How open offices prohibit productivity and social interaction

How open offices prohibit productivity and social interactionHow open offices prohibit productivity and social interactionLately, theres been some debate about the productive efficiency of open offices. Considering how in vogue they are at the moment, it can be assumed that the pros are winning International Facility Management Association, corroborates, citing 68% of coworkers saying they currently or previously worked in an open office.Briefly, the consensus that favors them over traditional cubical style offices are composed of these principal points theyre cost-effective, they make employees mora flexible and theyre ideal for creatives wishing to network with each other.Has the trend been around long enough to properly examine these claims?Are open offices actually better for employee interaction?The points that attempt to justify the popularity of open architecture are all fine ones, but more and more studies are seeking to debunk the idea that they fortify productive employee c ohabitation.A 2018 study conducted by Harvard Business School reports that open offices actually reduce coworker interaction by 70% and surge email and messaging interaction by 50%. The relaxed structure makes workers feel more comfortable tuning their teammates out, seeing them pop in headphones with greater frequency, socially withdraw and resort to Slack as often as they can.Fast Company recently published a report that repudiates all social benefits of the growing trend. The author, Art Markman believes them to be aesthetically predisposed to inspire harsh judgment. From the time you leave, to what you eat for lunch and every idiosyncratic behavior that occupies the spaces in between, your coworkers get an intimate view. Moreover, noting this disparaging surveillance makes the employees that fall victim to it more likely to engage in fake work. i.e staying an hour longer to belie the impression of diligence.Shal Khazancho, professor of management at RITs Saunders College of busi ness addsWhen youre always sitting in that low-privacy environment, Khazanchi explained, your guard is always up and it depletes cognitive resources because youre always trying to manage impressions. That puts you in a very self-oriented way your focus becomes self as opposed to others and that is important for relationships or close interpersonal ties.According to researchers from theUniversity of Sydney,The benefits of being close to co-workers in open-plan offices were offset by factors such as increased noise and less privacy.A report published by Basex, claims the aggravated cost of work interruptions is roughly $588 billion annually in the U.S. Open architecture implores we withdraw socially, shy away from our coworkers and engage in activities that arent super conducive to the tasks at hand.TheInformation Overload Research Group pegs digital noise distraction to cost US firms about 1 trillion dollars a year.In addition to the decrease in productivity, the general distractions that accompany open offices also induce higher absentee rates.So with a step back, we survey the outlay. Do open offices make way for a more productive America? Or is it a flash in the plan, waste of resources?

Student loan debt has huge mental health aspects

Student loan debt has huge mental health aspectsStudent loan debt has huge mental health aspectsMay is Mental Health Awareness Month. Its the one month out of the year when we try to bring awareness to mental health and all of its causes and effects. Its been well known that financial problems can cause mental health problems. In fact, my friend Melanie Lockert, ofDear Debt, focuses on this very topic in her work. She learned years ago that many of the people were coming to her website because they were Googling about debt and suicide.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn honor of the theme for this month,Student Loan Plannerran a survey on mental health and student loan debt. Their readership is more likely to have high student loan balances, which influences the responses to the survey. Here is what they foundNinety percent of borrowers experienced significant anxiety due to the their student loan burden.One in 15 borrowers has considered suicide due to their student loans.More than half of high debt student loan borrowers have experienced depression because of their debt.Why are respondents feeling so awful? Because there is a sense of helplessness when there is so much debt and bedrngnis enough income to match it. The 829 respondents of this survey are not alone. In fact, there are currently 44 million U.S. student loan borrowers who owe a total of 1.5 trillion dollars. This is especially painful now as wages have stagnated while education costs have increased.This is especially true for those who have higher student loan balances. The survey found that one in nine borrowers who owe $80,000 to $150,000 in student loan debt considered suicide because of their debt. Thats almost double than that of overall student loan borrowers. The survey found that this range of borrowers were feeling the most pain because of their debt to income ratio. Their debt is hig h but their income is not necessarily high enough to cover it.These are some pretty sobering and upsetting statistics. I dont want to leave you with the schwimmbad and not propose any solutions or actions you can take. Here are just some of my ideasReally consider what youre getting into if you decide to go back to school for another degree. A lot of people are tempted to go back to school if they are feeling lost or stumped in their career. But is the debt always worth it? Its something to ask yourself before you take the leap. (I spoke toEmilie Aries at Bossed Up about this a while back.)Make sure you qualify and are making the proper payments forstudent loan forgiveness. Not everyone can qualify for this, but if youre working in a field that does, make sure youre taking advantage of it. Talk to your HR department and your student loan provider to get started on the right path.Start lobbying your decision makers for affordable higher education The cost of higher education has gone up by over 200% since the 80s. Thats a LOT in a short amount of time, especially since wages have not increased at the same pace. This is a major problem, and its something that can be controlled. Affordable education is a hot button issue right now, rightly so, and our decision makers should be getting pressured at every turn. Make sure they know that its one of the issues that will sway your vote.Seek helpif youre feeling anxious, depressed, hopeless, or suicidal. Your debt doesnt have to consume you. I know that healthcare, especially mental healthcare, is expensive and hard to access. But there are affordable options out there, especially if your safety is at risk.The moral of this article is that its normal and common to feel bad about your financial situation, especially when a lot of debt is involved. Youre far from the only person who feels this way. But its important to remember that your debt doesnt define you. You have inherent worth outside of these things. Reach out an d get help when you need it. Talk to a friend for family member,find a therapist, hire a coach, orcall a hotline.This article originally appeared on Maggie Germano.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from kleine Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

What You Need to Know Before a Skype Interview

What You Need to Know Before a Skype InterviewWhat You Need to Know Before a Skype Interview20When you think of a job bewerbungsgesprch, mora than likely there is a little bit of anxiety that surfaces. And when you have a video interview, your stress levels might go even higher. Understanding what you need to know before a Skype interview, or any video interview, is important to set the stage to make your best impression.Although a video interview is similar to an in-person interview, there are a few different things to consider. Asking a few questions to understand the process of the interview can help you prepare. Here are three important questions to ask prior to your Skype interview.How many people will be in attendance for the interview?What type and size of screen will the interview be viewed on?Approximately how long will the interview last?Knowing these answers can help you prepare your environment and any other home-based activities that could potentially interfere. After al l, conducting a video job interview from the local coffee shop is probably not a situation with a promising ending.Here are four different things to consider when preparing for your video Skype interview.EnvironmentPreparing your environment is very important. Not only should additional noise be eliminated, but the walls and overall room should be free of visual distractions. Additionally, the lighting should be flattering. Not direct and blinding to those on the other end, but also not so dark that you will not be seen.WardrobeJust as you would dress to impress for an in-person interview, so should you for a video interview. Perhaps those interviewing you will ask you to stand or maybe you will have to adjust something during the interview. In many cases, it is ideal that you have your hands and lap visible.Software/HardwareEliminating, to the best of your ability, any technical difficulties is important. More than likely, a video interview is going to establish your ability to mai ntain connection and not have to ask how to operate a program. Get familiar with the video software beforehand and have your computer, camera, and microphone optimized for the interview.PracticeHaving an extra set of hands is highly valuable when preparing for a Skype interview. Practice video conferencing with a friend so you feel comfortable with the software and get comfortable with looking at the camera, rather than the screen. Also, practicing prior to the interview can help in perfecting your posture, lighting, tone, and background.Participating in a Skype interview is very much like a typical interview, just a little more technical. With the right information, you can make the preparations to ace your next video interview. For more great interview preparation tips, check out the blogHave you ever participated in a Skype interview? Share your experience and ideas on video interviews in the comments section below