Fresh Tracks Team Talk

NEWS FLASH: Four in 10 staff 'may quit job'
This week the BBC News Team reported that more than four in 10 UK employees are considering quitting their job in the next year.

A lack of motivation at work is cited as a major problem, with unreasonable workloads, feeling underpaid and a lack of career path being blamed. About half of staff said that they are not being supported beyond their initial induction at work. Meanwhile more than a quarter felt unsupported by their managers.

At Fresh Tracks it is our business to know what motivates individuals; we understand that when a team has fun it becomes more effective and relationships grow stronger.

If you are looking to gain some honest feedback from your staff you may be interested in finding out more about our employee engagement tool, Colorvote.

All Fresh Tracks team building programmes can be tailored to focus on a specific issue, and facilitated to achieve maximum impact. They can be incorporated into staff conferences and/or team meetings to re-enforce key messages or as part of an ongoing learning and development programme. Click here for the full BBC article.

To discuss how our programmes could benefit your business contact
Jane Mole or call 01920 822220

Shiny happy people
There's been much media reporting of happiness lessons in schools and psychological well-being in the workplace. But are happy workers really better for the bottom line or does all this fun and laughter lead to a slapdash attitude?

Whilst most research indicates that happiness leads to greater productivity and lower staff turnover, most of the success stories result from more than just a cheery approach:

Pride in a job well done would support the fact that trades people are twice as likely to be 'extremely happy' than professionals.
It's reciprocal: a hospital survey found that when staff where happier so were the patients.
Humour is highly subjective so use with caution; what one person finds funny may well offend others (we refer to this as the 'Jim Davidson Factor'!).
Attitude for some is something they wake up with; for others it's a conscious choice they make each day to be the best they can be.
Balance: with 80% of managers working more than their contracted hours, time and space to relax, reflect and reward ourselves is tighter than ever.
Community: the need to feel "I'm making a difference" shouldn't be underestimated and in organisations that don't directly serve the community, initiatives such as Innocent's 'the big knit' are often proven to give staff that much needed warm 'n' fuzzy feeling.
Goals set within a performance culture can see absenteeism drop and productivity rise by 30-40%.
Money doesn't bring happiness so shouldn't be used as an incentive, but the occasional financial reward can make the world of difference, especially to the lower paid.
Recognition in the form of a certificate or a mention at an awards ceremony will be remembered long after a pay rise.
Prospects: with lack of opportunity being a primary cause for gloom the prospect of promotion tends to lift spirits and temper the moody behaviour.
Status and the importance of the individual's role within an organisation ensure there's a reason to leap out of bed in the morning. Don't be fooled into thinking job titles are enough though; hard evidence is what's required here.
Laughter is proven to lower blood pressure and break down toxins caused by stress.

If you'd like to inject a little happiness into your work then join us at our next seminar:

Raising Productivity at Work Linking the science of happiness with performance Tuesday 20 May 2008 ~ 9am - 12.30pm Central London If you are interested in exploring the impact of well-being on productivity in the workplace, click on the link below to find out more about this fantastic half day workshop. www.freshtracks.co.uk/raisingproductivity If you are unable to attend but would like to learn more drop Dan Collins a line or telephone the Fresh Tracks office on 01920 822220.

Book Review - Toxic Success, How to stop striving and start thriving
by Paul Pearsall PH.D

A clinical psychologist now living on the laid back and, some would say, well balanced island of Hawaii gives Dr Paul Pearsall a unique perspective on 'happiness'. His 10 year study of 'winners' and those around them discovered what he calls TSS or Toxic Success Syndrome. "As we get better at adapting to a constant flow of interruptions and demands for our attention we gradually become disconnected with those around us and ourselves, very often resulting in a breakdown of our immunity and the onset of serious illness." This finding is not in itself ground breaking; what makes Toxic Success such a compelling read is that it also contains research from a group of cancer survivors, exploring how those who have faced death and found the road to recovery would live their life differently.

Click here to purchase this book from Amazon.co.uk

Some recent Fresh Tracks events
Games Evening - A fun evening for Capital Group
Cooking up a Storm - Culinary team building for Attiva
Black Cab Chase - London based treasure hunt for UKTI
Enigma Code - Team challenges for Bayer Healthcare
Staff Conference & Go FAR - Motivating staff with Southern Housing Group
Facilitated Team Tasks & Chocolate Challenge - Tasty team building for Mitsui
Staff Conference & Team Tasks - Fun team building for Muller Dairy
Chocolate Challenge & Filming - A sweet team challenge for IMS Healthcare

If you are planning a staff conference or team building event, or simply need some ideas on how to motivate your group, please feel free to contact Tom Vaughton on 01920 822 220 or visit www.freshtracks.co.uk.

Fresh Tracks
"Creating better workplaces"
Team Building, Motivational Activities, Event Management Solutions
Web: www.freshtracks.co.uk
Tel: 01920 822 220
Email: mail@freshtracks.co.uk

‘teams that play together, work together’