Starr Insurance’s Post

The holiday season means it's time for the office holiday party. These celebrations are a great opportunity to bond with your colleagues and have fun outside the office, but there are also potential pitfalls. Here are a few tips for a no-regrets party experience: -Get in the spirit with holiday colors or accessories, but make sure you are still dressed appropriately. Always lean towards the traditional work dress. -Not everyone celebrates the same holidays. Instead, get to know coworkers’ holiday traditions. -Use this time to meet new people or chat with colleagues who you don’t see often. Check out the rest of our tips on the A&C blog: https://lnkd.in/euBh33q7 #holidayparty #officeparty #asktheexperts #christmasparty #etiquettetips #asktheexperts

🎄 Tis the Season for Office Parties! 🎄 Christmas office parties are the perfect opportunity to bond, celebrate successes, and spread festive cheer. But let’s face it—navigating them without a hitch can sometimes feel like stepping into a minefield of potential awkward moments! This is where Tatham Consultancy Ltd comes in. With expertise in communication, culture, and organizational know-how, we’re here to share valuable insights that make your festive celebrations not just enjoyable but memorable for all the right reasons. Check out our latest video for practical advice on how to enjoy the office party season without breaking a sweat—or the ice (in the wrong way). 🎥 Watch the video now and tell us: What’s your most memorable office party moment? Share your stories or tips in the comments below—let’s spread some holiday laughter! #OfficePartyTips #ChristmasCheer #ProfessionalGrowth #CorporateCulture #LeadershipMatters #TeamBonding #HolidaySeason #WorkplaceSuccess #TathamConsultancy #CelebrateResponsibly

This is Nowita Court, one of the walking streets in Venice CA. Secluded, quiet, with beautiful Mediterranean gardens on either side, these streets are a unique feature of this neighborhood. Urban planners sometimes do something to surprise and delight urban dwellers, and these walking streets are a great example of something beautiful and unexpected that they didn’t have to give us—but they did. And we are grateful. Every organization can offer something to surprise and delight their customers and even their employees. Airlines offer early boarding or a free drink to their best customers. Restaurants sometimes offer an amuse bouche between courses or a candy to sweeten the check. Neighborhoods celebrate First Fridays when every business has specials and stays open late. For employees, casual Fridays or summer Fridays are treasured perks. When companies go out of their way to please us, we naturally become more loyal to the organization and curious, checking back often to see what else they might have in store. It’s a positive way to make a difference, boosting customer and employee retention and giving everyone something to smile about. Today I’m offering my gratitude to the people who spend time surprising and delighting us all.   Welcome to My Gratitude Project 2024 where I am celebrating the small things I’m grateful for every day in November. Follow me on LinkedIn for more tips about wellbeing, emotional intelligence, and happiness all year long. #gratitude #mygratitudeproject #emotionalintelligence #happiness #beauty #kindness #love #lisadfostercoach #mindfulness #mentalhealth #surprise #delight https://lnkd.in/gFJrHSgM

At McClure Engineering, we offer a variety of delightful employee perks – from PIE day celebrations to picnics, festive gatherings atop our penthouse, to bring your dog to work days, and leave your cat at home days. But what event do our team members anticipate with the most enthusiasm? It's tough to outshine our yearly Float Trip 🛶 extravaganza! Imagine spending a night under the stars ✨ with family, leisurely drifting along the river the next day, taking exhilarating plunges 🤿into a chilly spring or from a higher point downstream, and capping it off with a mouthwatering BBQ 🍖feast – all without dipping into vacation days. Truly, it doesn't get any sweeter than that. This year's river float was yet another triumph, offering our team the perfect opportunity to unwind under the gentle sun 🌞 and revel in camaraderie away from the desk! #floattrip #mcclureengineeringstl #topworkplaces #bestplacestowork #employeebenefits #companyculture #employeewellbeing

WORKING FROM HOME MAKES STAFF HAPPIER BUT NOT MORE PRODUCTIVE (www.thetimes.co.uk/) The debate has raged since office life was upended during the pandemic: does working from home make employees happier and more productive, or does it hand slackers a licence to be lazy? Now the first scientific experiment to measure the effects has found that white-collar workers tend to enjoy their jobs more when they are allowed to work from home for part of the week — but this does not seem to make them any more efficient. The researchers conducted a large randomised controlled trial — the technique widely seen as the gold standard for scientific investigations — to assess the impact of working from home. More than 1,600 workers for a Chinese technology company took part, all of them university graduates. They were split at random into two groups. One followed a “hybrid” schedule, where they worked from home on Wednesdays and Fridays and came into the office on the three other days. The second set of employees, who acted as a control group, were required to attend the office every day of the working week. After six months, the two cohorts were compared. “We found that hybrid working improved job satisfaction,” the researchers report in a study published in the journal Nature, with contentment scores about 5 per cent higher for the partial WFH group. They also found that the rate at which the hybrid workers quit fell by a third, compared with the control group, while their performance in an annual review showed no significant change. Over the next two years there was no difference in the promotions the two sets of workers enjoyed. Hybrid working also had no effect on the quality of the code written by subjects working as computer engineers. “These results indicate that a hybrid schedule with two days a week working from home does not damage performance,” the researchers concluded. Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University, who co-led the study, said he thought the results would be surprising for two sets of people. The first “hate working from home and expected the productivity impacts to be really negative”. The second group “love working from home” and “their claim would be that all the time saved travelling and the quiet at home would lead to a productivity surge”. But he said the experiment found no evidence of such a boost — possibly because any gains achieved by cutting out commutes were offset by losses from less in-person mentoring and fewer face-to-face interactions. Ruobing Han, of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, another co-lead, said: “Hybrid is now the dominant working pattern for more than 100 million employees across North America and Europe, so it is an important topic in social science.” Attitudes among 395 managers in the study evolved. At the start they assumed, on average, that hybrid working had a negative effect on productivity. Afterwards, they perceived a positive effect. #kentbusiness #smes #smallbusinessowner #productivity

In the spirit of workplace cultural and #psychologicalhealthandsafety, it’s important to be mindful of how holiday traditions like Secret Santa, monetary contributions, and office Christmas decoration competitions can impact all employees. For diasporan staff, who often support families both here and back home, even a small request—like contributing $10—can add stress. They may feel compelled to contribute out of conformity or fear of being misunderstood or shamed. Before organizing office holiday activities, such as decoration competitions, consider those who may not celebrate Christmas or those for whom such traditions could be culturally unsafe. To ensure inclusivity and fairness, focus on connection-building activities that don’t require financial contributions or impose specific cultural norms. While celebrating diversity is important, it’s equally crucial to center inclusion in everything we do and avoid imposing dominant traditions and values on everyone. How do you cultivate equity, inclusion and belonging in your workplace? Do you say “Merry Christmas” to everyone, making it awkward for those who don’t celebrate, or do you say “Happy Holidays” and respect the diversity of your colleagues? Let’s celebrate the holidays in ways that foster #culturalpluralism joy, unity, and #culturalsafety, without placing undue financial or emotional burdens on anyone.

🌧️ Monsoon and Work: A Beautiful Story for Corporate People 🌧️ As the monsoon rains begin to pour, there’s an undeniable magic that transforms our everyday work life. The pitter-patter of raindrops creates a serene soundtrack that accompanies us through our busy days, reminding us to find beauty in the little things, even amidst our corporate hustle. The Refreshing Start The first rain of the season washes away the dust and grime, giving everything a fresh start. Similarly, in our corporate world, this can be a time to cleanse our minds, rejuvenate our spirits, and approach our tasks with renewed energy and perspective. #FreshStart #NewBeginnings Team Bonding Over Tea Monsoon is synonymous with chai and pakoras. It's the perfect excuse for a tea break with colleagues, where conversations flow as freely as the rain outside. These moments of camaraderie build stronger bonds, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. #TeamBonding #OfficeTeaBreak Innovation in the Rain Just as the monsoon inspires farmers to sow new seeds, it can inspire us to innovate and think creatively. The rain’s rhythmic dance can spark new ideas, leading to groundbreaking projects and solutions. #Innovation #CreativeThinking Embracing Flexibility Monsoon showers can be unpredictable, much like the challenges we face at work. Embracing flexibility and adaptability, we learn to navigate through sudden changes with ease, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for growth. #Adaptability #Flexibility A Time for Reflection The soothing sound of rain provides a perfect backdrop for introspection. It’s a time to reflect on our goals, reassess our strategies, and plan our next steps with clarity and purpose. #Reflection #GoalSetting Staying Connected In the digital age, rain or shine, we stay connected. Monsoon might bring travel delays, but our virtual tools ensure we remain in sync with our teams and clients, proving that distance and weather are no barriers to productivity. #StayConnected #RemoteWork Finding Joy in Small Things The monsoon teaches us to find joy in small things, like the smell of wet earth or the sight of raindrops on the window. In the corporate world, celebrating small wins can boost morale and keep us motivated. #SmallJoys #CelebrateWins Building Resilience Just as the land withstands the heavy rains, we too build resilience in our work life. Facing challenges head-on and emerging stronger helps us grow and prepares us for future storms. #Resilience #Growth Spreading Positivity The monsoon often brings a sense of positivity and renewal. Sharing this positive energy with our colleagues can create a more uplifting and encouraging work environment. #PositiveVibes #WorkCulture Embrace the monsoon’s magic and let it transform your corporate journey. Here’s to finding beauty, inspiration, and growth in every drop of rain. Happy monsoon, everyone! #CorporateTraining #CorporateParijat #DrHarshaKhandelwal

An appreciation to the 3 ladies Kogila, Kalai & Shanthin who religiously keep the West Coast Expressway HQ spick and span for all of us to have a great day at the office. In the quiet moments before and after our bustling workday, you transform our workspace into a sanctuary of cleanliness, order, and professionalism. Your dedicated work often goes unnoticed, but it is the foundation upon which our entire office environment rests. Each day, you arrive early and leave late, meticulously cleaning every surface, emptying trash bins, sanitizing shared spaces, and ensuring that our workplace remains not just functional, but welcoming and dignified. Your attention to detail creates an environment that supports our productivity, health, and well-being. When we walk into a sparkling clean conference room, pristine restrooms, or a dust-free workspace, it's the result of your unsung labor. You are the silent architects of our comfort, the guardians of our workplace hygiene, and the unrecognized heroes who make our professional lives smoother and more pleasant. Your work is far more than just cleaning – it's about creating a space where ideas can flourish, where colleagues can collaborate, and where we can feel proud of our work environment. You demonstrate profound respect for our shared space and, by extension, for everyone who works here. We see you. We appreciate you. We are deeply grateful for everything you do. #appreciation #grateful #thankful #everyjobismeaningful

Some sweet and simple ways to make your office a happier place: 💌 Random Acts of Kindness: encourage a culture of kindness, like leaving positive notes for colleagues, or a recognition system for praising good work. 🪴 Office Decorations: bring in some plants and colorful artwork. 🎂 Celebrate Birthdays: some cake and together time is all you need! 🕯️ Celebrate Diversity: acknowledge and celebrate cultural holidays and events. 🍌 Healthy Snacks and Wellness Programs: we can help with this one! Let us know your office's tastes and we will organize a pantry program that is sure to leave everyone feeling happy. There are loads of ways to make the office a happy place, while encouraging productivity and collaboration. Even simple things like music, creative breaks, seasonal decorations, can make a world of difference.

Did you know? Hosting holiday parties, picnics, or other recreational activities for your employees can be 100% tax-deductible! Just ensure these events are primarily for your team, not just the top brass. Proper documentation is key! 📝 💼 Make your workplace fun and financially savvy! #TaxTips #EmployeeBenefits #BusinessSavings #TeamBuilding #TaxDeduction