Is it possible to foster a fun and engaging work culture in a remote work setting? Absolutely!
EJ and his team of Online Filipino Specialists (OFS) have been doing karaoke Fridays in exchange for no-work Mondays. This tradition slowly evolved. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision for EJ that was based on his team’s experiences during their team-building.
This is a clear testament to the fact that when you show genuine interest in the people you hire, they’ll ultimately open up to you in more ways than you could ever imagine. EJ gave his team room to express themselves, and he’s reaping the rewards. He has encouraged open communication and a spirit of collaboration among his team members.
We understand you might have some misgivings about exchanging a workday for karaoke. But the way you establish traditions in your workplace doesn’t have to be the same as EJ’s. After all, your OFS team might have different interests from EJ’s; although it’s common knowledge that karaoke is akin to breathing for most Filipinos. They were just born to do it.
Why Foster a Fun and Engaging Work Culture?
Why not? There’s very little to lose and so much to gain when you’re having fun at work.
First, it increases employee morale. And if we know another thing about Filipinos aside from their love of karaoke, it’s that they’re a fun people. They find humor in even the most trivial things. Even in the aftermath of a calamity, you’d most likely find videos of Filipinos doing something humorous. Smiling as they carry their pets across waist-high flooded streets. Laughing as they gather around a floating table filled with beer – and the only reason why the table floats is that it’s actually a laundry basin floating in floodwater.
Laughter and fun make Filipinos, and mostly every other human being, feel more connected.
Second, when people are having fun, the workload becomes lighter. They feel more comfortable and inspired, so they are more likely to think outside the box. Wait for them to surprise you with their innovative ideas.
And lastly, a fun workplace culture helps reduce stress, thereby preventing burnout. This means that you get to retain your top talent. As some studies show, a toxic environment at work is one of the biggest reasons for attrition. You can pay them big salaries, but if they’re always on the brink of burnout, they’ll leave.
With a four-day workweek plus a weekly karaoke session to look forward to, EJ’s team is all set for longevity.
How to Establish a Great Work Culture in Your Business
We understand that establishing an open and collaborative work environment is often easier said than done. So what’s the best way to go about it? This is why we encourage our Onlinejobs.ph staff to be open and honest in their communication. When we ask for feedback on certain topics, we encourage everyone to share their ideas.
Here are some other things that you can do to foster a fun workplace environment:
- Encourage social interaction – this can be difficult in a remote work setting, but it can be done. Set up virtual happy hours where team members can relax, chat, and get to know each other.
- Support the team when they start mentioning team building – this is where EJ’s positive work environment literally started. It’s never too late to start this with your own team, too.
- Celebrate milestones and achievements – a little acknowledgment goes a long way. Whenever John, Onlinejobs.ph’s founder, sees a task thread where the team is collaborating effectively and bringing in good results, he always leaves a good word for us. We love seeing these little notes of appreciation, and it pushes us to keep doing better.
- Incentivize positive behavior – establish a reward and recognition program to celebrate outstanding performances from your team.
- Encourage employee well-being – implement wellness programs that focus on physical and mental health, such as fitness challenges, meditation sessions, or stress management workshops.
The path toward building positive company cultures isn’t set in stone. It’s something that you build brick by brick with your employees. Sometimes, your efforts may seem in vain, and some of your planned fun activities may fail. Remember that a great online culture is not just about games and parties. It’s about creating a positive and supportive environment where employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated.
If you’ve read this far down, that means you’re ready to set a positive tone for your own OFS team. And if you’re still on the fence about hiring an OFS, what’s taking you so long? Start browsing through the database of skilled online Filipino specialists to ease your workload.
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