{"id":9745,"date":"2021-09-24T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/careers\/?p=9745"},"modified":"2021-10-05T11:00:41","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T10:00:41","slug":"monthly-museings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/careers\/monthly-museings\/","title":{"rendered":"Monthly musings…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I thought I\u2019d kick off the year with a blog about some recent musings, which may or may not become a regular feature, but here goes\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Email Signatures<\/strong>–<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve seen a couple of great email signatures recently, so wanted to give you some ideas. Email signatures in the workplace often traditionally denote contact details, but there\u2019s usually some space to add in something brief as an addition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Wellbeing at work is important. My working hours may not be your working hours. Read and reply only in your working hours, and bear with me if I don\u2019t reply immediately.<\/li>
  2. Please note I am Neurodiverse. I struggle to process long wordy and lengthy emails. Please brief me using short bullet points and clear deadlines if you need a specific return. Thank you.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Have you seen any great ones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This reminded me to remind you \u2013 there\u2019s 100 graphics, links and words you could put in your e-signature, but keep it professional and simple for the best impact. Think carefully about the tone, colours and style of your profession, and enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Dreaded Tech Moment<\/strong>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This happened to me this month. It\u2019s also happened to me before, except last time it went a bit better\u2026 have you ever sent an email to the wrong person? Did that question send a chill down your spine? Then you understand my pain. Last time, thankfully, I was complimenting someone which was meant just for them, but I did a reply to all. Probably didn\u2019t need to go to everyone (it was a bit gushy), but if the re-call didn\u2019t work, it wasn\u2019t the end of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This time, I meant to forward an exchange to a colleague, but instead replied to the individual. It wasn\u2019t rude, but I wouldn\u2019t have used that wording had I planned on sending it to them \u2013 a little abrupt and pointed. I went through each of the emotions. The \u2018wait, hang on, did I just accidentally\u2026?\u2019 then the shock, the shame, the tummy in the mouth, the sheer horror as I screamed for help down to my partner to remind me how to recall an email\u2026 felt like it went in slow motion and he took forever to climb the stairs to my office\u2026 and then the silent wait to see if the recall had worked. This time, it hadn\u2019t. All I could do was apologise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are two learning points from this; firstly, ALWAYS CHECK (especially when you\u2019re tired and busy) who your email is going to. And ideally just avoid sending frustrated emails. Or at least swap platforms \u2013 if you need help then go to Teams, so there\u2019s no possibility of you making the mistake I did. I\u2019m still getting chills at the thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Secondly, make sure you know how to recall an email in whatever platform you use. Google how to do it. Remind yourself regularly. The quicker you get to it, the more likely it is to work. Good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Presenteeism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is a term that\u2019s been batted around for a while, but I feel like at this stage post-pandemic when everyone\u2019s worn out, or is likely to pick up illnesses as they begin re-socialising, it\u2019s an important one to remind ourselves of. Whether this be relevant for you, or someone you know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Presenteeism definition \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Harvard Business Review<\/a>: \u2018the problem of workers\u2019 being on the job but, because of illness or other medical conditions, not fully functioning\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is real. We know that absence is about not being at work, but presenteeism isn\u2019t much better when it comes to productivity. It means people showing up (for a whole range of reasons) but not really being there. The BBC has recently written a great article about Presenteeism and productivity post-pandemic – do click here if you\u2019re interested in reading it.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s a really important time to look out for colleagues, and friends, and those around you. If people are unwell, physically or mentally, they need to assess whether they should be in work. Being present doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re being productive, so in some circumstances it may be better to get off the treadmill, improve your health, and then come back refreshed and raring to go at a more sustainable pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, that\u2019s the end of September\u2019s monthly musings. What have you been musing this month?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Getting further support from The Careers and Enterprise Team at CCCU<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You can get ongoing careers support via the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n