As a founding partner of group46, a marketing agency in Bluffton, South Carolina, I try to make the atmosphere at work one that encourages creativity and open minds. Here are some specific things that make our agency specifically unique in the marketplace.
- Unlimited time off
One of the most unique things about our company is that we offer an unlimited amount of vacation time for all of our employees. By giving that incentive, I have found employees to be more motivated at work and are more appreciative of the time taken than if the time were exceptionally limited.
- “Team Days”
Our team takes monthly team days, where we get out of the office and into a more creative atmosphere to open a dialogue about things that we don’t usually talk about at work. Last month, we went on a biking expedition, where we rode bikes around our community, stopped at a local café and just talked about general things happening in each other’s lives.
- Using motivational talks to inspire team members
I also use many things that I have learned from motivational speakers over the years on our monthly team days, weekly meetings, etc. By using techniques I have found useful by Tony Robbins and other motivational speakers, I am able to pass that information along to my team members, in hopes that they will find it as useful as I do.
- Encouraging open communication
With many of our competitive companies, I have found that open communication is extremely hard to find. Whether it’s a normal day at the office or during an office meeting, I encourage all of my team members to speak their mind and let others in on what they are thinking. I never want to discourage an open dialogue within the workplace, not only because I believe that all of my team member’s opinions are important, but also because in many cases they can think of things that I may not necessarily see from the same perspective.
- Flexible schedules
Although most of the people in our company work a standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday schedule, we offer flexibility to those who may need it weekly or just sporadically. We have a few team members who have a substantial drive to be at work every day, and we encourage them to work from home Mondays and Fridays to alleviate some of that pressure.
