Leaders should work to unify and rejuvenate workplace teams

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There is a reason our mothers told us never to discuss politics or religion at work, but there’s little escaping it now.

Although the country is still grieving, people are starting to rebuild the spirit that was lost a few weeks ago. We’ve all heard stories of misdirected anger and frustration, some of it even erupting at work. For instance, a few subscribers to my online newsletter told me about heated employee arguments and even a fistfight over differing views about the right course of action to fight the war on terrorism.

In our own way, each of us is trying to get back to normal, even though "normal" will never be normal again. Like many Americans, I refuse to let the terrorists win. And the best way I can do that is to exercise my American freedoms. This week, I’ve booked two flights and bought stock. I’ve helped the American economy by shopping at the mall and at some small, local shops (however, my husband thought I could have helped the economy a little less).

As we all pick up the pieces of life, I’ve begun to get emails from people who are asking for ideas they can use to bring their workplaces together, channel their grief into something constructive and even have some fun again. Many individuals have donated blood or contributed money to the victims of the tragedy. Now they feel the need to rebuild the spirit and support the people in their own organizations.

Here are a few ideas that can help you get you back to "normal" in addition to building a closer and more unified team and workplace. But why stop with these ideas? Tap into the creative juices of your employees. I suspect they would welcome the opportunity to create some "Spirit of America" events that will rejuvenate them.

• Have a "Unity Day Lunch." Each team member brings one of their favorite all-American potluck dishes or perhaps a dish that celebrates their unique heritage. It can be a wonderful way to celebrate the diverse but united people in this country.
  
  
• Contribute to a local charity. With so much of the focus on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, some of your local charities could probably use your help. For instance, how about a food drive for a local food pantry or for Thanksgiving?
  
  
• In colder climates, start collecting warm coats and mittens for needy citizens in your community.
  
  
• Create an "America the Beautiful" bulletin board and ask everyone to bring in vacation photos from parts of the country they have visited. Seeing the "amber waves of grain" and "purple mountain majesty" will be a symbol of pride and replace those horrific images with positive pictures of our great country.
  
  
• Have a good old-fashioned bake sale or rummage sale. Let people pay what they think the item is worth and have some fun outbidding each other. The company can match or even triple the funds that are raised and donate the money to the Red Cross or other charity.
  
  
• Take photos of employees working together and post them on the bulletin board, company Intranet or newsletter. It’s a great opportunity to express your appreciation for the "family" that makes up your organization. We all saw the raw emotion expressed by people who lost coworkers in New York and Washington. Don’t miss an opportunity to thank and appreciate your own coworkers.

In addition, continue to support people in the transition. For instance:

• Caution people about retaliation against fellow co-workers, regardless of their views or ethnic backgrounds.
  
  
• Reassure employees’ safety concerns by sharing evacuation plans (or even have an evacuation drill) in the event of a natural or manmade disaster.
  
  
• Support anyone who has lost a loved one in the tragedy. Give the person ample time off and consider a fund-raising event to support the victim’s family.
  
  
• Continue to let people talk about the event and process their emotions. Avoid a clap, clap, clap, "Let’s all get back to work people" mentality. A little sensitivity will go a long way.
  
  

Even before September 11^th, work/life balance and stress reduction were key issues in employee satisfaction, healthy teamwork, initiative and productivity.  Joan Lloyd’s booklet, 86 Creative Ideas for Having More Fun & Less Stress at Work, is packed with ideas for building employee satisfaction and work/life balance while reducing stress in your workplace.  Guaranteed to give you fresh, low or no cost ideas any company can implement in categories such as: Fun with a Purpose, Building a Family Atmosphere & a Sense of Community, Having Fun at Work for the Sake of Fun, Rewarding Great Performance & Stress Busters!  Also available by return email, in PDF format!