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Why We Decided to Offer Sabbaticals This Year

Katie Williamson June 14, 2017

While we operate like a start-up, we actually celebrated TEN years at PerkSpot last year. With this longevity came a need to reward and challenge our employees who have been around for the long haul. That’s why this year PerkSpot decided to offer sabbaticals to our more tenured employees.
sabbaticals

What is a Sabbatical?

Sabbatical comes from the word “sabbath”, which means “rest”. A sabbatical is a paid leave granted to an employee after they have fulfilled a set number of years in service at their company. In our case, this begins with a two week paid leave after an employee has been with PerkSpot for three years and is increased to three weeks after five years.

 

What is the Purpose of a Sabbatical?

There are many reasons behind taking a sabbatical. In addition to giving employees some much needed time off, a sabbatical should also be focused on personal and professional development. Each employee is encouraged to spend the time away pursuing their “hopes and dreams”. Oftentimes we find ourselves so caught up in the daily grind, we forget about those bigger goals and aspirations we want to accomplish. This could mean perfecting your Spanish with lessons in Cuba or discovering artifacts on an archeological dig (yes, these are real PerkSpot sabbatical plans). While these experiences may not directly relate to our jobs, they can enrich our lives and in turn make us better individuals and employees.

 

Making the Most of a Sabbatical

If you’re considering taking a sabbatical or offering this option to your employees, here are a few things to consider:

1. Make It Challenging: A sabbatical can be relaxing, but it should also stretch you. It provides the perfect opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and discover something new. These are the moments where we truly grow. If you’ve never been outside the country, consider traveling for your break. Or if you’re a travel nut, maybe you decide to stay local and spend the time reflecting. Whatever you decide, just make sure it’s pushing you to greater heights.

2. Make It Relevant: While we’ve already said that a sabbatical doesn’t have to directly apply to your career, it should help you master new skills, improve upon existing ones, or provide an opportunity to improve relationships with clients, employers, or colleagues. Use this time to generate experiences that will help you in the future.

3. Make It Last: The experience shouldn’t stop when you get back to the office. Bring along a journal to document what you’re learning. You’ll be more likely to retain the information and have something to reference when looking back on your time spent away. If you’re not a writer, maybe document your experiences through photos. Your Instagram account will thank you.

 

We love to hear about our employees’ sabbatical plans. If you took a three week sabbatical, how would you use your time away?

Millennials: The Resilient Generation

Katie Williamson June 14, 2017

We’ve said it before and it’s no secret – Millennials get a bad rap. Many have characterized this generation as selfish, entitled and lazy. But there’s one word that perhaps summarizes them better than the others and that we don’t often hear:

Resilience.

millennials resilient generation
From 9/11 to Katrina to Sandy Hook, the Millennial generation has not had it easy. In “Managing Millennials for Dummies”, the author states “In response to all of this bloodshed and uncertainty, Millennials, despite the typical rhetoric, have become resilient…They’re determined to make the best of the here and now and, in the face of change, roll with the punches the best they can.” And while tragedies and hardships aren’t strangers to previous generations, the inundation of social media has changed how this affects us on a daily basis. “Older generations were able to some degree, to disconnect from the news and all the atrocities flooding the media… For younger Millennials, the news is always there and always in their face (or in their pockets).”

As Millennials become more resilient to the increase of violence and hardship, there are many ways this plays out in the workplace:

  • “You Only Live Once” is the motto of this generation. They want to make the most of every moment and are quick to move on if they are unhappy or unsatisfied in their work. With tragic daily news, millennials are faced with the reality that life is short and should not be wasted.

 

  • Millennials seek to make a change in the world and desire to have meaning behind their work. They pursue ways that businesses can affect the social and political issues they face.

 

  • Millennials have a more personal relationship with their managers. Consequently, they desire a coach or mentor relationship versus one of power and position. They need to know their boss has their best interest at heart.

 

  • Millennials are more innovative and quick to try something new. Because they’ve become resilient in the face of failure, one mistake or downfall does not leave them defeated. They can quickly pick themselves up and try again.

 

  • Millennials need to unplug and recharge. They deal with news on a constant basis, while checking emails or browsing the internet. This constant connectivity means it’s more important they have time to get away from office stress.

 

Whether you work with Millennials, manage Millennials, or are a Millennial, find ways to acknowledge their (or your) resilience. It’s no small thing to bounce back from the hardships we’ve all experienced over the last 10-20 years. Let these experiences empower us to be better and do more.

 

Building Your Employer Brand

Katie Williamson June 14, 2017

We’re all familiar with branding as it relates to marketing, but what about how it relates to recruitment? If you think about popular brands like Lyft, Southwest Airlines, and Starbucks, you probably have a good idea of what it’s like to work for these companies. That’s because they’ve integrated branding not only into their marketing strategy but their recruitment strategy as well.

 

An employment brand is the prospective candidates have of what it’s like to work for an organization. According to Glassdoor, 69% of Americans wouldn’t work for a company with a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed. This goes to show that reputation is everything, not just for consumers, but candidates as well.

building employer brand

Make your employer brand stand out with these 4 tips:

1. Focus on your audience.

First things first, consider the type of employee you’re looking to recruit. While diversity is important for an organization, there should be common denominators that unite your brand, such as creative thinking, innovation, and flexibility. While some thrive in a corporate setting, others may perform better in a more flex environment. Consider what makes your company unique and what unifies your current employees. Draw on your strengths to attract new talent.

2. Showcase “A Day In the Life”

When I was applying at PerkSpot, the job description really stuck out to me because it detailed what I could expect my first six months on the job. When candidates are looking for a new position, they need to be able to picture themselves on a day to day basis performing the tasks at hand. There are so many ways you can showcase what daily life is like at your company. From testimonials to videos to the job description, make sure you’re painting a picture for these prospects so they can visualize themselves working for your brand.

3. Incorporate leadership into the process.

A great way to build company culture and a strong employment brand is by getting the CEO and other executives involved in this process. When leadership takes ownership over the recruitment process and the message you are conveying to candidates, this can humanize the organization and build a stronger brand. In fact, according to Employer Branding International, this is one of the top factors in shaping a strong employment brand.

4. Make your message consistent.

If you’re working for a larger company, it can be difficult to create a consistent message across the board. Conduct employee surveys to gauge the current view employees have of your company. Incorporate the mission and values of the company into each department’s function. For example, if innovation is a core value, make sure every department from tech to marketing knows how this value is expressed in their job function. When everyone from the intern to the CEO can list your core values, you have a strong employer brand.

What are some ways you’re building your employer brand? What are the challenges you’ve seen? Let us know in the comments!

Benefits of Stand Up Meetings

Katie Williamson June 8, 2017

benefits of stand up meetings

There is one routine we can always count on here at PerkSpot. The Tech Team’s daily stand-up meetings.

 

What is a Stand-Up Meeting?

Also called a Scrum, a Stand-Up Meeting is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Usually between 5 to 15 minutes long, the team discusses the day’s most important tasks while standing to remind them to keep it short and sweet.

 

Why hold a Stand-Up Meeting?

There are so many benefits to stand-up meetings, but here are our top five:

1. Encourages Collaboration: A great benefit to these meetings is that they encourage employees to work together to finish projects or solve problems. They can also produce follow-up conversations that can be a jumping-off point for further collaboration.

2. Eliminates Roadblocks: Oftentimes projects stall because we don’t have the time to brainstorm solutions with our teams. By communicating daily on various issues you may face, it can diminish problems by allowing the entire team to collaborate and problem-solve together.

3. Improves Communication: The most obvious perk of stand-up meetings is that they improve communication among the team. Instead of wondering the status of certain projects or who is responsible for a particular task, the entire team stays up to date on basic information, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

4. Defeats Hierarchies: One of the possible benefits of a stand-up meeting is that it puts everyone on the same level. Directors can hear from interns and vice-versa. It’s a rare opportunity to let newer employees shine and more senior participants share their wisdom.

5. Saves Time: You may think having a daily meeting would create inefficiencies and headaches, but when done correctly, these meetings actually save tons of valuable time. Some employees may be waiting on quick responses that can be addressed in the meeting without stalling projects. As communication and collaboration improves, projects will run smoother and problems are solved faster.

While stand-ups might not be right for every team, if you find yourself struggling to communicate efficiently, consider incorporating a daily scrum into your office life.

Embracing Seasonal Office Changes

Katie Williamson June 1, 2017

One thing we love about Chicago is that the city really comes alive in the summer. Patios open up and flood with people, baseball season is in full swing, and weekend trips to the beach are an absolute necessity. But with warmer weather and longer days, it can be hard to stay motivated behind the four walls of your office.

perkspot seasonal office changes

That’s why many companies are offering perks that change with the seasons. From cutting down your hours to taking a day off to volunteer, here are a few of our favorite ways office leaders can help employees stayed engaged and productive, while still finding time to enjoy the sunshine.

Flexible Hours

While this is not the newest trend out there, summer fridays are still amazing for boosting office morale. Chances are your employees are daydreaming out the window around 3pm on Friday afternoon anyway, so why not reward them for hitting their sales goals or nailing that project by allowing them to head out early. Plus, there are tons of reasons why flexible hours are great for company morale and ROI.

Seasonal Events

Summer is a great time to enjoy the great outdoors. Whether it’s a beach day or heading out for a baseball game, grab your employees and head outside for some seasonal fun. Last year at PerkSpot, a few of us participated in a 5k together. It really brought the team together for a great cause and motivated us to stay in shape!

perkspot 5k seasonal office changes

Spice Up Your Recognition

Looking for a new way to recognize and reward employees? Summer can be the perfect time to pre-purchase tickets to concerts or sporting events to give to your company’s overachievers. Not sure what to offer? Take a survey to see what events your employees are planning on attending this summer to make sure your prize offerings are relevant and truly incentivizing.

Do Good

There are so many volunteer opportunities available in the summer. From building a house with Habitat for Humanity to serving at your local food pantry, explore options to give back with your office while the weather is warm and your employees are itching to get outside. According to a survey of corporations that encourage employee volunteering, employees who volunteer are 60% more likely to feel loyal to their company than those who do not.

Sun’s out, fun’s out. How is your office incorporating the summer season into your corporate perks?

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