Fun is one of the most underrated business tools we own. When you create a fun working environment, it leads to happy, loyal and more productive employees as well as an innovative organization that attracts new opportunities.

It is well documented that laughter releases endorphins, and that leads to a sense of well-being and optimism. Now apply this to the workplace as one California researcher recently did. His study showed that people who enjoy a little fun and humour on the job tend to be more creative, are more effective at decision making and get along better with others. These employees also chalk up fewer absent, late and sick days.

It’s important to resist jumping in with both feet and instead, gain firm footing with a 90-day plan designed to set you up for success. Why 90 days? It’s enough time to acclimatize to your new environment, get some direction and understand where you need to focus your attention. At the same time, many companies give employees a performance review after three months have been completed, so it’s wise to plan ahead and make your first 90 days the foundation for what will hopefully be a long and prosperous tenure.

While this may not seem important, little differences can make you stand out in a crowd (and not look foolish). It’s the little aspects of what makes us who we are that can help launch your career; have others see you in a professional light; help you win that job interview; aid you in the successful delivery of a speech at your friend’s wedding; or make you the envy of others as you give a toast at your grandparent’s anniversary celebration that brings tears to their eyes.

The idea of co-ordinating volunteers, including student interns and committees, can be an organizational nightmare for some people — one that brings the simplicity of herding cats to mind. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Managing volunteers isn’t about directing people as much as it is about allowing their efforts to find the best path.

To make it a successful social occasion, you need to keep everything in moderation. According to at least one industry survey, 15 per cent of companies that have hosted holiday parties say that inappropriate employee behaviour at the event has affected that individual’s career growth.

It’s easier to climb the corporate ladder when you’re following in the footsteps of someone who has climbed the rungs before you. This is the principle of workplace mentoring, a special type of coaching relationship typically involving a more senior professional and a less-experienced protégé. A mentor is truly a trusted friend who can help the mentee get a better grasp on the unspoken rules of the game, and guide them toward reaching specific career goals.

If you are the employee who is searching for this information, you may choose to focus on the highest of those that you find. If you are the employer, your view may be different on what the “right” salary is for that same position. I conducted a test of three different websites offering to give me the salary for an accountant, and I came up with three different salaries, with an overall difference of $30,000.