Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
That pit in your stomach hits just as the sun begins to sink on a Sunday evening, and the dread of Monday settles in. Many are familiar with the dark cloud that looms over the end of each weekend. But at Bolt, we’re asking the question – does it have to be that way? Let’s stop making Monday a four-letter word and start cultivating workplaces that don’t invite the ‘Sunday scaries’ to creep in before the start of each workweek.
While benefits, pay and dress code used to be the perks job hunters sought after, today’s workforce has a few new desires that are all about…yep, you guessed it – culture. The pandemic was the spark that ignited the revolution of new employee demands and passions, and these fresh ideals have gained traction and should not be ignored. From the Great Resignation where millions of U.S. employees exited jobs in search of something better, to the Great Rehiring where job seekers had the upper hand in an employee market, organizations were forced to either make culture a priority or suffer the consequences of a rotating door of top talent.
Here at Bolt PR, culture is what charges our creativity and makes us a better agency team, better place to work and better client partner. Sure, we have digital marketing, public relations and content development chops, head-turning case studies and employees with years of big brand experience, but cheering each other on and enjoying what we do together as a team is our secret sauce. And, in fact, many of our clients are on the same wavelength within their own teams, so we’re pulling from years of experience to dish out a few tips to fight those ‘Sunday scaries’ and boost the culture in your workplace.
Nothing welcomes doom and gloom on a Sunday evening like feeling stuck in a job you dislike. A recent Flexjobs survey found that 30% of employees want to quit, and of the 2,202 employees surveyed, a toxic company culture ranked as the number one reason for leaving a job, followed closely by a lack of healthy work-life boundaries, accounting for 49%. People are seeking roles where their work demands don't bleed into their personal lives, causing heightened levels of burnout, stress and anxiety. In fact, stress among the world’s workers reached an all-time high with 44% of employees experiencing stress “a lot” during the previous day. It’s no surprise that today’s workforce craves better work-life balance, and employers must answer the call. At Bolt, we recognize that work-life balance is key to unlocking full potential, job fulfillment, and innovative results. Here are a few pages from our book on how to achieve better work-life balance:
The pandemic spurred the working world into the new norm of hybrid and remote work options, and our Bolt agency team was no exception. A recent McKinsey survey revealed that a whopping 87% of workers presented with remote options spend an average of three days per week working remotely, and a desire for greater flexibility is paramount. From eliminating commutes and offering more time for family and personal activities, remote work is a permanent work-life balance solution at Bolt.
Holiday time – check. Vacation time – check. An extra hour for whatever I need? That’s what we call WIN time. Every week, Bolt team members are encouraged to mark off an extra hour during the workday to unplug and do whatever they need. We understand that sometimes employees just need an impromptu walk around the park, an extra hour for lunch with a friend or a midday sweat at the gym. Whatever is needed, there’s an extra hour for that, guilt-free.
Working from a bank of set paid days off or accruing hours throughout pay periods can create hurdles between employees achieving enough personal time to rest and recharge. For better work-life balance, Bolt employees have the freedom to take time off when needed - no accrual necessary.
Remote work offers great flexibility and autonomy, so team bonding efforts must be front and center to keep employees connected and engaged. In-office environments might enjoy lunches, coffee breaks, and happy hours, but at Bolt, we get together over virtual happy hours, quarterly employee-selected book club gatherings, and chatting about trending topics, life happenings and personal preferences over a designated ‘Agency Fun’ Slack channel.
Coming together is more important now than ever, and according to Gartner, there has been a 44% increase in the use of collaboration tools at work since 2019. So whether working side by side with a team in an office or sharing thoughts and ideas via digital tools like Slack or Google Meet, workplace collaboration has the power to amplify innovation and exceed goals. Not only does collaboration spark workplace friendships, but a Stanford study found that employees who collaborate rather than work individually are 50% more effective at completing tasks. While we might think of collaboration as office chatter or brainstorming meetings, instilling camaraderie at work can happen in ways that are outside of the box. Take it from Bolt client TouchTunes Unlimited who is bringing the power of collaborative music to workplaces everywhere through the nostalgia and joy of an interactive jukebox. Music is proven to build motivation, reduce stress, enhance job performance, and increase happiness - a win-win for employers and employees alike. Offering an extensive catalog of music, including expertly curated playlists, TouchTunes Unlimited taps into a fresh way to create an energized work atmosphere of meaningful workplace connections… oh, and a lot of fun!
While positive workplace cultures are all the rage, toxic office environments lurk in the workplace midst as well. In fact, it’s estimated that one in five employees have left a job because of a toxic culture, and from lowered productivity to employee turnover – this is costing businesses big bucks in the long run. As an employer or an employee, there are a few telltale signs of a toxic culture, including: lack of diversity and inclusivity, unethical behavior, cutthroat environments, abusive language, disrespect for others, or simply turning a blind eye to any of these unwanted behaviors.
One of our client partners, Work Shield, is on a mission to protect people, organizations and cultures by empowering all employees to have a voice and truly ‘Be Heard.’ They understand that organizations must take responsibility for mitigating misconduct at work to maintain a healthy culture where teams thrive and aren’t left to battle the uneasy feeling every Sunday night and Monday morning. Work Shield provides the only enhanced and tech-enabled platform that partners with organizations to efficiently manage reporting, investigation, and resolution of workplace harassment, discrimination, and misconduct issues. Open door policies and anonymous hotlines are a thing of the past, and it’s time to let employees know that their voices have a safe space to be heard, and misconduct will simply not be tolerated.
At the end of the day, businesses are built and supported by people. And it’s the people who have the power to bring creative ideas to the table and success to the brand, so why not make those people a priority? We do. Join us in building and maintaining a culture of work-life balance, collaboration and trust where toxic behavior and egos are left at the door – or better yet, the dumpster.
Whether you’re a fellow business trying to make a difference, a job seeker looking for that magic culture fit, or a brand ready to partner with a PR, digital marketing and content agency that values people above all else – we hope you’ll check out our culture and chat with us soon.
Not sure where to start?
Contact our team to start the conversation around a customized marketing campaign dedicated to your personalized business goals. From PR to content creation and digital marketing, you tell us how far you want to take your brand, and we’ll do the rest.
We can’t wait to hear from you!
.png)
