Boosting Employee Morale During Uncertain Times
Fostering Culture and Team Camaraderie
There’s no doubt 2020 has been an incredible challenge for everyone. Our company is no different! As we followed the devastating effects of COVID-19 over these last few months, it became clear from the beginning that our team would be facing a long road ahead. However, if there’s one word to describe the employees of Crêpes á Latte, it would be “RESILIENT.” Despite all the hurdles we had to scale this summer, we still managed to pull our collective talents together to generate ideas that fostered our culture and employee engagement. If you’re looking to inspire and motivate your team, try some of these ideas in your own organization, most of which can be implemented with minimal to no costs.
Building Resilience (and a Book Club)
The American aphorist, Mason Cooley once said: "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." His statement could not have been more true! When the quarantine order forced us to retreat to our homes and work remotely, our team formed a virtual book club as a way to stay connected while staying safe.
The books we dove into, Switch by Chip & Dan Heath and Resilience by Andrew Zolli, both centered around the ability to tackle and rise above major changes in the world around us. We hosted informal virtual meetings where we could share our perspectives on each book and discuss how we could turn what we learned into new habits to make Crêpes á Latte even stronger than before.
A Passion for Hospitality (Farmers Market)
One of the activities we were most excited to execute this summer was to engage with the public again. So we decided to take some of our favorite offerings to local Farmers Markets once they reopened. Utilizing our new COVID-19 safety protocols, our Crêpes á Latte team set up shop at the Vernon Hills Market and the Kenosha Harbor Market.
Thousands of guests stopped by our booth to cool off with one (or more) of our refreshing gourmet Iced Chai Tea Lattes, Cold Brew Coffees or fresh-made Gelato in their choice of Coffee Mocha or White Bourbon Vanilla. After months of quarantining, it was so rewarding to be working together as a team again and doing what we do best!
Staying Physically and Mentally Fit (Boot Camp)
To be truly healthy is to engage the mind, soul, and body. Once we checked off the first two through our Book Club and the Farmers Markets, it was time to focus on the third and build more group motivation. While carefully adhering to social distancing protocols, our in-house fitness fanatics led the rest of the team through some outdoor Boot Camp sessions as well as biking tours through local trails. The much-needed fresh air and exercise helped us shed those extra quarantine kilograms while the experience re-energized our spirits.
Thinking Outside of the Box: Creating Experiences in a Virtual World
I am so proud of our team and what we’ve been able to accomplish these last few months despite the challenges! When our jobs were put on hold, we learned new marketable skills through online classes and certifications. When we couldn’t offer our hospitality services due to tradeshow cancellations, we re-imagined our business to offer virtual experiences through our latest endeavor, #BetterTogether Boxes. Through this new venture, our team has reorganized and honed our collective skills to bring the human experience to virtual events.
Whether your goal is to strengthen client relations, motivate your sales team, create sponsorship opportunities or let employees know they are appreciated, there are several themed boxes to choose from and every box includes your own branded messaging. Our custom-tailored care packages are filled with an assortment of snacks, treats, and games and designed to stimulate the senses and instill messages of positivity in its recipients. Each box is carefully assembled in our warehouse and shipped directly to attendees prior to your meeting or event.
Whatever the future holds for the Meetings and Events Industry, I am confident that our Crêpes á Latte team has taken the steps to grow, adjust and prepare for the changed world that lies ahead of us. I can’t wait to see where we go from here and what the next chapter brings; not just for us, but for our client partners.
