Comments on: Recess At Work: UR DOIN IT WRONG

By: Rich DiGirolamo

Rich DiGirolamo — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:48:17 +0000

Perhaps we need a little attitude adjustment Laurie. Contrary to what you might think, some of the highet morale exists in companies where Employee Activities Committees and yes, even jaded HR Professionals recognize the need to include such activities – ongoing.

And just wait……………….Spay and Neuter your HR team is coming up in October.

Thanks for the plug. Keep up the good work.

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:05:21 +0000

Glad I could be of service, Laurie

By: Laurie

Laurie — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:51:31 +0000

Cornholes and chocolate certificates. Exactly why I write this blog.

By: perrik

perrik — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:14:25 +0000

@Heather Mmmm, chocolate certificates. Best idea I’ve read all week.

I finally read the website that Laurie linked. “Your boss won’t let you participate in Recess At Work Day? Or maybe you are the shy, bashful type and do not know how to suggest participation in this great event? Let us know. We’ll call him/her and be annoying.”

Um… no. Bleep no.

By: Breanne Potter

Breanne Potter — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:32:47 +0000

Cornhole….giggle giggle….

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:06:55 +0000

“Wear jeans to work” days are my undoing. Because if jeans are good, then I want my flip flops to go with them, and no one EVER embraces the office flip flopper. EVER.

Flip
Flop
Flip
Flop

And that’s just the sound when you’re walking around. We haven’t even gotten to the sight of un-manicured toe nails or the hair that grows on the knuckle of the toe yet. OR the smell.

If you want to improve employee morale, how about just saying “thank you” or recognizing when someone goes a little above and beyond instead of playing it off like they should have done it anyway. Of course they should have! But recognizing it means it’s more likely to happen in the future.

Also, If you’re going to give out certificates… Make them with cake or chocolate. A chocolate certificate of merit. It’s not going on my wall anyway, so at least then I can eat it.

And as a final note, my hubby-to-be works in IT and he would tell the CEO exactly what he/she could do with that cornhole

By: Breanne Potter

Breanne Potter — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:02:25 +0000

Oops…the video wouldn’t embed.

Here a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OTgb3KO7QM

By: Breanne Potter

Breanne Potter — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:01:32 +0000

Interesting idea…but here is what can happen if Sales people are let loose on a recess day:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OTgb3KO7QM&hl=en]

By: Neil

Neil — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:39:34 +0000

Now I have more time – I think… Team Building is one of those things like pyramid schemes or playing the lotto. The reasons why you should join in are easy to explain and appeal to our human desire for a quick win. Plus, everybody else is doing it, so why shouldn’t you?

The reasons why you shouldn’t are complicated, require thought and make you sound miserable when you try to explain them. In my eyes, all three activities basically create more losers than winners & amount to Get Rich Quick schemes.

Yes, morale, satisfaction & productivity are important in business
Yes, you should reward what you want repeated.
Yes, people who work together will find it easier if they like each other & have fun together.
Yes, it’s a good plan to give a new team an opportunity to get to know each other quickly.
Yes, you should find situations where people have the chance to operate outside of their everyday roles sometimes, to avoid pigeonholing.

But, No, you don’t need Recess Day to achieve any of the above, just competent management. Recess Day is just an acknowledgement that you’re failing in all of those areas & want a quick fix.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:48:31 +0000

@Perrik It’s all fun & games until someone pokes their eye out and sues the company.

@Neil If I treated my employees to a day of fun, it would include kittens on the couch and a prolonged discussion about abortion rights and politics. Fun, right?

@Lexy Oh I miss loading docks!!