All businesses struggle with keeping good team members on board. If your staff is happy, that attitude flows through to your clients and builds the culture of how your company is viewed in your industry. For example, have you ever flown a Southwest flight, witnessed the flight attendant going over the safety regulations in the most creative way possible, and been convinced that they just love what they do? This is a culture that is nurtured throughout the organization and the public just can’t help but notice. F1 Solutions believes that a fair salary, regular bonuses and a strong benefits package is just the first step. It’s the next step that business owners and managers seem to overcomplicate. If you hang out and have fun with your staff, doing fun things, you will have a fun place to work. If you allow your staff to have a voice in how things are carried out, they will feel important and a part of a team. Below are suggestions to build a stronger and happier team that we have had success with here at F1:
- Movie night with your staff. Buy out a theatre at your local venue on opening night of a great movie and invite staff and their immediate family
- If a team member is working late on a continual basis on a big project, send a little gift to the significant other thanking them for their patience
- Bowling nights, indoor Go Kart night, and Mystery Room challenges are always fun
- Bring in some BBQ and smoke up some chicken and ribs for the staff
- Have food cook off contests with rewards. Chili cook offs are a favorite with us.
- Walk into a staff meeting with a bucket of cash (can be $100’s or $20’s) and dump it on the table and say grab any two or three.
- Take note is a staff member has a need that is special to them and try to fulfil that need
- Family day at a local theme park or water park is a lot of fun and builds comradery quickly
- Allow for break out working teams that are designed to work through a issue or topic. We all want to feel like our opinions matter. Create ways that they do.
- Encourage employees to find improvements in processes and methods
These are just some of the ideas that F1 has used over the years. We try to schedule something fun and motivating every other month for consistency and have put together a budget to do so.
One of the best things that we have implemented is a survey that goes out every week with a quick question of the week. It gives us a continual pulse of how our staff is feeling and allows us to address any issues before they reach a boiling point. This process also allows for the employee to send anonymous suggestions that we respond to and allows all staff members to send “shout Outs” to their fellow team members. Let’s face it, sometimes we are quick to jump on someone for something they did wrong and slow to congratulate someone for something they did well. Developing an ongoing positive reinforcement structure and “fun plan” will allow you to be a Best Place to work which will show through to your clients as well.
