When a customer walks into your club, does the front desk attendant greet them with a smile and say “hello?”
If the front desk attendant has fun at work, I guarantee that they will say “hello,” “hi” or “hey!”
In a recent Inc.com article I read by Jay Steinfeld, the founder and CEO of Global Custom Commerce, he discussed the importance of having fun at your company. He provided “11 Ways to Make Work Fun,” and at the end quoted Dale Carnegie: “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”
Business and work won’t always be fun. And, I’m not suggesting that you have an ongoing party at the club or office, but people should legitimately enjoy coming to work.
If your employees are having fun, they are more likely to enjoy their job, work harder and be more creative. However, if you don’t enjoy the business you created, or the work you do, your employees won’t either.
Here are a few tips to create a fun culture in your club or office:
1) It begins with a smile! If you walk through your club each day with a frown on your face trying to be “hard,” then you will create a culture of uncertainty or fear. Even if a smile isn’t your natural expression, make a point that when you are around members or employees that you go into smile mode.
2) Have unique benefits. This doesn’t mean that you treat each of your employees to lunch each day. However, each business should provide employees with extra-added incentives. For example, what if each of your employees received a 30-minute workout with a trainer once a week? Or, for your trainers, what if they received a free smoothie each week?
3) Be unique! Do you want a unique club with a unique culture? You need to begin with yourself and your employees. For example, when you get a new piece of equipment, bring everyone in, give them a meal and have your top trainer show them how to use the equipment. But, don’t stop there. Next, have each of your employees go through the equipment so they have an understanding for how it works. Not only will this be a great bonding time for your employees, but it will also ensure that they have a good understanding of the equipment in your club.
When you think about your employees you should think of people that really enjoy working for you. However, like I mentioned, not every day will be a walk in the park. Sometimes we are challenged and have to persevere. But, if we enjoy the place we work and what we do day-to-day, we will be better equipped to succeed when those hard days are upon us.
Tyler Montgomery is the editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com.
