Kat chats about International Day of Friendship which is tomorrow, Friday 30 July.
Although we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, I’m still waiting for ‘Eldest Daughter’s Day’ (mine’s a large box of chocolates and a bottle of something nice please), but here’s one we can all get behind… International Day of Friendship. After all, many of us no longer have all our family with us, but I’m pretty sure the majority of you will have (at the very least) one or two special people in your life. Our friends are the ones we count on when times get tough; share the fun stuff with; and generally support and are supported by, whenever needed. Now, think about your place of work. Do the people you work with provide you with all of the above? Any of the above?
One of the lovely things about working here at Rambutan is that throughout our varied, sometimes hectic, and challenging work-lives, we all feel such a sense of ‘team’ that we provide each other (as a matter of course), all of the stuff I mentioned. There’s always a shoulder to lean on when things get challenging; we celebrate all successes, no matter how big or small, and when there’s a last-minute panic or deadline approaching, it’s ‘all hands on deck’ to support each other as the great team we are. This makes the difference between having work ‘colleagues’ and work ‘friends’.
If you feel your business is lacking in any of the areas mentioned, why not try to encourage some kind of ‘friendship’ initiatives or activities. This could mean anything from ‘fewer emails; more talking to each other’, or maybe providing problem-solving support groups; perhaps downing tools for 15 minutes to eat lunch together (even virtually) or have a chair race across the office!’ Our top tips on how to build a successful team highlight the value of going for a drink after work, and the effect it can have on your team’s social development; never underestimate it!
Finally, a thought from Henry Ford; ‘A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.’ My bit? ‘A business that makes friends is much, much better!’
How will you be celebrating?
#InternationalFriendshipDay #friendsforever
