How You Can Get Staff To Bond At Your Startup
The startup world can be quite competitive with people trying to move their way up the corporate ladder quite quickly. Many people take jobs at a startup as they will be able to advance their career in a faster way than if they worked for an established corporation. The turnover at many startups can also be extremely high which makes it difficult for staff to build a bond. This bond can actually reduce employee turnover as nobody wants to leave a job when they are working with what they consider to be close friends. The following are ways to get your staff to bond at your startup.
Turn Work Into a Competition With Teams
Turning work into a competitive game not only helps maximize productivity of an individual but it also helps staff bond. Setting up teams whether it is a marketer, writer, and salesperson or another combination of staff can be a great advantage. This not only helps people bond who might have only worked with each other briefly but it also helps streamline communication. A person being comfortable approaching another staff member with a problem saves a lot more time than going back and forth about the problem via email. This competition can be for paid days off or a bonus, even giving people work from home days will help entice everyone. Make sure that you are keeping your KPIs in mind as these will help drive the numbers desired.
A Good Game of Dodgeball
Having fun with those in the office is a great way to foster bonding among staff. Dodgeball can be a simple way to showcase staff athleticism or lack thereof as well a great way to have fun. All you have to do is find a basketball court or even a field that you can divide into half. Something as simple as a grumpy manager being hit by a ball can have staff erupting in laughter for a moment that they will not soon forget. Doing something like this or another fun activity monthly during office hours is a great recharge period for staff. All you need is a few dodgeballs as well as a locations to get started.
Start a Health Initiative
A health initiative throughout a company will help boost productivity as healthy employees are more productive as studies have shown. Sharing health goals whether it is to start exercising or to lose a certain amount of weight can help your staff reach these goals. Staff being concerned about the well-being of others in the office helps foster bonding whether staff realizes it or not. Motivation to get fit can come from being held accountable by a coworker who has the same goal. Something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator can be a great place to start!
The above are just a few of the many ways that you can foster bonding throughout the office. You have to show your employees that you care about them as more than a social security number and paycheck. This also holds true for the other staff in the office as showing personal concern about someone is not only the right thing to do but it helps people bond. A close office can accomplish much more than a divided office of people who could care less if another person in their department shows up or not. Have your employees bond and watch productivity skyrocket.
