Labor Day is upon us… I hope you have some fun and relaxation planned. Before you head out for a long weekend, I want to share 9 timely tips to help you position your business as a ‘Great Place to Work!' in celebration of Labor Day.
Labor Day is a BIG OPPORTUNITY to celebrate your team. In fact, that's the very meaning of Labor Day… to honor those who work hard.
Labor Day originated in the 1800's when manufacturing workers were working 60 – 70 hours per week. It was intended to shorten the workday and workweek so workers would have time for their families and for spending wages on leisure pursuits, such as traveling and dining out.
Most likely you are giving everyone on your team the day off, but don't stop short there. Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate your team in a big way.
Here are a 9 ‘Great Place to Work' Tips to help you do Labor Day up in a big way:
Tip #1: Share photos of your team members in social media.
Include a statement about what you appreciate most about each team member.
Call out a personal strength for that team member and let them know you appreciate that about them. Share a recent win, or a step forward they have taken in their career this past year.
Tip #2: Share a group photo and a recent example of something your team has done that has made you proud.
Tip #3: Share volunteer projects
Did your team do any volunteer work recently? Share this in social media.
No volunteer work together? No worries. Start now. Ask your team to pick a community project. Volunteering together is a great team-building opportunity.
Tip #4 Labor Day is just one day, but why stop there? Turn the entire month of September into a celebration of your team.
Tip #5 Surprise your team with a pizza or ice cream party.
Tip #6 Employees often value time off more than money. Run a contest based on Wins and Successes. During each team meeting, ask team members to call out one another's Wins and Successes.
Each time someone is called out, they earn 1 entry in the drawing. At the end of the month, do a drawing and give away a paid day off.
A bicycle tire mounted on a stand is the perfect ‘do it yourself' Wheel of Fun.
Tip #7 Another variation on this is the Wheel of Fun. Put fun and simple prizes on the Wheel of Fun and let team members earn “spins” on the Wheel of Fun.
You can get very creative with this and put goofy prizes on the wheel, as well as a few highly coveted prizes.
Not creative yourself? Find that free spirit on your team and ask that person to create the Wheel of Fun and the prizes.
Tip #8 A popular activity we've done for our clients' teams is to facilitate a Strengths Appreciation Circle based on the results of their Peoplemap™ Assessments.* Even if you haven't given your team the Peoplemap™, your team can still benefit from this activity.
The benefits of this team-building activity are many:
– Each team member comes away glowing. They feel appreciated for their strengths and unique contribution to the team.
– Once team members have been recognized for their strengths, they are motivated to show up from their strengths even more.
– You will see opportunities to move team members into roles that naturally align with their strengths, which will make everyone happier and more productive.
Here's how you do this…
Each team member gets an opportunity to be the focus. Give your team a few minutes to contemplate what stands out to them about the team member who is the focus. Ask them to identify specific examples of actions that team member has taken recently that helped a client, customer or the team.
Give each team member an opportunity to share what they appreciate about the team member.
Rotate so that each team member gets to receive feedback about their strengths and what their fellow team members appreciate about them.
Tip #9: Most importantly, if you are a great place to work, don't keep it a secret!
Share what you are up to in social media. Regularly sharing the fun you all are having and what you appreciate about your team makes recruiting A-Players much easier for you. After all, who doesn't want to work at a ‘Great Place to Work'?
* Want to learn more about using the Peoplemap™ Assessment to tap the potential of your team member's strengths and improve communication? Email us at admin@tapthepotential.com
What do you do to celebrate your team?
I'd love to hear ways you are celebrating your team. Leave a comment below.
About the Author
Dr. Sabrina Starling, The Business Psychologist™ and author of the How to Hire the Best series is the founder of Tap the Potential.
At Tap the Potential we specialize in transforming small businesses into highly profitable, great places to work and sending business owners on 4 Week Vacations to celebrate that achievement.
Never one to accept the status quo or back down from a challenge, Dr. Sabrina’s How to Hire the Best series grew from her desire to solve the toughest hiring challenges interfering with her clients’ growth and profitability. What sprang from her experience working with entrepreneurs in rural areas catapulted her into becoming the world’s leading expert in attracting top talent in small businesses — no matter what hiring challenges those businesses are facing — and earned Tap the Potential’s reputation as the go-to resource for entrepreneurs committed to creating Great Places to Work with thriving coaching cultures and highly engaged team members working from their strengths.
With her background in psychology, and years of driving profit in small business, Dr. Starling knows what it takes to find, keep and get exceptional performance out of your biggest investment — your team members.
Access Dr. Sabrina Starling's How to Hire the Best Masterclass at www.HowToHireTheBest.com
