(Pete Buck, chairman of the nonprofit board of Northwest Hub, will be contributing serendipitous observations from time to time. He has a tiny camera in the glove box of his car and an eye and ear for what is good in the world. Anyone with ideas for positive happenings, programs, things, etc., should contact him at pete@northwesthub.org.)
It’s common knowledge that the current economic meltdown has hit the land use, environmental, and real estate fields particularly hard. Many of the professional firms and agencies that practice in these areas are having a tough time of it. Some have disappeared entirely. Others have had to lay off or furlough employees. Those that are still around are looking at ways to save money until business picks back up.
These changes are bound to affect office morale. Fortunately, some offices are beginning to examine ways to keep spirits up without running up costs. I plan to feature the more intriguing techniques over the coming weeks.
For instance, Transportation Solutions, Inc. (a Northwest Hub sponsor) recently invited its employees to take part in a Halloween Cookie decorating event. From what I’ve heard, this proved to be a low cost and highly entertaining way to boost morale. You should see commentary later today.
Even dental offices are getting in on the action. Under orders from my wife, I was at North Seattle Orthodontics last week and noticed a number of elaborately decorated pumpkins in their front office. It turns out the office had recently hosted a contest to see which staff member could come up with the best pumpkin creation. Patients were invited to vote for their favorite. Normally I would have voted for the can, but eventually I cast a ballot for the fish. This is a great example of a low-cost effort to keep staff and client spirits high.
I guess the moral of the story is that it does not take expensive team-building retreats or after-work meals and entertainment to keep an office happy. We need fun, camaraderie, imagination, and caring.
Everyone says we are in for a long haul. We might as well accept that and do what we can to boost our spirits.
