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How to dress like an individual – when you are required to dress like everyone else.

You don’t have to wear a specific colour or pattern to show your individuality.

You don’t have to wear a specific colour or pattern to show your individuality. You can find other ways to express yourself. For example, you can accessorise with colours and designs meaningful to you; we call these conversation pieces in the fashion industry. As an alternative, you could adopt a signature hairstyle. Better still would be to incorporate elements of your personality into your wardrobe—do you love animals? Maybe you could update the look of a plain black suit with an animal-print bowtie or tie clip. Are you adventurous? What about some dress shoes in a bright colour like orange or blue? These methods will allow others to get a sense of whom you are without making things awkward.

Find ways to incorporate personal touches into your uniform.

Since you’re required to dress in a uniform for your job, it’s reasonable that you should dress in a uniform style. However, there will always be times when you want something different. For example, while every business may have a set of black slacks and a white button-down shirt, some may have little accessories—a pinstriped tie or bowtie, maybe even a nice watch—that can give off an individual feel.

These can work exceptionally well alongside black pants and white collared shirts – the classic and expected uniform outfit – adding personality to the overall look and creating an exciting contrast from other professionals nearby.

Take pride in wearing the uniform and embrace the part it can play in bonding you with your peers.

The uniform is more than just something you are required to wear. It symbolises the entire profession you are part of. Your peers will feel that attitude radiating from you if you view it with pride.

You may feel uneasy at first, but embracing this attitude can quickly become second nature. And, who knows? You’ll probably find that it helps everyone around you feel more confident and proud!

Seek opportunities to dress outside of your required uniform when you get the chance.

So now you have a handful of ideas for how to express yourself through your wardrobe, despite being restricted by the rules of a uniform. Though it’s not ideal to have to follow the dress code, you can still infuse your style into your outfits if you take advantage of any opportunities. However, keep in mind that this is just one tiny facet of our identity as individuals. It should not be given more attention than necessary.

Let’s all remember not to let life get too stressful over things as insignificant as what we wear every day. Following these tips will help you feel good about the way you look and give you some freedom to express yourself – but it’s essential to keep things in perspective and avoid letting stresses (uniform-related or otherwise) define who we are.

Individuality is about more than what you wear, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take pride in how you present yourself.

Whether you are a cheerleader, a doctor, or an airline pilot, your clothes often define you. Though there is much more to you than just what you wear, how you dress affects many things in your life. It can affect how people treat you when they see you; it can even affect how YOU see yourself and feel!

But even if your job requires you to dress in a certain way (and let’s face it: most of them do), that doesn’t mean that all choices are made for you. There are still ways in which YOU get to choose what and who YOU want to show the world.

It’s essential to take pride in presenting ourselves to the world each day. And remember: though this is only one piece of who we are, how we dress matters!

How to attract women to male-dominated roles

Why are there so few women in tech/startups/entrepreneurship? Should we wear pink or not wear pink? These questions have been discussed to death. I’m not here to add another voice to the choir but rather to take a realistic look at how business can attract more women to male-dominated roles.

Be clear about the opportunities for women in your industry.

Identify the potential benefits of your industry and make them clear to people. If you’re in a career with flexible work hours, this is great for women who want to maintain a work-life balance.

It would help if you also considered establishing mentoring programs that allow recruits to learn from senior employees in a safe space. This will help any new employee, male or female, understand your company culture and their expectations.

Create a safe environment for women where they feel comfortable contributing their ideas and asking questions if they don’t understand something. Ensure they know this is an acceptable way of behaving within the company and actively encourage it throughout the workplace.

Have female-friendly policies

There are plenty of options for achieving this goal. First and foremost, you can offer policy changes that support women in the workplace, such as flexible working hours and childcare. This is particularly important for a male-dominated workforce because these fields often have irregular or extended hours that may complicate those with family obligations.

Additionally, having clear paths of progression and equal pay will help women feel more at home in their job role/workplace. When they see that other women have made their way up the career ladder before them and that their work is valued just as much as men’s work, they’ll feel inspired to stick around.

Finally, creating a supportive environment for all your employees—and making that known to potential female candidates—will go a long way toward attracting great female talent (as well as keeping it once you’ve got it).

Tackle the male culture in your workplace

Make sure your sexual harassment policy is clear, applies to everyone, and is enforced. This might sound obvious, but in practice, it’s not. Suppose you want to attract women into male-dominated roles. In that case, you need to tackle the culture—not by asking her if she’s been harassed (that can make her feel unsafe), but by making sure your policy applies to everyone and tackling any problem when it comes up.

Make sure that other policies (like health insurance) apply equally to men and women. In some organisations where men predominate in senior positions, things like paid leave are set up for men with children and don’t consider women’s lives. This makes the workplace unwelcoming for working mothers who might have chosen the role otherwise.

Ensure you have a code of conduct in place and enforce it

To attract and retain women, you need to ensure your company has a clear, fair, and transparent code of conduct. This code should be available for all staff to see, either on the company intranet or online (or both). It’s a good idea to publicly post the code of conduct in shared spaces – like the kitchen or lunchroom – so that everyone is aware of it. The key here is transparency: if staff can’t see your code of conduct, they won’t know what they expect.

The next step is making sure everyone feels comfortable enough to report misconduct when it happens. Employees who feel safe and supported by their organisation are more likely to speak up when treated unfairly or disrespectfully (rather than just taking matters into their own hands), making dealing with bad behaviour easier for everyone.

Your company should also have clear guidelines about how misconduct will be investigated and handled. When an accusation is made, employees should be confident that it will be investigated promptly and objectively, with a process in place for people accused of misconduct to defend themselves and employees who have been harassed or assaulted to voice their concerns. While there will always be some uncertainty about the outcome of an investigation, having clear policies around employee behaviour will help mitigate this uncertainty and leave employees feeling safe in your workplace.

Women are more likely to be interested in male-dominated careers when employers actively address gender inequality

As an employer, you can attract more women to your company by doing a better job of treating them with respect.

This means letting them know that they will be treated fairly and that their voices will be heard. This also means letting them know that other women in the company have succeeded despite all odds.

It’s no surprise that women don’t want to work in hostile environments where they feel like they will be bullied or harassed. They also don’t want to feel like they are the only woman in a room full of men. When women feel like they are part of a team, it creates a sense of camaraderie, making them more likely to stay on board with your company.

How to Receive a Compliment

Compliments are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can be lovely to receive. But on the other hand, they can cause anxiety because we don’t know how to react. There are many ways to receive a compliment graciously and without unnecessary awkwardness, so we, as women, can give the act of receiving a compliment the respect it deserves.

Smile and say thank you

It’s easy to brush off a compliment. You can say that your success was simply a matter of hard work or thank the person for their kindness, but claim that you’re not that good at what you do. But think about it: if someone tells you they like your shirt or thinks your writing is excellent, isn’t it nice to have someone else say that? Why should we be so quick to discredit and discount something told about us?

If anyone tells me they like my outfit, I thank them sincerely and smile. If they tell me they compliment me on a work presentation I put together, I murmur a quiet thanks and then let it go—but the tiniest part of me feels happy. I probably won’t be thinking about how many people complimented me before bedtime tonight—but maybe, just maybe, one day, when I’m struggling with my workload or feelings of imposter syndrome, my mind will drift back to yesterday’s praise and remind me why I do what I do.

Return the compliment

Returning a compliment is an acceptable alternative to accepting one. It’s also a great way to be kind and foster good relationships with others.

Just make sure you don’t lie about the compliment. If you can’t find something genuine, then it’s better to say nothing than to offer up some disingenuous “you’re so cool” reply (the other person will probably be able to tell that you’re making it up anyway). Remember: if you want people to take your compliments seriously and believe in them, you need to take your compliments seriously.

Be specific about what you like about the person or their work/outfit/performance. The more detailed and precise your response is, the more deeply felt and appreciated it will be. You could even call out something they worked hard on but didn’t necessarily get noticed for because of extenuating circumstances (like bad weather or technical difficulties). Sometimes those things go underappreciated when they’ve been essential factors in getting a job done!

Tell the person something that you genuinely appreciate about them. For example, if your friend compliments your hair, tell them how much you like their eyes or if someone praises your outfit, mention something extraordinary about theirs. They will feel good about themselves, and it will create a positive energy between you and them.

Don’t be too humble

Not everyone is good at receiving compliments. Some people are humble to a fault. As women, we’re brought up to be humble and modest. We appreciate a compliment but are quick to downplay it and explain away its reason. This can be taken too far, though, and make us look like we don’t take pride in our accomplishments or don’t trust our self-worth.

While humility is an endearing quality, it can also serve as a barrier to making new friends or attracting potential partners. It’s one of those universal truths: no one likes a braggart who thinks they’re better than everyone else, but no one wants to date or hang out with someone who never believes anything good about themselves.

Women, in particular, have been socialised from an early age to deflect praise when being praised for their looks or abilities. “My hair looks nice today? Oh no! I just got out of bed! I’m not even wearing makeup!” Or “You like this dress? It’s so old! I’ve had it forever!”

Then others feel awkward just because they’re not sure how to respond—they don’t want their reaction to come across as arrogant or conceited. But let me tell you something—there’s nothing wrong with being proud of yourself! If you’ve worked hard on something and someone recognises that, you should accept the compliment graciously rather than defer credit to someone else.

I mean, imagine if Bill Gates deflected a compliment by saying, “Oh yeah? You think Microsoft is cool? Well, that was actually my employees’ idea.”

We should all feel more comfortable accepting compliments, especially from other women.

We should all feel more comfortable accepting compliments, especially from other women. We’re not used to giving them (or receiving them), so the praise is often delivered awkwardly, and the receiver is even more awkward in response. As a woman, you’re probably used to reacting by being humble or self-deprecating, but this might make the giver feel like they’ve made you uncomfortable or embarrassed. Instead of brushing it off with “Oh, I just threw this dress on,” try saying, “Thank you! I love it, too.” It feels good to make someone else feel good by taking your compliment wisely and confidently.

Also, remember that compliments are about making others feel good about themselves—not about fishing for compliments yourself. So if someone does compliment you (from either sex), say thank you and then turn around and give one right back. You’ll make their day better as well as your own!

How to Choose a Work Mentor

Choose someone whose work you respect.

When choosing a mentor, you should select someone whose work you respect. A good mentor will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to tackle your challenges and opportunities head-on.

Mentorship is a two-way relationship, so it’s essential that both parties feel they are getting something out of the arrangement. If your mentor doesn’t seem to be invested in helping you grow personally or professionally, then move on—you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!

Mentors should be busy people.

When you choose a mentor, it’s important to remember that they will be busy. Busy people usually get stuff done—and if they don’t, they probably won’t be of much help to you. So when selecting a work mentor, make sure that the person has resources and time available for your mentorship relationship, even if those resources are minimal.

It may be tempting to choose someone who seems like they have “enough time on their hands,” but don’t fall into this trap! If a potential mentor does have a lot of room in their schedule for mentoring work with you, it could mean they aren’t fully committed to the tasks and responsibilities of their role. It’s always better to pick someone who may not be able to devote as much time to mentoring than someone who has one foot out the door.

Find a mentor who works across generations.

Mentoring is a two-way street, and it’s essential to find someone who can give you what you need. You might want to work with someone older than you, and that’s okay! They might have more experience or wisdom to impart. But mentors aren’t just elder statespeople—they can be people of any age, even younger than their mentees. A younger mentor may offer different perspectives on your career path or relate better because they’ve recently been on a similar journey.

One thing that makes this type of mentor-mentee relationship so great is how much they can teach each other: both sides are learning as they go along!

Give it time and effort.

You will be spending time with this person, and it’s essential that you choose someone you like and respect.
Mentorship is a two-way street; you need to be willing to put in the time and effort necessary to make the mentorship work.
Show up prepared for meetings, ask questions, and ensure your mentor knows how much you are learning from them.
Mentorships can last many years or just a few months—it all depends on what is being learned by both parties involved in the relationship.

Choosing the right mentor can help you grow in your career.

Finding the right work mentor can help you grow in your career and life. Mentors can be a big part of your success, but choosing the right person for the job is essential. Here are some tips for choosing a mentor:

Choosing someone you admire may be the most critical factor in ensuring that your relationship with them is successful and mutually beneficial—you want someone who inspires you!
Don’t ask people directly for a mentor; instead, ask them questions about their experiences or how they would approach certain situations at work. This will help both you and them figure out whether or not there’s potential for mentorship between the two of you. Ask yourself these questions: What do I want from this relationship? How much do I want to learn from this person? Do I have enough time available to commit myself fully over time? If so, then go ahead! If not (or if there’s doubt), then don’t pursue it any further than this initial conversation around what “mentorship” means between two people at different stages in their careers.

Ultimately, a mentor is someone who can help you grow your career and is an integral part of getting you to where you want to be in your career. A good mentor will have enough life experience to give you advice and steer you in the right direction. Choosing the right mentor is an important career decision and one that requires careful consideration and planning.

How to Give a Compliment to Someone Without Mentioning Their Appearance

A culture of compliments can make people feel more connected and appreciated. However, if you notice that the recipient is uncomfortable or deflecting your praise, try to move on with grace. It’s possible that the person is sensitive about their appearance or is just not used to getting compliments on their appearance. Vulnerable topics like these can be challenging for some people, so it’s important not to push it if you sense that they’d rather change the subject than accept your praise.

For many people, being told they have a pretty face or shiny hair may feel like a shallow compliment and lead them to wonder what else is of value about them if it’s not their appearance.

It’s tempting to compliment a friend, a co-worker, or anyone else you encounter in the world on how good they look. But that kind of praise can make someone feel like their appearance is the most important thing about them.

There are many other ways to compliment someone besides pointing out physical attributes. Telling someone, they look pretty can remind them that you are being judged and evaluated every time they walk into a room and that they have to put in the effort to be perceived as beautiful. I typically avoid commenting on a person’s appearance altogether because I want people to know how much more there is to them than how they look.

Here are a few ways to compliment without mentioning appearance:

Compliment them based on how they make you feel (e.g. “You’re great at making newcomers feel welcome”)
Compliment personality-based traits (e.g. “You’re such a great listener!”)
Notice when someone puts effort into something (e.g. “I appreciate how much thought you put into your presentation at last week’s meeting”)
Compliment achievements (e.g. “That was an amazing article!”)

We all have the best of intentions when we tell someone they look nice, but the truth is, beauty is more than skin deep. We don’t want to make people feel like your appearance is their most valuable quality because it isn’t.

This is especially true for women, who are bombarded with unrealistic images of how a woman “should” look. These images can make people feel judged and inadequate, making them feel bad about themselves, which is detrimental to self-esteem and mental well-being.

It’s also essential to remember that beauty is subjective! What one person thinks looks good might not be what another person thinks looks good. So there’s no reason to focus on appearances as much as we do!

So how do we get around this? It’s actually quite simple. You can compliment a person on their interests and talents, whether that be art, sports or video games. You could also praise them for their personality or sense of humour. I’m sure they’re hilarious and interesting! You can even compliment someone on their intelligence or creativity because these are better compliments than “You have nice eyes.”

Even if you want to be more direct and still compliment appearance, try praising something not physical, like someone’s sense of style instead of their face shape. Think about what people put effort into: maybe it’s their hair or clothes, but it could also be their career goals or something else entirely. Your comment will help them feel validated in whatever they are working on!

There are plenty of ways to compliment someone without mentioning their appearance. Here are a few examples:

If someone is on stage performing and you admire their work, compliment the performance itself. It’s really that simple!
If you like someone’s picture because it makes them look happy and confident, let them know that’s why their picture resonated with you.
If you see someone taking risks, working hard, or achieving success in an area they’re passionate about, let them know how inspiring they are!

When we stop tying our worth to our looks so much, we can start doing meaningful things in our lives instead of being tied down by body image issues.

The secret dress code – what NOT to wear to a business meeting

People form an opinion about individual competencies from the first seconds they see a person. It is not the speech manner or the knowledge that first contributes to the forming of an image of a person, but the dress code.

Generally speaking, when we first meet someone, we have about 30 to 40 seconds to make an impression. This means that one should be very careful when choosing clothes to wear for a job interview, first day at work and a business meeting. To better understand the secrets of the dress code for a business meeting, imagine that you are having a meeting with a potential client or partner. Your competitor has also been invited. The project will either go to you or him after this meeting. You are wearing a short, flimsy dress and your competitor is wearing a black, business suit. Who do you think inspires more credibility?

While looking too sexy at a business meeting is never a good idea, the same stands true for wearing clothes that are too neutral or completely unappealing. Showing too much skin, wearing too much perfume or excessive jewelry are common mistakes women can make when it comes to what not to wear to a business meeting.

The secret dress code for women at business meetings is not about blending in the background; it is about looking feminine and empowered, all at the same time. You can wear feminine options such as dresses and skirts to business meetings, even paired with heels. However, it is crucial to choose wisely. Consider the image you want to present to your business partner and select the outfit accordingly.

What NOT to wear to a business meeting?

Anything sparkling, metallic colours, glitter. Even if your meeting is in the evening, all that shines is not appropriate.
Camisoles, cropped, printed, lacy tank tops and strapless tops and dresses are not a wise choice when it comes to business meetings. Even if you think you can elegantly wear them, the dress code is rigorous when it comes to this.
Sports shoes, flats, sneakers. It doesn’t matter if you meet in a coffee shop or a conference room, the recommendation is to wear heels or formal shoes to a business meeting.
Clothes with a certain degree of transparency. It doesn’t matter how good you think you look in that dress or shirt. If it is even remotely transparent, you shouldn’t wear it to the business meeting. You don’t want your partner to talk about the colour and cut of your bra…
Skirts and dresses that are too short. Under the knee length, as well as the midi length is the acceptable standard when it comes to business meetings.
Anything with a deep cleavage. People associate cleavage with sexy, not professional.
Clothes that are not ironed.
Unpolished or dusty shoes.

5 Things that happen when you start dressing well at work

If you want to live a better life, you can start by dressing better. This is just one of the sayings that connect dressing well with increased levels of success. Is it just a myth? Highly unlikely as multiple studies showed the changes that occur once you start dressing well at work.

People do judge you by the clothes you wear, and the first impression does make a difference. Your attire gives signals about your level of education, the mood, the level of self-confidence, and even your interest, maturity, authority, and life values. Many times, people around us “hear” more from the discourse of our clothing, then the things we say. The way we dress is a form of non-verbal communication if you think about it, so it is just as important as your actual words. Dressing well at work must take into consideration the culture, the age, and the event, among others.

Once you start dressing well for work, you’ll notice a few things happening, such as:

1. Increased self-confidence

Several studies performed over the years show that the way we look can change the way we feel. When you know you are dressed well, your confidence level is higher, and you feel better and prepared to tackle each and every challenge.

2. Willingness to embrace changes

Dressing differently is a significant change on its own. But it is also a change that will prove its benefits shortly along the way. This can lead to the willingness to embrace changes in other areas of the professional field too.

3. Dress smart, feel smarter

The way we dress influences our feelings about self. A recent study (Columbia University, 2015) showed that once dressed better, people felt more powerful and confident, and this, in turn, increased the chances to adopt a higher, more abstract thinking.

4. Visible personal style

A well defined personal style is proof of a strong personality. The clothes you wear represent you as a person. Choosing to wear neutral clothes that don’t say anything can make you look afraid to take risks or unwilling to draw attention to you. And this is not ideal for someone who wants to be successful at work.

5. You look more trustworthy and competent

Your work attire can be a sign of self-confidence and professionalism, or, just the opposite of slacking and lack of interest. Dressing well at work can make you look more trustworthy and competent in the eyes of your colleagues, clients, and business partners. To impress the audience, you should bet on a mix of competence and the message you send with your presence.

Packing for a conference

Packing for a business conference can be tricky for most of us. Often, there is a need to travel light, but at the same time, we need to stay on top of our game and have clothes and shoes for all potential events that can show up. The necessity to pack clothes that don’t wrinkle much can be in contradiction with the need of having feminine, chic, and professional-looking attire. Minimal planning of the outfits and creating a capsule collection wardrobe can be beneficial when it comes to packing for a conference. Simplify the chromatic palette and make sure all the clothes that you take with you to go together well with each other. The fewer colours you’ll have in your luggage, the more flexibility you’ll enjoy. This doesn’t mean you should only pack blacks and navy items. An ideal combination would be choosing a dark colour for the items that you will wear in more outfits (the skirt or pants) and adding two more colours for the tops (lighter colours). Make sure only to pack items that are representatives for business, business casual and smart casual styles and avoid sporty outfits or overly casual clothes. You can have one or two outfits for relaxing or going out when there is no work activity planned, but this shouldn’t take more than 25% of the space in your luggage. To make things even more straightforward when you are away, create and plan an outfit for each day and the activities scheduled. Always pack clothes that you have worn before, and you feel comfortable in them (the same goes for shoes).

After you are done choosing the clothes, complete the outfit with matching shoes and accessories, also lingerie. The shoes can take a lot of room in the luggage, so don’t pack more than two pairs. If you know you will be visiting the site, make sure to have suitable clothing and shoes with closed toes and no heels. Wear the most comfortable shoes while traveling; this should help you avoid getting swollen feet during the conference.

Another tip from frequent travellers is never to forget to pack some pills too to avoid attending the conference with a headache or a stomach ache.

Flood and Fast Water Risks in the workplace

Do you have workers clearing drains or maintaining critical infrastructure, or even traveling in remote regions? Each people are hurt or die trying to cross or play in flooded waterways. If your workers have reported work sites inundated with water and access to remote locations hampered by flood water have you got safe systems of work in place and have you provided critical information on ?

Flood water

Flood waters hide slippery surfaces, uneven ground, strong current, fences, vehicles, rocks, long grass, tree branches, sewerage, chemicals, sharp objects and electrical current Flood waters may contain animal including snakes, vehicles, tree branches where people can become entangled.

Storm drains

In urban areas large volumes of fast flowing water can come and go in minutes. Entrances to drains, pipe and grills are slippery and difficult to get out of in wet conditions.

Dams and Weirs

Turbulent water around dams and weirs can knock people off their feet and recovering people from fast flowing water with poor visibility is extremely difficult

Flood water over roads, causeways

Water up to the car doors is enough to float a vehicle or can splash and stall the engine. Even gentle moving flood water can wash away the road from beneath a vehicle

Actions

Stay 3 meters back from the water’s edge
Never drive through flooded road ways wait until the water subsides.
When working in stormwater ensure that the spotters continuously monitors weather conditions. If water rises unexpectedly in a pipe evacuate the area.
If you become trapped in flood water
If you become trapped, stay calm.
Phone Triple Zero (000) or ask or signal others to call for your rescue.
If you’re in an isolated area, rescuers may take some time to reach you, so be patient. If you are caught in a vehicle, stay there until help arrives, if the water level goes down or a safe escape is possible.
Don’t enter the water if it can be avoided and stop others from entering it.
Even fully-equipped swiftwater technicians will only enter the water as a last

If you see someone in difficulty

Monitor the person and report the situation to emergency services. Listen to rescue authorities who are trained professionals and follow their instructions. If you have to assist the person, use extreme caution and do not enter the water. If possible use a tree branch, rope (never tie it to the person or yourself) or other tools to reach the isolated person. Take care as fast flowing water can force the person further under the water.

Do you have similar safety risks in your workplace?

What action can you do to prevent workers being injured in the workplace

Provide a safe work environment by ensuring controls are maintained

Do you have a risk of mosquitos in your workplace?

Mosquitos are the deadliest animal and with Japanese encephalitis now in Australia it is important to reassess the risk in your workplace.

Background

Mosquitoes cause at least a million deaths every year.
There are about 700 million cases of mosquito-borne diseases occur annually.
With over 3,500species of mosquitoes, there is an estimated number in the quadrillions of mosquitos.
Only female mosquitoes bite. Both males and females feed mainly on fruit and plant nectar, but females also need the protein in blood to help their eggs develop.
The females “bite” with a long, pointed mouthpart called a proboscis. They use the serrated proboscis to pierce the skin and locate a capillary, then draw blood through one of two tubes. The bumps or “bites” that we see form on our skin are actually an allergic reaction to mosquitoes’ saliva. When the mosquito feeds on human blood, it injects saliva into our skin, and the itchy bump is the result of a mild immune system reaction to it.
Mosquitos are usually active from dusk to dawn and tend to like dark, damp areas near stagnant water.
A mosquito can drink up to three times its weight in blood, although it’s very difficult for someone to die from blood loss caused by a mosquito.
Mosquito-borne diseases and illnesses are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites transmitted by mosquitoes. They can transmit diseases without being affected themselves.
The instances of mosquito-borne diseases have skyrocketed in the past years

Mosquitos breed in

Tall grass
Standing (still) water
Pot plant bases
Open bins
Drains and gutters