Online office chatter

Nothing beats chitchatting with colleagues around the watercooler. But as companies go national and global, and employees increasingly telecommute from home, the conversation hub may run the risk of becoming extinct in some offices.

That's why outsourcing and consulting firm Accenture Ltd. has launched a virtual watercooler that it hopes will serve as a model for other companies, says the company's director of corporate programs, Armelle Carminati.

The online forum allows employees to upload dialogue, personal pictures and videos, and work-related projects. It's accessible only from within the company but is similar to online social networking Web sites. So far, the site is geared for women, Carminati said.

"This is a great way for people from around the world to get to know one another and talk about the things that matter to them — not just personal things, but career questions and insights," Carminati said. "In some ways it may be better than standing around an actual watercooler, because these may be topics that would not naturally come up in conversation."

Scripps Howard News Service

A break from blues

Employees have the blues, and it doesn't only have to do with gas prices. Employees are dealing with a higher cost of living in an uncertain economy, where they're faced with smaller salaries or potential job loss.

In rough economic times, rest and relaxation are the first workplace casualties, according to a Yahoo HotJobs' annual vacation survey. Of workers surveyed this year, 57 percent report feeling burned out by work, up from 49 percent last year.

"More than half are saying they're going to skip vacation to save money," says Tom Musbach, senior managing editor for Yahoo HotJobs. "It's pretty serious. Vacations are not luxuries, they're necessities."

Wayne Hochwarter, a professor of management at Florida State University's College of Business, says if raises and promotions are hard to come by, find other ways to motivate yourself. "Find a way to reconnect with parts of the job that make you feel satisfied," he says.

Some tips for dealing with workplace stress from Yahoo HotJobs:

• Take short breaks during the day, especially after a stressful event. It can help you refocus priorities and put life in perspective.

• Let your boss or co-workers know if you are stressed, overworked, stumped by a difficult situation or frustrated by leadership. If you are willing to admit you are stressed, you can begin to remedy the situation.

• Work from home once a week, if possible, to save gas and the stress of commuting.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel