Storm Watch

Amidst the holiday hangover and push to get back into the rhythm of business as usual, companies are battening down the hatches and preparing for the tsunami economists are predicting will hit our shores in the near future in the form of inflation and recession. We’ve seen massive layoff’s from Twitter, DoorDash, Netflix, Salesforce, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and more. Marketing and other “cost center” budgets are being slashed.

Still, the work goes on.

New Year, New You

At the same time, it’s (still) early in the year with New Year’s resolutions at the forefront of our personal lives. Many have made vows to eat healthier, exercise more, start meditating, and get more sleep. The New Year always seems like the right time to prioritize our overall health.

We think the same should be true for your business: now is not only the right time, but a critical one, to focus on your team’s health.

Counter Culture

It might seem counterintuitive to invest in culture when you’ve just laid off 5% or more of your workforce, but we know this is actually the BEST time to invest in those left to carry the torch of your brand promise. The reality is there are now fewer workers left to meet your company goals. Also, the economy has an accordion-style opening and closing rhythm with its ups and downs when measured over years. It’s important for companies to keep investing in their employees through the down times to set themselves up for success when things turn around and it’s time to ramp up production, hire new team members, and increase profit margins.

Push Through The Pain

Just like in our personal health, the most critical time to push through the doubt and discomfort is when we are most unhealthy. When we least feel like it, we need to muster up the will to put on our gym shoes and hit the walking trail or lift some weights.

No doubt, layoffs create a level of unhealth in your company culture, even if done well. There are ripple effects of uncertainty about the future, resentment, and even survivor’s guilt. Your team is going through a lot of mixed emotions, and as their leader, it’s your job to help them weather this storm. And the time is now, not sometime in the future, when the economy stabilizes.

It Doesn’t Take Much

This doesn’t mean you have to give employees bonuses if your bottom line doesn’t support it. Things like an extra day off, flex time, investment in education or wellness programs don’t cost much but can go a long way to help your employees feel seen, valued, and appreciated. Plus, these types of programs cost a fraction of what it will cost you if you do nothing.

Doing nothing leads to underappreciated, overworked employees. Doing nothing results in a company failing to live up to its potential. Doing nothing costs connection, the thing we constantly preach as experts in Team Connecting that leads to reduced stress, increased job satisfaction, greater engagement at work, and even improved physical health.

Of course, we think creating connection through fun is a smart way to invest in your people. We’ve seen first hand the positive impact fun brings to our clients and even to our Grin Events team.

We Make It Simple

We know trying to plan something fun can be anything but. That’s why we make it as simple as possible.

  1. Reach out to our team
  2. Pick a date
  3. Show up and we’ll bring the fun!