| I live in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. | | | | and his team take the few minutes away from |
| You may have heard of the place - the only 7 | | | | their work to actually ask about us - it has the |
| Star hotel in the world, the world's tallest building | | | | same effect. Also as long as you don't 'pull an |
| and an entire population of business people living | | | | Enron' this goodwill lasts forever. |
| on million dollar villas built on land reclaimed from | | | | 5) Record the experience |
| the sea and shaped into palm trees so they can | | | | It may seem like an unnecessary expense to |
| be seen from space. | | | | invest in a professional photographer or video |
| Yes that's the UAE. | | | | team, but JUST AS IMPORTANT as the actual |
| By the way, take a look at what's happening in | | | | day IS THE EVIDENCE of what happened. You |
| Abu Dhabi for some even newer 'wow's. | | | | can use the photos for Christmas or Eid greetings |
| It's getting into the busy season for staff parties, | | | | cards, individual birthday messages, internal |
| gala dinners and Xmas get togethers. In my | | | | newsletters, press releases, recruitment drives - |
| experience, this is also the time when most | | | | the list is endless. If you get a member of staff |
| companies reward their customers, clients and | | | | to do this then THEY ARE NOW WORKING. Also |
| employees with a big event. | | | | a member of staff may be cheap (free) but |
| For the session to be most effective YOU MUST | | | | there is no accountability for the quality or |
| do the following 7 things: | | | | quantity of any pictures taken. If you are |
| 1) Be seen to spend something. | | | | investing in your staff, invest in the memories |
| Beleive it or not the dollar/head spend is not as | | | | too. |
| tangible as the perception of the effort that went | | | | 6) Get some great entertainment |
| into making the event happen. When you want to | | | | Yes, we know you can speak well. But you are |
| inspire loyalty, show what that loyalty is worth. | | | | expected to. You are also too close to the |
| 2) Get everyone away from work. | | | | subject and the company to say anything that |
| This could be in work hours, outside work hours. | | | | won't be percieved as 'spin' or 'corporate talk'. Get |
| Maybe you host it in the hotel next door, at a | | | | a motivational, inspirational, business, keynote, |
| client's premises, a favourite restaurant or in a | | | | teambuilding speaker in. Pay the money. Let them |
| foreign country. The vital ingredient is the | | | | do whatever they do best AND SIT BACK. They |
| attendees shouldn't feel like it is a day at work - | | | | are not competition for your position, so leave |
| even if the event is about team building. To shake | | | | the ego to one side. Brief them, introduce them |
| up the dynamics and office politics, they must feel | | | | and let them go to work. Be a customer to them |
| like they are not presently within one. If you don't | | | | during the performance too. You will learn |
| do this, your money was wasted on an | | | | something new. |
| expensive 'Monday morning'. | | | | 7) Repeat the experience often. |
| 3) Let them bring their partners | | | | So many organisations have a get-together, staff |
| Remember why each member of staff goes to | | | | party, customer 'thank you' evening or |
| work for you. It's not just the money. It's the | | | | brainstorming get-away trip only once per year. |
| management, the feeling and the way that it | | | | That means so much of your success for the |
| gives them a worthwhile home life. Yes, they go | | | | next 12 months will be based on the success of |
| to work so they can have a better time when | | | | your one-off event. Even the odds and do |
| they are not at work. You want to score some | | | | something every quarter or even every month. It |
| serious brownie points? Invite their other half and | | | | doesn't have to be big or expensive. Just |
| give THEM a thank you present. Your staff | | | | remember what made you want to run an event |
| retention levels will sky rocket after this. | | | | in the first place: |
| 4) Serve them | | | | 1) Increased productivity |
| That's right. Whether it's physically waiting on their | | | | 2) Higher staff retention rates |
| tables, handing out the starters or greeting them | | | | 3) Reduced stress levels |
| as they arrive with a handshake or 'thank you' | | | | 4) Letting the troops know you care |
| message, let them know that you see they exist. | | | | 5) etc etc etc |
| We all remember those once in a lifetime stories | | | | Can you really only afford to do something about |
| about meeting a celebrity and 'they said | | | | this at the end of the fiscal year? |
| something' - even if it happened to a friend rather | | | | Talk to me... |
| than to us. Well for most staff when the boss | | | | |