Some of our Favorite Minds and Thoughts on Play, Fun, Parties, and Friends!
Why buying drinks for a better company culture doesn't work - aka "The Company Cocktail Party"
"What's wrong with cocktail parties? Nothing at all, unless of course you're interested in fostering meaningful connections. Cocktail parties tend to isolate people into groups of those they already know trapping them in conversations that feel strained and rarely result in close bonds. Partly because there is nothing to do but talk. For many people taking the focus off the conversation and placing it squarely on an activity reduces self-consciousnesses and makes connections easier to grow. This can be especially true for the introverts in a group, who are often more comfortable bonding shoulder to shoulder with a colleague than face to face."
Ron Friedman PhD: The Best place to Work [pg 117]
Research shows that workers are happier in their jobs when they have friendships with co-workers. Employees report that when they have friends at work, their job is more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile, and satisfying. Gallup found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50% and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their work.
Investing in happy employees by investing in "Social Capital"
"It is important to note that building strong social capital does not require that all colleagues become best friends or even that everyone like one another all of the time - this would be impossible. But what does matter is that there be mutual respect and authenticity. Coercing employees into awkward icebreakers or forced bonding activities, like making everyone at a meeting share something about their private lives, only breeds disconnection and mistrust.”
Shawn Achor - The Happiness Advantage - pg 193
Buy EXPERIENCES FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF STUFF (PERKS!)
Not an Experience!!
"One of the most common things people do with their money is get stuff," explains Michael Norton, an associate professor of marketing at Harvard Business School. "But we have shown…in research that stuff isn't good for you. It doesn't make you unhappy, but it doesn't make you happy. But one thing that does make us happy is an experience."
Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending - By Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton