The C Word: Not Your Grandmother’s Concierge

Ever since I started Errand Solutions, we’ve been called a “concierge company”. And it makes me cringe! Our team is full of wonderful people whose job is to take care of our customers’ errands and help them live purpose-driven lives. But when I think of a concierge, I think of a snobby person behind a desk. They make recommendations based on who gives them kickbacks, not on what’s best for the customer. That’s not what I built. All I want to do is make people happy and make the companies they work for popular.

What makes us different? Let’s compare:

  1. We are kind—not rude. Seriously, you cannot train a smile. Only happy, generous souls work at Errand Solutions.

  2. We are inclusive—not exclusive. We want everyone and their grandmother using us. We are not just for the well-heeled; we exist to save people time and money.

  3. We are proactive—not reactive. We use the information you share with us to create a personal profile that drives recommendations and suggestions tailored just to you.

  4. We care about you and listen; we don’t answer another call when you’re standing in front of us. If you just need someone to talk to, come on by! We’ve saved choking iguanas, imploded pools, found the perfect tutor for an autistic child and got an appointment with an oncologist on Christmas Eve. We’re here to help.

  5. We communicate with you in the ways you want to be communicated with—whether it’s in person, on the phone, via a text, in our app or an email—not just the way that’s fastest or easiest for us.

  6. We’re available to serve you anywhere, at any time—there are no desk hours or lunch breaks. Our Luv Your Life App makes it easy to contact us whenever you think of a chore.

  7. We complete the request and never say NO (unless it’s illegal or unethical – but we don’t judge)—you’ll never hear an “I don’t know,” or “Let me transfer you,” or “I can’t help you with that,” or “Are you crazy?” from us.

  8. We develop relationships with you as a person—we don’t treat you as a transaction. We want to be your friend, confident and personal superhero.

  9. We have a large network of partners who are vetted, insured businesses that only get paid after they delight you with their service—we don’t work with shady people trying to make an extra buck on the side.

  10. We want your feedback—and won’t avoid it, even if it’s not 100% positive. We won’t even let you pay us until you let us know if you loved what we did and how we did it.

  11. We are data driven—not impulse driven. Our data analytics platform gives us a shortcut for finding the best answer for you.

  12. We’re in this for the people—not the money. We don’t even accept tips, just hugs and high-fives.

  13. You are always in our thoughts and we are constantly trying find ways to make you happy!

So what industry do you think we belong in? Can happiness be a category all on its own? Because that’s where I’d put us.

Work Fumbles During Fantasy Football

As the summer comes to close and pre-season games for fall sports start up, two words strike fear in the hearts of managers: Fantasy Football. In the next few days, millions of people will gather to pick their players for their Fantasy Draft. Over the course of the following 17 weeks, league participants will be researching, building and managing their teams, as well as watching every Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights. Sounds like a great way to spend free time, but what happens when Fantasy Football becomes a priority over your job?

Last year, 57.4 million people participated in a fantasy sport league, primarily football. Of those 57.4 million, 67 percent had full time jobs. Sure—most of those people will claim they didn’t let it affect their jobs, but we know that’s not true. In fact, it was estimated that employers lost approximately $16 billion in productivity last season—and that number has been rising steadily for years. While that number represents just one hour of unproductive work each week, it’s clear that one hour adds up quickly.

Your company may block certain sports websites or pass around memos regarding the issue, but the reality is that fantasy players will find a way. Whether on their personal phones or tablets, if a trade is on the line, they’re going to make it happen. You’ve really got two options here:

1) If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em.

 In a 2006 survey by Ipsos, 40% of respondents said fantasy sports participation was a positive influence in the workplace. Another 40% felt it increases camaraderie among employees. Set up an office pool and establish deadlines that will require trades and other items to be completed before working hours begin.

2) Get time back from somewhere else. 

Encourage productivity in all other hours of the workday by offering employee engagement programs like the ones we provide at Errand Solutions. In just one month last season, we helped one of our clients get back 3,914 hours. Remember—those hours add up. Using that same math, this client got back nearly $98,000 that would otherwise have been lost.

In both options, you’re doing something really important: getting your employees excited about working for you. In the world of employee engagement, that’s a real touchdown.

The 5 Biggest Contributors to Job Satisfaction

“Employees are a company’s greatest asset- they’re your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company’s mission.” 

– Anne M. Mulcahy

From the outside looking in, your team may appear to be content . . . But are they really?

According to a report from Teem earlier this year, 48% of employees are unhappy (or only somewhat happy) at work. That’s nearly half of the workforce that’s unsatisfied with their current jobs!

Our job is to make sure employees are happy, engaged and satisfied. We don’t claim to be experts, but we have plenty of knowledge to share!

So how do you improve your workplace to make your employees happy? Unfortunately, there’s no way to please every last person in your company. Your workforce is made up of an eclectic group of people, and they may want very different things. However, there are five contributing factors that every employee values. These contributors are so foundational that your company might have already all the resources it needs to implement them. But they will require attention and commitment to seeing them through. Focus on improving in these areas, and you’ll increase employee satisfaction across the board. 

1. Respect for Employees

“Your employees come first. And if you treat your employees right, guess what? Your customers come back, and that makes your shareholders happy. Start with employees and the rest follows from that.” 

-Herb Kelleher

This should go without saying, but time and time again, employees cite disrespect as a significant factor for leaving their employers.

A report issued by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) noted that 65% of employees saw “respectful treatment of employees at all levels” as an important contributor to job satisfaction. Only 38% of these employees were satisfied with the treatment they received.

Do your managers talk down to other employees? Does your company neglect employees who are in a lower tier? Do female employees feel as though they are treated unequally? This lack of professionalism drags companies down, and it creates unnecessary turnover.

Respect is something you can implement immediately. Start by being self-aware. Recognize the diversity that exists within your company. Make an effort to accommodate everyone, regardless of age, income, or walk of life. 

2. Fair Pay and Benefits

“It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.”

– Henry Ford 

Of course, financial stability is important to your employees; but their financial stability should be just as important to you. When employees are poorly compensated, stress can easily infiltrate the work environment, affecting their performances and those of the people around them.

Make every effort to be fair and considerate about what you pay your employees. If your company is unable to pay employees the salaries it would like to, there are still ways to provide better compensation for your employees.

A report issued by Project Time Off stated that the five most important employee benefits are health care, paid vacation, retirement plan, flexibility, and bonuses. Invest in these employee benefits.

Does your company offer a reasonable number of vacation days and sick days? Do you offer employees any opportunities to work from home and save money on their commute? Do you provide flexspending accounts to reduce tax payments?

Don’t just think about cash flow. Providing your workforce with a strong benefits package can offset whatever salaries you’re able to pay.

3. Transparency at All Levels

“I believe fundamental honesty is the keystone of business.” 

-Harvey Firestone

In a study conducted by IBM, 83% of employees noted a more positive work environment when there was trust between employees and senior management.

How do you build that trust?

First, emphasize transparency. Hiding the truth or withholding information is poor practice. Keep your employees involved and engaged by being honest about your business, about their development, and about the future.

Second, create an environment where anyone can approach upper management with a question, concern, or idea, without hesitation or fear. Your employees should feel confident that their feedback will not only be heard, but that it also will be passed through the appropriate channels for consideration.

4. Job Security

“Anything that you do to increase job security automatically does work for you. It makes your employees a closer part of the unit.” 

– Roger Smith

Per research from America’s SBDC and The Center for Generational Kinetics, 61% of millennials believe that there is more job security in owning their own business than in working for another company.

Employers are failing their employees in this regard.

How do you make workers feel more secure about their long-term future at your company?

Start by encouraging your employees to seek feedback regarding their development. Again, this is why transparency is so vital in the workplace. Employees need open communication to help validate their hard work.

Second, put recognition systems in place that reward employees for good work. If employees sense that their efforts are both appreciated and needed, they’ll feel more comfortable in their roles.

5. Development opportunities

“Without investment, there will not be growth, and without growth, there will not be employment.”

-Muhtar Kent

Employees want to know that you’re invested in them and that you see long-term potential in the talents and abilities they possess. 

One way is to use opportunities to deploy them in areas where they can be successful. This could mean promoting them to a different position within your company that better suits their strengths and advantages.It could also mean identifying a particular strength and pairing them with a senior manager who can mentor them and help them develop that gift.

These five contributors to job satisfaction are often the difference between good and bad company morale. As an executive, go out of your way to ensure your employees are satisfied with their work environment. At the end of the day, it’s all about building a culture that values people – their backgrounds, their ideas, and their futures.

6 Ways to Keep Millennials Engaged in the Workplace

As millennials continue to take over today’s workforce, executives are charged with an increasingly difficult task.

According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center in 2015, the millennial generation (or “generation Y”) is now the largest in the U.S. labor force. There’s a growing abundance of millennial workers; and while luring them to your company may require extra effort, hiring them is not the issue.

Retaining them, however, is the new challenge.

A survey performed by Job Application Center indicated that approximately 41% of millennials expect to remain at their current jobs for just 2 years or less!

With this kind of turnover, the question becomes: How do you ensure that millennials are not only satisfied with their jobs, but also engaged?

At Errand Solutions we love our millennials and we want to help companies keep them engaged. While ping pong tables look cool, we know there’s so much to them than flashy offices. In fact, millennial workers are both united and outspoken on what they value most in the workplace. By prioritizing the following efforts, you’ll increase the retention rate of your millennial talent.

Emphasize Social Impact

“Millennials are more aware of society’s many challenges than previous generations and less willing to accept maximizing shareholder value as a sufficient goal for their work. They are looking for a broader social purpose and want to work somewhere that has such a purpose.” 

-Michael Porter

Your generation X workers may be perfectly content with showing up, clocking in, working hard, clocking out, and ultimately climbing the ladder of corporate success.

However, this definitely won’t be enough for most of your millennial workers.

They’re passionate about using their workplace as a force that impacts the community, and many view their jobs as vehicles for change.

So, how do you openly support causes without alienating other employees?

Choose causes and opportunities that the majority (if not all) of your employees can rally around. Don’t pick opportunities that will be divisive. Instead, target compassionate endeavors that will unite your workers. These may include volunteering efforts, partnerships with nonprofits, and charitable giving.

Encourage Socialization

“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

-Henry Ford

Many employers view socialization as a distraction in the workplace, and some go as far as to suggest that socialization and work should be mutually exclusive.

But in reality, socialization can have a profound effect on a work environment – especially with the resources that are available to organizations today.

Socialization doesn’t have to mean spending thirty minutes chatting by the water cooler. In fact, this isn’t even the form of socialization that most millennials are craving. They’re looking to become part of a family whose bond actually enhances productivity at work.

Consider using social platforms to create company groups and pages for your workers to use. Networks help employees share knowledge and foster teamwork. In addition, start planning non-work related events, such as happy hours or holiday parties to elevate that socialization in a new way.

Provide Mentorship

“Mentoring is a two-way street. You get out what you put in.”

-Steve Washington 

Millennials have a desire for personal development and advancement. According to a report issued by Gallup, a whopping 87% of millennials say that development is important in a job.

You can use your entire workforce to achieve this.

Assign a senior employee to each new (millennial) employee. Your senior employee will provide knowledge and insight to your millennial worker; and in exchange, your millennial worker will support your senior employee in other areas such as technology or social media. The reciprocal nature of this model will benefit your entire organization.

Introducing this type of support system early on is key. Don’t let your millennial employees walk through your doors and wait months for this process to begin.

Celebrate the Small Things

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” 

-Sam Walton Most 

Workers value development and want their milestones to be celebrated. Millennials differ in that they want even those smaller milestones to be acknowledged. They’re conscious of their progress and marking these achievements helps to validate that progress.

Acknowledging their development can be as simple as sending them encouraging emails, throwing a small office party after a month of outstanding work, or implementing a rewards program for goals that are met.

Explain the Big Picture

“Millennials are hungry to let their talents be used for something.” 

-RJ Kelly 

The last thing millennials want is to be left on the bottom rung of your organization’s infrastructure, ignorant of whatever’s going on up above.

Instead, they want to know why they’re doing what they’re doing, and how they’re making a difference.

Make every effort to get them involved! You can do this by asking for their input or showing them the fruit of their labor. They want to know that even the most arbitrary tasks have purpose and value.

It’s your responsibility to show them.

Find the Right Managers

“Millennials don’t want to be managed, they like to be led, coached and mentored. This generation is on fire and ready to go. Are you ready to change the world?” 

-Farshad Asl

You can put your best foot forward in trying to accommodate millennials in the workplace, but unless you have the right managers in place, your efforts will be in vain.

Make sure you’re hiring managers who are compatible with your millennial workforce. Managers who have short tempers and tend to micromanage are more likely to push your millennial workers away.

Keep in mind that this generation was raised to be inquisitive, think critically, and question authority. They’re not the yes-men that those in past generations may have been, so using the right management tactics is crucial to retention.

At a time when job mobility is more important to a generation than ever before, it’s unlikely that you’re going to find millennial workers who will remain loyal to your organization for lengthy tenures.

But by making every effort to engage millennials in the workplace, you give your company the best chance to retain them and reduce employee turnover.

Use these tactics and you’re sure to create a wonderful working environment that the unique and hard-working millennial generation will be proud to work at.

4 Foolproof Ways to Attract Millennials to Your Company

By the year 2025, Brookings Data Now estimates that millennials will make up roughly 75% of the U.S. labor force.

There’s a clear changing of the guard!

If your company’s workforce isn’t already predominantly millennial, it’s only a matter of time before it is . . . And if you’re an executive who is hesitant to embrace millennials, you’re currently at a major disadvantage when it comes to acquiring the best available talent.

So, how do you go about attracting millennials to your company? Let us help! We love millennials and we know what they’re looking for in potential employers. Make your company a destination spot for them!

A Strong Culture

“Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with a passion.” – Brian Chesky (CEO Airbnb)

Millennials know what they want. Likewise, it’s important for your company to know what it wants and what it is.

This begins with setting core values and goals and making sure they’re echoed throughout your organization. If your company supports a particular cause, see that it’s emphasized and that there are opportunities for employees to get involved.

A Fun Environment

“Being a great place to work is the difference between being a good company and a great company.” – Brian Kristofek (CEO Upshot)

Millennials want work to be fun! So, why can’t it be? In a survey completed by Ring Central in 2014, 78% of millennials stated that a company’s work environment affects their decisions to stay at a job. This comes back to culture. What kind of workplace have you built for your employees? Is it an environment where people are silently working away in their cramped cubicles until 5pm finally rolls around? Or is it a place where people can interact with others, collaborate, and feel like they’re working towards something exciting?

When the work is fun, you’ll find that your employees perform better, boost company morale, and enhance your already-strong culture. You’ll also see your retention rate improve drastically.

A Sense of Transparency

“Power is gained by sharing knowledge, not hoarding it.” -Unknown

In a 2014 study from IBM, millennials cited the top three attributes of a perfect boss as “ethical and fair,” “transparent and readily shares information,” and “dependable and consistent.” The millennial generation values honesty. No fronts, no facades.

Be a company that fosters transparency at every level of the organization – a company that allows its employees’ voices to be heard. Create bridges of communication between the different tiers of the corporate hierarchy. Better yet, make your employees feel like they can approach anyone to ask for advice or present an idea.

Not only does this create harmony, but it also benefits both employee and employer. The employee will feel invested in the company and its endeavors, while the employer will reap the benefit of new innovative methods and ideas.

A Work-Life Balance

“Most people chase success at work, thinking that will make them happy. The truth is that happiness at work will make you successful.” -Alexander Kjerulf (Chief Happiness Officer of Woohoo inc)

People from every generation have expressed the desire for a good work-life balance.

The only difference is that, for previous generations, it was a perk. For millennials, it’s a necessity.

An employer might assume that greater flexibility would lead to a drop off in production but that isn’t the case. According to a survey commissioned by Bentley University, 89% of millennials regularly check their work emails after work hours. 

Millennials don’t want to stop working altogether – they just want flexibility, and their reasons are legitimate. Some want the option of working during the evening when they feel as though they’re at their best.

If you follow our advice and begin to tailor your organization to create an ideal work environment, there’s no reason you can’t add some of the best available millennial talents.

7 Innovative Benefits That Will Help You Snag Top Talent

With the millennial mindset entering today’s market full throttle, skilled employees view new jobs as opportunities for growth, and won’t hesitate to take their talent elsewhere. In fact, a recent Talent Management study issued that a third of new hires leave their job by month six!

But don’t fret – there’s something you can do! Check out these retention strategies that can drastically reduce staff turnover, while channeling employee engagement, innovation, and creativity.

1. Create an Inclusive and Innovative Company Culture

Your company culture should be an experience in and of itself. Today, an exceptional culture is just as vital to employee satisfaction and retention as a high paying salary.

How do you build a strong company culture? Strive to create an environment in which “office drama” is minimized, and collaboration and communication are encouraged.

Respect and encourage creativity and innovation. Make sure everyone gets recognition for good ideas and hard work. Encourage people to think outside the box. Even if a particular solution isn’t currently feasible, remain encouraging and upbeat.

2. Revamp Your Hiring Process

Employees and companies have to be the right cultural fit for each other. Start by choosing the right talent! By onboarding an employee that will “mesh” with fellow teammates, you’ll leverage the productivity and group harmony of your business. Your new hires will most likely be happy in their role in a supportive environment, and the risk of staff turnover will gradually decrease.

3. Make Sure Your Benefits Package Is Up To Date

According to the US Incentive Federation, US businesses spend $90 billion a year on non-cash incentives, up 17% from 2013.

Be it traditional healthcare and retirement packages, or non-traditional gym memberships and tuition reimbursement, benefits are a vital consideration to prospective employees and the baseline for retention.

Consider small benefits, such as food discounts, pet insurance, or an errand running service. Offering perks is often quite affordable, and can generate a lot of appreciation among staff. Don’t know where to get started? Get in touch. We make rocking benefits easy.

4. Reward Hard Work and Exceptional Performance

Rewards and incentives can drive productivity. By acknowledging and supporting the employees who go above and beyond, you also encourage their coworkers to contribute. There are many ways to reward employees!

Provide your employees with regular feedback and recognition for their hard work. Of course, monetary incentives are a plus, but raises or promotions aren’t always an option. Don’t let that stop you from acknowledging your employees’ accomplishments! Everyone appreciates a personalized verbal or written kudos from their boss. This also strengthens the bond between you and your employee.

5. Discourage Micromanagement

Micromanagement, especially pertaining to incoming millennial talent, can be toxic to a work environment and employee retention. Often, the micromanager’s mentality – and drive for productivity – is well-intended, but unfortunately can result in annoyed, disengaged employees who feel like their bosses don’t trust them. Many employees may be tempted to look for greener pastures where they will be able to take on more responsibility.

Whether or not a staff leader can perform better than a subordinate, a “just let me do it” or “do it this way” mentality can hinder employee growth, innovation and morale. When training your management staff, focus on leadership and mentoring skills, and hire managers who want the best for their team, not to be the best player.

6. The Right Type of Management Is Still Needed

Eliminating micromanagement doesn’t mean eliminating management entirely. Managers must provide feedback, guidance, and organize their team, but with an approach that empowers employees rather than stifles them.

Quarterly one-on-ones are an excellent way to communicate and collaborate while still giving employees room to perform individually.

The role of a manager is not to be the smartest, or most capable person in the room; their job is to build high performing teams. Doing so will increase engagement, encourage innovation, and help establish a work dynamic employees want to stay in.

7. Do Exit Interviews

Turnover is inevitable; even in the highest-paying, most sought after companies, employees are going to leave. Consider it a learning experience: understanding why your employees are leaving can prevent others from walking out the door.

If an employee gives notices, plan an exit interview before they leave. Having a neutral party, such as an HR employee, conduct the interview, is often the most reciprocated dynamic.

Turnover is Inevitable, But You Can Improve Retention Rates

Understanding what keeps employees engaged, motivated, and satisfied is vital to attracting prospective hires, and retaining top-talent. While employees will inevitably change careers, needs, or locations, you can improve your retention rates through conscious effort. Many organizations are currently refocusing their retention strategies, and have implemented small-scale benefits such as Errand Solutions to create the “work-life balance” many young employees value. Building a value-based, team-driven, company culture, and rewarding your employees with benefits, bonuses and simple appraisals, is an excellent place to start.

7 Ways Employers are Boosting Office Morale

Did you know that happy employees are 31% more productive?

Salaries aren’t enough anymore. These days, people are just as concerned with living a “good life” as they’re worried about cashing big checks. As a result, many companies have found that by offering perks and benefits, they can greatly increase morale and productivity. We’ve seen it with our own eyes! So even if the upfront costs of these perks seem undesirable, the long-term payoff could easily outweigh the expenditures.

Provide In-Home Cleaning to Reduce Chores

Nobody likes doing chores. Keeping the house clean, mowing the grass, all of these basic tasks can become a burden for people who are already working 40-plus hours a week. Tired workers are less likely to be engaged, creative, and innovative.

That’s why some employers are now offering free or discounted cleaning and other household services. This way, when employees aren’t in the office, they can relax, enjoy hobbies, or do pretty much anything else besides chores.

This will help your employees get some true R&R. As a result, company morale will improve, and productivity will increase as employees are more well rested.

Make it Easy to Hit the Gym

Offering employees free gym memberships or installing a gym facility in your office is a great way to encourage physical health. Gym memberships are relatively cheap in many areas, and group discounts may also be possible.

Meanwhile, a good workout will ensure that your employees are physically healthy. This will lower the risk of injuries, such as pulling out your back. Some studies have even linked working out to reducing the risk of catching a cold. Hitting the gym can reduce stress as well.

Consider letting employees take some time off from work to hit the gym as well. This is an especially feasible option if the gym is on-site or nearby. Letting an employee get in a twenty-minute workout at the gym can increase their productivity through the rest of the day, and improve their creative energy.

Offer a Night Out

A night out is always fun, but it can be hard to justify spending our hard earned cash when Netflix is cheaper than going to a theatre. Why pay for dinner and a movie when you can eat something frozen and watch TV? A lot of people end up skipping date night, especially during the winter.

Getting out of the house can help people relax and focus! So why not lend a hand and give them a night out for less? Offer your employees a gift certificate to a restaurant, or free movie tickets. These little perks can go a long way towards creating appreciation among your employees.

Make Vacation Mandatory

The vast majority of companies offer some type of vacation package. Sometimes the days are set per year. Other companies, such as Netflix, offer unlimited vacation time. However, many employees are often hesitant to take vacation days. Instead, the days just accrue unused.

Believe it or not, unused vacation time can actually hurt companies. Productivity and morale can be hurt as employees become overworked and stressed. Some time away from the office can help employees get some much needed R&R.

That’s why some companies have begun to mandate vacation. “Take your days or else we’ll send you home to get some rest.” This might sound extreme, however, in many cases, a “mandatory” policy simply reinforces how important vacation time is and how serious your company is about honoring it. That’s often enough to get employees to take days off.

Give Your Employees a Full-Time Concierge

Nothing says the “good life” more than having a concierge. Believe it or not, you can provide your employees with 24/7 services through Errand Solutions. Through our app, employees can contact us, and we can help them with just about anything. Seriously. Anything.

A lot of companies deliver their products and services with the utmost professionalism. We do too, but we throw a lot of passion and love into the mix as well. We’ve saved a choking iguana, found the best vegan birthday cake in town, and hosted an ice-fishing theme party. We even helped a customer track down their birth parents and hooked up a nervous child with a therapeutic bunny.

Good Benefits Lead to a Stable, Productive Workforce

The grass is always greener on the other side. Except when it isn’t. Make benefits an experience rather than an add-on. By using these employee retention strategies, you can make the grass greenest right in your office. This way, employees will have every reason to stay, and won’t be tempted by opportunities to leave.

 

Sham-Rock Your St. Patrick’s Day Office Festivities

With Christmas and New Years in the rear-view mirror, St. Patrick’s Day is creeping up on us faster than we know. Soon enough, the 17th will arrive and every street corner and pub will be decorated in Irish green.

St. Paddy’s is a day when everyone – Irish or not – can get involved and join in on the joyous festivities. Over the course of the holiday, you might attend a few parties with family and friends; but you might also find yourself charged with the task of throwing together something special at your workplace.

One roadblock in planning a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at work is that many of the traditional holiday events aren’t exactly…office-friendly. Chances are your boss won’t appreciate their employees getting drunk on the job (talk about unproductive!), so celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the workplace can prove to be quite the challenge.

How can you make St. Patrick’s Day fun while still complying with company protocol? Let’s look at six creative, office-friendly ways to celebrate St. Paddy’s with your coworkers!

1. Ask Everyone to Wear Green

This is just about the easiest way to get all of your coworkers involved and into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit! Blast out a short email to everyone in advance, and then maybe send everyone a simple text the night before as a final reminder. Try your best to get everyone on board! You could even entice with them a small prize awarded for the most spirited outfit.

If your workplace has a strict dress code, be sure to convey those standards again so that you don’t get any coworkers in trouble – unless, of course, your boss is willing to make an exception for this particular day.

2. Create an Irish Music Playlist

Ireland has produced some of the greatest music of all time. Start the day with some of the traditional Celtic songs to set the right St. Paddy’s Day mood (Spotify makes it easy with plenty of already-curated playlists and albums). If the Celtic folk tunes songs get a little grating after a few dozen passes, switch to a more subtle Irish homage with U2, The Cranberries, or Van Morrison. The variety of famous Irish artists should be enough to last the entire workday.

Create your playlists the night before, keep your phone charged, and let it play! Just be mindful that others are working, so find a soft, comfortable volume that doesn’t inhibit anyone’s ability to get work done.

3. Learn an Irish Jig

While we’re on the topic of music, nothing compliments upbeat Irish tunes like a fun Irish jig. The Internet is a beautiful thing – search for a few simple tutorials online, and teach yourself an Irish jig. If it’s easy enough, you may be able to teach a few employees on the fly, too!

A break for a short, lighthearted dance is a great way to get the blood flowing and lift the spirits of your coworkers!

4. Decorate! Decorate! Decorate!

It won’t feel like St. Patrick’s Day if there aren’t any green decorations around the office. Speak with your boss first and determine whether there’s any budget for such decorations; and if not, you can still find inexpensive decorations or even DIY something simple.

You can also ask each person in the office to handle a different decoration. This keeps costs low and makes everyone feel as though they are an important part of the day!

5. Share a Green Potluck Meal

You can’t have a St. Patrick’s Day celebration without green food! Ask each employee to bring a small dish of his or her favorite green colored food or (non-alcoholic) beverage. Cupcakes with green frosting, pesto pasta salad, spinach and artichoke dip, guacamole, key lime pie…the possibilities are endless!

This also doesn’t have to amount to a full-blown feast or even a full meal. An arrangement of light snacks or desserts may be plenty to keep the blood sugar up, as well as give people a chance to relax and mingle with their coworkers.

6. Hold Games and Contests

Break up your company’s workday with a few holiday games and contests. There are plenty of quick but fun Celtic-themed events to choose from.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Gold Hunt (with chocolate coins!)
  • Irish Trivia
  • An In-Office Parade
  • Jig Contest
  • Costume Contest

Bonus Tip!

Do you know any Irish folk at your workplace? Collaborate with them! Pick their brains and find out if they know of any special traditions or ideas that you can incorporate into your office celebrations.

And remember – if you choose to hold any (or all) of these six office-friendly St. Patrick’s Day activities, be sure to clear them with your boss in advance. Even though alcohol may not be involved and everything might seemingly respect company protocol, it’s best to ensure that there are no issues with anything that you’re planning. The last thing you want is for you or someone else to be disciplined as a result of some party planning gone wrong!

Enjoy bringing the spirit of St. Patrick to your festivities. Be safe and have fun!

Beat the Clock: Ways to Improve Your Time Management

February is National Time Management Month! While it’s not an official government holiday, it’s the perfect excuse to look at your habits and find out how you can make slight changes to save you time at both work and home. Check out just a few of these time management tips:

Track Your Time Waste

To better manage your time, you need to find out where you’re wasting it. What are your time bandits? Do you spend too much time on Facebook? Texting? Watching TV? Start writing it all down! By tracking your daily activities, you’ll be able to form an accurate picture on where your time might be being wasted. There are also apps to help you track your online time, specifically. Programs like RescueTime run the background of your computer or mobile devices and tracks the time on websites and applications, giving you a detailed report at the end of the day.

Make a Plan

Take the information you’ve gained from tracking your time and create a plan. Set goals on how much time you’ll spending on different activities each day and track whether you’ve accomplished them. There are plenty of software programs, apps and other tools you can use to make that happen – including bullet journals. Bullet journals, a recently popular trend, is a journal method that accommodates a variety of different planning systems. You’re supposed to fill the pages with bulleted lists (hence, the name), but also calendars, to-do lists, diary entries, brainstorming notes, doodles and even habit-tracking. Personally, bullet journals were a lifesaver when it came to planning my wedding last year – from lists of potential vendors to sketching out table arrangements, it was the perfect place to keep everything organized. But whether through bullet journals or an app, sticking your plan is key to improving your time management.

Prioritize

Start each day by prioritizing everything that needs to be accomplished. You may have 35 items you want to get done, but if you don’t have the time for all of them (and you probably won’t), it’s important to get the most vital ones done first. A good way to visualize this to think about your day as a bucket, and each of your to-dos is a rock. The truly important items are big rocks and the less important tasks are pebbles. If you fill the bucket with your pebbles first, there won’t be enough room for any rocks. Focus on the rocks first, and if you have time left over, you can start on the pebbles, which will fill in the empty spaces around the rocks. You may have some leftover pebbles at the end of the day, but at least your rocks will have a home in the bucket.

Set Time Limits

There are certain tasks that could take the whole day if you let them, so it can be helpful to set a time limit on those. For example, you could probably spend your entire day just reading and answering emails. Instead, block one hour of time devoted strictly to emails and stick to it. Hate cleaning? Try the 20-10 system – Micky is a big fan! He sets a timer for 20 minutes and spends that cleaning in one area. When the timer goes off, he sets another timer for 10 minutes, and does something fun or relaxing during that time. Micky says he finds that the mundane tasks get done faster when breaking them in to smaller, more manageable pieces.

Establish Routines

Just like you may have a morning routine for getting ready, creating routines for the day can be incredibly helpful. When you know what you’re already going to do next, you don’t have to waste time thinking and trying to decide. When these routines are established, it will become second nature and you’ll start getting through them quicker and quicker. If you plan on a 20-10 cleaning time every night, you can get those mega-cleaning Saturdays out of your routine and make time for something for fun.

Outsource

A huge part of successful time management is delegating or outsourcing certain items when you can. You’re not superman/woman and nobody expects you to be able to do everything in one day. Take advantage of people on your team (or our team!) and ask for help. Did you know you could have a personal concierge at your disposal? A service like Errand Solutions allows you (and your employees/coworkers) to outsource small tasks like making dinner reservations to time-suckers like planning your vacation. When it comes to a company’s time management, Errand Solutions is a huge asset.

Want to learn more? Get time back on your side and contact us today!

A Box of Adorable

Stephanie walked into the Errand Solutions office one morning, a little before 9:30, as usual, coffee in hand. When she reached the door, a post-it was there saying “Need help, please call!” A little nervous, she unlocked the door, sat down and called the number.

Just one ring later, Jennie picked up.

“So glad you called!” Jennie exclaims. “I have an unusual request. Can I come down to your office?”

“Sure… no problem,” Stephanie replied.

“I’ll bring them down in a just a moment,” Jennie said, clearly relieved.

What was Jennie bringing into her office? Stephanie was now more curious than ever.

A knock on the door a few minutes later, Jennie came in carrying a cardboard file box and placed it on the desk. A faint mew escaped, while a paw poked out of a hole in the side of the box. A kitten!

“I was planning on dropping them off before work, but completely forgot about an early meeting I would have missed,” Jennie said.

“Here’s the vet’s address and my phone number. I’ll pick them up and can pay the vet at the end of the day, so all you have to do is just get them there and checked in.”

Stephanie said she loved animals and was delighted to run the errand. Jennie thanked Stephanie and hurried off to her meeting.

Stephanie couldn’t help but laugh to herself—how strange this day was starting out! She sat down and started up her computer to get directions to the vet’s office, but couldn’t help but take a peek at what was inside the box. She opened the lid and gasped. Inside the box, she saw five sets of precious blinking eyes looking up at her.

Forcing herself to gain her composure from all the adorableness, Stephanie carried the box to her car. She drove the kittens to the vet and got them all checked in. After saying goodbye to each ball of fur, she left the vet’s office and headed back to work.

Later that day, Jennie called to say that the kittens were all doing very well and thanked Stephanie again for running this unusual errand. Stephanie was more than happy to spend her morning with a box full of kittens!