When employees are connected with each other and with the company as a cohesive unit, great things happen. Connections foster relationships, relationships create results and results culminate in increased productivity and profitability. One of the best ways to create connections is to allow them to happen naturally—to facilitate them—rather than forcing them, and company traditions create fertile ground in which the seeds of relationship can grow and develop into something productive.
Despite the benefits, however, this is uncharted territory for many businesses. When it comes to starting a tradition that will have a positive impact on employees, and ultimately on the business itself, many decision makers are left scratching their heads. Here are some practical steps that can be taken to get the ball rolling, or at the very least get you thinking in the right direction.
Start a “Traditions Exploration” group. Recruit volunteers to put together a list of potentially viable creative rituals. The group will do all the heavy lifting of brainstorming ideas for you, and will also be connecting with one another in the process. Be creative and implement traditions that put you in a class of ONE!
Start an annual fun day and spare no expense. It may seem frivolous at first, but the benefits are far reaching. Numerous teams can be created to oversee various aspects of planning, so the potential for connections—both in the planning and in the event itself—extend to literally every employee.
Participate in Annual Community Events. When employees are invited to be a part of the company “giving back” to the community, they become bonded-together good will ambassadors that are worth their weight in gold.
Start a company sports team. The benefits are obvious. High-fives, competition, and just plain fun are solid relationship builders.
Put new life into current practices! Chances are you celebrate service anniversaries and hold tons of meetings. Are they memorable? Do they touch the hearts and minds of your employees? If not, kick them up a notch or two!
Be creative. It doesn’t so much matter what you come up with, as long as you come up with something that will get your workforce TOGETHER!
HR consultant and executive coach Rita Craig is award-winning human resources consultant, keynote and TEDx speaker. This is no surprise when you look at her professional profile; with over 40 years of professional human resources experience, including 23 years as an HR professional for an electric utility company, Rita’s first-hand insights engage, instruct and motivate professionals throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her career experiences, coupled with her upbringing in a household of 14, supply enough anecdotal ammunition to keep audiences and clients entertained and engaged in a way that is all at once disarming and inspirational.
Along with an MBA with a Specialty in Human Resources, Rita’s achievements include being the first ever recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the HR Association of Palm Beach County, numerous recognitions from various HR and civic organizations and two governor’s appointments to serve on Florida state commissions.
Her great love of developing the next generation of leaders inspired her to write Foresight: Finding Your Footing in a Fast-Forward World, and her unique point-of-view is sure to resonate with any person who has ever asked the question, “What’s next?”
Rita is on Twitter at @RitaBarretCraig and on Linkedin.
www.toptierleadership.com
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