Happy Workplace – Ideas & Tactics

  Ask any successful person and they will tell you that they didn’t achieve success alone. Most had a mentor. Mentors are those who have experience in the business world and are willing to help you, having your best interest at heart. This could be a teacher, a coach or a friend willing to help…

Two Tips to Overcome Complacency at Work   Do you lack energy? Are you bored with your job? Here are two quick tips to get those “happy” endorphins flowing and get you reengaged in your day. Tip One – Exercise: Exercising releases endorphins, which ultimately produce more energy and put you in a better mood.…

Being Happy at Work starts with aligning your personal needs with the job and company you work for. Many people find themselves unhappy at work and blame their unhappiness on a bad boss, a caustic work environment, coworkers they can’t relate to, a lack of appreciation and low pay. While these reasons may be valid,…

I use balloons to build teams. Why? Because balloons are fun. They bring out the inner kid in people by tapping into that creativity exuded so naturally as children. Statistics tell us that when people are having fun at work they will:   Be happier Be more creative Be more engaged Deliver better customer service…

In our continuing series highlighting the “Culture of Commitment” at General Insulation, we feature employees who are committed to health and wellness.   In the interviews we hoped to hear stories of successful weight loss, exercise and eating habit changes, and we did. What we didn’t expect was to hear about the impact being healthy made…

  Statistics Say 69% of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized. 78% said being recognized motivates them in their job. When managers recognize their employees’ performance, they increase employee engagement by nearly 60%.     And yet, 65% of Americans report receiving no recognition or appreciation during…

It was 1993. I was flying from Houston to Dallas on Southwest Airlines seated next to Carol. We were both employees of Southwest, she a Customer Service Agent and I a Marketing Manager. “You know what today is”, she asked? “Yes”, I replied, “it’s National Boss’ Day”. “Well”, she continued, “we happen to have the…

Research from industry experts such as Mercer, Gallup, and Hewitt proves the best way to show employees that you care is to recognize and reward them. Take the time on October 5th,  “Do Something Nice Day”,  to surprise your team. People who feel appreciated will be more invested in your company, work harder and give…

  Houstonians and Texans will forever remember the week of August 25, 2017 as one of the most horrific flooding events ever. Hurricane Harvey not only decimated the South Texas Coast, it also lingered over Houston, flooding a metropolitan area covering over 2200 square miles. Harvey became a “all hands on deck” moment when citizens…

If you find there are too many long reports circulating among your team and wish you could find a way to shorten them without sacrificing critical information, this could be your solution. Ever heard of the 5-15 report? I had not until I worked with the CEO of General Insulation, Frank Granara. Frank asks his…

The Secret to Creating Extreme Ownership   We have worked with General Insulation (GIC) as consultants for the past 10 years.  Our role with this 500 employee,  $250+ million company has ranged from business coaches and leadership developers to HR advisors.  Most recently, we had the opportunity to spend time visiting and talking to individuals…

                   Performance ‘Secrets’ of a Volunteer Team   I had the honor of volunteering as part of the Lighthouse Charity Team (LCT), cooking and serving food for 1200 plus soldiers and their families.  These soldiers are members of the elite 147th Reconnaissance Wing and were celebrating Family Day at Ellington Field in Webster, Texas.…

   Creating an Ownership Mentality Employees who understand and value a company’s mission are more likely to treat the company like owners.   They will rally together and fight battles that come. Smart companies understand what it takes to create that “warrior spirit” mentality and use it to propel them to success.  Here’s how you can…

Online Presence:  The Competitive Advantage of the Future   Sears closing their brick and mortar stores?  Macy’s following suit and moving to online sales?  What’s going on?  The Marshall School of Business at USC conducted a study a couple of years ago that revealed that by “2015, it is estimated that Americans will consume both…

Create a Happy Workplace in 2017  Successful businesses know that having Happy Workplaces produces many benefits – higher productivity, less absenteeism and better customer service as a few examples. But one benefit you may not realize is that having a stress free environment produces healthier employees.   According to an article in the Harvard Business Review…

                     When You Put People First   # 1 – Happy Workplaces outperform the competition by 20% # 2 – Happy Workers are 12% more productive # 3 – Happy Employees stay on the job longer thereby reducing              turnover #…

By Lorraine Grubbs In a recent SBT article, I learned that “more than 60% of small businesses have fewer than five employees”.  That means, “all hands must be on deck” to keep things running smoothly.  Employees of these small companies are cross-trained to do several jobs in order to maximize efficiency. The question is, how…

Developing Happy Workplace Leaders: Looking at Me By Lorraine Grubbs     Regardless of size, every company needs strong, competent leaders that know their own strengths and weaknesses.   Creating good leaders takes time and effort.  The investment you make today can pay big dividends down the road in the form of motivated, dedicated, and…

Developing Happy Workplace Leaders Through Personal Development Plans By Lorraine Grubbs   Regardless of size, every company needs strong, competent leaders to help operate and grow the business.  Many leaders are poorly prepared for their leadership roles.  The result?  Low morale, high turnover and poor customer service.  Investing in leadership development can give you a…

Developing Happy Workplace Leaders – Tools and Resources By Lorraine Grubbs   Many people have asked,  “Are leaders made or are they born”?  The answer, in my opinion, is both.  Some people possess a natural, intuitive talent for leadership and then there are those who don’t.  The good news is that those who don’t can…

Shake Up the Office’s Holiday Traditions By Lorraine Grubbs   This holiday season shake up your team’s traditional ideas of giving money, canned goods or toys and wake them up to the value of immersing themselves in the activity of giving.  This will help them see the immediate impact of their effort, allow them to…

How Community Can Help Your Small Business By Lorraine Grubbs   This is a story about how a small business in San Leon, Texas overcame the hurdle most start-ups face – lack of working capital.  That means no money for help or advertising.  Owners Matt and Kelly Railean relied on the loyalty of their friends…

                      Celebrate Employees Year Round As companies get ready to celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day on Friday, March 3, 2017, below are 10 tips that every company, regardless of size, can use to establish a reward and recognition program that creates loyal employees that produce results every leader is looking for. Employee Appreciation Day dates to…

Will Your Obituary Read “Relentlessly Helpful?   Lux Narayan, CEO of Unimetric posed the following question in his March 1st TED Talk:  “What if more people lived their lives trying to be famous in death?” At first I thought, WHAT?  But as I continued watching his talk, it began to make sense.  Lux studied 2000…

    Don’t overlook your hidden leaders; it’s like finding quarters in a bucket of pennies. By Lorraine Grubbs The other day while cleaning, I came across my “penny” jar and it was full.  I took it to one of those machines at the store that converts it to dollars.   As I prepared to pour…

The Business Blueprint for Great Customer Service By Lorraine Grubbs Imagine making a one-time decision to place the fate of your entire company in the hands of your Customers.  If your well-placed faith in the good relationship you have with your Customers is right, you get to stay in business.  If not, you’re history. Such…

Leadership Development Pushes Past Comfort Zone A company’s business may not be in a danger zone, but leadership development efforts can’t wait until it is. Even though business is good and the organization is humming along, challenging leaders to break out of their comfort zones and develop the skills needed to sustain and grow the…

Changing Approaches to Leadership Between Men and Women Today’s American workforce is almost equally made up of men and women. How does this affect the way any leader, whether male or female, deals with employees? Below are five key areas where the difference in gender can impact leadership effectiveness. By ensuring your leaders are aware…

How to Zap Business Executives Out of Their Comfort Zones What happens when a corporation’s leadership is engaged, talented and competent – but so stuck in their ways that they can’t quite grasp the importance of acting as a strategic, forward-thinking team? It could be time for drastic measures – so drastic that company vice…

How to Engage a Disengaged Employee Several years ago, the Gallup Organization focused on employee engagement research and determined that a whopping 71% of U.S. workers are disengaged. These employees give poor customer service, lack initiative and don’t go the extra mile. Ultimately, they are costing American companies over $3 billion a year. So what’s…

How to Train Your Business Leaders to Take Risks   To drive your company forward, break the pattern of risk avoidance by immersing your leaders in high-risk situations. Thursday, July 7, 2016, 1:41 Pm BY LORRAINE GRUBBS NY DAILY NEWS CONTRIBUTOR In the volatile and ever-changing environment in which businesses find themselves today, it is…

Building a Happy Workplace requires that Employees Know and Live Your Company’s Core Values What is a core value?  It’s the basis of how your company thinks and acts.  It guides your decision-making, selection of vendors and employees and dictates how you treat your customers.  It is the backbone of who you are and sets…

The Hidden Morale Booster…Food in the Workplace Want to boost employee morale?  Don’t overlook an easy and relatively inexpensive way to make an impression on your workforce.  Smart companies utilize “little things”, like providing food and refreshments to employees during working hours in a great environment like the company cafeteria.  This creates an ideal social…

The Top 3 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Do To Build Employee Loyalty Through Recognition  In a recent Small Business Today article, I learned that “more than 60% of small businesses have fewer than five employees”.  That means, “all hands must be on deck” to keep things running smoothly.  Employees of these small companies are cross-trained to…

Do women and men respond differently to change?  Published in Smart Business, Authored By: Lorraine Grubbs 12:01am EST July 22, 2016 As a leader in today’s business environment, you may wonder, “Do men and women respond differently to change?” Before answering, consider the following statement by Greek philosopher Heraclitus:   As the Greeks had to…

  Four Secrets Successful Companies Know About Hiring That Creates Loyalty In a world where there is little competitive advantage in price, product and processes, there is another  “P” that companies who are on the cutting edge utilize to keep them ahead of the game: their People.  By focusing on their People and using proven…