All work and no play makes for a grumpy workforce. And according to Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, “There is good evidence that if you allow employees to engage in something they want to do, [which] is playful, there are better outcomes in terms of productivity and motivation.” And yes, the institute is a real thing (www.nifplay.org).
You expect chemicalprocessing.com to provide information to help you make your plant as efficient, safe, environmentally friendly and economically competitive as possible. And, the site indeed is packed full of such useful details. Naming just a few areas, we have an active Ask The Experts section that covers topics from combustion to steam systems (ChemicalProcessing.com/experts). Not only do our experts offer their advice, but readers can add their two cents, too. And in some cases, you’ll see a back and forth between the questioner and the guru that usefully amplifies the discussion.
Our news section (ChemicalProcessing.com/industrynews) highlights career advancements, technology breakthroughs and lessons learned from top companies in the chemical industry. We scour sources to bring you information meant not only to keep you informed, but also inspire you to emulate and innovate. And the Technical Resources tab (ChemicalProcessing.com/technical-resources) houses eHandbooks, the Minute Clinic podcast series, special reports, white papers and webinars to give you in-depth coverage on single topics.
Speaking of webinars, we have great topics still to be covered this year: wastewater on Aug. 13, understanding NEMA and IEC standards and certifications for hazardous areas on Aug. 20, process safety on Sept. 10, reliability and asset management on Oct. 15 and dust control on Nov. 12. All webinars start at 2 p.m. ET and are moderated by me. At the end of each event, we have a live audience-driven Q&A session. It’s a great way to tap expert knowledge. Visit ChemicalProcessing.com/webinars to register.
Couple all these resources (and the oodles more I didn’t mention) with our award-winning articles that appear in full on the website and you are better prepared to address issues your plant faces. That’s just dandy — but what about the fun I was talking about?
For starters, we have our Comical Processing cartoons (ChemicalProcessing.com/cartoon-caption), which now contain more than 115 masterpieces from cartoonist Jerry King. Each of these gems has at least a dozen captions from our readers. Need to recharge the creative batteries? Poke around the page and picture yourself in these comical situations.
Another way to take a break from work while still learning something useful is to check out the Chemical Reaction blog (ChemicalProcessing.com/blogs/chemical-reaction). It’s a snarky, lighthearted look at what’s going on in the chemical industry. Spun from my viewpoint, the entries often tell you more than you need to know about my life. . . but there’s a reason for everything and I do attempt to bring it all back to the target: chemical processing.
Having fun boosts our ability to think outside the box and solve problems. So while you’re at our site for sound technical advice be sure to visit the lighter side.