Give a cheer (and some swag) for team spirit at work

When we hear the words “team spirit” we generally visualize a collection of banner-waving, swag-wearing fans cheering their sports team to victory. But we rarely think about doing the same thing at work.

Perhaps we should. After all, a happy workplace is the kind of place employees want to be. In fact, one study revealed 36% of employees would give up part of their salary to be happier at work. Plus, companies with happy, satisfied employees generate 2.5 times more revenue opens in new window than their less happy counterparts.

If you’re looking to get your team as pumped to come to work as players about to hit the court or field, we’ve got a few ideas and some fun swag that will help build everyone’s team spirit.

Plan fun events and outings

Getting your team out of the office to socialize, whether it’s a nighttime sporting event, a collaborative gathering like an escape room or a company picnic, is a great way to let everyone relax, unwind and get to know one another on a personal level.

You can also encourage smaller-scale, in-office fun, like celebrating birthdays, having people dress up for holidays or encouraging small competitions between departments.

Make the fun more memorable with giveaways.

Taking the staff to cheer on a favorite sports team? Pass out Rally Pom-Poms to amp up the excitement. Give everyone a Champion Tagless Raglan Baseball Tee to remind them they’re part of a team, too.

For an internal competition, set out some Jumbo Sidewalk Chalk and see which of your staff members can create the coolest outdoor artwork. And give out a Cobalt Art Glass Award (and bragging rights) to whoever creates the coolest drawing.

Share praise

Praise is such a powerful motivator that 69% percent of employees opens in new window say they would work harder if their efforts were more appreciated.

There are lots of things you can praise employees for, including opens in new window:

• Being willing to lend a hand
• Overseeing a project from the first detail to the last
• Setting a great example for coworkers
• Being flexible

There are just as many ways to praise employees as there reasons to praise them. They’ll appreciate a quick email or a Thank You Note Card with a description of what you like about their work. For the person who made important contributions to a major project, a fun MopTopper Superhero Pen showcases company heroes.

Remind managers to keep track of all the great things their employees do. They can write down praiseworthy performance notes in the Inspired Notebook with Pen and then read them out loud at weekly meetings. Better yet, give one to every employee and have them write down and share praise about their coworkers.

Eat lunch together

Sometimes teams need a time-out to recharge. And since 90% of employees opens in new window claim taking a lunch break makes them feel refreshed and ready to get back to work, why not encourage your employees to eat together, giving them a chance to take a brain break while they build camaraderie?

A Therm-O Snack Insulated Bag, Gourmet Collapsible Lunch Box and a Snack Stacker will encourage employees to spend time in the break room getting to know one another.

Manage stress

A study performed by the American Institute of Stress found that 40% of employees felt their jobs were very or extremely stressful. What’s more, nearly 1 million employees are absent from work daily due to stress.

Help your employees manage their workday stress opens in new window:

• Allow flextime.
• Make wellness part of the workday with an in-office gym or other fitness opportunity.
• Provide proper training on topics from new computer programs to handling workplace conflict.

Help them take care of their overall well-being with a variety of health giveaways and wellness challenges. Encourage everyone to drink more water with a Zuri Tritan Bottle or remind them take more steps with this U-go Step Pedometer.

If your company offers a mental health program, give them a Surf Phone Stand imprinted with contact details and a reminder that someone to talk to is just a phone call away.

We’ve got spirit, yes we do…

Even though your team may rock spreadsheets instead of the court, making every workday a chance to celebrate and show support is going to make for a better environment—and a bigger bottom line. So, when you ask: Do we have spirit? Make sure the answer is: Yes, we do!

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