If…
A company has a strong leader that is willing to invest a little time and effort into creating a positive culture, it’s highly likely that the people employed will be willing to give back.
They volunteer more, donate to charities, and help their fellow man. It’s not rocket science, but it does require effort and a vision of how you want to be influential in your community.
Why Fun Matters.
People in the workplace need more than just a paycheck now. They want to feel like they matter, that they are contributing and challenged and that what they do is fulfilling to them.
We no longer work for a single company for 40 years, get a gold watch and then collect our retirement.
The average millennial will switch jobs 4 times in the first 10 years as compared to Gen-X who only switched twice in the first 10 years.
People are more engaged when they are having fun and are more likely to be happy. TRIGGER WARNING I just said happy.
Yes, fun and happiness go hand in hand. Here are some stats for ya!
- Happy employees are typically 20% more productive at their job
- Happy salespeople average a 37% increase in sales
- In 2017, the stock prices of Fortunes “100 Best Companies to Work for” rose 14% each year between 1998 to 2005, while companies that are not on the list only report a 6% increase.
If you want to increase your profits, you must increase fun and happiness. People do not want to leave a company that is both fun and rewarding.
If you like the people you work with and have joy and laughter in the workplace, everyone benefits!
So take a little time today and create some happiness while being the leader of your team through generating happiness!
How Well Do You Know Your Team?
In today’s age of information overload, how well do you know your employees? Heck, how well do you really know anyone? As an Owner/CEO/Manager you probably looked at your employee’s online content.
But does that give you a true sense of that person? There is no way around truly getting to know a person. You must spend time with them.
If you want the most from your team then you must spend time with them. Eat lunch with them. Go out after work with them. Meet them at the water cooler and talk to them.
People crave relationships. If you can provide a little bit of that in the workplace you can change someone’s life! Happy Leading!
Step 1: Know Your Employees!
The first step seems rather simple. Get to know your employees! If you have a company of 150 or so people you can do this in a matter of weeks.
You probably already know your executive team and managers, now it’s time to meet the rest. Spend an hour or two each day and shake hands, ask questions, engage in humanity!
It’s amazing what happens when employees feel like they know their leader.
If the leader goes a step further and engages on a personal level, they know about family and friends and things the employee likes to do, the resulting engagement from the employee will increase, as will their productivity. This is important in the art of being the leader you need to be for your company to flourish!
Step 2: Recognize & Acknowledge Achievements
It takes almost no effort to have a monthly birthday party for all the people born in said month.
It’s not hard to say “nice work on project XYZ, I really like the thought you put into it. Keep up the good work.” The mere act of acknowledging effort is a sign that you are paying attention and that you care about the contributions of your team.
Step 3: Invest in Your Employees
It could be something simple like providing healthy snacks. Giving your employees 15 extra minutes at lunch to walk around the building.
Provide standing desks. Take off early on a Friday if all the work gets done. Have a space for quiet reflection and stretching.
Go to a conference or bring someone in to speak to your employees. Give a prime parking spot to the employee of the week. Organize an after-work shindig at your local watering hole. For example, I like to consider lake Coeur d’Alene a go-to spot for me and my team to recreate on a hot summer’s day.
It could be anything that says you appreciate their hard work and effort and that you care about what motivates them. In order to find out what motivates your team, see step one.
Being The Leader through The Power of Play!
Think back to your fondest childhood memories. Chances are they had something to do with the play. For me, it was the merry-go-round in my grandparent’s playground at a lake resort they owned and operated.
I would run in circles and jump on, most of the time I made it! Sometimes it was survival of the fittest on that beast.
Whatever we were playing, I loved that merry-go-round! I think back on the relationships that were forged on the playground.
Early childhood games led to friendships and skill-building, both social and physical. In later school years, it became sports and video games that bonded us.
Now as adults it’s our shared love of whatever and the people we share it with. Play is what enables us to really create lasting bonds of friendship.
Without play where would we be? Probably not as far up the food chain as we are currently!
If you can incorporate a little bit of play in your daily life, it will do wonders for your work/life satisfaction!
So what are you waiting for? Go out and play – you are capable of being the leader of your success story!
Before you go – Could I interest you in engaging, high-energy keynotes, training, and coaching? Professionals at Play offer educational and business speakings. Learn more about our available programs, and consider scheduling today! We’d love to hear how we can empower your team.