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The article discusses how peers in the workplace can undermine one's efforts to lose weight, or at least not gain weight. Culprits include those who insist on sharing fattening desserts brought from home, and skeptics who question the effectiveness of co-workers' diets. Business lunches are another occasion at which people sometimes feel pressured to eat.

The article reports on technology companies that provide services on site so that their employees do not have to leave to do errands. The example of BEA Systems Inc. is given, where such things as car washes, massage therapists, and grocery shopping are offered. This allows employees to spend more time doing their jobs. The article provides other examples of companies and the services they offer, and suggests that they do this in order to get more work out of their employees.

The article presents cases on employees whose career reputations were affected by a boss or colleague who has ulterior motives. Victoria L. Rimasse resigned from her job as a legal assistant at a law firm when her boss would regularly take credit for tasks she completed, saying she now has trouble trusting people. According to Vicky Oliver, author of "Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots," one must keep his cool if a colleague attempts to denigrate one's character, blame him for something he did not do or steal credit for his work.

The article presents an overview of the role social comparison theory, in which people compare themselves to others, plays in the workplace. A discussion of several employees, including accountant Joe Pizzileo, who have been involved with upward or downward comparisons in the workplace is presented as an example.

The article reports on efforts being made by employers to offer fair flextime policies to employees. Examples of new flextime policies are given from Chubb Corp., RSM McGladrey Inc., and PrintingForLess.com. Some of the features of new policies are allowing all employees to apply for flextime, requests that employees justify their schedules in a written proposal, a regular evaluation of flextime setups, asking people to back up their co-workers, and placing the responsibility for scheduling on a team of people.

Examines ways in which individuals can prevent co-workers from looking at the documents on their desk or the work on their computer screen. How Carol Kromminga tries to prevent her co-workers from snooping; View that office privacy is a myth; Reasons why people snoop; Countermeasures taken by some co-workers to prevent people from snooping.

Offers advice to workers who are required to attend office meetings. Examples of the non-work related things workers do while in meetings; Comments from John E. Tropman, a University of Michigan organization-management professor who uses faculty meetings to grade papers, regarding the unintended usefulness of meetings; Estimated amount of money lost each year because of meetings, according to Tropman, who is the author of several books on how to make meetings more efficient; Terms used to describe meetings in an effort to make them seem more important; Comments from Bernie DeKoven, who ran the Institute for better Meetings for more than 15 years, suggesting meetings are ceremonies designed to reinforce the hierarchy.

Focuses on distractions and interruptions in the office workplace that can impact output and production. Results of research conducted by Sue Weidemann, director of research at workplace consultant Bosti Associates in Buffalo (N.Y.), indicating several forms of distractions daily; Average length of time it takes a person to recover concentration from a distraction, resulting in wasted work time; Comments from several individuals regarding the interruptions of co-workers who often like to talk or tell stories.

Focuses on wearing sweaters in the workplace when the office becomes too cold. Symbolism of the office sweater, according to the author; Attributes that make a good office sweater, including that it should be a cardigan; Comments from Julie Smolyansky, chief executive of Lifeway Foods, regarding how the office sweater should look and fit, indicating it should never be worn for fashion; Comments from George Ritter regarding the habits of co-workers and their care for the sweaters.

Focuses on romance in the office. Increase in interest into the study of workplace romances; Results of studies by the Society for Human Resource Management, indicating several punitive measures for employees involved in office romances; Discussion of a California court case that resulted in a ruling favorable to management on the basis of a potential conflict of interest; Percentage of companies surveyed by the American Management Association claiming they have policies related to romance in the workplace; Impact of the culture of the work place on the decision to publicize an office romance with co-workers or management. INSET: The Price of Passion.

Attempts to explain the motivations of co-workers who sabotage other workers, a practice more commonly known as "back-stabbing." Example of Scott Rosen, who worked at a financial-services company, who was demoted largely due to the efforts of a co-worker; Comments from Fred Nader, a management consultant, regarding the motivation of individuals to sabotage another worker; Factors leading to sabotage, including a tight job market and a work environment prone to dishonesty; Results of a poll conducted by management consultant Judith Briles, indicating an increase in the number of workers who feel they have been undermined; Examples of sabotage at various companies.

Presents a humorous look at resolutions workers can make for their co-workers to make the work environment a better place. Personal phone calls; Leftovers in the food lounge; Kissing-up to the boss; Co-workers with colds and sniffles; Eating habits; Bathroom etiquette; Behavior toward subordinates; Office paranoia and paranoids; People who over-dramatize office problems; Visiting consultants; Meetings in the workplace; Leftovers in the office refrigerator; Replacing the water bottle atop the water cooler; Learn to fix simple copier problems.

Examines and predicts work-life trends for the year 2004. Results of a survey conducted by Accenture, indicating the number of managers surveyed that will be looking for a new job when the market improves; Changes enacted by companies during the economic downturn that impacted on the personal lives of employees; Percentage increase in traffic at Vault Inc.'s Web site, Vault.com, a career-information site focusing on corporate culture; Statistics related to the number of homes that will have computer networks, increasing the areas in the home where individuals can perform work; Plans of the American Psychological Association to hold a national competition for "psychologically healthy workplaces."

Focuses on rumors that are started in the workplace. Comments from Paul Haze, a software engineer, about management withholding facts from employees, resulting in employee speculation; Comments from Ralph Rosnow, a former professor of psychology at Temple University, about rumors as hypotheses with potentially widespread impact; Link between competitive organizations and rumor mongering; Benefits of grapevines and rumors, according to Allan J. Kimmel, a marketing professor and author of "Rumors and Rumor Control"; Percentage of employees claiming to get information about major changes in organization from rumors, according to Randstad, a professional employment services firm.