Below see a few reminders plus several opportunities to reduce stress and boost morale, engagement, productivity and performance.

But I must point out that while fun and games can boost all of the above, it can be just like a sugar high, ready for a crash.

The foundation of good morale and productivity is hiring the right people.

Yes – don’t hire grumps.

And the people must have clear roles, responsibilities, expectations and goals.  And they must receive training and coaching which includes feedback, direction, support and recognition from a trusted manager or coach.

If these are in place, good for you.  Celebrations and nonsense will serve to reduce stress and create laughter – which can often close the distance between people.

If goals, roles, responsibilities, etc are NOT in place,  go ahead and use some of these ideas if you’d like and then get started right away with some of the other resources on this site that will help you get your roles and goals clear and get everyone headed in the right direction.

Warning: If you choose to do any of these things, you may feel like a fool. Your teammates may roll their eyes. But they will laugh too. And that will lighten the load, break the tension and maybe even bring people closer together. Not just today – but down the road as they think about or talk about the day that ___________ (fill in the blank).

P.S.  Many of these are also excellent marketing and public relations opportunities.  See more on this below.

March 1 – World Compliment Day
Send each person on your team a note that says something you really like about him or her.

March 3-9 – National Procrastinators Week
Helpful resource: Quote of the Week: on Procrastination

March 7 – Employee Appreciation Day – Idea – have a Jungle Party. Click on the elephant for more details.

March 7 – National Salesperson Day – Idea – have a Jungle Party. Click on the elephant for more details.

March 8 – International Working Woman’s Day

March 12 – Plant a Flower Day
Digging in the dirt is very therapeutic. So is looking at beautiful flowers.  Bring in a flat of annuals (plus several small shovels) and get the team to help you plant them in front of your office building.  Or bring in the flat of annual plus a small pot for each person and have each person plant one in a pot for his/her desk.

Note: depending on size of flowers and pots, you may also need to bring a bag of potting soil.

Added option: bring in colorful markers and have each person “decorate” his/her pot before planting the flower.

March 13 – Popcorn Lovers Day
Fun and easy. Just bring in a big can or bag. Or if you have easy access, bring in a machine.

March 13 – Daylight Savings Time Starts at 2:00 AM

March 14 – Check Your Batteries Day – What an excellent idea to check batteries in smoke alarms, flashlights and any other emergency device. Suggest that your teammates do this at home as well.

March 15 – Business Tax Return Day. If this has been a stressful time, might be a good excuse for a Jungle Party. Click here for more details.

March 13 – Men’s NCAA Tournament Begins

March 17 – Women’s NCAA Tournament Begins

which means – the official start of March Madness – though bracket business started long ago.  How will you manage the madness?’

If your team is still in the race, congratulations! Enjoy every moment of magic and madness. Have a Final Four Party. Have a Final Two Party. Have a Final One Party.

If your team is no longer “dancing”, have a Big Loser Party. Or a Mad Party.

 

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day

Ask your team to decorate the office. Bring in shamrock cookies. Ask team members to bring in good luck charms and messages. And for you…here is a link to 10 quotes and articles to help you and your team celebrate.

March 20 – First Day of Spring

March 22 – National Goof Off Day

Hmmm…it would take a very daring leader to celebrate this one.

How about telling everyone to goof off all afternoon. What would they do?
You could set a few rules like, they could goof off anywhere as long as they do it together.
Or you could tell everyone to leave early – as long as they promised to goof off.
Or you could take everyone bowling or fishing.
Or you could have chair races in the hallway.
Or sit around and celebrate National Chip & Dip Day a day early.
And celebrate National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day two days early.
And while you are chipping and dipping and nibbling on chocolate raisins, you and your team could brainstorm for ideas so that you are ready for Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.

March 23 – National Chip & Dip Day

Bring in chips and dip for your staff meeting today. Don’t have a staff meeting today? Bring them anyway for fun in the break room.  Or ask each person to bring in chips and dip.

Or divide the team into two groups – the chips and the dips. Then ask each person in the Chip group to bring in his/her favorite kind of chips. And ask each person in the Dip group to bring his/her favorite dip.

Have fun!

March 24 – National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day

Bring in snack size bags of chocolate covered raisins and leave one on each person’s desk with a note that says Happy Chocolate Covered Raisins Day.

Or send a group email saying the same and ask each person to come to your office to claim a treat!

March 26 – Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

An excellent opportunity to practice team brainstorming skills. Once you come up with your new holiday, will you write and tell me about it? Jan@BusinessClassInc.com

March 30 – The Grass Is Always Browner on the Other Side Day

A fun opportunity. At your staff meeting, ask the group to help you create a list of all the reasons the grass is greener where you all work; and browner on the other side.

March is also time to celebrate:

Berries & Cherries Month
Broccoli & Bell Pepper Month
National Kite Month
National Peanut Month

So you could:

• Bring in a bowl of berries and cherries one day.
• Bring in a platter of broccoli and bell peppers one day.
• Bring in both to offset the chips, dips and chocolate covered raisins.
• Set a day when each person brings his/her favorite, choosing between: berries, cherries, broccoli, peppers, peanuts, chocolate covered raisins. Perhaps do this on National Goof Off Day.
• Bring in a bunch of paper kites, let each person assemble one and go out to fly them – perhaps on National Goof Off Day. With or without all the snack foods mentioned above.

Note: Think all of this is foolish? It is. But…see this Quote of the Week.

 

Speaking of foolish…what about April Fool’s Day. Will you pull a prank?

If you do……be wise about it. There are some good(and bad) prank ideas for the office at: Discoverfun.com and The Fools Day.com.

Repeat! Be wise about pulling pranks.

Discoverfun.com says, “The important thing to remember with pranking at work is that you should always look at the worst case scenario of the prank you are attempting. If you or anybody else loses their job – it won’t be so funny.”

Another wise piece of advice: “Never pull an April Fools Prank that you couldn’t handle if it was played on you.”

How can you use these occasions to boost business?

If you sell any of these or related products:

• If you sell flowers, peanuts, peppers, broccoli, popcorn, chocolate covered raising, kites, berries, cherries, batteries, chips, dips…set up a table at the front of your store or business with these products and signs that say Happy _____ Day (or month).
• Offer samples and/or special pricing if possible.
• Whatever special occasions you choose to highlight, and whatever associated discounts, be sure to announce them on your Facebook page.
• And in your tweets.
• And to your e-mail subscriber list.

If you don’t sell any of these or related products, you can build and nurture your community by doing things like:

• offering treats to customers – kites, bags of popcorn or peanuts…with your name imprinted on them.
• ask customers to complete and turn in a March Madness bracket. Offer a prize for the person with closest predictions.
• ask customers for holiday ideas – offer a prize for most creative.

If you sell advertising:

• be sure to contact your clients with ideas on how to celebrate these occasions. They may not accept all your ideas but they will appreciate your creativity and commitment to bringing them results.
• You’ll be delivering added value and setting yourself apart from the competition.

There you have it! A month of marketing opportunities that will make your customers say “Thanks”!

Make it fun and see some serious results.

 

 

 

 

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