of this is ensuring all facilities that can aid menstruators are available to them. On a base level, this means putting sanitary bins in all restrooms and ensuring all staff has free access to a toilet whenever they need it as a bare minimum. Beyond this, there are a number of other facilities employers can provide that can let workers know that yours is a period positive workplace. Items such as heating pads can help ease cramping and the provision of free sanitary products in bathrooms offer easy solutions to anyone caught without. Talk About It Providing these facilities feeds into one of the other significant things employers can do to address period stigma â€" start conversations. Talking about something is one of the most effective ways of normalizing it. The conversation does not have to be direct, it can be introduced generally or as part of wider discussions around wellness. Gradually bringing the topic into the workplace will help position your organization as a period positive place, meaning your employees feel more able to address the issue. The end result of addressing period stigma in your workplace should be creating a pleasant place for your staff to be. This should mean they are happier, more content, and in turn more productive. Thus, addressing period stigma benefits not only your staff but your business too About the author: Hannah Rogers, is an HR Content Specialist. Hannah is an experienced writer who enjoys writing about HR and prompting conversations that can bring improvements in the workplace.

Professional Resume Writing Service For Your Needs

Professional Resume Writing Service For Your NeedsJohn Hancock Professional Resume Writing Service is a professional resume writing service that will write the resume according to the client's requirements. They have writers, who can produce professional and customized resumes with a concise but clear content, which they maintain throughout the process. As the name implies, their professionals are well-versed in writing a professional resume. The quality of their work is always impeccable and there are no doubts on this score.These professional resume writing services use a variety of templates, which can be customized according to the needs of the client. This helps them to offer a wide range of diverse solutions. The clients, who use their services, get the professional services of professional writers to accomplish their objective of getting a great job.The first step towards getting professional resume writing services is to look for a reputable company in your locality. A short search on the Internet will reveal the number of companies providing this service. When looking for a reliable service provider, the first thing that you should do is to check the references of the company. The reviews on the website will give you an idea about the reputation of the company.The best way to locate a good and credible company is to do a comparative study on websites that provide samples of the professional resume writing services that the company provides. You will get to know if the service providers are consistent and effective in delivering the desired results for the clients.Finding the right help for a specific requirement is not an easy task. Most of the companies in the market today offer good but less than satisfactory services and so the choice of the client to go for the one that meets his needs must be based on the specific service that it offers.If you want professional resume writing services that can provide you with good results, you should check for te stimonials of previous clients. Get the experience of clients of other companies so that you can get an idea about the professionalism of the company. You can also consult your friends who had used the services of the company in the past.If you want your clients to get the best possible output from your services, you should keep in mind the requirements of the company and customize the professional resume to match the requirements of the client. Customizing the resume involves making sure that the content of the resume matches the exact requirements of the client.If you want to use professional resume writing services, you should be aware of the fact that you will need to spend some money for the services. The rates differ according to the level of services that the company provides. It is better to hire a small-scale resume writing service and get the results at a lower cost.

Veterans Still Facing Unique Challenges in 2012 Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Veterans Still Facing Unique Challenges in 2012 Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Most people are certainly aware that the job market of the last several years has been brutal for millions of Americans. What most people probably are not aware of, however, is that it has been especially brutal for our military veterans, particularly our younger veterans. Unemployment among this group of young men and women is significantly higher than is the case with the American worker population in general.* In order to begin turning around this shameful situation in the 2012 job market, strong, effective measures and programs will need to be implemented by both public and private sectors, and there is at least some good news from both of these sectors as we enter the new year. Shortly after Veterans Day last year, President Obama signed into law a new, bi-partisan veterans employment bill designed to help unemployed veterans find jobs and recently separated military members make a successful transition to civilian life. The new law promises significant assistance to unemployed veterans, but against the current backdrop of political squabbling and near paralysis in the nation’s capital, only time of course will tell just how effective the new law actually will be in helping struggling veterans. In the private sector, at least some employers, especially those in small businesses, have been doing, and continue to do, what they can to help veterans find rewarding, meaningful jobs in today’s challenging job market. But lacking a unified, centralized clearinghouse for both the veterans and prospective employers, unfortunately, their efforts have been more or less a “hit and miss” proposition at best. Enter www.veterancentral.com. VeteranCentral.com is a veteran-oriented website conceived, designed and just recently published for public beta testing by a young entrepreneur named Jonathon Lunardi. (The site is scheduled to be fully operational nationwide this month.) Jonathon is headquartered in the nation’s capital and for the last few years has been working closely key members of Congress and of various U.S. Armed Services Congressional Committees and the Department of Veterans Affairs (at both the national and state levels) to create and develop a website that will, in addition to addressing a wide array of veteran issues, serve as a unified, centralized clearinghouse for veteran job seekers (and their families and other supporters) and potential employers. About six months ago, as the site was in its final development stages, Jonathon contacted me and asked if I would be interested in becoming a regular contributor to VeteranCentral. Since my editor, Michael Garee, and I are both veterans ourselves, and particularly interested in helping other veterans in any way we can, I readily agreed. I am proud and honored to be a part of this new, dynamic effort to help veterans find jobs. (Click here to read the blog I posted for the inaugural edition of the site.) Unique employment challenges our veterans face Why do veterans, particularly younger veterans, face such tremendous challenges in the current job market? While there are no pat, easy answers to this key question, I can provide you some valuable insights. Consider these facts, for example (Source: BLS): The majority of veterans are men and current unemployment is worse for men (9.5% in October 2011) than for women (8.5% in October 2011). Many younger, enlisted veterans joined the military right out of high school and therefore these young men and women are “punished” (as, coincidentally, is also the case with their non-veteran cohorts) because they may have less education than others vying for the same jobs as they. Many veterans come from and then return to areas of the country that have been hit the hardest economically, e.g., rural and rust-belt areas that are still struggling. Those who have been out of work the longest during the recent economic downturn typically have the most difficulty finding a new job in today’s job market. Fair or not, and believe it or not, some employers today are viewing eight years in the military as being the same as being without private-sector skills and experience for eight years! As if these challenges weren’t tough enough, current hiring is strongestâ€"and is expected to stay the strongest, at least for the immediate futureâ€"in jobs that require specialized education and training. Hiring is weakest in the blue collar job segment, where large numbers of these younger, less-educated, enlisted veterans are most likely to seek employment. So, what is the answer to the employment dilemma currently being faced by our veterans, and again, particularly our younger veterans? Should we merely throw up our hands in defeat and wait for everything to eventually get better? Hardly. Because fewer than % of American adults have ever served or are currently serving in the U. S. Armed Forces, there is a significant “disconnect”â€"on both sides of the fenceâ€"when it comes to aligning skills and experience gained in the military with those traditionally found in the civilian job sector. That is, many times, neither the veteran himself/herself nor the potential employer is able to effectively and meaningfully translate skills and experience gained in military service into comparable civilian skills and experience. In today’s extremely competitive job market, veterans should realize therefore that it is going to largely be up to them to make this “translation” for potential employers, i.e., to properly brand themselves in order to effectively compete in today’s job market against their non-veteran competitors. Veterans have much to offer potential employers When compared to their non-veteran counterparts, veterans typically have significantly different and quite unique skills and experiences to offer potential employers. Consider just a few of these unique differences between veterans and non-veterans: Leadership skills. How many non-veteran young people in their early- to mid-20s have had the experience of leading groups of men and women numbering from ten to well over 0, and being totally responsible for the training, motivation and job performance of these people? Military veterans routinely exercise such responsibility and leadership skills. And that includes junior non-commissioned officers, i.e., corporals/specialists/petty officers and junior sergeants, as well as junior commissioned officers, i.e., second and first lieutenants. Extremely high morale and genuine, strong commitment to getting the job done right, the first time. To be sure, many young non-veterans in the workforce exhibit a high level of morale and a genuine commitment to getting the job done. The fact of the matter is, however, most cannot measure up to their veteran counterparts when it comes to these characteristics. Why? Well, it’s not because veterans are ipso facto just more dedicated people. Rather, it is because veterans have developedâ€"and practiced!â€"these characteristics where they really count! Low morale and weak commitment to a civilian job can mean loss of that job; low morale and weak commitment in a military job can mean loss of life! Big, significant difference! Highly specialized skills and training. Contrary to the somewhat popular belief, today’s military is not your “granddad’s” military. Virtually all of the equipment and systems used by the military today require extensive, exhaustive and comprehensive training to function properly. Also contrary to the somewhat popular belief, the overwhelming number of men and women in the armed forces are not “grunts.” In fact, fewer than % of men and women in the armed forces are ever actually engaged in real combat operations! The remaining 90% traditionally serve in support positions, which cover a wide range of operations and disciplines, e.g., logistics, administration, computer technology, technical support, engineering, etc.â€"all disciplines that certainly have equivalent jobs in the civilian job market. Sharply honed “problem-solving” skills, experience. Most employers today want to hire people who can help them solve their problems, or prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Very few prospective employees bring more to the table in this area than veterans. They are used to routinely handlingâ€"and solving, sometimes “on the fly”!â€"problems that are bound to crop up in any operation or business. If you are a veteran seeking a new job, then your next move should be obvious. You need to begin branding yourself as possessing unique and different characteristics such as those I just mentioned above. In every communication to and contact with prospective employers. Or, if you are in a position to provide a new job for a veteran, then perhaps it is time you took another, new look at precisely how much veterans have to offer you and your company. A good place for both the veteran and the prospective employer to begin this journey of discovery is VeteranCentral.com. _________________________ *While unemployment among the general workforce hovered around nine percent for most of last year, unemployment among veterans stubbornly persisted near 12 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And, while the latest unemployment data suggest that the job market is slowly improving for most Americans, it actually appears to be moving in the opposite direction for some groups of veterans. For example, the youngest of our veterans, aged 18 to 24, had a 30.4 percent jobless rate in October 2011, up considerably from the previous year, when the jobless rate stood at a still staggering rate of 18.4 percent. In contrast, non-veterans in this same age group stood at 15.3 percent. Add in the demographic factors of race and gender and the overall unemployment rate among veterans becomes even more sobering, and considerably more disturbing. Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

Heres Why You Should Visit El Paso On Your Next Trip

Heres Why You Should Visit El Paso On Your Next Trip This El Paso City Guide was originally published by IHG. El Paso, Texas is located on the border of Mexico and the Mexican city of Juarez. It also shares a border with the state of New Mexico and is the westernmost city in Texas. The city is proud of its culture and climate, and boasts that it’s sunny more than 300 days per year! It also boasts mild winters with temperatures that hover around 60 degrees. This makes El Paso an ideal getaway from cold winters or a sunny getaway for a summer vacation. Things to Do in El Paso El Paso is known for its natural beauty. In particular, hiking in Franklin Mountains State Park offers beautiful desert views and mountainous climbs just 30 minutes from the city. Guests can explore more than 27,000 acres (about 40 square miles) on 100 miles of trail. There are some great rock climbing spots and 14 tent sites. There are also five RV sites for road warriors looking to camp. If you want an amazing mountain view but aren’t able to hike, consider taking the Wyler Aerial Tramway which takes visitors up 4,692 feet for a view of the city. El Paso isn’t just for nature fans. Visitors can also experience Texan culture at the El Paso Museum of Art or learn about the history of the area at the Ysleta Mission â€" the oldest continuously operated parish in the State of Texas. Hotels in El Paso When you’re looking for hotels in El Paso, consider the Holiday Inn Express: El Paso-Central. This hotel is centrally-located and family-friendly. However, if you’re looking for more of a boutique experience, consider the Hotel Indigo: El Paso Downtown. This hotel features breathtaking views and floor to ceiling windows, so you can greet the day or watch the sunset at night. Where to Stay in El Paso El Paso’s sprawling beauty means you don’t have to stay downtown if you’re just visiting for fun. While many visitors like staying close to some of the best restaurants and museums in the area, others prefer to drive into the city and stay in more scenic regions. If you’re looking for El Paso, Texas, hotels for your lifestyle, there are plenty of options to choose from to create the perfect experience for your trip. How to Get to El Paso There are three popular ways to get to El Paso, Texas. El Paso International Airport is the main hub for visitors looking to fly into the city and there is also an Amtrak station for travelers who want to arrive by train. Availability for plane and train tickets may change by season, so make sure you book both in advance. Visitors who are arriving by car can take I-10, which cuts directly through the city from the East and West. This is a popular option for drivers coming from San Antonio and Tucson. Visitors driving from Albuquerque to the North can take I-25 and then connect to I-10. El Paso is hidden gem tucked into the desert, and visitors who arrive in this city are sure to be charmed by the beauty, culture, and people around them.

Tips For Choosing An Executive Resume Writing Service

Tips For Choosing An Executive Resume Writing ServiceIf you're looking for an executive resume writing service in Raleigh NC, you'll find exactly what you need with their abilities to help people with different positions throughout the world. When looking for someone in Raleigh NC, it's always a good idea to take the time to browse through the service that's available to you to help you with your professional life. Here are a few things that you can look for in an executive resume writing service.The first thing you should check is how experienced the writing service is. This is an important part of having the service on your side, because it means they've been working with other companies before. That means that they've gone through some experience with job seekers and companies. If they have a lot of experience with job hunters and corporations, you know that they'll do a great job of preparing your resume for you.Next, you want to find out if the writing service will be able to he lp you get a job with one of the companies they work with. In fact, if the writing service specializes in doing only resumes for companies that are in Raleigh NC, you might want to think twice about using them. If they don't specialize, there may be some that they don't know very well that they're not familiar with.In addition, the resume writing service should be able to help you prepare your resume according to the format that the company uses. When you're looking for a resume writing service, you need to look for one that will write you a resume that makes you stand out and is tailored to fit you. It doesn't make sense to be hired if you're not qualified to get the job, right?The next thing you should look for when you're doing research is whether or not the resume writing service will be able to write your resume for you. Since every company is different, so are their requirements for their own hiring processes. You'll find that there are certain details that apply to the compan ies that you want to work with, but there are also those details that don't apply to you.For example, you may need to provide information that goes beyond the norm when you're searching for a job. The information you need may include education, professional experience, volunteer work, personal references, etc. A good executive resume writing service will be able to provide this information, so it should be on the top of their list of requirements.Finally, you should try to get a copy of your resume from the writing service before you send it off. While the writing service can certainly write your resume and be a good resource, you should be aware that you can't guarantee a response, so getting a copy beforehand is a good idea. They can let you know what information they have and what they have yet to receive, as well as let you know if you're under any kind of deadline.You want to make sure that the writing service is flexible enough to accommodate your situation and will help you w ith your resume. If they aren't willing to change your resume, then you need to move on and start looking for another one. It's best to have one quality resume written by a professional service than the multitude of others out there that are subpar.

Boost On The Job Productivity By Eliminating These Time Vampires - Pathfinder Careers

Boost On The Job Productivity By Eliminating These Time Vampires - Pathfinder Careers Boost On The Job Productivity By Eliminating These Time Vampires By virtue of technology, we are increasingly becoming a more efficient society and civilization.   In our hands, we carry tools that can book our travel, look up a restaurant, review conference agendas, and a bazillion other functions. Sure, it has helped us be more efficient in a lot of different ways, but with the increased demands that many companies are putting on their employees, it is becoming even more imperative to work smarter and faster. The whole LEAN concept has taken root not just in manufacturing sectors, but many other businesses are adopting this model for increasing efficiency. Not everyone has access to training in this area, but here are some ways to boost your own on-the-job productivity by eliminating these time vampires: 1)           Being at the beck and call of IMs, emails, and texts.   Social media is a very demanding mistress once you fall under its spell.   Scientists have found that similar to the Pavlovian reflex where dogs begin salivating at the sound of a bell, smart phone users react the same way to the buzzes, dings, and notification alarms coming out of these devices.   A short adrenaline hit follows which is a positive reinforcement to the behavior.     Each message can detour your day and suck minutes way from other more pressing work. 2)           Retyping same information over and over. Got templates? If you don’t, you should.   If you have standard boilerplate information that is frequently used, create a template that you can quickly tap into and copy to customize it per recipient. 3)           Where’s Waldo? Structure, structure, structure. Create quick access folders to often-used documents, and organize your files in a way that makes sense to you (and anyone else who might be using them).   That way, you won’t end up wandering through files wondering exactly where you filed that one contract… you’ll instead be able to zing right in on it within seconds. Additionally, each day should be structured to have specific tasks prioritized so you can keep your eye on the prize at all times. 4)           Miscommunications. When in doubt, pick up the phone.   Recently, I had a situation where a client was joking about something in an email, but it totally came across as something completely different and utterly offensive.   Fortunately, after a short call, everything was quickly cleared up.   But one of the biggest time “vampires” is when bad communication causes misunderstandings… time is then spent venting or griping, or in a series of long-winded emails when in fact, a short conversation can clear matters up readily.   The rule of thumb is that if you have a complicated or sensitive topic, the best rule of thumb is to call the person first, then follow up with a recap email. You could save hours of time including personal angst! 5)           Getting lost in space.   How many times have you gone out to the Internet for one, specific purpose, only to be distracted by one thing after another, only to realize that it’s been a half hour or more since you first opened the browser?   If your attention is easily grabbed, then create a sticky note on your computer to keep you focused. This can help train you to get in, get what you need, then get out. This is especially important because many employers have added spyware to watch over employee Internet usage.   They are examining this   information against actual production numbers and making decisions about employee viability. 6)           Meeting Agendas.   Cue the collective groan…!   Not many people are fond of meetings which are a necessary workplace evil.   Meandering agendas not only cause attendees to check out but are a complete waste of time.   If you are calling the meeting, have a focused agenda with specific timelines. While you want to grant participants enough time to   be engaged, it is up to you to keep the topics on task and be brave enough to jump into keep things on track.   If someone else is running the meeting and the discussion ends up all over the place, initiate a conversation with them before the next one and offer to help them facilitate if that is possible.   Not everyone is a great meeting leader! 7)           Interruptions. Office banter and building a strong rapport with colleagues is important to facilitate good working relationships, but if you find yourself wandering on a regular basis on social rounds, having a lot of “water cooler” chats, or are constantly interrupted by a co-worker who just wants to “visit”, you need to reassert yourself and your time.   Being social yet focused on your work as the top priority is the best bet. 8)           Fixing other people’s mistakes.   If you find yourself dealing with this chronic problem, it’s time to ante up.   Your time spent on other people’s issues is taking away from the work that you are ultimately accountable for, so you need to determine the best course of action on how to deal with this.   If the person is a subordinate, then this is the perfect mentoring/coaching opportunity on performance improvement. If it is a colleague, have a frank, tactful sit-down with the approach that you want them to succeed and don’t want them to get into trouble. If the boss is the one who is making the mistakes, offer to take them to coffee. Don’t make it confrontational; instead, act as a problem solver. Maybe the boss is too embarrassed that they don’t know how to do it right.   Suggest ideas to fix the problem without making it personal. 9)           Taking on too much. Fear of losing a job can cause workers to not say “no” to bosses who keep piling on the work. The end result? Workers end up getting pulled in too many directions and aren’t able to concentrate on what needs to be done to complete a task.   They are spread too far and too wide, and end up spending most of their time simply trying to catch up. If this sounds like you, it is time to have a conversation with your supervisor to figure out a solution. Time vampires lurk around every corner, but if you can use these tactics as the proverbial garlic as a way to ward them off,   you’ll realize a definite spike in your overall productivity! Photo 1 by ALT1040 from Blogosfera (Cropped by uploader from This is madness! (pt. 2)) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Photo 2 by Shoplet Office Supplies [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Why Job Satisfaction Starts with You - CareerEnlightenment.com

Why Job Satisfaction Starts with You Let’s face it, landing a new job is hard won, to say the least, requiring you to beat scores of other applicants. Sadly, the euphoria is not enduring.It is not uncommon to find that the exciting dizzying heights of securing your dream job fizzle out sooner than you’d like and you sink into the despairing depths of a humdrum life. The glow and excitement of the early heady days of a job wane with boredom setting in and exhaustion from managing heavy workloads.A lot has been said and written about the importance of job satisfaction at work. After all, a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Considering the many long hours that make up a work day â€" the average of 40 hours a week or more it is more common than not for the average worker to come to see work as a monotonous burden.A US workforce study titled Employee Happiness Index (first conducted in 2016) that looked into the motivations and disinclinations of over a thousand US employees found a disturbing eight percent in crease in the percentage of unhappy employees in 2017.A number of factors have contributed to the 48 percent of demotivated workers included in the study. These include poor work/life balance, not feeling appreciated and the negative consequences of improvements in communication tools.Job satisfaction action planDon’t wait for the debilitating burnout meltdown to show its face. The good news is there are steps to take that will allow you to enjoy job satisfaction and hold onto your position for longer.• Stress is enemy number 1More often than not unhappiness at work stems from stress. Stress is created by unmanageable workloads and lagging behind on work schedules.Manage stress by staying organized by writing things down and using to-do lists. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. • Subscribe to a healthy lifestyleA balanced diet and good health are essential contributors to a positive frame of mind.Avoiding fat-laden and heavy foods will help you escape feeling weighed down, finding desk exercises to do or just getting up and walking around the office if you are desk-bound for most of the day will improve blood flow.• Stand up for yourselfSpeaking up for yourself will help improve your confidence and morale at work by leaps and bounds.This by no means encourages an overly aggressive attitude but finding positive ways to deal with conflicts at work will help in achieving job satisfaction.• If you are in a position to do so, negotiate employment termsDepending on your situation it may be to your advantage to discuss the terms of employment.It may be worth your while to negotiate additional days off, flexible work hours or even a raise in salary â€" factors that influence work/life balance and contributes to a happy employee.Building a happy and he althy work environment has become singularly important today as the modern office encroaches more and more into the personal lives of its workforce.Maintaining job satisfaction is not always easy but as long as you hold steadfast to what is important you can boost productivity and prevent yourself from becoming demotivated at work.