As we head into the holiday season, it’s time to tidy up the desk and take care of a few interesting news items that had slipped under the keyboard . . .

1. Working for turkeys: If you haven’t received a turkey, ham, gift certificate or good old-fashioned cash bonus from your boss this season, you’re not alone.

According to a survey of 241 organizations across Canada by Hewitt Associates (www.Hewitt.com) 64 per cent of organizations won’t give any bonus this season. However, 84 per cent are throwing a party, which is better than what’s happening to our cousins in the United States, where a similar study found that only 64 per cent of American employers will host a holiday bash.

If you do work for an outfit that offers bonuses, it’s best to get cash. Cash awards tend to have the highest value, with the companies spending a median of $145 per employee. For gift certificates, organizations will spend $35 on each worker, while a small gift costs about $38 per employee.

“For many of these organizations, the award is more about the symbol than the value,” says Todd Mathers, a talent management business leader with Hewitt Associates.

Hewitt says that more than half the companies surveyed (52 per cent) have never had a holiday bonus program.

Additionally, Canadian employers reported cutting holiday bonuses because their reward programs are now tied to employee performance; because holiday bonuses were viewed as an entitlement; and because of the cost.

Mathers says that the findings are consistent with other research that shows companies are offering variable pay plans based on performance and results.

2. Working the room: It’s no revelation that the key to finding new business and employment opportunities comes through networking.

But many of today’s top executives may be putting in too many long hours and failing to keep an active network. Suddenly you may find yourself out of work, with no contacts and references, says Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources (www.roberthalfmr.com).

McDonald outlines several common networking mistakes and tips to avoid them:

• Assigning staff members to attend most industry events. If you delegate this responsibility entirely, you risk missing out on valuable networking opportunities. Make an appearance at professional association meetings whenever possible.

• Skipping the networking reception preceding a business function. Arrive early to mingle with other guests or the speaker before the program begins. Scan the sign-in sheet to see who’s arrived, then seek out the people you want to meet.

• Limiting your circle of contacts. Expand your network to include professionals at varying experience levels, not just your peers.

• Look outside your industry for potential contacts. You never know who might have the right connections.

• Networking isn’t just for business occasions. Make an effort to meet at least three new contacts at social gatherings such as sporting events or holiday parties, and always carry business cards with you.

• Be up-front if you’re looking for assistance in your job search, and be prepared with a 15-second sales pitch. Others will appreciate your candour and be better able to help you.

McDonald noted that networking with colleagues has the added benefit of creating new business opportunities. “Even if you’re not in the job market, staying in touch with others in your industry provides a chance to brainstorm strategies and share best practices for remaining competitive.” 3. Working in the dark: As the use of audio and web conferencing grows, it’s becoming increasingly important to learn how to interact without face-to-face meetings.

All executives, whether in operations, marketing, sales or even investor relations, need to learn how to make their point in the dark, according to Premiere Conferencing, which offers conferencing and web-based collaboration services (www.premconf.com)

Premiere suggests that you picture yourself as a speaker in a roomful of people. After you are introduced, someone switches off the lights. And out of the darkness, a voice prompts you to “please begin.”

Struck by the silence, without any facial expressions and body language to observe, how do you ensure that you are capturing the attention of an invisible audience?

Premiere offers a few tips:

• Do everything in your power to control how your voice is delivered and received. Select quality equipment and use a headset or handset rather than a speakerphone. Eliminate background noise. Always do a sound check before the event.

• Make your point simple and concise. Use your verbal presentation to elaborate on points. Keep visuals pleasing on the eye and easy to read.

• Speaking too fast can confuse the audience and lose their attention. Magnify your vocal energy 15-per-cent more than your ordinary phone voice. Use the same gestures and body language you would when presenting in person.

• Do not let your audience drift away. Use audience polling and Q&A features to measure the interest of your audience. Interpersonal feedback is at a minimum in a remote conference; it is imperative to use conferencing features to help you tailor your presentation to your audience.

• Being prepared to answer questions during a session can help clarify the topic for attendees and help keep the presentation more targeted. At the same time, questions sent while a speaker is presenting can be distracting. To help facilitate the session, have a second person responsible for taking online questions and offering answers to the audience. Or hold a Q&A session at the end.

This is the final @Work column for 2002. To all the people who have contributed to this space over the past year, thanks for your help – and enjoy the holidays.