25.10.2024

WORKING REMOTELY COMES WITH RISKS

Remote workers are exposed to safety risks, warns the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

Digital technologies such as personal computers, smartphones, laptops, software packages and the Internet allow people to work remotely, ie. off the employers' premises for most or part of their working time. During the covid pandemic, remote work became more common, and hybrid work — a combination of remote and on-premises work — gained popularity after the emergency. In 2022, 18% of workers in the EU-27, Iceland and Norway worked mostly from home.

In addition to remote workers, among the people who are in remote mode are also those who work on customer premises (6%); outdoors, for example on a construction site, on city streets or in agricultural areas (5.5%); in a car or other vehicle (3.5%) and in public places such as cafes or airports (2%). Although the majority (65%) worked on employers' premises, telecommuting was the practice for a third of the workforce in these countries.

Digital technologies have many advantages and are crucial for remote working, but their use is associated with a number of psychosocial and physical risks:

Advantages:

- Saving time and reducing travel stress;

- Better balance between professional and personal life;

- Increased productivity and concentration.

Disadvantages:

- Increase in prolonged sitting and stress from work deadlines;

- Long working hours and social isolation that can endanger health;

- Risks of musculoskeletal disorders (pain in the neck, wrists and fingers) due to improper arrangement of work equipment;

- Eye fatigue from poor lighting and long time in front of screens.

Organizations have a critical role to play in preventing the risks associated with remote and hybrid work. The first step is a mandatory risk assessment, which should cover teleworking in accordance with EU and national legislation. When the work is done off the employer's premises, the workplace conditions and the associated risks to safe and healthy work are more unpredictable and beyond the direct control of the company.

Therefore, the participation of the employer and the employees in the risk assessment process is very important. In addition to providing background information on taking next steps toward an action plan, the risk assessment process creates mutual awareness among remote workers and an organization's management. Telecommuters increasingly perform their work duties in different locations, such as on the move, while traveling for work or leisure. They use fewer standard workstations.

Any public space can potentially be used as a place to work, for example parks, public transport, airports, train stations, libraries, etc. Traditional places where local communities gather - cafes, bars and restaurants - are also used as workplaces. Although accessible, these spaces are unpredictable because their conditions do not depend on the workers or employers.

Depending on the location, the number of physical risks may vary. For example, working outdoors can have consequences from exposure to ultraviolet light, widely recognized as a risk factor for cancer, or have negative consequences for the eyes given the inappropriate lighting conditions when working with laptops and smartphones. Long and frequent work on a train or plane can lead to greater exposure to noise and vibration.

For prevention in this connection, work is being done diligently with regard to the work with video displays. The working group on Directive 90/270/EEC is discussing changes regarding the definition and scope of the concept of workplace and the use of screen equipment. In addition to the use of a stationary computer, the directive can also be applied when the worker uses portable screen equipment - laptop, tablet, etc., for which new minimum requirements are provided for its use, as well as expanding the scope to include risky factors - ergonomics and psychosocial risk in the workplace.

Both workers and employers can contribute to ensuring safety and health in telework and hybrid schemes by providing workers with equipment, digital technologies, technical support and guidance on their safe use. Employers can provide training and educational activities to raise awareness of safe working anywhere and put in place a clear policy on remote and hybrid working. So remote workers can optimize the ergonomics and environment of their workplace, move around, change their posture, be active and take regular breaks.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work emphasizes that safety and health in the workplace are fundamental factors for the general well-being of workers and operational efficiency.

The European Week for Safety and Health at Work is an important tool for raising awareness of workplace risks and promoting healthy practices.

24.10.2024

ARE YOU A SHARK, DOLPHIN, WHALE OR JELLYFISH AND WHICH TYPE ACHIEVES SUCCESS

You don't feel like working today. But not at all. You can barely muster up the energy to get ready and go to work. And there you grope and nothing bothers you. Well today is just a jellyfish day for you.

Humans are wired to seek to use their physical resources most efficiently. You haven't slept for some reason and your body is telling you to conserve your strength. So you are not very lively this week, drifting back and forth with the current just like that spindly sea animal. Or you feel a burst of energy and crush task after task like a shark.

People have different types of energy on different days. But still they constantly have a dominant one. According to one theory, you could be any of four types of sea animals.

Sharks are the ones who have a lot of energy, but it is also negative. They are ambitious, love challenges and throw themselves enthusiastically at them, so they often achieve success. They especially get excited during competition. However, they are ready not only to compete, but to literally bite their rivals.

They are not good team players, because they are difficult to work together precisely because of their large dose of negative energy. They have days when the whole world is their fault and everyone is their fault. Then they are even more likely to bite - even without reason, and are difficult to endure from colleagues.

Although energetic, sharks are controversial as bosses. They motivate by instilling fear in their subordinates. To some extent this works. But in general, their behavior is burdensome, and if they do not learn to keep their shark temper within tolerable limits, they can fail in their leadership role.

Dolphins are overflowing with positive energy, and that's exactly what makes them winners. They are also ambitious, but unlike sharks, they are team players and can inspire. Because they are full of enthusiasm, their colleagues want to work with them. They also tend to help others, making them even more desirable partners. They often become informal leaders in the team.

The downside is that because everyone is on their side, they lack opposition. If they don't have self-control, they can get stuck in a routine.

It is the dolphins who become the dream bosses. However, they must find a way at the right times to be constructive, ie. not to allow their subordinates to take advantage of their positive energy and be lazy.

Whales are not too energetic. Like large marine mammals, they are rather clumsy. But they are powerful and when they start a job, they finish it. It may become too slow to survive the competition of the faster and fiercer. However, they are good-natured and rarely clash with their colleagues. They are not the most valuable people in the team, but they are not unpleasant either.

In general, whales have a hard time becoming bosses.

Jellyfish have little energy and it is negative. They are not proactive, they are not productive, they like to go with the flow. But they do not understand that their behavior lacks activity and this is their big problem.

They usually blame others and are angry with everyone. They especially hate those colleagues who are "fiddling" - they accuse them of excessive ambition, pushiness and other similar sins. No one wants to be on a team with them.

They also generally shouldn't be promoted to bosses. But when by some misunderstanding it happens, the grief is for their subordinates.

Whichever type you are, you can make an effort to manage your energy properly if you think about it and classify yourself honestly.

It's not easy, but if you recognize a shark in yourself, try to hold back and don't bite often when you have to work in a team. If you can't, try choosing a profession where you compete against competitors as an individual player. For example, become a lawyer.

When you define yourself as a dolphin, you have to consider when to bring in some shark energy. There are cases in which it is not possible without showing teeth to your competitors in order to win.

Whales can try to be better organized to be faster. They may not succeed in being even ferocious, but if they manage to arrange their priorities correctly, they will overcome their clumsiness.

For the jellyfish, they need to make themselves more proactive by thinking about why they are in a position to just float with the waves. The answer is very possible that they are tired of this work, that they no longer have any drive to do it. They stay on it because they don't have the energy to get out. It doesn't sound good at all, and neither does the definition "jellyfish" itself. So the very awareness of it can become a motivation for change.

---- Are you drifting along because you don't get enough sleep?

Psychologists claim that many workers do not notice how they turn from dolphins into jellyfish because they do not get enough sleep.

Energetic, ambitious and inspired, they at some point become overloaded (or the boss overloads them) with more tasks than they could do well. As a result, they begin to not rest enough time to recharge their batteries. Their efficiency decreases, they live in stress of not succeeding. Their sleep becomes poor quality. Their productivity drops even more and they become clumsy whales. They are not felt and gradually turn into jellyfish. Not only do they not take initiative, but they also put off what they are assigned to do. They spin in a vicious circle in which they lose more and more of their energy.

The direct link between sleep and procrastination has been proven by research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The scientists surveyed people with different professions and from different economic sectors - finance, trade, construction, education, healthcare, etc. The volunteers were asked to monitor and record their sleep quality and tendency to procrastinate. The survey lasted 10 consecutive working days.

The results showed that, in all cases, the lack of a good night's sleep inevitably leads to an increase in the frequency and tendency to postpone duties the next day.

This effect was also strongly dependent on self-control. People who had low levels of self-control were significantly more affected by sleep deprivation than those who had the willpower to manage their feelings.

The study showed a significant difference in the frequency of procrastination between volunteers with low self-control and those with higher self-control when both groups experienced a lack of quality sleep. The differences became significantly smaller when they started the day rested after a long and full sleep.

However, strong will cannot be infinite. With a constant lack of quality sleep, the body is exhausted. Fatigue can no longer be compensated for by any self-control.

The conclusions of the study are several. One is that how often you procrastinate doesn't depend so much on some personality trait—laziness, say. A much more significant role is played by your susceptibility to an external factor such as lack of sleep. It makes you procrastinate, and for a while you can overcome this urge with the awareness that you have to do the work and with the will. But this cannot be permanent.

So the most important conclusion of the study is that if you want to get rid of the danger of running out of energy, you need to pay more attention to sleep. Not only in quantity, but also in quality.

One of the most effective ways to improve the quality of your sleep is to follow a schedule - going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. Add to this a ban on using the smartphone and the computer at least 2-3 hours before going to bed, experts advise. The reason is that the light from their screens prevents the release of melatonin - the so-called sleep hormone.

23.10.2024

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IF OUR LEAVE IS UNLAWFULLY TERMINATED

It is important to note that the practice of an employer unilaterally terminating paid annual leave that it has already granted is illegal.

Bulgarian legislation provides for two options for interrupting the use of paid annual leave. What do we need to know if our leave is unlawfully terminated?

The first opportunity to interrupt the use of the worker's or employee's paid annual leave occurs when there is authorization for another type of paid leave, such as leave due to temporary incapacity (sickness) or unpaid leave. In this case, the worker or employee has the right to request an interruption of the paid annual leave, and the rest of it to be used additionally by agreement between the parties.

For example, if someone works as an employee in a company and has been granted permission to use their paid annual leave of 15 days in the month of July. At the end of the first week of his leave, the employee falls ill and has to take sick leave for the next 10 days. In this case, the employee can request an interruption of their paid annual leave and continue to take sick leave, then resume their annual leave if there are any days left. This is carried out according to the procedures established by the employer and provided for in the legislation.

Interruption of the use of paid annual leave is carried out at the request of the worker or employee, and for this purpose there is no special legal form for expressing this request. This is usually done with a verbal request upon presentation of a relevant document certifying the other type of leave other than paid annual leave. However, in order to avoid misunderstandings or disputes, it is recommended that this request be made through a written statement that clearly establishes the will of the worker or employee to interrupt and postpone the use of paid annual leave for a later period.

The second option for interrupting paid annual leave involves the agreement of the parties - the worker or the employee and the employer. In this case, the interruption and postponement of the use of leave is done by mutual agreement and can be formed by a written statement from both parties.

For example, if the employee received permission for paid annual leave in the month of August and at the beginning of his leave he gets the opportunity to participate in an international conference at the end of the month. Since the conference represents an important opportunity for his professional development, the employee turns to his employer with a request to interrupt the annual leave and they agree to use the remaining days of leave at a later period after the end of the conference. This consent shall also be documented in writing.

Unilateral termination of paid annual leave by the employer without the consent of the worker or employee is against the law and may lead to legal consequences for the employer. It is therefore important for employers to familiarize themselves with the legal provisions and follow the procedures for discontinuing the use of paid annual leave, ensuring the consent of the worker or employee in the event of changes to their leave scheme.

 

Reference:

Art. 175, para. 1 of the Labor Code

Art. 175, para. 2 of the Labor Code

Art. 155, para. 4 of the Labor Code

Art. 155, para. 5 of the Labor Code

22.10.2024

WHY EMPLOYEES ARE PLANNING A "QUIET LEAVE"

New research reveals that employers who redefine the workflow and locations of their teams risk losing top talent to the 'quiet leave'.

That's one of the findings in a study by the International Workplace Group of the main reasons why employees are most likely to "quietly leave" - ​​a term used in the workplace to describe employees doing only the minimum required by their job description .

More than half (57%) of employees say they are more likely to "quietly leave" if they have a manager who makes them feel undervalued, controls them or doesn't give them the flexibility to work remotely. which best suits their needs. With 22% of workers who currently feel or have felt demotivated at work, they would potentially quit their job or look for work elsewhere if they did not feel supported by their teams to work in a way that they is comfortable.

At the same time, two-fifths (40%) of office workers are less likely to "quietly leave" or demotivate the workplace if their employers offer them a hybrid model. Employees are sending a clear message to current and potential employers: embrace the benefits of hybrid work or risk losing your professionals.

Hybrid work helps employees feel fulfilled and satisfied.

The reality for companies that don't offer hybrid work is that they will lose their best talent - six in 10 (62%) hybrid workers say they would consider leaving their jobs. if they have to return to the office five days a week.

In addition, 71% would turn down a new job or position that involved a long commute, and 72% would only consider new positions that offered the ability to work flexibly from any location. As well as increasing productivity levels (78%), hybrid working enables employees to make decisions about their work schedules based on when and where they work best (92%) – one of the most important factors preventing quiet leaving employees.

Managing the Future: How Managers Can Prevent Attrition

55% of workers who don't currently have the flexibility to work from wherever they want think they would experience greater job satisfaction and productivity if their manager allowed them to work in a hybrid way.

The study identified all three key signs of good management as: fostering work-life balance, trusting employees that they can do their work from anywhere, and being approachable and open to conversations about new ways of working.

This is backed up by academic research from Professor Blum, a Stanford economics professor and world-renowned expert on the topic of hybrid work, who says that companies that offer this kind of flexibility can expect to see a drop in turnover rates of up to 35%.

Mark Dixon, CEO of the International Workplace Group, said: “International Workplace Group's latest research highlights how companies can tackle the issue of turnover to maintain business productivity. The biggest boost to employee efficiency, productivity, and happiness comes from freeing them from having to make long, unproductive, and expensive commutes several times a week to an office in the city center, where they perform tasks they could be doing on -close to home. Businesses must enable their employees to work when and where they are most productive. By giving employees this opportunity, they are less likely to develop a culture of disengaged and disaffected workers.”

21.10.2024

TEACHERS AND SALESPEOPLE MOST IN DEMAND ON THE LABOR MARKET

The occupations most in demand by businesses in September are: teaching staff, human care staff, sales staff, machine operators of stationary machinery and equipment, staff employed in the field of personal services, cleaners and assistants, business and administrative specialists, collection workers of waste and others. This is shown by data from the Employment Agency.

A total of 14,022 unemployed people started work in September with the mediation of the labor offices in the country. Their number increased by nearly 2,500 or by 21% compared to August. 864 people from the groups of employed jobseekers, students and pensioners have also entered employment with the support of employment agencies.

The level of registered unemployment in Bulgaria in September decreased to 5.2%. At the end of the month, the number of unemployed was 147,196 – 3,513 less than in August.

At the same time, the number of vacancies in the primary market reported in the labor offices increased, which in September amounted to 9,614. In the real economy, the number of vacancies is highest in the field of education (27.4%), followed by the manufacturing industry (24.1%) , trade (11.0%), government (9.2%), administrative and auxiliary activities (6.3%) and hospitality and catering (6.1%).

As a result of the work of the Roma and youth mediators, as well as the labor mediators, more than 3,400 persons inactive on the labor market were activated during the month.

There were 1,334 representatives of risk groups who found employment last month through subsidized jobs. Of them, 618 started work under employment programs and measures financed by the state budget, and 716 - under projects of the Human Resources Development Program 2021 - 2027, co-financed by the European Social Fund plus. In September, over 11,900 training vouchers were issued to the employed and unemployed.

17.10.2024

HOW TO DEAL WITH A BOSS WHO KNOWS HE KNOWS EVERYTHING

To have the confidence of this person, your boss. He always speaks as a last resort. Not just for work. About politics, football, cooking, music, whatever. He never asks for an opinion. He cannot even have a normal conversation because he is unable to listen to what someone else is saying, especially if he is subordinate to him. He likes to hear his own voice the most.

He is from the so-called toxic bosses. He is probably one of the poisonous people in his personal life as well. But that's his wife's and his friends' problem. It's yours to work with.

There are many types of bad bosses, but according to experts, one of the most unpleasant are those who sincerely profess the belief "I know everything I need to know, that's why I'm the boss".

No really smart person thinks like that - from Socrates and his maxim "I know that I know nothing" about 400 years before the new era, until the present day. A smart person understands that he simply cannot know everything he needs to know, because the world is constantly changing at a furious pace. Only a fool refuses to evolve.

It would be strange for your superior to have risen to this position if he is a fool. It's not out of the question, but it's still weird.

Therefore, your first task is to open your eyes and ears to see if your boss really thinks he is a know-it-all, or if he is largely posing. It depends on how you deal with it.

The self-forgetful one

In one option - the worse - the boss is sincere. He took himself quite seriously. He's not a fool to begin with, he's just reached his ceiling.

To climb to this position, he probably made efforts, learned new things, improved his abilities. When he conquered the cherished goal, he fell into complacency. He believes that his post makes him something more than the others, that it is proof of his superiority. Therefore, he has nothing to learn from his subordinates, their opinion is irrelevant and a complete waste of time.

Sometimes dizziness occurs as a normal side effect of the adrenaline of victory and lasts for a short time. But don't hope it's that if your boss has long since moved up.

Very often "I know that I know everything" covers business owners. Their business has taken off, they have become rich, they have gained the self-confidence of almighty and they have forgotten themselves. So much so that they ignore the main rule of the successful entrepreneur - the real talent is to find the most capable, competent, creative people and hire them to work for him. More than one owner has failed when they tried to manage a growing or new business thinking they knew it all.

"When you talk to me, you will be silent"

There's no point in trying to tell a boss who genuinely thinks he knows everything that you know something too. Or that he doesn't know something. You will make a big mistake, he will hate you and order you.

The practical advice is to obey his rule, which is to the effect of "Talking to me, you will be silent." Don't give unsolicited opinions. Speak only if you are sure he is asking you. And notice - the pause after his statement "I know that I know everything" is not for you to speak, but for him to enjoy the effect of his own wisdom. Remember that such a boss is a narcissist who will be furious if you spoil his moments of self-admiration.

Obey his rules for a while until you find another job. Because, in addition to being unpleasant, such a boss usually does not lead the team to success, and with him you risk slowing down your own career. It makes more sense to look for a place with a leader who strives to learn something from each person, tries to listen, appreciate and use the opinion of employees to make the work go better.

The second option is that your boss doesn't actually think he knows everything he needs to know, but just demonstrates this behavior. There could be many reasons for this.

The poser

This boss most often learned his leadership style from someone he was subordinate to or still is subordinate to. He does not believe that he is omniscient, but that the superior must always appear to be the most competent. Something like a part of the job description or the visible image that goes inextricably with the boss's chair.

However, the poser can be quite a clever organizer and manage to assign the tasks in such a way that the employees show competence, and he only steals the laurels. This is usually done by smart bosses who have superior bosses or owners over their heads.

Such people are quite repulsive with their management manner, but in general they are rather successful. They won't inspire you, but your professional chances aren't likely to suffer. The bad thing is that they usually like to be admired very much, so their subordinates are best placed, who do not hesitate to flatter them a little.

The overrated one

It is also possible that the boss hides his insecurity with "I know everything". He sat in the armchair with protections, by a happy coincidence or he reached the so-called level of incompetence. He does not feel sufficiently prepared for his position and is panicked that if he asks for the opinion of his subordinates, someone will turn out to be smarter and more capable than him, thereby endangering him.

Unlike the poseur, he pretends to be a know-it-all, not because he believes that the superior must always appear to be the most competent, but to cover up his inferiority complex.

When he is not intelligent enough, such a boss does not understand that the best way to hold on to the position is to make maximum use of the abilities of each of his subordinates, to unite the team and ultimately compensate for his lack of competence.

The genetically burdened

And there are people who are like that by nature and the habit of speaking out as a last resort is not related to their position. Your boss is one of them, there is no doubt that he knows not only about his professional work, but also about women/men, black holes, diets, etc. He does not admit in reality that he really understands, but something inside makes him speak so categorically.

It's very possible that after the "Know it all" demonstration, your boss will make an effort to educate himself and even step into the role of a person who learns from his subordinates, but without openly admitting it.

By the way, this type of people strongly hates their own kind. If you also have a habit of speaking up as a last resort, your boss won't like it even if it's not about work, but about some completely side topic you've talked about. According to psychologists, the reason is that by watching you, he realizes his own bad habit and realizes that he doesn't really like it at all.

"Following up on what you said"

Whatever the reasons for your boss's behavior, if you notice that he doesn't really believe in his infinite competence, there are ways to work with him without getting poisoned. At least for a while.

Pretend to adopt his know-it-all attitude. Because you are loyal to him, you are simply adding to his omniscience as much as you can.

When giving an opinion, find a way to make it look like you're continuing the original thought, even if you're saying something completely different. Don't be shy about using expressions like "Following on from what you said" literally. That's how you brush his self-esteem, and whether he's a poser, overrated, or genetically burdened, he likes it.

If you approach it right, you won't annoy your boss. However, you must force yourself not to be annoyed by his behavior. Yes, it's unpleasant. But even in this case, you have a choice - to endure or look around for a place where the manager will not be of the "I know that I know everything" type.

16.10.2024

OFFICIAL DUTIES WITH A PERSONAL VEHICLE - WHERE IS THE LEGAL LIMIT

In Bulgaria, where workers face various challenges in their professional life, the question of the boundary of rights and freedoms of the worker becomes essential.

One of the key aspects to be discussed is the possibility of refusing to provide the private car for official purposes. Do we have the right to refuse to provide our personal car for business purposes?

According to the legislation in Bulgaria, there is no express legal requirement that obliges the employee to provide his personal car for the needs of the employer. However, it is the duty of the worker to carry out the lawful orders of the employer. In this context, the question of the boundary between the rights of the worker and the legal requirements of the employer arises.

Sometimes there is an abuse of the interpretation of the duty of the worker to carry out the orders of the employer. Some employers, in pursuit of their business goals, issue orders that are inconsistent with legal regulations or overly burdensome on the worker.

There are scenarios where an employee can and should exercise their right to refuse to provide their personal vehicle for business purposes. This may include situations where:

- The employer's requirements are not in line with the legal framework. For example, if an engineer works for a construction company that carries out projects in different regions of the country and the employer decides that for a certain project he should provide his personal car to transport construction materials and the team to the workplace and issues an order that the personal car be used. This case represents a violation of the legal framework, as the Bulgarian labor legislation clearly states that the employer must provide the necessary means and equipment for the performance of work duties. The requirement to provide a personal car without adequate compensation is inconsistent with this legal obligation and violates the worker's rights;

- Providing the car represents a serious violation of the personal safety and life of the worker or employee. For example, a nurse in a microbiology laboratory whose employer asks her to use her personal car to transport patient samples for analysis in outside laboratories. However, this process involves the handling of infectious substances and requires special transport conditions that the worker's personal car does not provide. In this case, the provision of a personal car represents a serious violation of the worker's personal safety. She does not have the necessary means to safely transport infectious samples and this may lead to a risk to her health and the health of others;

- There is insufficient compensation or compensation for the use of the private car. An example of this case could be a scenario where the worker or employee is required to perform long and dangerous journeys without adequate compensation and without clear legal frameworks for such cases.

These examples illustrate how the employer's requirements that are not in accordance with the legal framework or pose a risk to the worker's personal safety can be considered unlawful and how the worker has the right to refuse to fulfill them in accordance with the rights and legal requirements.

The refusal of the worker or employee to provide his personal car is justified within the law. This refusal cannot be considered as a violation of the duty of the worker or employee, especially if it is also accompanied by ethical or reasons related to his safety.

The worker's freedom to manage his property and protect his rights is recognized and supported by the legal system and society as a whole. Such an approach helps create a healthy and respectful work environment where both workers and employers can function in harmony.

It is our personal right to refuse to make available our personal car for official purposes, because there is no legally established similar obligation for the worker or employee. The same applies to the use of our other personal assets for business purposes, such as telephone, computer, stationery, etc.

 

Reference:

Art. 66 of the Labor Code

Art. 126 of the Labor Code

Art. 127 of the Labor Code

10.10.2024

NASTY COLLEAGUES, BUT USEFUL WHEN USED PROPERLY

You work in a team with ten colleagues. Luckily for you, most are good professionals. But unfortunately for you, some are not nice people at all. It is not possible to communicate only with the cool ones. The job requires you to have a give-and-take even with those you find repulsive.

Since there is no way to avoid them, you must learn to use them properly. It sounds a bit harsh, but it means knowing which of their qualities to take advantage of and which to beware of. The basis of your success lies in your efforts to get used to understanding others - both pleasant and unpleasant. Otherwise, there is no way to fit into the team and become better at your job, which is a necessary prerequisite for your career advancement.

There are at least five types of not-so-nice people that you can try to fit in with to the best of your ability. You don't have to get too close. Set yourself a limit beyond which you will not cross, so that you do not look like them and alienate the rest of your colleagues.

The over-ambitious

They do not accept defeat and are used to putting in a lot of effort to achieve success. This is good when they become a bike for the whole team.

It is practical to work with such a person, learn and get infected from him, especially when he is more experienced in the profession. He would help you if it furthered his goals. He will be very pleased if you publicly thank him. This increases the likelihood that he will be willing to cooperate with you in the future.

The bad thing is that, unlike healthy ambitious professionals, the overambitious are usually willing to do anything to gain an edge over others. Including dishonest actions. It is precisely for this reason that they are not loved.

So, the moment such a colleague considers you worthy competition, he will sacrifice you without batting an eye in order to ensure his promotion in the company.

That's why you need to anticipate this moment and do everything you can to not let him make you look bad, take credit for himself, or put a nasty number on you. Don't share any of your ideas with him because he will appropriate them. Make sure that your work is visible enough to the rest of your colleagues and especially to the boss.

The uninitiative

Some people are just good performers, never giving ideas on how the work can be done more efficiently and better. If you happen to have a common task with such a colleague, at first glance it is a pain.

But don't consider him mediocre just because he's indulged in a routine and doesn't budge an inch from what's required of him. If you try to narrate it, it can be very useful for you to come up with a better solution to the task.

Show a genuine interest in him and really listen to what he has to say. When he realizes that you hear him, he can start sharing important things, as long as he is a good professional. No wonder it turns out that no one has so far bothered to encourage him to be more active and proactive. Especially if your boss isn't one to ask for ideas, or he can't wait to listen to the narrower people on the team.

Against the background of such a person, you can also shine. Naturally, try to give him the credit he deserves by mentioning it like this: "While we were discussing what to do with my colleague, it occurred to me". That way you're actually telling the truth without belittling or exaggerating his role.

Keep in mind that a colleague who is used to being a doer is usually not very brave. It remains your responsibility to bear the consequences if what you came up with fails.

The pessimists

When you hear a colleague prophesy that everything will fail, try to use it constructively. Ask him why he thinks that. It is very possible that you will find real obstacles and risks. By weighing them up, you'll have a plan B in place in case something actually goes wrong.

It's hard to be a pessimist, but that's exactly why you can arm yourself with patience and gain an edge over your colleagues who can't stand his negativity and grumbling.

Of course, don't waste your time if you don't find anything useful. Some people say "It can't be done" and when asked why they answer "Because it is". You have to run away from them so they don't burden you with their negativity.

The gossipers

They just disgust you. But they are often knowledgeable, and if you keep your ears open, you can get some useful information. Just remember that you should make an effort to check it out.

However, it is imperative that you keep it to yourself and do not spread it, because you will also get the unpleasant fame of a gossip.

You can ask such a colleague clarifying questions, but never share information with him - neither about yourself, nor about other people, nor about events in the office. It is certain that he will spread it, and probably distort it.

When the gossip begins to slander, look to back off quickly.

The envious

They are very unpleasant, but they can also be a useful source of information because they like to scrutinize other people's achievements. Mainly to criticize and belittle them. However, if you get used to sifting through the essentials, you can draw the necessary conclusions from their stories.

You won't change them, so don't try to argue with them. When their comments about colleague X, who is actually a badass and the boss's favorite, become too mean to you, interrupt the conversation under some pretext.

Such an envious person can be your personal barometer - when you hear that he is gossiping behind your back, it means that you have already achieved or are about to achieve something significant at work.

From the exploiters, the hypocrites, the intriguers, the informers, and the slanderers, you must flee. You may at some point find it practical to ally yourself with such a colleague, but the risks are too great. Better to only contact as much as your job duties require. And all the while hedging against the possibility of him playing a nasty trick on you or getting you into an unpleasant situation.

--------- You did not come together to love each other ----------

To make it easier to tolerate your unpleasant colleagues, you should remember that you did not choose them, but by coincidence you have to work together. You don't have to love them and they don't have to love you. It is enough to observe the basic human and professional rules.

However, when a colleague violates them, do not feel too deeply because you are punishing yourself. Do not forget his act, but do not carry the burden of the insult, psychologists advise.

If you can forgive your colleague, even though he doesn't deserve it, it helps you to continue working with him. It will be very difficult if you keep the pain, if you harbor resentment and malice inside.

Forgiveness does not affect the person who offended you, and does not take the burden off him, because in most cases he does not suffer at all from being dishonest.

Forgiveness is important for you to let go of your negative feelings towards him. Strong people forgive even those who do not deserve it for the sake of their own mental comfort.

This does not mean that you love your colleague and do not protect yourself from the possibility that he will act dishonorably again. Be sure to take action against it. But by simultaneously taking action and letting go of your resentment over a past incident, you're not hindering your future.

09.10.2024

HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BE PAYED IF WE ARE ON DUTY OR AVAILABLE

The lack of staff in Bulgaria, and in Europe, is one of the reasons why the two forms of additional employment - on-call and available time - are gaining popularity among employers. The positive growth rates of the economy also contribute to their popularity, especially in industries with a continuous cycle of activity. The Covid crisis accelerated the entry of the time available format.

Availability time is applied in sectors such as security and guarding, healthcare, manufacturing, call centers, etc.

These two forms are also an opportunity for employers to give additional financial incentives to employees. The pluses for the workers - apart from the additional remuneration, which is the same as for overtime work with the corresponding deductions, is also the insurance contribution for the two types of additional employment. Both employers and workers benefit from the use of the most diverse forms of employment.

The introduction of these additional forms of work is related to factors such as the continuity of some productions, and not to other subjective factors, such as, for example, greater working capacity during certain parts of the day.

Bulgaria does not differ from the average European level in terms of the number of employees who are on duty or available.

Similarities and differences

The main difference between duty and available time is that workers in the second form do not have the obligation to be at their place of work all the time, and this only happens when there is a specific task to be performed.

In the Bulgarian legislation, both forms of employment are introduced in the Labor Code and in the corresponding by-laws, and in the last year, due to the need to harmonize with the requirements of Community law, some restrictions were introduced. Among them is the requirement that workers or employees cannot be assigned to be available on two consecutive working days or on two consecutive working shifts, as well as on more than two days off in a month, and these restrictions do not apply to the medics.

According to the law, on-call work is an organization of work in the case of daily or cumulative calculation of working hours, in which the employees are at their workplace and perform or are ready to perform their work duties. The time on duty is included in the working hours specified in the individual employment contract of the worker or employee. For the time on duty, the employee is paid the agreed remuneration.

​ In the case of available work, when this is required by the special nature of the activity, an obligation can be agreed that the worker or employee is available to the employer outside the territory of the enterprise, ready (if necessary) to start performing his work duties. Time available is not counted as working time if the employee has not been assigned a task to perform. If the worker or the employee is on an irregular working day, the time of availability is established in the Regulations for the internal work order of the enterprise, and in enterprises where the labor organization allows, working hours with variable limits can be established. The need for the additional form of employment - available, allows the employer in a certain situation to be able to take advantage of his worker for a certain job and for this reason he does not have to be permanently at his workplace.

Money and rest

Work actually performed during available time is counted and paid as overtime. Since duty is part of working time, the worker or employee is paid the agreed remuneration.

If we have actually worked during availability, the law has provided that the worker or employee is provided with the minimum amount of continuous inter-day and weekly rest. The maximum duration of the time of placement obligation cannot be more than 100 hours in one month, for one day on working days - no more than 12 hours, and on holidays - no more than 48 hours. Generally speaking, the more employees or workers from a company are available or put on duty, the fewer times a month they will have to perform these forms of labor, but due to the shortage of personnel, this is difficult to implement.

For the moment, according to the Ordinance on the structure and organization of the salary, the minimum amount of remuneration for the time available is BGN 0.10/hour, but there is no obstacle to agreeing higher in an individual and/or collective labor contract.

Individual employment contracts

Our agreement to be on call or available is evidenced by the signing of an individual employment contract, but this can also be regulated in the collective employment agreement. The individual contract also stipulates the time required for reporting to work, and only after its signing is the possibility for the employer to additionally approve nominal schedules for the time available or on duty determined by law. In case of doubts that he will not be able to fulfill the provisions of the individual contract in relation to duty or availability, the worker or employee may expressly declare that he will not perform overtime or night work, as well as work during national holidays, but this must to do so before signing the contract.

However, the normative base does not exclude, even after the signing of the individual contract, the employee to agree with the employer to refuse additional employment with an annex to the individual contract. In this case, it is a matter of negotiating the will of both parties, and if the employer needs a certain staff, he relies on him, given that he has concluded an individual employment contract with the employee under conditions of having his workforce available. According to the Labor Code, the employer can impose disciplinary penalties for violations of labor discipline.

In the individual or in the collective labor contract, the place where the worker is located during the time available, as well as the time required for reporting to work, should be indicated. With changes to the Ordinance on working hours, breaks and vacations, an obligation is introduced for the employer to approve nominal schedules for available time, which are kept for at least 3 years, as well as an obligation to familiarize employees with these schedules in advance. Another new obligation for the available time is to issue a follow-up order specifying the date and time of reporting to work and the duration of the work, which should be drawn up within 3 days from the day the work is given.

03.10.2024

FAULT OR FAILURE AND HOW TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

You put a lot of effort, energy, time, and it doesn't work. There are times like this at work and you naturally feel frustrated. But before you wallow in self-pity, it's helpful to understand how to rank the situation.

It can be a fault, it can be a failure. These are two different degrees of failure. With proper analysis, you will call them by their right name and determine your next actions.

A fault is a mistake you made somewhere in the planning or execution of the task. Big or small, she messed things up. It could be one and it caused consequences. It could be several.

The most important thing is to think honestly. If you find and admit your mistake or mistakes as quickly as possible, the chance of a successful correction is much greater.

But the problem is that no one likes to admit even to themselves when they are wrong. The instinct for self-preservation is immediately activated, an inner voice is activated, which begins to subconsciously convince you of your rightness, to blame other people or the circumstances. It is quite possible that it is, but it is still up to you to find out where the fault is and if there is a way to fix it. Whatever the reason, as long as it leads you to failure, there is no point in getting angry at yourself, others or fate. You have to act.

When you realize the mistake or mistakes, the next step is to assess the damage. In doing so, the most important thing is to think pragmatically. In some cases, the foul can be corrected and with additional efforts the goal can be achieved. You just need to calmly and sensibly plan what to do in the situation, how far back to go back to make corrections. It may even turn out that you are able to turn a defect into an effect.

However, if the fault is large, it is very likely to lead to failure. It is also a matter of honest and pragmatic analysis. There are many situations where it is better to start over than to try to salvage the unsalvageable. Sometimes the first step to success is to leave a path that is sure to lead to failure. One should not give up easily, but it is also foolish to get busy.

Failure is extremely unpleasant and severely crushes self-esteem. But failure should not be seen as total defeat. It's not the end of the world, failure can give you experience and lessons.

If, after sober analysis, you find that there is not an irreparable fault, but a failure, the most important thing is again to be honest, quick and pragmatic.

Honest means admitting your own faults or lack of foresight to what other people and circumstances may serve. You will probably get very angry here. Don't hide your feelings from yourself. But while you are entitled to them, be careful not to express them too violently in front of your colleagues. Otherwise, you will look unstable, and nobody is immune to failure at work.

Fast means not thinking endlessly about the things that have gone wrong. You need to establish the what and the why without beating this part of the analysis, but also without getting bogged down in it. It's wrong to do it to regret it. You do it with a clear, quite pragmatic goal - to draw the necessary conclusions so as not to fail again.

Pragmatic means exactly that - to draw experience. It should allow you to move forward and get back on the road to success. Experts call this part accepting the failure and looking for new opportunities after you have learned the lessons from it.

As much as failure hurts, by timing it the right way, you can get out of it with relatively little damage. But if you also make a mistake in the classification, the consequences can be very unpleasant.

If you make a mistake and pessimistically consider it a failure, you will waste time and effort to completely abandon or start over something that can be fixed.

If you're overly optimistic or prone to self-delusion and view failure as a foul, you'll end up wasting resources on something that will ultimately prove irreparable.

Therefore, do not allow yourself to call what is happening by a false name. It is an excessive luxury to both deceive yourself and to dramatize. If you do either, then you will indeed suffer a severe setback.