While there are many ways to get employees involved, I discovered a unique way to promote a healthy work/life balance while keeping company morale high: Running.
I ran my first marathon on 7 December 2008, and what an experience it was! What was more impressive than finishing the race was that I was able to turn it into a event that built on our company culture. You see, every month we hold a fun out-of-office event. It’s an opportunity for staff to mingle and strengthen their friendships. These events are suggested by employees, and then my company subsidizes some part of them. We’ve done everything from attending sports games and playing paintball in the woods to watching Monster truck races.
Five months ago an employee suggested we get in shape and run a marathon as a company event. I thought it was an interesting suggestion, because running a marathon had long been on my list of things to do in life. After some brainstorming over a few beers at our “Thirsty Thursday” happy hour, we decided to make it our December event.
After conducting some research, I decided on the Las Vegas Marathon, because it was held in early December and it gave us plenty of time to train. Also, it was Las Vegas, and many of my employees had never visited the famous city. As an incentive to join this endeavor, I decided to cover the hotel costs for each employee who ran either the half or full marathon. The only requirement was that the employee had to do several runs with me prior to the marathon so that I could make sure they were training.
This requirement proved incredibly beneficial as a business owner. While we ran outdoors in preparation for the marathon, I found I could have wonderful one-on-one meetings with each employee. Not only was I able to connect with them outside of work, but they were able to provide feedback that would not have otherwise surfaced in normal sit-down meetings. As a result, this helped me better understand my staff’s needs and continue to grow my business.
Over the course of the five-month training, I could not believe how my employees’ mindsets changed. They were eating better, exercising during lunch and they had an overall higher energy level. That was great, because they were producing more results and were more focused than ever before. Their enthusiasm and energy even spread to those employees not running in the race! Leading up to the marathon, there was a buzz around the office that was just incredible.
When all was said and done, we had 10 employees out of 70 that made the trip to Las Vegas. To look and feel like a real running team, I had custom, dry-fit shirts and traveling bags made. Ultimately, everyone completed the race, and the time spent was well worth the cost. Looking back, I wish I could have convinced more employees to run and provided a more structured training schedule, as it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Everyone returned from the race feeling like winners. What’s more, since they crossed the finish line, my employees have remained energized and are working stronger as a team. I believe they took the mental challenge of running a marathon and transitioned that mindset to how they attack their workload. Honestly, it’s amazing how eating healthy and exercising can change how you approach work!
Rumor has it the staff is looking to get a group together to do a sprint triathlon. If that’s the case, it’s time to re-lace my sneakers.