Inspiring Workplaces: More Lessons From a Workplace Where Everyone Smiles

Published: Wed, 02/24/16

Humor at Work

ISSUE 619 - Feb. 24, 2016


			More Lessons From a Workplace Where Everyone Smiles

	Some more lessons from one of my favorite workplaces on the planet, Beryl Health, a health care call center headquartered in Bedford, Texas. Beryl is a phenomenally successful business because they follow this equation: Invest in Employees to Build Loyalty = Increased Customer Loyalty = Wildly Profitable Business. Here are just a few things Beryl does (I'll follow up next week with part two) to engage employees (who they refer to as coworkers) and customers: They've created a story around their name, "Beryl." Beryl is a family of gemstones, so they've used that as a metaphor to drive their customer service, including the idea of delivering service "gems" to customers: Great Employee Moments. They send clients a popular "Beryl Weekly Update" - a short newsletter offering best practice tips within their industry. The leadership team creates hilariously wacky videos to communicate messages to coworkers. Flat screen TVs throughout the offices alert coworkers of staff birthdays, client events, or special occasions. The CEO writes a hand written and very personal note of thanks to every coworker thanking them for their service on the anniversary date of when they started working at Beryl. Their HR group is officially titled: "The Department of Great People and Fun." They hold theme days regularly, from "Dress the 70s" to "Crazy Hat Day." On "Movie Night" they take 50-100 people to a local cinema; on "Ranger Night" they take another large group out to watch a Rangers baseball game. They hold an annual Gong Show with various prizes, including "Most Painful to Watch." They hold an annual Family Day where they close down the parking lot and build a carnival with rides and games. They have a company magazine specifically designed for coworkers' families that is sent to their homes once a month. It's no wonder Beryl has earned the reputation as a workplace "where everyone is always smiling."

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

March 4th is Employee Appreciation Day, so you have plenty of time (and no excuses) to do something, anything, that demonstrates you appreciate and value your coworkers. Take time to do a team huddle and have everyone say what they appreciate about each other, deliver hand-written thank you notes, leave a message of appreciation on their voicemail, bring in a cake, buy everyone copies of The Humor Advantage (at a special discounted bulk rate), or hold an appreciation lunch.
		Quote of the Week

"I dream of a better world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned." Dave Barry
		It's a Wacky World

We're marching into March shortly - official Adopt a Guinea Pig Month, Humorists are Artists Month, International Ideas Month, and Mad for Plaid Month. And the wacky theme days and observances for March are up on the website, including some of my favorites: March 3: What If Cats & Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day? March 6: Day of the Dude March 10: International Day of Awesomeness March 14: Pi Day March 17: Companies That Care Day March 20: Alien Abduction Day March 22: International Goof Off Day March 26: Make Up Your Own Holiday Day March 27: Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day March 28: Grass is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence Day

Cost Savings to Bring Mike to Your Event

- Okanagan Valley: "I need to see Mom" special rate is on-going!
- Winnipeg, April 28 mike@mikekerr.com

More Reading
Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article: 16 Signs Your Boss Has a Crush on You

Plus:
The Humor Advantage: How Humor Fuels Creativity at Work

Do You Have Any Idea?
If you or your workplace is doing anything fun, creative or inspiring, we'd love to hear from you!

And if you have suggestions for topics you'd like to see covered in a future issue, please reach out! mike@mikekerr.com

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