Kim's Blog

Company Culture: Potlucks and Happy Hours

As you’ve gotten the opportunity to see my company culture series throughout the summer, we try and incorporate a wide range of unique employee benefits from our simple You Rock Awards to our White Space Days. But, even in a downward economy, we still aim to have fun on a consistent basis. What better way to have fun than with food?

A big element to our company culture here at Shakespeare Squared—without a doubt—has to be our monthly potluck. Bringing our company together in the food-filled break room, our themed potluck combines treats brought in by employees all over the office. Potlucks are a great way to break from the lunch monotony of the week. On the last Wednesday of every month, our employees voluntarily get creative cooking food that fits the theme, whether it’s “Breakfast for Lunch” or “Appetizers and Desserts” (one of my favorites!). Employees love this day each month as it gives them a chance to share with one another and see how creative their colleagues can be!

In the summer we also bring back our happy hours on Wednesdays after work. Our happy hours provide a relaxed environment for employees to socialize outside the workplace, particularly giving our interns a chance to get to know our employees and each other. We choose a local restaurant instead of a bar so anyone can go, and our staff enjoys relaxing for an hour or two after work. With food and drinks, our employees enjoy this fun environment during the summer months. Just like our in-office potlucks, the out-of-office happy hours reinforce employee relationships to help the synchronization the work we do within the office.

Work to maintain a fun and positive environment for your employees with simple and cost-efficient methods to complement your other company efforts. These particular culture builders cost our company nothing, yet reap big rewards. You’ll be amazed at the unity you’ll find with a creative outlet for food and some cocktails after a long workday!

But enough about us—check back next week to learn about how we reward others with our philanthropic efforts.