In Christine M. Riordan’s blogpost (Harvard Business Review) she discusses the need for friendship, camaraderie and fun in the workplace. We recently touched upon this concept in class, with the example of Zappos, the shoe company. Zappos has established a corporate culture driven by the core values of creating a positive environment for employees, embracing and driving change, pursuing growth and learning, and creating a fun and positive team and family spirit.
In her blog, Riordan touches upon this concept and explains that employees are happier and more productive if they are comfortable in the workplace and if they feel they are a part of a team. She suggests that employees are also more likely to engage fully in their work if they have friends at work, as well as if their job is fun, enjoyable, worthwhile and satisfying.
However, in order to establish this corporate culture, it is up to the leaders of the organization to set the environment for their employees. Riordan spoke with Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines to outline this key point. Kelly proposes that it is important for the leaders of the organization to have vision for the culture. He further suggest that leaders must model the culture; by spending time with employees, treating people with respect, having fun, being there for them personally and professionally, and putting people first. Southwest Airlines is a perfect example of a company that fosters a culture of camaraderie where employees feel they are part of a family.
[Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly]
Designing a company culture that values camaraderie and also creates a positive, fun environment is the key to employee satisfaction and productivity. Creating a strong sense of community within an organization forms a strong social support network for employees, both personally and professionally. Building a sense of teamwork and togetherness unifies the company and drives employees to push for hard work and positive outcomes. At the end of the day, a company is team; it must work as one in order to achieve success.
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