I know so many people that have the Monday blues every Monday and feel that it is a drag to get up and go to work every day. However, I am one of those people with a big drive. And why shouldn’t I have that? When even work is so much fun…well most of the times anyway! So, how do we have fun at work?
But first…WHO IS BLEND? BLEND is a specialized web design agency in Nicosia committed to creating exceptional user experiences, agile digital campaigns and online solutions. Always, at the highest levels of creativity and execution. Sounds easy, huh? Actually, we do have our fair share of challenges too.
Cultivating a fun & healthy work culture
The three founding partners of BLEND, Neophytos Papageorgiou, Loris Stavrinides and myself have made it a point to cultivate a healthy and fun culture. With the intention to keep the creative juices alive. And keeping the productivity levels high. Especially when you are about to burn out because you are servicing international clients around the globe with deliverable deadlines colliding, is a challenge on its own. So, how do we balance everything to walk the talk?
Unofficial policies & rules
We have various policies and unofficial rules in place. First of all, we have two working hour zones. The developers and myself are the early risers and are the first to come in the office. Maybe it’s because of the nature of our work or maybe because most of us have children. So, we are forced to wake up to attend to our precious little ones needs. And the second zone is championed by our creative people, that usually follow an hour later. So, what? We make it work out. Some flexibility never hurt anyone. As long as we get the work done and we instigate happiness, right?
Importance of happiness to have fun at work
RIGHT. Making your organization a happy place to go to work is an essential component to the successful long-lasting business. A happy work environment attracts good people and helps the people who work for you do the best for the company. At BLEND we are very conscious of these elements in the culture we are nurturing.
Hiring process to ensure a happy environment
In our hiring process, we ensure that the personalities are a good fit with our culture/ An equally important factor as qualifications and experience gained to date. We have many happy personalities around, but the queen of happy is our very own Mbia, with her bubbly personality spreading joy and mischief around.
We have also fostered a very family oriented atmosphere, not stifled with hierarchies and unnecessary barriers. So, we often have impromptu team building activities such as, movie afternoons, pizza lunches, Friday happy hours at a pub. One of my favourites was when we visited “Etsi Ki Allios” and hand-painted tiles, making a mosaic of BLEND. Literally having an imprint of everyone’s creativity, and decorating one of our office walls.
Communication channels
Over and above the official communication channels, we have our very own internal communication channel where any family member of BLEND has a voice. Our team uses it to share campaigns and funny things. Inspiring type of work, ideas to brainstorm for specific clients. And believe me, throughout the day these are light and nice distractions from our day to day mundane tasks. As for the days that the internal and informal communication chatter has lessened, we know that everyone is focused on their task at hand or stressed out to meet a deadline.
Then we have the various days to celebrate, the champion being our sweet Larisa. Such as “Facebook day” or “Flip-flop day”, where the creatives at the spur of a moment get the entire company involved to produce a GIF for our social media, or to shoot a short video, or anything they decide is appropriate to create. Yes, we give them the creative freedom to grow.
Loris
Always under the purview of our Creative star, Loris, who keeps raising the bar and pushing the creative envelope to its limits.
Multi-talented team
George
But the BLEND story has so many facets. Creativity exudes outside work as well. With our oldest and most loyal blender Giorgos brewing his very own beer. Over and above being a very talented developer, he recently won the first prize for his beer at Brewfellas. And made us proud again and even merrier as we often get to taste the spirit of his talent.
Andreas
Yet the team consists of many more hidden talents. Our Andreas is the quiet one, but the few times he decides to speak up, he always makes a statement. With his words and with his work too.
Stelios
And we pride of our very own Stelios. With the thousands of development hours under his merit, he is our pragmatist. So, when we are brainstorming for digital campaigns wishing to capitalize on technologies such as mood detectors, kinetics, augmented realities and what-not he is the wizard that will find the solution and the how.
Marios
As for our new blood Marios, he is proving to be such an asset. Familiar with all these new technologies, still yet untapped in the local market, and with a great can-do attitude. What else can an employer want.
Believe me, when we created the Stoli GIF booth, we all had so much fun testing it until we perfected it.
Neophytos
Then there’s Neophytos, without whom I am convinced there is no BLEND. When the telephone rings, 90% of the times it is for him. Heck he should have his own hotline…..Alas, another item to add on my to-do list. But BLEND is actually a well-blended company of all our complimentary skills and personalities, which makes us who we are.
Myself
Oh…and who am I? I am just the dreamer in the company. The one who thinks big, sees the positives in every situation and everyone and helps attract the best of the best. So, why wouldn’t I have fun at work?
