Who can argue with food? Whether it’s a bundt cake on the counter or a catered office lunch, what better way is there to foster conviviality among employees? Stafford Manion of Gladys Manion Real Estate says when it comes to team building with his agents he is “all about the food.”
Manion explains that good team relations are particularly important when agents are independent contractors. “They have to be able to rely on each other,” he says. “When you work as a group, your business is stronger.” To encourage these relationships, Manion holds company events every couple of months. The agents golf and bowl together, and have even gone skeet shooting. Occasionally, the office goes to The Original Pancake House for an impromptu breakfast. “Bacon … pancakes, who isn’t happy with that?” he says.
Recently, Manion built a patio in a section of the firm’s rear parking lot. It has a grill and a table where agents can relax. “I like to cook, they like to eat,” he says, adding that he plans to grow herbs and tomatoes on the patio. The office also has a fully functioning kitchen. “It’s stocked,” he says. “And sometimes, on my day off, I go in and scramble a dozen eggs.”
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties comes together over its devotion to The Sunshine Kids. The office has been raising money for at least 10 years. “We are one of the top fundraisers for The Sunshine Kids in the country,” says Matt Muren, managing broker of the Clayton office, adding that the company holds events nearly every month for the children’s cancer charity. “It’s a great cause. We are all very passionate about our involvement and it brings us together.” He adds that the goal this year is $100,000. “We are well on our way.”
Other companies find ways to build camaraderie, too. Bridget Bogan, associate principal at Lawrence Group, says one of the ways the design firm does this is by encouraging employees to participate in charity events. “When you act as part of a team to help others, it really brings people together,” she says. Since 2003, Lawrence Group has taken part in the annual Express Scripts MS charity bike ride, which covers 150 miles in two days. The team also raises money for that cause by hosting an annual breakfast and raffle.
Bogan says retreats also are particularly good ways to foster team spirit. “They keep everyone in sync with company goals. People come away feeling more connected and involved.” This is especially true, she adds, when employees are honored for their service and success.
Lawrence Group team-building also takes place on the playing field. The company has softball and volleyball teams, and a ‘Biggest Loser’ fitness group. A group of gardeners grows vegetables and flowers in the Downtown office roof garden. “It’s a wonderful way to encourage sustainability within the company,” Bogan says. Events like the monthly architecture movie screenings promote a sense of unity, as well.
Like Gladys Manion, Lawrence Group also puts stock in the power of food to bring people together. “Doughnut Fridays are a hit,” Bogan says. As are the happy hours and ‘Dine Around’ events hosted by different members of the office. One company retreat, she remembers, featured a dessert competition. “I can still taste the creme brulee,” Bogan says. “We do love our sweets.”
Pictured: Gladys Manion staff chill and grill on the company patio built specifically for impromptu get-togethers.
Photo courtesy of Gladys Manion