The end of the summer always seems anticlimactic. No more beach vacations, barbecues, or longer daylight hours. As fall comes slinking in, you may find that office employees go through a post-summer slump. Things may start to seem monotonous and office staff may have a difficult time being productive. But there are ways that you can keep the office atmosphere lively and fun, helping to boost employee morale and productivity. Here are some tips to get your employees more energized and eager to be at work:
Bring Food
If you bring food, they will come. Plan some working lunches that are catered or occasionally order pizza. Organize office potlucks where everyone brings a food related to a theme (e.g. Mexico, luau). On employee birthdays, have cake in the break room. Food is an excellent way to bring people together, even for 15 minutes of eating and chatting. Something as simple as bringing doughnuts in the morning shows employees that you value them.Get Some Friendly Competition Going
Business Knowledge Source recommends planning team pick-up games to give employees an opportunity to blow off steam and build relationships. Starting leagues or joining them also is great for team building and uniting the office around activities that don’t have to do with work. Fantasy Football leagues are another way to get competition going and to connect people on non-working issues and this is something that people are able to participate in even when the winter weather hits.Recognition
Everyone needs some recognition and affirmation in order to feel valued. Send birthday cards and recognize important milestones, like marriages and new babies. If someone is seriously ill, send a care package. You can also host quarterly awards, recognizing specific employees for achievements and longevity.Office Parties
Nothing builds camaraderie quite like an office party. Celebrate holidays (make sure you are culturally sensitive), and decorate for the theme. You can have costume contests on Halloween and gift swaps for the winter holidays. Don’t forget to make sure there’s food!Community Service
HRWorld suggests using an afternoon to get out of the office and work together on a community service project, like picking up litter or volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. Not only will staff feel good about themselves, this is a great team building opportunity. Within the office, you can organize food drives or other charitable donations. An office that gives back together, stays together.Get Out of the Office
It helps to see each other outside of the usual four walls. Plan occasional lunch outings and happy hour get-togethers. If employees enjoy each other’s company, their teamwork in the office will be that much stronger. This article was written by Social Media Outreach Coordinator Harrison Kratz on behalf of CAREEREALISM-Approved Partner, 2tor — an education technology company that partners with institutions of higher education such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to deliver a one of the top online MBA degrees.Photo Credit: ShutterstockFrom Your Site Articles
