OpenSesame blog

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A Little Secret About Routine

The concept of routine, and the discipline behind it is often overlooked. In a world of constant distraction and procrastination, routine is the savior we all should want. Each day, whether at the office, the kitchen, or the junkyard, brings a new set of challenges and successes. Think of these as mountains and valleys—naturally created… Read more »

Productive Failure: Why Failing Can be The Ticket to Success

Though Thomas Edison failed thousands of times, he cleverly noted:  “I didn’t fail, I just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” Students today may not have the same mindset as Edison, since we are often taught that failure is bad from our earliest educational experiences. The grading system in K-12 education clearly reflects that we… Read more »

podcast

Podcasting for the Classroom

The days of families huddling around radios to listen to their favorite nightly programs may be long gone, but the market for engaging audio programs hasn’t entirely diminished. In place of old-fashioned radio sets are headphones, smartphones, and apps that allow users to plug in and listen to thousands of audio programs covering a range… Read more »

10 Travel Tips for Business Trips

Meeting with clients, visiting headquarters, looking at property, and getting together with teams are oftentimes ubiquitous travel trips all too familiar in the business world. Whether you’re a bonafide jetsetter or just heading out on a business trip for the first time, here are a few helpful tips: 1. Sign up for TSA Precheck or… Read more »

Office Health Through Office Ergonomics

It’s hard to believe that serious injuries can occur from working in office settings, but they are much more prevalent than we may think. Neck, back, and eye injuries are caused by daily habits and posture that many people don’t realize can cause injuries in the first place. The good news is that through some… Read more »

Emoji: Now Appropriate at Work?

Emoji, once reserved for text messages between teenagers, are now seen globally — even in the workplace. In fact, 76% of US workers admit to using emoji in communication at work. Thanks to the growing population of Millennials in the workforce and changes in digital communication, it has now become more appropriate to use emoji… Read more »

5 Steps to Create Killer Blog Post Titles

  What do tweets, Vines, superhero films, and lists all have in common? Answer: They are all deliberately designed for a generation with shorter attention spans. In this digital age, it feels impossible to work in a tech-dominated industry without coming to the conclusion that the world as a whole, especially the younger generations, have… Read more »

3 Keys to Presentation Success

Have you ever been assigned a major presentation at a moment’s notice? If you have, you’ve most likely experienced the usual feelings of stress and anxiety. This is normal, and everyone gets this feeling. It feels like you’ve got plenty on your plate, and a scary presentation won’t be making things better. Presenting in front… Read more »

How to Create an eLearning Culture

Offices have changed dramatically over the last few decades. No longer do we picture smoky conference rooms and men walking around in suits as in the days of Mad Men. Nowadays, workers are often inspired by fantasies of standing desks, glass walls, free laundry, and slides between levels if they’re lucky. Instead of finding information… Read more »

The Best Tech for Connecting with Remote Workers

Working from home – for some, it’s a dream come true, for others it’s a nuisance that makes work harder.  Nearly 3.3 million Americans telecommute to work full-time – and this trend is only growing. Thanks to the constant change and advancement of technology, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of working remotely. The… Read more »

The Benefits of Hosting Hackathons

We have been seeing the growing popularity of hackathons all around the world. There are a lot of factors that contribute to this phenomenon–the increasing size of our tech-reliant society, a growth in computer science engineers, and the popularity of entrepreneurship. Hackathons take place all over the world–not just in the United States. Networking/Recruiting Whether… Read more »

Leader vs. Boss: 4 Tips You Should Know

(This week’s blog post inspired by the elearning course “So, You Want to Be the Boss…”)   In 2009, US companies spent $12 billion on leadership development, and it’s easy to see why. In the same way athletes need motivation from inspirational coaches in the locker room before winning the championship, the most productive employees… Read more »

3 Steps to Handling Angry Callers

If you work in sales or customer service, you’re probably no stranger to the occasional and classic angry caller. While unpleasant and sometimes unreasonable, navigating a hostile conversation to calmer waters can be difficult. However, in the world of business it can take years to build a relationship with a client or customer and only… Read more »

Four Traits Every Customer Success Manager Should Possess

Regardless of the size and industry of a company, customer happiness is key to company survival. Most companies have specific departments or positions, often called Customer Success Managers, to deal with this issue. While there are countless attributes this position could use, we’ve narrowed it down to four listed below: Patience After working with a… Read more »

Why Customer Service is The Most Important Part of Business

Everyone’s had nasty experiences with customer service. You’ve got an issue with a product and just as soon as you take the time to call for assistance, an unfriendly, unhelpful voice is talking at you. They’re being rude and obnoxious, and their actions could potentially cost them your business. Customer service is all about the… Read more »

OSHA Regulations and You

If you are an employer, own a company, or occupy a high position within the labor-force, chances are that you have dealt with OSHA. OSHA has a plethora of requirements and regulations designed to make the workplace a safer place. But it’s very unlikely that you are aware of every single rule and regulation that… Read more »

5 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out on LinkedIn

According to this year’s 2015 Content Marketing Institute (CMI) Report, LinkedIn is not only the most used form of social media for B2B marketing but is also rated as the most effective social media platform. In an age of social media overload, it is easy to get lost in the mix so we’ve put together… Read more »

Stay Safe and Healthy with National Food Safety Education Month

Food safety problems can occur anywhere on the supply chain, ranging from farming to distribution to cooking food at a restaurant. Because of this, proper food safety procedures and measures must be taken at all stages of food handling. With September being National Food Safety Education Month, we want to help you ensure your business… Read more »