Brunch is a great way for our customer service representatives to get the recognition they deserve in a fun and casual setting. Two weeks ago, Kars4Kids hosted 30 female employees for exactly that: a special brunch get-together. The team we hosted at this event had been especially successful in bringing in funds for our charity. Which means more kids can go to camp and get a better education, too.
Our winning customer service team arrived at the brunch to find bagels with all the fixings, eggs, salads, coffee, and of course, dessert. At each place was a gift-wrapped water bottle marked “Winning Team!” The event was casual and women came and went, often moving from seat to seat to spend time with different work friends and teammates.
Many of our Kars4Kids employees work remotely, especially since the pandemic, and this was an opportunity for them to see their colleagues IRL (in real life). But aside from discovering that we work with actual live human beings, we believe that social gatherings in the workplace are important for other reasons. Get-togethers such as our recent brunch make it easier for our employees to approach each other to ask for assistance, or to share knowledge. This in turn, leads to greater efficiency and productivity.
In Why Leaders Should Encourage Socializing In The Workplace, Scott Forbes, a Forbes Councils Member, writes:
Knowledge distribution [is] key to building a productive workplace. When information is known only to a certain individual or department, the growth and autonomy of the rest of your staff are hampered. But, encouraging casual interactions among staff gives them the chance to share information and tips with one another. This has the potential to not only increase productivity but also the connection and trust among employees as well.
Not to mention, getting together is fun, if the thank-you emails from the brunch attendees are any indication. Our brunch event exemplifies our Kars4Kids work culture. It’s all about incentivizing our team to keep on keeping on at the work of giving stellar service to our donors. We think that’s important—both to us, and the kids.
