Category: Management

Office Sports: Setting up and Running a Team

Do your employees look like they could do with a bit of a morale boost? Well, look no further as we have the perfect solution. Setting up your own office sports team. It may seem like a strange idea at first, but it actually has a huge number of benefits for everyone involved. It can help boost morale, help your employees, and coworkers bond and have fun all while keeping fit and getting your companies brand out there. So how would you go about setting up and running an office sports team? Here are some tips to help you get started.

Decide On Your Chosen Sport

The first step to creating your own office sports team is deciding on which sport you’re going to pursue. The smartest option is probably to do it democratically, either by putting sports into a hat or by leaving it up to a vote. You’re more likely to get more dedicated team members if it’s a sport most of the office is willing to do. Whether it be soccer, hockey, basketball, or baseball, there is any number of sports to choose from.

Set Up a Team Name

The next step is to decide on a team name. Probably another time to put it to a vote. It can help your employees/co-workers feel more heard and make them more likely to want to play for a team they helped to name. Once you decide, why not check out companies like merchology to get your own personalized team shirts with your team name printed on them. It’ll help you all look the part and feel like a real team. You could even have some fun with nicknames on the back of shirts (just be sure to keep it appropriate).

Sign Up For Charity Events

Many office teams take part in charity tournaments and for good reason. It’s a great way to get some experience playing against other teams and offices whilst also doing your part for good causes. You’ll be sure to find a whole host of tournaments near you.

Organize Practices

While you may not be professionals, it’s still worth taking time out to organize practice sessions. Sites like runningandmiles are designed to put all the best equipment and exercise apps all in one place. With a bit of research, you’ll be able to organize a simple training program for your teammates to help them make the most out of the sport.

Do Your Research

As with any sort of venture, the best thing you can do is do your research. There are plenty of already established office teams out there that you can learn from when creating your own. Make sure to brush up on health and safety and research ways on how to manage the cost of running the team in the most effective way. If you’re well-researched and have learned from some of the best, then there should be nothing stopping you from creating the next best office sports team.

It’s Just a Bit of Fun

While it should go without saying, it’s important to remember that the point of the sports team is for your office to have some fun with each other outside of work. While a bit of healthy competition may be fun, don’t let your need to win and be the best cloud your judgment. Don’t forget that the people in the office have chosen to give up some of their precious time to take part. Make sure they are having fun and don’t feel pressured to be there. Have some leniency when people can’t show up to practice and make sure communication is a priority and you’ll be topping the office team leaderboards in no time!

How to Design Your Office to Look Professional

A good office needs to look sophisticated. If you have clients coming in for meetings or you’re planning on securing that killer deal, your office needs to look like you take your job seriously. You don’t want people to leave it thinking you don’t deserve to be where you are. You need to take pride in your office, not just for others but also for yourself. You spend a lot of time there. It’s like your second home. Therefore you want to take the necessary steps to make it look as presentable and professional as possible. Below are seven incredibly easy steps to making your office the best it can be and massively increase your chances of promotion.

1) Plants. Any kind of greenery is a sure fire way of making your office look clean and professional. It also shows whoever is visiting your office that you are a person that can take care of things other than yourself. If you water it everyday and make sure it is exposed to natural light, you will look like you’ve got everything under control. Plants also generate oxygen which will make the air in your office nicer and any visitors will be thankful for it.
2) Introduce more light. Making your work environment bright will not only make you work more productive, people will view it as more professional and more inclined to go there. Clients will enjoy going there and will associate the brightness with positivity.
3) Invest in good quality furniture. Nobody likes squeaky chairs or lumpy couches. It’s your job to make sure your clients are comfortable. You won’t secure any deal if they’re sitting throughout your presentation with lower back pain. That is why it’s so important to invest in good quality furniture.
4) Add art. By hanging up a few paintings around your office, you are telling any clients that you are a person of culture. It will make your office stand out while still being incredibly smart and professional. It may even start a discussion that will lead to a rapport being struck with a client. Maybe they have the same piece of art in their office. Any little thing to help you secure the deal will help and art is a sure fire way of doing this.
5) Keep it tidy! There’s nothing worse than going into an office and seeing empty cans, wrappers and post it notes scattered about the place. This will make your clients feel uneasy and assume that if you don’t value the space you work in, how can you value their business relationship? By keeping your office tidy, you are sending the message that you are on top of things and take pride in yourself. Have a small waste paper basket under your desk and take the garbage out daily.
6) Add a new coat of paint. Paint is a great way to make your office stand out and look professional. I recommend you use Interior Painter. This link will take you to their website where you can order paint from interiorpainter to improve your office.
7) Stationery. Have a good and organised collection of pens and paper always. This will show you take great care in your work and don’t just write with any pen you happen to find.

These seven steps are simple but when implemented, your office will stand out as a professional work space that you are in control of rather than it in control of you. If you want to strike that killer deal with clients or get that promotion you’ve been trying so desperately for, follow these seven steps and watch the effect it has on your life.