Boosting Morale NYC

It’s the morning after Labor Day, and I’ve just finished reading all 7 expert articles featured in The New York Times ‘Room for Debate’ opinion section, “Can Companies Excel Without Making Workers Miserable?”

This is something which I am quite passionate about. Prior to founding TrivWorks, a New York team building activities company specializing in live trivia, I spent over a decade in the workforce as an employee within a variety of organizations and industries. I am now happily self-employed, however for much of my time in the employ of others, I was completely miserable.

To be honest, a great deal of my misery was the result of my own lack of focus and direction; not at all certain what I wanted to do with life after graduating college (as well as graduate school several years later), I survived by bouncing around at a slew of entry-level positions which I really had no interest in (in fact, these jobs forced me to rely on skills which I wasn’t event decent at, let alone excelled in). At one point, I even managed to find a job which I DID enjoy, was well within my area of interest and that maximized my skill set.

And yet, I was still miserable.

The reason was because I was treated poorly. Despite being extremely productive and self-motivated – especially after so many years working jobs I hated – this particular company treated me like I was completely disposable; the pay and benefits were laughable, there was absolutely zero career track or development opportunities, raises/promotions were out of the question, and my office space was a closet – as in, a literal broom closet, which was modified to accommodate a desk and chair.

It was during this time of extreme dissatisfaction and destroyed morale that I determined to do something about it – not just for myself, but for others who were toiling in jobs that left them miserable, even if they enjoyed their work. In the years which have ensued, I have since produced morale boosting activities in NYC and nationwide for over 100 companies, and have witnessed firsthand three things: 1) there are a LOT of miserable people out there in the workforce, within all industries and at all levels; 2) low morale ABSOLUTELY has a lasting tangible impact on both productivity and the bottom line; and 3) a well-executed group bonding event designed to create a positive shared experience can make a huge difference in fostering trust, loyalty and creating a happier work environment.