What the Membership Branch Learned at Camp - Re-Imagining Workplace Culture Part 2

In my last post I shared a little background about how my work at a membership branch (aka "gym") suddenly became combined with work at camp and the insight it gave me. I also shared some thoughts around how focusing on workplace culture could be the best solution to the great resignation of 2021 and offered some ideas. I'm someone who like concrete examples, though, so I wanted to share some of the actions we took with you as well.

So, how did we re-imagine the culture at the membership branch based on the lessons I learned at camp? First, our leadership team discussed and prioritized our thoughts on the kind of workplace culture we wanted to create. Most of those principles were shared in my last post. Then we put together a plan and a calendar to bring a little more fun to work. We kicked it all off with a big all-staff event. Here's how it went:

• We posted a vague flier to share the event with staff.

• Without sharing details, we said it was completely optional, that they would be paid their regular rate (including OT if applicable) and that if they chose not to come, they’d be bummed because everyone would be talking about it the next day.

• We told them there would be the option, but not requirement, to go in the pool, so that some people would bring swim attire.

• We closed the branch 2 hours early one weekend evening – sending the message that we value our team and don’t want to have to do this so late at night after normal closing hours – and waited to see what would happen.

• About 60 employees showed up, over 50% of our staff, which we were happy with.

• They were treated to an evening based on the Survivor TV show. They were divided into tribes and completed challenges that ended with a challenge at the pool, so we placed at least one person prepared to go in the pool on each tribe.

• For the pool challenge, the tribe would have a better chance to win with more people in the water. We figured one way we’d know the event had been a success would be if we’d created enough positive energy that people were willing to go in the pool with their clothes on - and a number of them did!

• I also told my leadership team that if we’d done things well, some of the staff might get the idea to throw me, the Executive Director, in the pool. And I let my team know that was absolutely fine. That happened as well, along with a few of them joining me.

This event built more teamwork and camaraderie than we’d ever seen and was something they talked about for months. The cost was minimal and the payoff was significant in terms of morale around the branch. By having the leadership team actively involved, it let the staff team see a more fun, human side and let them see us not take ourselves so seriously. We followed it with additional challenge days every few months, including a Matrix themed event an Amazing Race event and even a Fear Factor. Below are the promo fliers we used for the Matrix themed event to give you an idea of how we promoted the events.

In addition to these after-hours events we instituted "Aloha Fridays" where they were allowed to wear aloha style shirts rather than their uniform, and we developed “Anything Can Happen Days” which would happen at least once or twice a month at varying days and times during operation to allow staff on different schedules to enjoy. It would be different each time, but here are a few:

• Leadership staff brought in Starbucks treats for everyone to enjoy at their station

• Leadership staff took over the guest-facing staff’s duties for 20 minutes while they enjoyed treats together in the break room

• A staff scavenger hunt while leadership team covered, with prizes at the end

• Pillow joust challenge days (you can ask me if you want to know more about this one)

And in case you’re thinking “it’s a membership branch so it’s all young staff”, that would be an incorrect assumption. You can see from the photos that we had staff ranging in age from 16-86 and they all enjoyed these moments of fun.

One other story to share. I’m a huge Disney fan. I had lots of Disney décor in my office and I just happen to own stuffed versions of the 7 Dwarves from Snow White. I installed a shelf in my office for them to sit on, and a small shelf by my front door. I told staff I’d put the dwarf up each day that best illustrated how I was feeling that day. It was usually Happy or Dopey, but they all took their turn. And…staff were allowed to make a change if they felt it appropriate - even if that meant taking down Happy and putting up Grumpy. It was a fun way for them to give me feedback on my attitude any given day, and we all had a lot of un with it.

I wish I could tell you I had statistics that showed the quantitative impact of these changes, but unfortunately we didn’t think to track them. I know, though - from the feedback from our team at the time, from the shift in how it felt around the branch, and from the knowing smile of a past employee that I ran into in a meeting 15 years later - that it had a positive impact on all of us, how well we worked together and how committed we felt to working there.

It had an impact on our members, our customers, as well. As I was digging through my old files to share some of this with you, I came across a letter from a member to the Chair of our Board of Managers. This particular member was a very kind woman, and she was always informing us when people were parked in handicap spaces without a placard. At one point she asked me for the contact info for our Board Chair and I had tried to get her to share her concerns with me, but she wouldn't. Turned out, she wanted the info to share how happy she was at the branch. In the letter she shares "The welcoming feeling I like so much probably reflects who the Directors are and the training they give their staff. The sense of friendship and community among the members could only happen in such an atmosphere. The result is that both the people who are working at (the branch) and the members who are using the facility all seem to be having a lot of fun while accomplishing things". You can't put a price on that kind of loyalty and support, and that's the value of a focus on culture.

I know these examples won’t work in all workplaces and won’t be enjoyed by all employees. If there was a one-size-fits-all plan that would work everywhere, it wouldn't be so hard to create a great workplace culture. I share them as examples of how we made an intentional shift to pay attention to our workplace culture in a way that would work for us. I encourage you to spend some time evaluating your culture and then talk with your leadership team about what would bring unexpected smiles and lasting stories to your team. What would create a memorable and positive feeling about coming to work so that nearly every day your people were excited to start their day? I know it will have lasting benefits. As you look to attract and retain motivated, satisfied, happy employees, I am certain that culture will be at the core of the solution. And of course as I mentioned in my last post, I'm here to help!