By: Png Han Yong

Good manners never go out of style. When we interact with others in person, it is often easier to watch our words and body language to avoid conveying the wrong impression to the other party. But these niceties are often lost when it comes to email, due to the inherent rapidity (and lack of visible interaction) of this electronic medium.

With the aid of technological tools, it is now possible for employers to track their employees’ online activity during work hours.

While employers have the right to monitor their workers’ work performances and how company resources are being used, there’s a thin line between tracking and intruding upon an employee’s right to privacy.

According to a poll conducted by JobsCentral, from 8 January to 3 April 2013, most workers are put off by the idea of employers tracking their social media profiles.

By: Gerald Goh

Employee privacy in the workplace is a thorny issue, as there are few, if any, laws governing precisely what companies can and cannot do with when monitoring their employees.

Some privacy-infringing measures utilised by companies include the installation of close-circuit cameras (CCTVs) to monitor employees, as well as the tracking of phone conversations, instant messaging and emails in the office.

But are these measures justified, or even worthwhile?

Question:
I am the hiring manager for my company and I recently encountered some challenging interview candidates. One didn’t dare to make eye contact with me throughout the interview, while another made excessive hand gestures as he was talking enthusiastically about something completely irrelevant. How should I handle such candidates in the future?

Answer:
An interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for the interviewee, so perhaps it’s no wonder that some candidates tend to exhibit quirky behaviors because they’re stressed, or they’re attempting to (futilely) impress you, the interviewer, by being memorable.

By Edmund Wang

You wake up in the morning, all bright and chirpy. You start your work day, rapidly clearing your emails and breezing through everything on your plate. But that scenario sounds too good to be true, because such days are few and far between.

By: Png Han Yong

The office is a place where most of us will spend a good portion of our waking hours. With the long hours and numerous repetitive movements put in at a computer workstation, it’s not surprising that many office workers often suffer from a variety of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) such as stiff necks, sore wrists or even pain in one’s joints, muscles and tendons.

By Julailah Wahid

April Fools’ Day is just around the corner, and what better way to let your colleagues know how much you care than by playing memorable, harmless practical jokes on them?

Here are five pranks that you can pull off with ease at the office (without causing any physical harm or long-term emotional distress):

By Gerald Goh

It should be an employee’s market in Singapore right now – when we last checked, the official unemployment rate was low – 2 per cent, or thereabouts on average in 2012 – and job listings are still plentiful.

Not to mention that you’re either raring to kick-start your career, or have recently gotten your annual bonus and have your eye on your next career move.

But are companies in Singapore really hiring, and in quantities that the numbers suggest that they should be?

By Edmund Wang

Environmentalism has been gaining traction throughout the world in recent years, and it should come as little surprise that we in Singapore are finally embracing the act of preserving the world we live in, with the recently-concluded commemoration of Earth Hour 2013 the epitome of the simple act of turning off one’s lights can help pave the way for future environmentally-friendly acts.