Best Places Thoughts
Simply having a dog at work does not breed an awesome culture; matter of fact, it might bring fleas. Trying to have a “Best Place to Work” really isn’t about all the stuff. Not the free ice cream. Not the ping pong table in the break room. Not even the souped-up matching 401K plan. Those things are certainly nice but it is not what fosters the spirit of the best place to work. It is no secret that employees, not management, build the best place to work. It is employee’s discretionary effort at work coupled with a spirit of fun that can help a company find that inner-happy. We are always on the look out for people with a positive, leave your baggage at the door, get it done with a contagious “can do” attitude. And vetting those people in the interview process, a process in which the entire company is involved, is imperative. In our interview process, we have even been known to have a little fun with Play Dough, Hula Hoops, and our Ad Lib resume’ game. Because it need not be stressful.
And culture does not start and stop with employees. We must find like-minded clients. Are they the sorts of people we want to grab a beer with? Will they push us to think smarter, give us the latitude to be creative, which ultimately brings meaning into our workplace?
Often in sales environments, there is a tremendous amount of stress and an every man for himself vibe. Fortunately, Brand Fuel has built a culture of working together to help each other out. We embrace the fact that the word “sell” comes from the Old English word “sellan,” which means “to give.” Giving fosters collaboration and when this occurs, our network value is enhanced and we are a better company.
We also ensure that owners/managers are always accessible. We are not afraid to try new things such as flex and remote work options, Valentine’s Day off and the (now embraced) 4 Hours of Silence for productivity.
And it’s true, you’ll likely hear Bob Marley or Trampled by Turtles playing in our offices. And in surprise and delight fashion, we have even booked a live band to play in the showroom as employees arrived at work. So, whether you join Brand Fuel and become an official “Fuelian,” or you work somewhere else, land at a place where you can feel good about your day. After all, ~70% of your waking life is spent at work.