If you ask me to imagine the perfect place, I would say a place that is fun, where work does not really feel like work, and a place where I would like to achieve and work harder. Saying so, the Google offices come to mind.
A friend of mine works in the food and beverage industry and has a problem keeping her staff happy at work. They often complain, look bored, and she feels like that is being projected to her customers. I suggested that she should work on changing her work culture, to make work fun. She said that she is running a business and wants her staff to focus on business growth rather than fun.
That is the exact problem that many business owners face, that they think that fun equates to no work being done. Unfortunately, that is the reality of many businesses it is thought that to enhance productivity all sorts of fun should be eliminated.
In another business managed by a colleague, she thought that cancelling the hour given to employees to have lunch outside work if they wished would enhance productivity. She shortened the break to 20 minutes, where going out was not an option and rather they should order in food at work. Did productivity increase? Not really. In fact, some of her staff told her that they now dreaded coming to work and they liked how things were before.
There are several ways to enhance productivity at your business while still maintaining a fun work atmosphere:
First and foremost encourage your employees to take breaks.
Many business owners tend to believe that putting in 10 hours of work at the office with one short break, for instance, ensures increased productivity. Taking breaks results in fresher thinking and better moods. Some staff are encouraged to take 10 minutes every hour just to look away from the computer screen and take a walk. This stimulates thinking and eliminates stress.
Dedicate a break room if you have the space or even a corner in your office, and fill it up with non-work related material. If it is a room, the feel of it should be different from the office. Have a TV, some positive topic books, and board games – anything that would change their mood. If possible, have a small refrigerator there and fill it with fruits and juices, and even install a coffee machine. We tried that in our offices, and heard positive feedback from our staff.
Celebrate everything. Whenever your team achieves a target, lands a client, satisfies a customer or simply completes work before the deadline, then recognise that achievement. You do not have to go overboard, a simple work lunch at your offices could go a long way. This will help employees feel empowered, even bringing team members closer.
Organise friendly competitions. These create a fun work environment. Some restaurants have an employee of the month competition, then recognise that by hanging their photograph by the entrance or the checkout desk. If you are managing a sales team you could split your team into different groups and run a competition to see who can land the most clients given a certain time periods. A colleague of mine organised an indoor golf tournament between his staff members. Every day he and his team would compete on who would get the ball in the hole first. There were no prizes to give out, but it was something that they looked forward to every morning.
Socialise outside work. Maintaining a fun environment at work is always great. However, it is also nice to treat your staff to lunch or dinner outside work every now and then. That way you can get to know your team members better and strengthen their relationship.
Business goals are to expand and generate more income, but it is important to keep in mind that the culture where employees are working plays a great role in ensuring that. Implement those strategies, or some of them whether you are at a start-up phase or you have been around for a while. You will notice a change in your team’s attitudes towards work. You may even find yourself want to hang out at the office even more.
Manar Al Hinai is award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi. Twitter: @manar_alhinai.
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
PRISCILLA
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if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Inside%20Out%202
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
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Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you