CentreO Blog

In 2010 a study by Central Michigan University wanted to test the large amounts of anecdotal evidence saying that dogs in workplaces had positive effects on workers. So Christopher Honts and Matthew Christensen developed an experiment that explored the effects of dogs on cooperation between colleagues.

The participants were divided into two teams. Each team was given a creative task to finish, at the end of which they were asked to fill in a questionnaire. One team had a dog in the office, while the other one chose to remain dogless.

The results revealed a significant difference in how the dog groups and non-dog groups behaved. The researchers found that the teams who had a dog with them ranked higher on qualities of trust, team cohesion, and intimacy than the teams who were dog-less. The results of the second experiment were that the teams who had a dog as a member of their group were 30% less likely to snitch on their other team members. These are very interesting and positive findings, showing how dogs can facilitate communication between people.

We hope that O Dog will do just that for us and our team with this new cute member we’ll grow even closer and rise to new professional heights!

I had the pleasure of having a chat with Stephen Barnes. A lawyer by training, Stephen was given the opportunity in his early years to become a specialist in Hong Kong immigration and has been doing it for over 20 years. Realising many people struggle with lack of information on immigration and visas, as well as the how cost effective the internet can be, he created the Hong Kong handbook and online videos, so that information he had was easily accessible to the public. His transparency and unconditional expertise help (I think) is what has lead to his positive image and reliability.

What I have gathered is, Stephen is a modern businessman. He understands, and has put in play, that building relationships and goodwill will, create value in the long term. Not only, does he realise the world around him is changing and evolving, but adapting to those changes with transparency, is what I think has led to his ongoing success.

For all you entrepreneurs out there in Hong Kong, this is for you, I asked!:

What advice would you give on being a successful business person in Hong Kong?

Stephen replied: deliver value unconditionally, use the internet in a smart way, protect your reputation at all costs.

To get some DIY visa help, to find out more or contact Stephen visit: http://www.hongkongvisageeza.com/

***Don’t forget Stephen is in this Thursday for a Hong Kong Permanent Residency Application Workshop, RSVP here****

-by Cathy

Katy Bowman, biomechanical scientist and the author of Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief, offers easy and highly helpful advice for healthy office footwear. We felt it would be a crime not to share with our dear readers.

Five footwear tips from Katy Bowman:

1. Avoid a pointy, super-narrow toe-box. The less space for toes, the greater chances of developing bunions and neuromas—and the more pressure is placed on toes when you’re upright.
2. Opened-back, slide-on footwear requires toe gripping that can lead to hammer toes and foot tension. Find a style with straps that keep the shoe attached to your body so your toes do not have to work.
3. If your ankles wobble with each step, you need either more hip strength or a better-shaped heel. In any event, wobbling around while walking tends to conjure up images of playing dress-up in mom’s closet.
4. Dropping an inch off your most frequented heel height is a great way to improve the state of the feet, knees, and back. It depends on your height, but a heel that’s less than two inches high is good. The ideal height is no heel. Placing your feet at any angle does some damage.
5. Invest in a pair of Italian, handmade flats. Find a pair of beautiful boots, embellished ballet flats, or a simple, yet classic, nude staple.

And remember: your comfort comes first!

 

As it seems to be getting hotter, we thought you would be tempted by the same things we are: some nice refreshing drinks!

However, with all the sugary choices we have these days, opting for a healthy alternative may be quite hard.

The recommended intake of sugar for adults is 10 teaspoons (40 G) a day.

One can of coke pretty much covers this at 39 g of sugar per can.

So we thought we need help in swapping for the healthier alternative.

Here they are:

Swap soft drinks (27.5 g sugar per cup) FOR fruity tea soda (1 g of sugar/cup)

Swap fruit juice (24 g./cup) FOR lemon water (1 g./cup)

Swap sports drinks (21 g./cup) FOR coconut water (13 g. sugar/cup)

Swap flavoured milk and milk shakes FOR well, just milk with basics: cocoa, vanilla, fruit (12 g. sugar/cup)

Swap powdered iced teas FOR tea + ice with lemon/orange slices (1 g. of sugar/cup)

Swap bottled and powered iced coffee (22.5 g./per cup) FOR coffee + ice + milk (7 g. sugar/cup)

The drinks we recommend are not only healthier and less sugary, but also much cheaper and easy to make at home.