Building Office Morale

Just looking for some ideas to help boost office morale, or some fun stress releaving activities. Sometimes the different departments seem to be in conflict with each other, accounting, compliance, site managers, maintenance, ect. Anything ideas that have worked in your offices?

TEAM:

The effort of all our departments is what maintains us as an organization!

The first thing is to show them how they all need each other and how each department is needed in order for an organization to function and when one fails, they all fail.

Once they see how they complement each other in getting the job done, then give them sometime in each other’s shoes to see how the others work.

Have time away from work and have team building where the different department personnel are mixed up and are forced to communicate. Give each some information and if they are communicating they will each tell what information they have and see that when they come together that as a team they are able to solve the problem.

What works in one organization does not in another. But one thing that I do know; and that is, each department has a manager and if these managers are not communicating, then your departments are not. So, communication starts at the top!

Some of the events we incorporate into our corporate culture are recognizing birthdays once a month with cake and a 15 minute break, we actually sing the song and socialize; we had a Hawaiian Day where we had the opportunity to wear Hawaiian shirts, and we actually paraded through the office, a few of us were tasked to voting for the best outfit. A gift card to Target was the prize but the benefit was everyone let go of their stress for about 15 minutes. Our office purchases sports tickets to major teams in the area and we either pick a name out of the hat, or the last time we guessed how many M & M's were in a jar and the closest one without going over wins. We also bring in pizza and salad once in awhile for the whole team, and eat together in the conference room. There are costs to all of this, but the benefit to having a cohesive team able to work together and resolve conflicts easily, is priceless. Each and every time you hold an event, the group comes together more and more and camaraderie develops and relationships are formed. Good luck with your team building.

There's an article written by Rick Ellis that talks about improving workplace morale. It's pretty interesting. www.paintscentsations.com/improving-morale-in-the-workplace/

Matt, I find that any activity involving eating or completing a project together is a great way to bring the individuals in your organiztion together. Whenever I am on site, I love cooking breakfast for everyone. No one complains about starting the day off together sharing some laughter and sitting down at a table that has fresh daisies arranged on it. : ) Now, I can be the most shy person around in group setting since I sometimes feel people are too judgemental. So, these suggestions are what work for me, what I personally find fun and what I have seen work to build the team.

1. While in a fast paced on site office, especially so for affordable properties, I find that it can be very stressful. I encourage Dance Breaks! Beleive it or not, lock the office door, turn on the music and DANCE. There is no greater joy! 20 minutes of this and we are all laughing and are re-energized.
2. Eat together outside. Picnics can be relaxing. Pot lucks are nice, too. That way people who never take a lunch break will actually stop for 30 seconds and talk to someone else on a subject not necessarily work related.
3. Play a game together. I love to challenge another property (especially another property management company) to a game of baseball, soccer, basketball or whatever.
4. If no one will play, then attend a sporting event. Heck, go to the horse races. Hello? I'm from Kentucky and a Derby believer!
5. Take an afternoon and go bowling. I have been known to sing a great rendition of "I Will Survive" on top of the ball return.
6. Participate in a community event, such as the United Way Day of Caring or Habitat for Humanity. Get your Residents to participate, too. Residents who see local and corporate staff doing something seem to stay Residents longer and complain less.

Obviously, some corporate offices will not allow on site team members to take off time during the work day, but they should. I think they should join them! Corporate personnel benefit very much from interacting with one another, too.