We like to have a little bit of fun here and there around Roundpeg. Whether it’s an office outing to visit the art museum, donuts in the morning to celebrate a birthday or a mid-week Starbucks run, it stays pretty lively around here.

On the week of me writing this, it was Thanksgiving hand turkeys. Yep, 5 20-somethings and 2 grown women took an hour out of the day to do an arts and craft project usually reserved for kindergartners. Not only that, but we also captured and showcased our handiwork (much to many of our shock, horror and embarrassment) by posting it on social media for all to see.

Now, why on Earth would we ever want to do this? Because we are incredibly vain and self-absorbed. Kidding, of course (kind of). The real reason? Because every company needs to make hand turkeys.

Every business, especially small to medium-sized businesses, can greatly benefit from devoting time out of their normal day, week or month for silly things like that. Aside from breaking up the monotony of what would just be a normal day (which is great in and of itself), your company’s identity and reputation is also given a boost by letting the world see.

Customers

When customers are looking for the right place to take their business, it’s little details that can help push them over the edge in the decision-making process. They are obviously going to consider factors like price, convenience and quality of work. However, they will also consider the company itself.

If a potential customer is able to get an idea of who the people are that they are putting their trust in, that knowledge can go a long way. This is especially relevant for small and medium-sized businesses, who can often hold one thing over that of large companies and corporations: customer service. By showing off your company’s exploits over social media, you are giving potential customers exposure to the people that make up your business and the kind of culture they will be taking part in. Hopefully, you’re showing off one that they will want to join in.

Future Employees

But it’s more than just that. You aren’t only just trying to appeal yourself to potential customers, you are appealing yourself to the next generation of employees. As your business continues to grow or you adapt to any employee turnover, you want to fill your chairs with the best, brightest and skilled employees the market has to offer.

On top of joining a company with an impressive reputation and portfolio, potential job-seekers greatly consider company culture. If you aren’t spending the time you need cultivating an atmosphere where employees like coming into work every day, where you mix hard work with a little bit of play, a place where employees can grow personally and professionally, you aren’t going to attract the kind of potential employees you really want.

Current Employees

But, this culture your building won’t just help bring in bright minds, it will also help increase the longevity of current employees. At the risk of sounding too obvious – if you create a work environment where people like to work, your employees will want to actually stick around. Keeping employees around longer limits turnover, and all the chaos and regression that comes with it.

An environment and culture that people actually want to work in also helps solidify and deepen employee investment. The time your employees spend in each other’s company breaking bread or doing silly little arts and crafts helps them care about each other. And, if they care about each other they are likely to work that much harder to help one another (and in the larger scope, the business as a whole) succeed. If

I know I certainly care about my coworkers, my employer and damn sure want to see Roundpeg and everyone in it succeed.

So my advice to you? Take some time out of your day and take everyone to Starbucks. Carve pumpkins around Halloween. Don’t skimp on the Christmas party. Grab cocktails after work. And be sure to take plenty of photos along the way.