Practice Some Charity to Your Staff Today

By Kristina Evey • June 23rd, 2010

We all like to indulge a bit from time to time. Why not indulge your teams and staff today? Give everyone a day off, an hour off, or buy them lunch when they don’t expect it. Take everyone out to the movies or an event. The point is to make everyone feel special.

Yes, it may cost you some money and productivity time, but my guess is that it will be well worth it. Your team will feel a sense of value that they are not merely machines that make your business run, but that they are an integral part of a team working toward a common goal.

If you are taking everyone out for a group event, the teamwork will increase exponentially because everyone will get to relate to each other outside of the office.

If you are giving everyone some time off, either a few hours or an entire day, they will most likely show up for work the next day feeling a bit more refreshed and motivated because they used the “free time” to relax, or to attack their personal “to do” list.

As a manager, I wanted everyone to feel special for a bit. We had just come through a really tough week and they deserved some recognition. I treated everyone in my office to chocolate covered strawberries one day. It was a small cost, but felt like a true indulgence to everyone in the office. We all took about 30 minutes to just enjoy a treat, not answer the phones, and to feel a little luxurious in the middle of the day. Once we got back to business, everyone was smiling a bit more and there was far less tension and stress than on a normal day.

Once, when we had gotten through a particularly busy season made worse by being short staffed, we gave everyone $75 gift cards to be used for dinner and a movie. These were presented to everyone my directors with sincere thanks for all of their hard work and effort. The staff decided to go out together to dinner and the movie, rather than go as individuals.

So, whether it be a small cost of chocolate covered strawberries, a larger cost of a concert, movie, meals, or the gift of time off, practice some charity in your office today. Make everyone feel special.

My bet is that you will find a more positive team, everyone will feel refreshed, and everyone will treat your external customers better than ever.