Love 'em or hate 'em, meetings are a huge part of a professional's daily "grind."  In fact, studies show that an average of 11 million meetings are held in the United States every day.  The average salary cost of said meetings? $338.00  Take a moment to reflect on your average work day. At over $300 per gathering, how much are your business meetings costing your organization? And what measurable outcomes are you achieving after every powwow?   Get more bang for your buck during your workday with these tips:

There's no better time to take a look at your organization's charitable contributions than National Charity Day! Whether you organize a Toys for Tots drive during the holidays, or your team partners with Habitat for Humanity to build a home in your community, a spirit of philanthropy is never EVER a bad investment.  

Other than your organization’s reputation among clients and potential customers, your company’s standing as a superior employer should be a top priority for your business.  You may be familiar with the wise old saying, “News travels fast, but bad news travels faster.”  This little ditty isn’t just something that Aunt Susan spouts off at the Thanksgiving dinner table when discussing the latest family drama: It’s truer than true when it comes to your employer reputation. 

Working from home: Many people dream of such a perk and come to find that once this dream becomes a reality, they find themselves less motivated and even less engaged with their management and team. If your organization prides themselves on offering flexible work-from-home options, consider implementing some of these strategies to keep all of your employees working hard and working happy!

Mondays aren't often described as "pleasant" or "easy-breezy."  In fact, if your Monday morning has looked anything like mine, you would have spilled your coffee on your dry-clean-only shirt and tripped up the stairs all before 10:30 AM.  But seeing as today is National Relaxation Day, it's time to sprinkle a little Zen in the start to the week.