Inspiring Workplaces: Funny Signs of the Times

Published: Wed, 07/29/20

Humor at Work

ISSUE 833 - July 29, 2020


		Funny Signs of the Times

	It's great to see so many examples of businesses embracing humor to help their customers cope with the - cliche alert - new normal. Take some creative inspiration from these examples and come up with some fun ways to communicate messages to your customers to help them cope with their stress in at least some small way. The Open Hearth restaurant in Greenville County, S.C., took a fun approach to seating capacity guidelines by filling empty seats with blow-up dolls dressed up like fellow diners. And Le Monarque, a restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, uses well-dressed mannequins (complete with masks) sporting fashionable designs from Quebec designers. The designers get to market their clothes in a creative way and diners will be able to purchase the clothing through a silent auction with all the profits going to charity. Many businesses are translating the standard six-foot social distancing requirements into terms that are relevant to their business. For example, one vet clinic has floor labels featuring dog paw prints with labels reminding customers to stay "one Labradoodle apart." And a hiking trail in Australia cautions hikers to stay at least one adult kangaroo apart. A movie theater changed their sign to: Now Playing, NO Close Encounters of ANY Kind. An ice cream parlor put out a sign reading: Masks are the new bras! They're uncomfortable! You only wear them in public! And when you don't wear them everyone notices! The El Arroyo restaurant in Austin, Texas, routinely changes its sign to messages such as: I'm Gonna Carpe Sooooooo Many Diems When This is All Over; My Dog is Looking at Me Like, "See This is Why I Chew The Furniture;" and My Hands Are Consuming More Alcohol Than My Mouth. So I challenge you to get creative and look for opportunities to use some positive, relevant humor in your business right now, when your customers need it the most. This is the perfect time to flex your creative muscles! On a different note, I want to thank the many of you that reached out to talk to me about my next book project and the hundreds of you that responded to the survey - I am grateful for your support!

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

A quick meeting icebreaker question: The cast of characters from the last TV show you watched is who you are going to be quarantined with for 14 days - so who will you be quarantined with?
		Quote of the Week

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” Albert Einstein
		It's a Wacky World

The August theme days are posted on the website, including: August 3: Watermelon Day August 6: Root Beer Float Day August 7: Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day August 8: Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Night August 10: Duran Duran Appreciation Day August 13: International Left-Hander’s Day August 18: Bad Poetry Day August 24: International Strange Music Day August 28: Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day

Every Other Wednesday
We had rave reviews from our last conversation on why so many leaders are so lousy at communication, so don't miss out on our July 29th culture conversation, where we'll welcome our special guest: Camille Washington, Manager of Marketing and All Things Branding, Culture, and Engagement at FedEx International.

Register Here for Free for the July 29th (hurry up - because that's today!) conversation at 11:00 a.m. MST/1:00 PM EST, 45 minutes

Respectfully Speaking
Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article: 15 Ways to Get People to Respect You

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