While we work hard at Motivating Systems, we take time throughout our days for play, too. One of the ways we inject fun into our days is through celebrations large and small. With a company name like ours, it makes sense that a big part of our culture revolves around motivation. So while yes, the work gets done, recognition and celebration helps to drive teamwork and camaraderie and makes our time together at work more pleasant and motivating.
Celebrating Causes and Our Community
Many companies have “official” company-sanctioned causes that they promote as part of company culture. That’s great, and philanthropic organizations always need help promoting awareness and raising funds. At Motivating Systems, however, we approach philanthropy differently. We don’t stick with one or two causes and call them “official.” Each Motivator has the option of suggesting a cause near and dear to their heart, proposing an event or fundraiser, and enlisting the help of the other Motivators on staff. Some of the causes we’ve promoted and events we’ve participated in include:
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana
- World Autism Day
- Evansville Autism 5K and Walk
- Coat drive for the homeless
All it takes is for someone in the office to suggest a worthy cause to get several of us to jump on board. Whether we participate within the walls of the office or take it out on the road, Motivating Systems is always well-represented!
Celebrating Our Coworkers
What’s better than most national holidays? Your birthday, of course! Even if you don’t want to tell people how old (or young!) you are, it’s hard to turn down birthday donuts… even if you’re on a diet. At Motivating Systems, we make sure to celebrate the fantastic individuals who make working here fun and interesting.
We don’t celebrate just birthdays, of course. We love to recognize and praise each other for effort, for dedication, and for general awesomeness, too. Our officewide Workplace Rewards wall is always filled with shout-outs and thank-yous to the people who have gone above and beyond for the team.
Celebrating “Just Because”
Maybe the best part of working at Motivating Systems – besides the opportunity to help our customers create great work and school cultures – is the celebrations we do “just because.” When we do a new software release, we turn it into a fun event in the office, with friendly competitions, food, and a photo booth. On March 14, International Pi Day (3.14, get it?) we celebrate with free pie for everyone. We encourage staffers to show their team pride with spirit wear on baseball’s Opening Day and during college basketball’s March Madness. We’ve been known to designate especially cold winter weekdays as Thermal Thursdays and Flannel Fridays. And of course, we all participate in #MotivationMonday.
We Take Fun Seriously
We’re very mindful of the small victories and happy circumstances that are the reasons for a lot of our celebrations. While some companies tout their teamwork, ours is a significant part of our office culture. After all, we couldn’t successfully do the things we do without the full support and encouragement of each member of our staff. We take the time to play and have fun, and it’s this socialization and collaboration that creates a productive environment. The little breaks of laughter and fun throughout the day give us an energy lift.
Making our workplace enjoyable helps us to be more innovative and more receptive to new ideas. It’s a great way to encourage progress toward our company goals. It’s also a way to make sure each member of our staff feels valued and appreciated. After all, when you love coming to work each day, great things can happen!