Laughter is good for the soul ( for your business)

Laughter is good for the soul ( for yur business)Laughter is good for the soul ( for yur business)We all know laughter is good for our souls, but have you considered what it can do for your business?Im often asked in candidate interviews about what has kept me at my company there are quite a few solid reasons, but almost every time I find myself saying that I sincerely like coming to work. Im grateful for the opportunity to work with people who share common goals, work incredibly hard and most importantly make me laugh (like a real belly laugh). Working with a team that values humor makes my days brighter and better and, ultimately, inspires me to do my best work. I might even argue that humor is a better motivator than coffee (but we do have a pretty spectacular coffee machine, so they may be tied).Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThere are few things more unique than a sense of humor in office culture. How your team members are encouraged to share their sense of humor in the workplace contributes greatly to the overall tone and energy of your company. I firmly believe that if team members enjoy the people they share space with from desks to conference rooms to the kitchen coffee machine they are more likely to enjoy their time at work, actively contribute ideas, and become driving forces in the company.Beyond that, as a leader, establishing a balance between producing high-quality work and encouraging camaraderie and humor within your teams workflow creates an important entry point to building rapport and trust. This balance is essential for a leader to ensure a cohesive team dynamic that welcomes feedback and collaboration.If you truly value this type of workplace culture, it isnt enough to merely infuse it into your existing work routine you must actively prioritize it in your growth strategy. The way we approach it? Just look at our job descriptio ns. One of our requirements in every posting is literally a sense of humor. At first, I was skeptical about whether this had any business being in an actual role description, but over my 12-year tenure, I have come to understand what a vital role this attribute has played in cultivating and maintaining the company culture were so proud of today.Not only is it in our job descriptions, but we strive to embody this value across all touchpoints with every candidate. We know that our candidates often follow our social media channels to get a sense of who we are beyond our clients and services. Its a perfect place for us to showcase our playful moments and the fun experiences we have together, and we do not shy away from posting them.Another prime opportunity to highlight our value of humor is in in-person interviews. We certainly discuss a lot of serious information, but when I interview someone, its rare that I dont laugh with my interview teammate, and I love when our candidates feel c omfortable enough to join in themselves. Creating this type of interview environment sets the tone for what candidates can expect, should they become parte of the team. Were genuinely proud to share this aspect of our culture, and I believe its one of the things that has helped us grow over the years.The best part of this approach? Ensuring that this playful mindset remains in the fabric of the companys day-to-day means, well, having more fun Its a license to create opportunities that showcase what makes each person unique. At our company specifically, weve had big moments, like dousing our Founder (Super Bowl style) after a huge client win, as well as smaller moments, like our annual Halloween costume contest and an in-office challenge where we paired pet pictures with their owners. Whatever the scope, behauptung lighthearted moments demonstrate the importance of humor in our everyday lives and encourage everyone to welcome it into the office.Of course, we do take a lot of things seriously passion for great work, the drive to innovate, commitment and collaboration but something that supports our success in each of these areas is our ability to laugh along the way.Maria Martinez is the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Situation a digital agency best known for helping brands build passionate communities through digital-first marketing strategies. She has been with Situation for over 11 years and leads the growing operations team.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

This study supports you turning off Slack for a few hours per day

This study supports you turning off Slack for a few hours per dayThis study supports you turning off Slack for a few hours per dayIsnt it amazing that we live in this world of technology where we can always be connected no matter where we are in the world? Ehh sometimes. It is incredible that teams can be completely remote and still talk to each other all day thanks to communication and collaboration platforms like Slack and then also GChat, Yammer, texting and of course, basic email. However, is being in constant communication actually the best thing for us? According to a new study, maybe not.Research by Harvard Business School associate prof Ethan Bernstein and colleagues, to be published online next week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), finds that always on may not be the most effective. Intermittently on could actually be more productive, especially for teams.Intermittent alone time can be very productiveThe research team looked at a few different three -person groups that were given a complex problem-solving task. One group never interacted with each other and each person worked on it completely on their own, the second interacted with each other constantly, and then worked together but with intermittent breaks where they worked solo. It was found that the group that worked both together and then apart produced the best results. From the study Groups that interacted only intermittently preserved the best of both worlds (rather than succumbing to the worst). Even though the groups interacted only intermittently, they had an average quality of solution that was nearly identical to those groups that interacted constantly. And yet, by interacting only intermittently, these groups also preserved enough variation to find some of the best solutions, too.The study points out that organizations that excel at creativity work in this intermittent style. Bernstein also noted that some of the more efficient companies have open arbeitszimmer st ructures that possess both rooms for groups to collaborate but also small pods or rooms for people to go off and work on their own.Even if you dont work in an office surrounded by people you can still be in constant on, collaboration mode which this study says can hurt not only an individuals productivity but the groups as well. So turning off Slack for a few hours per day can actually be quite beneficial. As we replace those sorts of intermittent cycles with always-on technologies, we might be diminishing our capacity to solve problems well, he wrote. Try blocking a part of your calendar so your colleagues know you are offline.

Change Management Tips for Small Businesses Management Resources

Change Management Tips for Small Businesses Management ResourcesChange Management Tips for Small Businesses Management ResourcesChange management isnt just an exercise for big companies in the midst of transition. Small geschftliches miteinanderes also need to help guide their employees through change. However, research by our company has found that many small geschftlicher umganges hit major potholes with their change management efforts.About half of senior managers at the small businesses surveyed (those with 20-49 and 50-99 employees) report that their change management efforts typically fail at the execution stage. Nearly a quarter of respondents said the post-implementation phase is the biggest stumbling block.Whats the problem? More than likely, lack of communication is the key reason for change management failure. Sixty-five percent of senior managers at companies of all sizes said that communicating clearly and frequently was critical to seeing their employees successfully th rough a significant change event. (View all of the survey responses by company size here.)Change management pitfalls and best practicesHow can you up your game with change management? By avoiding these five common pitfalls the next time your small business faces a period of transition, and applying the following best practices1. Waiting too long to communicateMany managers will sit on berichterstattung about change, believing that theyre protecting their employees from stress, or preventing disruption in the workplace. However, the longer you keep your team in the dark about change, the more likely rumors will spread. Once that happens, it will be very difficult for your employees to clearly hear the messages you want to communicate about the change.Best practice As soon as goals are set, bring your employees into the loop. Share as much information as you think is appropriate, and encourage your staff to ask questions and share their opinions.2. Overwhelming staff with informationC ommunication is important to successful change management (and good leadership), but you should still be selective about how much detail you share. In addition, if you provide too many updates about the change, theres a good chance many of your employees will stop paying attention to the messages.Best practice Share information that will be most pertinent to your staff. For a start, they will want to know the bottom-line basics when is the change taking place, why is it happening, and how will it impact the organization - and their jobs. If possible, communicate these details personally to your team, as a group, so everyone hears the same information at once and can ask questions.3. Failing to focus on the benefitsEven positive change can be disruptive for the employees of your small business. So, if you dont accentuate the benefits throughout the transition, youll likely struggle to get buy-in from your team for the change. You may also experience significant hurdles during the po st-implementation stage because employees will be resistant to accept the change.Best practice Whether your small business is implementing new technology designed to enhance employee productivity, or entering a period of rapid growth that could lead to greater profitability, be clear about the potential positive outcomes for your staff. Doing so will help you to build consensus for the change - and perhaps even generate excitement.4. Not keeping it realWhile you want your staff to support and look forward to the transition you have planned for your small business, you need to be honest about what it will take to implement the change successfully. If youre not, you risk losing your employees trust.Best practice Avoid setting unrealistic goals or timelines for the transition, and dont sidestep discussion about potential challenges the change may be bring. Also let your employees know that they can come to you at any time with their questions or concerns.5. Letting communication slide post-implementationHeres the thing about change Just because you hit your deadline for implementation, it doesnt mean everyone is feeling prepared and confident. In fact, your small business may travel a bumpy road for the next several weeks or months as employees get used to the new status quo. Easing up on change management efforts during this time can lead to disaster.Best practice Once the change is in place, ramp up communication to your employees. Make sure they have what they need to succeed. For example, you may find that you need to offer training to some or all team members, or that you need to engage extra support, such as project professionals.Remember, your ability to affect change for your small business requires the support and involvement of your employees, at least to some degree. So, when team members step up to help you and their colleagues through the transition, be quick to acknowledge their contributions. And with each major milestone achieved, take a moment t o share and celebrate that success with your employees. These are good practices not only for change management, but staff management.Additional resources4 Good Reasons to Use a Small Business Consultant Most small business owners are highly skilled multitaskers - and proud of it. However, because they are so accustomed to doing everything (or almost) themselves, many dont think about enlisting the help of a small business consultant. That means they might be missing out on important benefits for their business.5 Considerations When Choosing a Small Business Consultant Thinking about working with a small business consultant? Keep these five considerations in mind when looking for a financial consultant who will meet the unique needs of your business.